Selections # 22

Karen K

Interview

Auto passion

accelerated Life as an

Artist Rebel Dandy Great Gatsby

style

Baselworld

special report

LBP 10.000 / KWD 2.5 / AED 37

Venice Biennale JOD 7 / USD 10 / DHB 4 / QAR 37

Collection Couture Printemps - EtĂŠ 2013 www.georgeschakra.com

e di tor i a l

seasons of

Indulgence The shimmering summer is upon us, and with it the heat, the noise and the endless social engagements. But sometimes, despite the thrill of the city or the glamour of a wedding, you just want to sneak away and enjoy something you know you shouldn’t. Whether it’s that ludicrously expensive (but oh so desirable) handbag, a weekend getaway when you should really visit mother, or simply pretending you’re a star in a 1920s love story – they all feel too good not to indulge in! That’s why Selections has devoted this issue to Guilty Pleasures – a cornucopia of opulent delights that might be out of your budget – or not your usual style – but you nevertheless simply cannot resist.

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We’ve gorged you with offerings from the eminent BaselWorld luxury watch event – with a personal insight into what the celebrities are wearing. Then there’s a look at how top brands are extending their frontiers: exquisite handbags from Porsche and designer shoes from Aston Martin.

For the men, we throw open the doors of a new exhibition concerning how to dress well and be a dandy – never heard of one? You will. For the art lover, we take you from the biggest show in the world – the Venice Biennale – to the earth’s smallest gallery – a meditation space in the depths of Tokyo.

And, of course don’t forget to use your Layar app to explore Selections on your iPad or smartphone so you can indulge in your guilty pleasures without getting caught.

Safwan Dahoul "Repetitive Dreams"

"Dream 61" 180 X 200 cm. Acrylic on Canvas 2013

Opening reception: Thursday 9 May 2013, 6 - 8.30 pm The exhibition will run till 15 June

ayyam gallery|London 143 New Bond Street, 1st Floor, W1S 2TP London, United Kingdom T: +44207 409 3568, F: +44207 409 3162 london@ayyamgallery.com www.ayyamgallery.com

kuwait

summer ISSUE > 2013

Balsam and Lulwa Al Ayoub with Mr Abdulmohsen Behbehani, Shahzad Gidwani, Renaud Pretet.

Teaming up to empower women

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ollowing their visit to the historical manufacture of Jaeger-LeCoultre, in May, Kuwaiti fencing champions Balsam and Lulwa Al Ayoub announced a partnership between the prestigious watch brand and their foundation Touché Sports Development Management, which supports the empowerment of women in Kuwait through sport and education. The event took place at the Regency hotel in Kuwait, together with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s esteemed retail partner Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group.

The partnership coincides with the launch of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s latest feminine collection, the Rendez-Vous. The watch is said to embody a free-spirited and spontaneous personality that is constantly reinvented, a sentiment reflected by the vision of the Al Ayoub sisters in their careers as sportswomen and social entrepreneurs.

Ribbon-cutting with, CEO Jean-Claude Biver, Abdul Mohsen Behbehani, Ali Morad Behbehani, Shahzad Gidwani.

Hublot’s first standalone boutique

T New Hublot shop at the Avenues.

he event to celebrate the opening of the first Hublot boutique in Kuwait was graced with the presence of Jean-Claude Biver, Chairman of Hublot, who was joined by Ali Morad Behbehani, President of Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group, and many esteemed guests. Located in the Avenues Mall-Prestige, the boutique has been designed in line with the brand’s concept of “The Art of Fusion”, represented through the fusion of materials such as natural buckskin and ebony, which create a warm ambiance. The Kuwait boutique is the seventh for Hublot in the region, with the Swiss watch brand currently on a roll with a boutique opening almost every month at the most prestigious locations across the globe.

Shaker Hassan Al Said (VERSO), mixed media on paper, 40 x 32cm, 1994, courtesy of Agial Art Gallery, Lebanon.

Shorouq Amin, Sami Mohamed.

Samia Halaby, Three Squares Pyramid, 2011, acrylic on linen canvas, 152 X 203 cm, courtesy of Samawi Collection.

Amine Al Bacha, Untitled, 1967, oil on canvas, 70 x 100 cm, courtesy of CAP.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kuwait Nicolaas Beets and his family.

Farida Al Sultan, Arsalan Mohammad, Jafar Islah

Celebrating abstract art from the Arab world

Hamed Abdalla, 1966 TAALISMAN 60x92 cm gouache-papier de soie froissé 055, Courtesy of CAP.

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ne of the biggest retrospectives to celebrate and map the abstract movement in the Arab world was launched in March by Contemporary Art Platform (CAP), featuring the works of 88 Arab artists during the Modern period. The exhibition, “Tajreed Part I: A Selection of Arab Abstract Art”, took place under the patronage of the Minister of Information and the State Minister of Youth Affairs: Sheikh Salman Al Sabah, and was curated by Saleh Barakat in collaboration with CAP.

Minister of Information and the State Minister of Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al Sabah, Founder of CAP Amer Huneidi.

Dima Al Delham.

Fadia Al Marzouq, Aurona Al Sultan.

Sara Al Nafisi and her friend.

Khalifa Al Ghanim.

Assouline and Goyard unveiled

Nora Barany, Gy Barany.

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ook and art lovers were in for a treat in June when Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) hosted an unveiling reception for Assouline’s latest collaboration with French luxury trunk-makers Goyard. Assouline is a New York City-based luxury book publisher esteemed for its visually stunning publications. The elite of Kuwait society gathered for the event where the items on display included a limited edition Goyard trunk filled with Assouline books.

The King of Diamonds lands in Kuwait

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arlier this year guests celebrated the launch of the very first Harry Winston salon in Kuwait. Located in the Prestige District of the Avenues Mall, the 122-square metre Harry Winston salon is home to a selection of jewellery and timepieces from some of the most iconic collections. Harry Winston was founded in 1932 by the American jeweller of the same name, who would go on to be known as the ‘King of Diamonds’ and ‘Jeweller to the Stars”. Today the brand continues his legacy of creating exquisite jewels and timepieces, with 28 salons worldwide. The recently opened Kuwait salon is in partnership with premier retailer Kuwait Luxury Co.

Seeking Al-Tawhid

Pump up the Jamm Words: Rich Thornton

Created by Kuwati royal Sheikha Lulu Al-Sabah, JAMM is an art trading consultancy that seeks to do more for Gulf culture than help money change hands

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n a world where new art is as abundant as the air we breathe, how can the intelligent art enthusiast be expected to know what to buy and where to put it? JAMM is here to help. Founded by Kuwati Sheikha Lulu AlSabah, JAMM is an art consultancy that helps individuals, businesses and probably even small governments decide what art to invest in – and how to hang it so it looks nice.

After sharpening her artistic eye as a writer for Canvas magazine, Sheikha Lulu co-founded her art advisory company in order to “promote cultural diplomacy” and further encourage collaboration between Arab and Iranian artists and the West. Her theory is that art should be bought as an investment that you can enjoy, whether at home or in the office.

For private clients, JAMM will hunt down potential acquisitions across continents, represent them at public auctions (to maintain discretion), and ensure that all purchases are fully insured and shipped with due diligence. For corporations the process is quite similar, but the consultancy offers an extra, curatorialadvice feature which directs office staff how and where to place art to maximise feng shui and bolster productivity. Naturally, JAMM also helps their clients sell their art too.

Prison Ghosts

So far JAMM might sound like any other art acquisitions consultant, but there’s more. True to their promise of promoting cultural conversation, JAMM organises events, auctions and exhibitions which give both artists and art collectors a chance to mingle and swap knowledge or money. JAMM’s most recent offering – in June this year – was ‘Writings on the Wall’, an exhibition at Life Centre in Kuwait which features the likes of Katya Traboulsi and Susan Hefuna. This show was the sixth organised by JAMM in the first half of 2013 alone, proof of their obsession with the region’s art and their commitment to getting people to buy it.

One of the tricks that makes JAMM so equipped to serve both their artists and their clients is their unmatchable connections. Being a member of the Kuwaiti royal family, Sheikha Lulu is aware that titles open doors. Keen to put her fortunate position to good use, this eminent maiden of art is working to bring the ruling families of the region into a greater understanding of art as a cultural force for good, as well as highlighting it as an economic substitute to depleting oil reserves.

Qatar

summer ISSUE > 2013

Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce still Launches the latest golden in Qatar in after-sales care

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ontinuing in its tradition as the Global Aftersales Dealer of the Year, Rolls-Royce Doha has initiated a new concept which provides the ultimate in discretion and commitment to the Rolls-Royce owner.

Now, new cars can be delivered incognito straight to your door via the Rolls-Royce Recovery Truck, and as the name suggests, the truck is also at hand should your car ever need servicing either on or off the road.

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olls-Royce Doha has announced a 14 percent sales growth for the first quarter of 2013, proof that the Qatari market for ultra-luxury motors is steadfast and that buyers appreciate the value of craftsmanship and customer support that comes with owning a car from the pinnacle of automotive brands. The Rolls-Royce Wraith, the most potent and technologically advanced model ever produced in the history of the company, will land in Qatar later this year.

Mathaf’s summer New Director cultural for Mathaf refreshment

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ver the hot summer months Mathaf continues to provide yet more cultural refreshment with the extension of a current exhibition and launch of a second.

Forever Now: Five Anecdotes from the Permanent Collection has been extended until October 6 in the first floor galleries, from where it offers a new understanding of five diverse modern Arab artists: Fahrelnissa Zeid, Jewad Selim, Saliba Al-Doueihy, Salim Al-Dabbagh and Ahmed Cherkaoui.

The extended show also features additional works by Ahmed Cherkaoui. Meanwhile, Selections from the Collection, which opened on June 1, covers three galleries on the ground floor of the museum with works drawn from the permanent collection and runs until August 31. Admission is free of charge. For more information, visit www. mathaf.org.qa.

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n June 2013, independent artistic director Abdellah Karroum took over as Director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the arts institution led by the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA). The 43-year-old Moroccan curator earned his stripes associate-curating various international biennials such as Dakar in 2006 and Gwangju in 2008. More recently Karroum made waves curating the Benin 2012 biennial. His new role entails providing creative and managerial leadership to the three-year-old artistic establishment. “My ambition is to make Mathaf a place of learning for our team and the public,” Karroum explained. Edward Dolman, QMA Executive Director and Acting CEO of the organisation added, “We are looking forward to working closely with Abdellah in further developing the Museum and establishing Mathaf as a vibrant centre for the promotion and understanding of Contemporary Art in a local and international context.”

© Albion Art

Brooch, natural brown pearls set in platinum and diamonds, France, 1900

British fashion label Temperley London opens in Doha

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n May this year Salam Stores in Doha opened the first Temperley London boutique in the Middle East. The opening at the prestigious The Gate Mall was laced with the elegance of an ‘English Tea Party’ complete with games of croquet. Fashion designer Alice Temperley MBE was there in person to welcome her brand to the region and noted that the “Middle East has always been very supportive of what we do”.

Pearls are the world’s best friend

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s part of the Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture, a season of events showcasing the cultural relations between Qatar and the UK, the Victoria and Albert Musuem (V & A) in London is set to host an exhibition about pearls starting September 21. From the pearl-drop earring worn by King Charles II at his execution to a silverand-pearl necklace designed by Sam Tho Duong, the show charts the history of the human obsession with the pearl, and the supremacy of Gulf pearls, both cultivated and natural. 200 pieces will be displayed which have been borrowed from the Qatar Museums Authority, Tate Britain, British Museum, Royal Collection and of course the V & A itself.

Shoe Obsession LE SILLA

CASADEI

EMILIO PUCCI

GIANVITO ROSSI

ETRO

VICINI

WALTER STEIGER

PIERRE HARDY

ROBERTO CAVALLI

SEBASTIAN

Katharine Pooley is here words: : Lucy Knight

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his summer has seen the arrival of some exquisitely English tastes on Doha’s shores. Katharine Pooley, an interior design showroom and service, is now available for you to indulge your home furnishing desires. Located at the Gate Mall, in the vibrant West Bay, the store is Pooley’s first franchise.“My business partner Nasser Al Ansari approached me in London,”

she told us. “Doha is a very expanding and exciting country at present - I see it as a perfect opportunity as the first international franchise.”

Opening her first store in London’s Walton Street in 2004, Pooley was actually a late bloomer when it came to entering into this world she now dominates. She actually started out in banking.

“My experience of working in banking really helped me. Being detailed, administrative and highly

organised are all traits of a good interior designer.

It is not just about the creative side,” she says.

With an innate love of adventure and travel, Pooley has visited more than 250 countries and can more often than not be found scaling some lofty peak. The experience of so many different cultures has led Pooley to have a unique approach to capturing the essential diversity of classical contemporary living without sacrificing comfort, coherence or style. She is, of course, not alone, heading a 20-strong team of talented individuals

all working to deliver a seamless and exacting service. “Working with the clients to discover their dream homes is the best part,” she shares.

In 2012 Pooley was awarded Best Interior Designer by the Society of British Interior Design, and from commercial to residential projects, she has a wide range of experience. Working with Ansari, head of development company Octagon International, Qatar can finally experience the sophistication of Pooley’s taste.

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The East Goes West

words: Dan Bratman

The term “Islamic art” is extraordinarily broad. Its spectacular contents would have to include art from a span of time and land almost impossible to see in a lifetime. But now, all you may need is an hour and a pair of comfortable shoes.

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Writing box, late 16th–early 17th century.

he Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new exhibit of Islamic Art, on display from April 1 to August 4, has put together the world’s most ambitious and complete collection of art from Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, South Asia and around the world.

To face such an expansive exhibit one may consider enlisting the help of trained professionals. So, the Met offers a one hour guided tour of the exhibit. On a rainy New York City afternoon, I climbed the iconic steps of the Met on Fifth Ave between 80th and 84th St. into the vaulted marble expanse of the lobby. From the information desk I was guided to the meeting place of the tour and

found Rose, our Irishbrogued tour guide.

Rose, with equal parts charm, enthusiasm and knowledge, guided us to the entrance of the exhibit. Our small group of curious patrons gathered around. We were surrounded by some of the most extraordinary examples of art from this part of the world, examples of the first blushes of art from the cradle of civilisation. Delicate plates and urns showed the motifs that typify Islamic art: complex geometric designs, floral and leaf patterns, and calligraphy. Perhaps it is because the faith of Islam precludes images of people and animals, that art associated with Islam is so unique. This limitation created an abstract visual language vastly predating abstract expressionism, yet uses shapes to evoke emotion. Geometric patterns, infinitely delicate silver laid into brass, and ornate painted glass spoke of a

Child's coat, late 19th century India, Punjab or Kashmir, Amritsar Wool; double interlocking twill tapestry weave.

Bowl.jpg

"Sudaba's Second Accusation Against Siyavush is Judged", Folio from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935–1020).

deeply spiritual aesthetic. The calligraphy of the Qur’an becomes an art beyond the meaning of the words so that even without understanding Arabic, one stands in awe before the beauty of its art. Each of these amazing relics tells a story and our guide, Rose, brings them to life with glimpses into the life and times of their makers and the world they lived in.

By the time we came to the exquisite and famous rugs of the exhibit, I had lost all track of time and when Rose thanked us and we said our goodbyes, I was sorry it was over. But a detailed and deep appreciation of the art of Islam will always be remembered now with a slight Irish twist.

Ismail Azzam: Art’s human touch

100 x 130 cm, OIL ON CANVAS

words: Rich Thornton

Ismail Azzam is a high profile Iraqi portrait painter and curator whose relocation to Qatar has aided his career and artistic development. Fresh from teaching drawing classes at the Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar, he speaks to Selections about his relationship to portraiture, the value of paint over photography, and how curating exhibitions inspires his own art.

What is it about portraiture that you find so everlastingly appealing?

The human being in his physical appearance and knowledge is what attracts me to draw him. I insist on the mental aspect of the person and try to highlight it on the painting’s surface in order for the

viewer to be able to read and interpret it. The artistic beauty of the subject is of equal importance, but that goes without saying.

How does Qatar inspire you as opposed to your native Iraq?

Every place has its beauty, charm and influence on a person, and it didn’t take long until I blended with Qatar’s desert atmosphere despite coming from the different environment or southern Iraq.

It is human nature to be able to fit in very quickly with your surroundings, and I am personally enchanted by this wilderness and its details.

100 X 130 OIL ON CANVAS

100 x 130 cm OIL ONCANVAS

Who in the world would you most like to paint?

A multitude of facial expressions exist in each and every person, and any could be used as material for painting and drawing. There are no rules or guidelines that say a subject must have a certain shape or expression, whether it is a child or an elderly person, a woman or a man. The important thing is that the facial expression is real and simple so that it can portray an honest message to the audience.

Does it matter if your model is famous? Does their reputation affect how you paint them?

Famous faces – be they politicians, artists or athletes – make an impact whether we like them or not. For me, adoration of these celebrities is not present in my drawings; in fact, the paintings may reveal something in their faces that challenges our preconceptions of that person.

Your portraits are known for being almost photographic - what do you hope to achieve in paint that can’t be captured in photography?

I don’t see my paintings as photographic. It’s true that in some of my paintings there exists a precision

100 X 130 CM OIL ON CANVAS

which is close to reality, but drawing involves a human touch which carries with it a lot of emotions and reactions. The camera, on the other hand, fails to do this; it is a medium that can fail to showcase the person’s feelings.

You’ve curated for many exhibitions and galleries – does curating inspire your own work? If so, how?

Organising, supervising and coordinating are all parts of the creative process and greatly affect the

artistic outcome. Moreover, the process influences my own shows in the way I react as an artist with the environment surrounding me, and inspired by the people around me.

Outside of portraiture, what else do you like to explore through your art?

In general, art for me is pleasure and a chance at new discovery in my everyday life. It is this sense of adventure that keeps me, and I believe every other artist going.

In the eye of the beholder words: Lucy Knight

Everyone wants a piece of Middle Eastern art, but buying needn’t be a tricky business, says auction house Christie’s Micahel Jeha, just follow your heart.

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Some of the pieces sold at the Christie's April 2013 auction in Doha.

Above: Zeni Assi's Ya Beirut.

RIGHT: Michael Jeha in action.

he fact that the Middle East has been the land of a burgeoning art scene and the playground for investors and collectors is not new. Since the start of the millennium great strides have been made to put the region on the map and, despite a global economic crisis, it seems to be only getting better.

The region hasn't been defeated by the economic crisis when it comes to art. In fact, it would seem the opposite. After what were considered to be boom years for the market in the Middle East, from 2007 to 2008, when sales were reaching up to $15million per auction, many sceptics believed that the party was over and the demand would drop.

The Gulf has continued to be a stomping ground for artists as well as collectors. Qatar in particular has become a major player; not only is the royal family deemed to be the biggest spenders on contemporary art, led by Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani – the daughter of the Emir of Qatar, they have begun to lead the way in the promotion of artistic culture in the region. Doha is receiving worldwide praise for its Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) while further afield the Dubai Art Fair is a centre point of the art calendar.

Michael Jeha Later this year Lebanon will be hosting its annual Beirut Art Fair, and with fervour the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is becoming one to watch when it comes to art. According to a recent article in The Economist, the MIA is "one of the half-dozen best museums in the world" -

Tagreed Darghouth's Green Flax.

Ayman Baalbaki's Al Moulatham.

not bad for a country still in infancy on the art stage.

Galleries have continued to appear and in Dubai alone there are now 150, including the renowned auction house Christie's. For this auction house, which opened an office in the city in 2005, the words 'plateau' and 'dropping' don't have a place in their vocabulary when it comes to the market.

“I think it's widely accepted that what you have now is a more sustainable market,” says Christie's Head of Sales in the Middle East, Michael Jeha. “It's growing in a much more steady fashion.”

In the most recent sale at the Dubai branch, sales totalled $6.4million, with just two out of

Abdel Rahman Katanani's Swinging Girls

the 103 pieces not being sold. One piece in particular was “The Secret Garden” by Iran’s Farhad Moshir, which went for just under $1million. “More people are taking part now,” says Jeha, “more than five years ago.” As part of what he describes as a global buyer race, it is not just GCC clients participating in the sales. In Dubai itself there are Iranians and Europeans, as well as locals, he notes, and even in Lebanon the support is great, not just for the artist from the country but for other Middle Eastern artists and global auctions.

Entering such a market is done with increasingly regularity, and the numbers within the region are not dwindling. Jeha, who was recently in Beirut to

give a talk on how one should purchase art, says that really it’s about love. This makes a change from the boom days of 2007 when the attitude seemed to be one of ‘grab that Old Master faster than you can say Caravaggio’.

“We don’t advise people to buy for investment, you should buy for aesthetic reasons,” says Jeha.

As he points out, in a market place, prices can go up and they can go down, but if the piece is something you love, then it won’t be such a disappointment if its monetary value decreases. “It’s often the case that those who buy for love tend to make the best investment decisions as well.”

Asaad Arabi "Om Kalthoum"

"Passions of the Silk Handkerchief" 150 X 150 cm. Acrylic on Canvas 2013

Opening reception: Wednsday 24 April 2013, 6 - 9 pm The exhibition will run till 30 May

ayyam gallery|Jeddah Bougainvillea Center Jeddah, Third Floor, King's Road, Al-Shat'ta District Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, T: +966 555 517000 jeddah@ayyamgallery.com www.ayyamgallery.com

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News

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Lifestyle

INSPIRATION on trend The Luxury Touch

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{Timely renewal of a racing friendship} No one can resist a retrospective when it’s one about racing cars, or at least, we can’t. The biennial Grand Prix de Monaco Historique has been held since 2002, several weeks before Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix, racing vintage automobiles dating from 1947 to 1978. Since 2002 the official timekeepers Chopard has created a watch to commemorate each race, and this summer it announced that the partnership will continue until 2018. Held every two years, the impressive retrospective hosts more than 200 drivers from 19 countries.So all can rest easy, as elegance and punctuality on the vintage race track will remain.

{Scents of Reem} It is 16 years since Reem Acra launched her bridal collection and from there she has moved on to red carpets and ready-to-wear. It should come as no surprise then that someone achieving such heights in the fashion world would then venture into beauty. Like so many before her Acra has launched her first fragrance. As she has said herself, “I always strive to make women look and feel beautiful.

Perfume is a more intimate, yet subtle, way of achieving that.” Partnering with Pierre

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Negrin, of the Swiss Perfumery Firmenich, Acra wanted to create a scent inspired by the memories of her childhood: collecting amber as a child in the forests of Lebanon.

Using these ingredients of her heritage, they have coupled top notes of orange blossom and jasmine, and a lingering blend of pear and bergamot – warm sultry, mysterious and rich – representing all the elegance of a Reem Acra dress, now in a bottle. Reem Acra Eau de Parfum will be available this autumn.

{Chanel goes large}

{Wrist action}

It was all Marilyn Monroe claimed she wore to bed. The world’s most iconic perfume Chanel No.5 has been scenting women’s bodies since it was first commissioned by the designer Coco Chanel in 1921, and typically appearing in a 1fl.oz bottle.

It is estimated that the average woman goes through about one ounce of perfume a year and so the idea of going much bigger seems a little strange, but not to Chanel. As part of their ‘Les Grands Extraits’ they have created a 7.5fl.oz and 30fl.oz bottle. Available more as show pieces, the bottles are limited editions but with the jewel-cut cabochon stopper they can continue to be the scent that just keeps on giving.

If the Greek God Ploutos was forced to wear a watch, it would probably be a Limited Edition from Swiss luxury watchmakers Richard Mille.

Luck would have it that fresh for the summer a new range of Tourbillons has been launched: the RM 003 CARBON and RM 021 CARBON.The former has a carbon nanotubes-injected polymer case, letting it present a special edition of the classic GMT movement. The latter combines an orthorhombic titanium aluminide and carbon nanofibre baseplate. Rafael Nadal famously had his Richard Mille watch stolen from his hotel room just after winning the 2012 French Open – demonstrating the highly covetable nature of any Richard Mille designed piece.

{Bikes of bamboo} This Denmark based duo, David Hoffmann and Philipp Sayler, have taken man’s passion for cycling and turned it into a sustainable and eco-friendly business. Using frames constructed from bamboo, they began work with the Zambian company Zambikes a couple of years ago. Their eye for style, and passion for social commitment within a high value design environment, has led them to create a unique and stylish pushbike.

From ‘fixies’ to ‘jungle’ bikes, the beautifully crafted and eco-friendly cycles are a great addition to an increasingly trendy sport. To add to the uniqueness of the bikes, each one is made to order and can be signed according to the customer’s preferences. www.zuribikes.com

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words: Lucy Knight

lu xu ry l ifest yl e Ins pi ration

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veryone thinks I spend all my time designing,” says Fawaz Gruosi, “But I don’t.” Taking ideas from everything around him, from lamps to trees, the man behind jewellers de Grisogono sketches ideas and then hands them over to a more than reliable design team who help him to realise whether or not his visions are possible. And taking ideas from all things is represented perfectly in his most recent collection, Sugar. A series of timepieces for women inspired by a sugar cube being plopped into an Italian espresso, they are an homage to frivolity and beauty. Stones surrounding the clock face resemble a sugar cube melting away, with the collect-set stones cascading off to the side, set to have slight movement. Such a playful and luminous approach is typical of Gruosi’s taste, one that has been long in the making. Leaving Lebanon at the age of seven, he was brought up with his mother’s family in Florence. At the age of 18 he started carrying trays for jewellery salesmen; now he hosts birthday parties at venues named ‘The Billionaires Club’. For Gruosi, the road to international fame and fortune in the jewellery market has been a

rather less travelled one, and as a self confessed non-businessman, he doesn’t mind one bit.For a man who has been labelled as the most soughtafter jeweller of his generation, it is surprising that the starting moment was pure fluke: “I was 17 and married with a child, and I got a job at a jewellers.”

Thus began a career of buying and selling around the world. The 70s and 80s were spent with two of the great jewellery houses, Harry Winston and then Bulgari, in London and Saudi Arabia. It was a time of opulence and unspeakable wealth, or as Gruosi puts it, “It was the oil boom, money was falling from the sky.” But, finding himself detached from reality, Gruosi decided that the private jets and penthouses were not the path to be taken, and it

“Everyone thinks I spend all my time designing.

But I don’t.”

was time for a risk – designing.“I started to design without knowing whether or not I could,” he says.

Luckily for Gruosi he could. Going against the minimalist trends of the early 90s, for this Italian, bigger was better. Bold and baroque designs were not immediately popular, but, once the ladies were interested, Gruosi took “the biggest risk” of his life – working with black diamonds: complicated stones that don’t sparkle and which no one had previously used. “Other jewellers said I was being crazy, but after two years of frustration and sadness, competitors started to use the diamonds, and this is what saved me,” he says. It is now 20 years since de Grisogono began and celebrations are in the offing, and while Gruosi couldn’t reveal any details, we like to think they’re very big ones.

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Changing with the

Avril Groom reports on the latest and greatest trends to emerge from this year’s Baselworld event

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ith worldwide watch sales steady rather than exciting this is not a year for wild experimentation. But that does not preclude superb examples of both technical wizardry and the highest level of handcraft. Strong trends emerged, some definitely for these more sensible times, others for the sheer joy of aesthetic pleasure.

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Cosmograph Daytona

Rolex Oyster Perpetual

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Breitling, Emergency II

Blue Mood The bubbling-under trend that emerged last year has now become a full-scale flood, with dials (and sometimes straps) in all shades of brilliant blue achieved by different means, from enamelling to chemically-processed titanium. A star is Patek Philippe’s new Sky Moon tourbillon, a tour de force of grand complication, exquisite enamelling in a deep lapis colour, gold engraving and diamond setting. By contrast, Rolex’s fiftieth anniversary Daytona has the palest ice blue dial, the bezel and sub-dials outlined in chestnut.

Blue enamel also features on De Bethune’s diamond-studded “night sky” DB 28 Skybridge and on Louis Vuitton’s new Tambour Regatta.

Technical Add-Ons In the modern world, conventional complications are not enough. Extra technical functions catch the collector’s imagination.

Breitling’s Emergency II now has dual frequency so the wearer can speak to rescuers while being located, Hublot’s MP-05 La Ferrari has as many as eleven barrels for a whopping 50-day power reserve, G-Shock’s GW A1100 has a built-in compass memory to let pilots know if they take the wrong bearing and Vuitton’s Tambour Regatta has dials that calculate not only the speed and time of two racing yachts but the exact difference between them.

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Chopard, My Happy Diamonds Nomo, GMT

Entry Points Even the best of brands realise that not everyone can buy the most expensive, and set out to catch the aspiring with beauty and value. Chanel’s new steel chain version of the Première is a case in point, as is Louis Vuitton’s new Tambour Monogram, the traditional case reversed to give more room for a beautiful dial with diamond bezel at well under €2000.

Chopard’s My Happy Diamonds give the chance to make a watch bespoke, with the buyer choosing from a wide range of free -floating, precious stone charms, some very reasonably priced.

Time Traveller With global business travel now commonplace, everyone needs to know the time everywhere, and the world timer or dual timer is now the complication of choice for many brands. From the aesthetic simplicity of Nomos’s GMT, with a window showing each city’s airport code, or the sheer value of Hamilton’s GMT for under €1200, to the technical complexity of Harry WInston’s Ocean Dual Time and the beauty of Breguet’s Reine de Naples Ladies dial time with day/night indicator, no one now has a an excuse for phone calls at inappropriate hours.

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Hermes, Arceau Petite Lune

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Tag Heuer, Aquacer

Asking for the Moon The moonphase has long been a watch collector’s favourite, more for its beauty than its function which few ever use. Now this very traditional complication gets a design revamp, with many modern ways of presenting the moon itself. De Bethune’s moon is a polished, titanium-blued metal sphere, Perrelet’s is big and textured in a modern, abstract way, Hermès’ new ladies’ Arceau Petite Lune is just plain beautiful, the new Chanel J12 Moonphase looks both modern and traditional.

There is new technique too - Corum’s version has the dial turning round a fixed moon disc, while Linde Werdelin’s amazing Octopus 2 Moon has twelve moons to show every stage of the phases.

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Sports Wome n This year’s bubbling-under trend is likely to be even bigger next time. Designers have realised that many women like a sporty style but also a touch of femininity and are finding exciting ways to link these two disparate themes.

Zenith’s amazing diamond-trimmed Pilot watch is setting the standard; Oris’s women’s brown-faced diver watch and Tag Heuer’s new bicolour Aquacacer with diamond dots take up the challenge. Watch this space for more.

Doettling

After scanning the delights of Baselworld 2013, it’s more than possible that temptation took its toll and you’re in possession of more watches than wrists to put them on.

That’s where Doettling comes in. This eminent German safe-maker has added a new customisable feature to its lockboxes: an integrated portable jewellery box. Coined as the latest in security ‘to go’, each jewellery box (also perfect for watches) can be adapted to fit any safe in the range. Whether you prefer the cool black calf-leather of the Bel-Air or the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-inspired Liberty Barcelona, the jewellery box will be tailor-made to match. But Doettling’s not just about the cosmetics; functionality and security are also obvious essentials.

GPS tracking devices are integrated into each jewellery box. When the box is in the safe, a docking station powers the transmitter; when the box is removed from the safe, the GPS ensures your priceless valuables can always be located.

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Meet the ambassadors The people picked to personify prestigious watch brands.

Words: Rich Thornton

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Daniel Craig – Omega

Leo Messi – Audemars Piguet

The rugged good looks of Daniel Craig’s James Bond have the perfect accompaniment in Omega’s Co-Axial 41mm – the film star’s watch of choice. Both the actor and the watch blend power and charm effortlessly, and both can surmount the most stressful of situations. Order, reason, simplicity: the brutal English gentleman and the uncompromising Omega are as made for each other as the wind for the sea.

A sportsman of utmost talent needs a watch to suit, and Leo Messi’s choice of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Chronograph is the perfect match. The original version was crafted in 1972 (before Messi was even born) and with its ultrathin self-winding movement and octagonal lines became the first luxury sports watch in the world. As the world’s most mesmerising and striking footballer, Leo Messi’s skill and unusual ball control is reflected in this timepiece’s unconventional beauty.

©Piaget

©TAGheure press corner

Simon Baker – Longines

Cameron Diaz – Tag Heuer

Carlos Leal – Piaget

The pronounced suave of the Australian actor Simon Baker has led Longines to elect him as one of its ambassadors of elegance.

Currently starring in the American police drama The Mentalist, Baker’s athletic figure and tussled blond hair maintain finesse through his various anti-criminal escapades.

Longines’ steadfast journey through decades of fine watchmaking has led the brand to an understanding of how to keep cool in the storm. Currently, Baker is its ideal helmsman.

Characterised by beauty and irreverence, American actress Cameron Diaz has tangoed with stardom ever since her first encounter with the cinema in 1994. TAG Heuer has been dancing with diamonds for a little longer, and its new Link Lady - set with 47 of the world’s most precious stones –brings a ‘glow of delight’ that even stopped stars like Diaz in their tracks.

Dedicated to the avant-garde, the brand looks for ambassadors who excel in the new; Diaz’s ceaseless creativity before the lens makes her the Link Lady’s perfect co-star.

Musician, rapper, actor: perhaps a description more often attributed to a Californian hip-hop artist than a sophisticated Swiss film star such as Carlos Leal. Nevertheless, Piaget is a brand that seeks both the unusual and the varied, and therefore Leal is in hospitable company.

Swinging as gracefully between the screen and the microphone as does Piaget between diamonds and gold, Leal brings modernity to this most established of luxury ateliers.

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© Loris Von Siebenthal

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©TAGheure press corner

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Kate Winslet – Longines

Didier Cuche – Corum

Jenson Button – Tag Heuer

‘Elegance is an attitude’, according to this well-established Swiss watchmaker, and in order to prove it they’ve wooed one of the mistresses of emotive style, English actress Kate Winslet. Unforgettable as the drowning Rose in James Cameron’s Titanic, Winslet’s stage and screen presence is as unfaltering as Longines’ commitment to quality horology. With the perfect mix of maturity and vivacity, Winslet at once embodies the brand’s energy, heritage and of course, elegance.

Getting a luxury watch brand to dedicate a model to you is no easy feat, not only do you have to be a world-class skier; you have to defy convention by being the oldest race winner in World Cup history. Didier Cuche’s victory in Kitzbuhel in 2011 set the cogs in motion at Corum which has now released the Admiral’s Cup 44 Chrono Centro Didier Cuche, a vulcanised-rubber cased, orange-accent dialled geometric wonder, which promises to keep Cuche’s triumphant legacy alive.

When it comes tothe need for precision, there’s none better equipped than those who make a living by rocketing Formula One cars round a race track. Jenson Button’s been doing it since he was a boy, but it’s only now that TAG Heuer has finally caught up with him.

Sporting the Carrera Calibre 16 Day Date Automatic Chronograph 43mm, Button adds another specification to his oil-tight network of machinery that has helped him win no less than fifteen Grand Prix races.

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Clock this Not sure which timepiece to make your next acquisition? Selections brings you our picks of the newest and finest models to wow the world.

Chronographs

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1. Audemars Piguet – Royal Oak Offshore: Calibre 2885 which features a minute repeater on two gongs, perpetual calendar and split-second chronograph.

2. Mont Blanc – Exo Tourbillon Villeret: Handwound, second time zone, fourminute tourbillon escapement in 18k white or red gold.

3. Louis Moinet – Nelson Piquet: Named after the legendary Formula One hero, 316L stainless steel case, screwdown bezel, carbon fibre case.

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4. Zenith – El Primero Chronomaster 1969: multicolour metallic, silver sunray dialled, and all enclosed between a transparent sapphire glass back and a 42mm stainless steel case.

5. Rolex – Cosmograph Daytona: Now a clear halfcentury old, Rolex offers a prestigious update to its 40mm, Oyster-cased signature watch.

Classics

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1. A. Lange & Sohne – Saxonia Annual Calendar: As eccentric as this east German watchmaker’s forest-covered, country-side workshop, this watch’s subtle individualism is best suited to the unassuming yet effortlessly suave gentleman.

2. Patek Phiippe – Réf.

5200 Gondolo 8 Days: Billed as the watch for ‘devotees of mechanical hand-wound horology’, this powerful art deco homage comes with an 18k white gold case and sunburst blue or silver-toned white dial.

3. Davidoff – Velocity Automatic Moonphase: A tribute to the night, this black-dialled, DD 9000 calibre, alligator-strapped curio casts the moon’s waxing and waning across shards of elongated Roman numerals and a case of cambered sapphire crystal.

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4. Bulgari – Bulgari Bulgari: 36 years after the birth of the original Bulgari Bulgari timepiece, the classic Italian jeweller has delivered a slimmer, rounder, trimmer version of this 26-gem, 18k gold watch in a bid to revere tradition and absorb modernity.

5. Baume & Mercier – Clifton GMT: The triumph of this classic timepiece is in its subtle readability. The red-tipped fourth hand notes the 24 hour clock without obstructing the elegance of the traditional sun-brushed dial.

6. Rolex – Sky-Dweller Everose Gold: Equipped with Rolex’s patented SAROS annual calendar, second time-zone and ‘Ring Command’ bezel function, this multi-functional timepiece shows that style never has to suffer from efficiency.

Globe Trotters

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1. Tudor – Heritage Chrono Blue: A collage of crisp blue and white with bevelled edges filled with Super Luminova for optimal clarity.

2. Baume & Mercier – Clifton Complete Calendar 43mm: Swiss-made with a sun satinfinished blue dial, this stylish timepiece displays the moon phases and is also water-resistant up to a depth of 50 metres.

3. Zenith – Pilot Doublematic: The collection of cities encircling the matte-black dial not only tell you the time of every time zone on earth, they also tell you if it’s day or night.

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4. Breitling – Emergency II: Built for the limitless pioneer with an authentic dual frequency distress beacon, rechargeable battery and 1/100th of a second chronograph function.

5. Dior – Christal Blue Auto 38mm: Shrouded in glistening blue jewels from the bezel to the strap, this powerful yet refined timepiece is perfect for the lady who commands attention on every continent.

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Ladies Choice

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1. Mouawad – La Griffe Full Diamond: A solid rose gold case inhabited by colonies of fine-cut diamonds, with more diamonds tucked into the twelve and six reliefs.

2. Chanel – Mademoiselle Privee Coromandel: The zen of oriental elegance set amongst an ordered constellation of snow-set diamonds – minimal, historic and hypnotising.

3. Piaget – Limelight Gala: 60s throwback with flowing diamond coil and elongated Roman numerals.

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4. Cartier – Panthere Divine: Case in 18k rhodium-plated white gold set with brilliantcut diamonds, black brass dial, black brushed calfskin strap.

5. Blancpain – Women Chronographe Flyback SaintValentin: 2.95 karats of precious stones meet a mother-of-pearl dial and three white heart-shaped chronograph displays which are the result of world-class marquetry.

6. Rolex – Lady Datejust Pearlmaster: Diamonds dance around an 18k Everose casing in this update to one of Rolex’s most lavish and ultra-feminine timepieces.

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Sports

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1. Chopard – Mille Miglia GT XL RossoCorsa: Designed for the sophisticated petrolhead, the perfect watch to accompany the famous Italian roadrace it is named after.

2. Hublot– Big Bang Ferrari Carbon Red Magic: 45.5mm carbon-fibre bezel, UNICO HUB 1241 calibre, 330 part movement, bead-blasted and satin-brushed black oscillating weight shaped like a Ferrari wheel rim.

3. IWC Schaffhausen – Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month: Engineered to celebrate IWC’s recent partnership with Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team, the watch features IWC’s signature robust stainless-steel case and the five bores in the bezel.

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4. Rolex – Yacht-Master II: Built to weather the storms of ocean regattas, the Yacht-Master II is now available in 904L steel, and maintains its fresh, boyish appeal via its blue ceramic insert.

5. Tag Heuer – Carrera Calibre 36 Racing Chronograph Flyback: Flyback chronograph reset, 36,000 vibrations per hour frequency, 43 mm grade 2 titanium case, sun-brushed dial, perforated black leather strap.

6. Jaeger LeCoultre – Deep Sea Cermet: Reinforced Cermet case, meets all ISO standards regarding shock resistance and antimagnetic protection, features back face engraving of a frogman surrounded by bubbles.

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1. Bulgari – Bulgari Bulgari Catene: Gracefully adorning the wrist with not one but two 18k pink gold bracelets, the Catene gives women a chance to ‘wear time like a second skin’.

2. Chopard – Happy Sport Diamantissimo: Positively bedecked with diamonds (65 carats to be exact), the creation of this jewel-encrusted explosion requires an ‘invisible’ setting technique that is particularly hard to master.

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3. Mouawad – Grande Ellipse Royale Chronograph: A triad of chronograph displays provide the gravity around which orbit galaxies of diamonds and a case of yellow gold.

4. TF Est. 1968 – Tourbillon cufflinks: A stylish way to keep the time on both your wrists; air-tight, watertight and shock resistant.

5. Breguet – Type XXII 3880: Chronograph with 30-second dial sweep and 72,000 vibrations per hour movement via a silicon escapement with flat balance spring.

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6. Ralph Lauren – Sporting World Time: Adorned with a subtle combination of the brand’s navy blue and red signature colours, this unpretentious, causally luxurious timepiece suits both the summer house and most important of business appointments.

7. De Grisogono – Sugar: A mix of geometric squares and organic bubbling jewels, this asymmetrical wonder comes in white diamonds, emeralds and orange or blue sapphires.

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8. Rolex – Day Date: The debonairly minimal Day Date gets a rainbow of character with cherry, chocolate and cognac being just three of the six new colours which come with a matching alligator-leather strap.

9. De Grisogono – Tondo

by Night: Available in an array of electric colours, 45 minutes of light is enough to stimulate the ‘Pearly Photo-luminescent Fibreglass’, the science which illuminates this fun-filled timekeeping accessory.

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10. Boucheron – Epure: Rounded on every angle for dazzling elegance and simplicity, the dial features silver double gadroons and a blue sapphire cabochon at twelve.

11. Patek Philippe – Calatrava réf. 5227: Scarcely changing from the 1932 original, this new reference features a movement with Calibre 324 SC, 213 parts, 29 jewels and 21k gold unidirectional rotor.

12. Cartier – Rotonde Tourbillon Mysterieux: A masterpiece that seems to bend time as it bends its face around a gravity-defying floating tourbillon which looks as pure as infinity itself.

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Pocket Watches & Clocks

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1. L’Epee – Le Duel Perpetuel Tourbillon: A transparent masterpiece featuring L’Epee’s signature crossed swords protecting the tourbillion, limited edition, only 88 available.

7. Patek Philippe – Pocket Watch: Tailored for the punctual dandy, Patek Philippe maintain their devotion to anachronistic timepieces through this delicately golden, yet unapologetically masculine time device.

Pocket Watches & Clocks

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3. L’Epee – Le Tour: ‘A lesson in sobriety’, geometry and the beauty of uncluttered machinery meet in this skeletal yet muscular timepiece.

4. Hermes – Arceau Pocket Volutes: A swirling fusion of gold and black, the skills of marquetry and grand feu enamelling combine to create a pocket watch inspired by the movement of a silk scarf.

top ten

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1. Boucheron – Epure: Rounded on every angle for dazzling elegance and simplicity, the dial features silver double gadroons and a blue sapphire cabochon at twelve.

2. Patek Philippe – Chronographe a rattrapante et quantieme perpetuel: A modernist triple chronograph whose angles and lines push Patek Philippe away from its signature Victorian aesthetic into a more mechanical masculinity.

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3. Mouawad – La Griffe: Mother of pearl dial with rose gold coloured indices and anthracite grey techno-satin strap embossed with Mouawad Geneve inscription.

4. Van Cleef & Arpels – Charms Extraordinaire Lotus: This lighthearted but luxurious homage to the Asian heritage of the lotus flower enshrines the central flower in concentric jewelled circles and lets another float freely as a charm.

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5. Rolex – Oyster Perpetual Day-Date: Some things never get old, and this yellow gold version of Rolex’s inimitable Day-Date is proof that the king of watchmakers still wears the crown.

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6. Chanel – Premiere Tourbillon Volant: With an embedded tourbillon flower shaped on Coco’s favourite camellia, this angular masterpiece has a mature finesse which proclaims both authority and charm.

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7. Harry Winston – Histoire de Tourbillon 4: A dramatic offering that involves a HW4501 calibre, tri-axial tourbillon floating above overlapping dials which seem to break down time like a hadron collider.

8. Tag Heuer – Mikrogirder: Hailed as a ‘first step to ultimate accuracy’, Tag Heuer is establishing itself as the most innovative innovator in the mechanics of timekeeping. The Mikrogirder is here to prove it.

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9. Richard Mille – RM 05601: The case is made entirely of sapphire crystal, the aesthetic is inspired by Terminator, and the result is a watch that is immune to temperature change and virtually indestructible.

10. Bulgari – Daniel Roth Carillon Tourbillon: An exquisite three-hammer minute repeater crafted in an art deco style and featuring a hand-wound DR3300 calibre movement.

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lux u ry l ifest yl e Th e Lu xu ry Touc h

Auto passion Today the love of a luxury car brand needn’t end when the motor stops running. From lifestyle accessories to hotel rooms, and even a visit to the barber’s, there is a chance that many a true auto aficionado’s dreams are simply waiting to be fulfilled.

Words: Helen Assaf

Inset: the Rolls-Royce Ghost

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t was in 1973 that Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, grandson of the Porsche founder, oversaw the launch of a chronograph wristwatch to be sold by Porsche dealers as an accessory for Porsche drivers, the first item to emerge from the Porsche Design company founded a year earlier. Last year, 40 years on from its origins, the retail arm of the luxury automaker saw its revenues rise by 45 percent.

Customers, it seems, have a growing appetite for an ever expanding range of products that runs the gamut of luggage to footwear, sports to home items, and watches to electronics; in recent years it has even moved into fashion while just a few months ago its first handbag, the TwinBag, was launched. In terms of sales per square metre, the company also holds the accolade of being the most successful brand in London department store Harrods. Its presence elsewhere includes 24 directly operated stores, stretching from the USA to Singapore, and 93 franchise stores across the globe, including four in Beirut alone.

Porsche is not alone in extending its brand beyond the motoring world. Rolls-Royce Lifestyle Collection, for example, is available from all RollsRoyce dealerships and includes items such as sterling silver Spirit of Ecstasy cufflinks or a 100 percent Italian silk Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Collection scarf. Today, though, there is increasing innovation in how automakers choose to reach out to consumers, resulting in products and experiences that reflect

brand values of quality and craftsmanship, while going beyond the traditional driver accessories. Ahead of its first century of history, and to celebrate the arrival of the new Quattroporte, Maserati collaborated with British loud speaker innovator Bowers & Wilkins on the Seven Notes project, which set off on a world tour in April, featuring performances of unique music tracks created using the sound of Maserati V8 engines. In the same month that Maserati’s Seven Notes world tour kicked off in Dubai, Jaguar launched its new F-Type through Desire, a big budget short film directed

by Ridley Scott and which premiered at the Sundance London film and music festival.

Featuring Emmy award winner Damian Lewis and a soundtrack

by Lana Del Rey, the production took car advertising to an entirely different level in its engagement of audiences. One of the more unique collaborations this year took place between Bentley and Pankhurst London, and saw the Bentley Mulliner team put its expertise in wood and leather to work on refurbishing and reupholstering six classic Pankhurst barbers’ chairs now welcoming customers in Pankhurst London’s new home on Newburgh Street. Meanwhile, this year Aston Martin, which is celebrating 100 years of excellence, collaborated with esteemed British brand Silver Cross to produce the limited edition Silver Cross Surf – Aston Martin Edition pram. The latter just goes to show that even the youngest generations are being invited to develop a lifelong love affair with a premium car brand.

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Jaguar

Born to make waves Although it’s too early to get excited at the thought of Jaguar taking to the seas, this concept speedboat at least gives us an idea of what that idea might look like, should the day come. Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum designed the concept boat to complement and support the introduction of the automaker’s XF Sportbrake car. The brand values of beauty and speed dominate the concept, while details echo members of the Jaguar family, such as the carbon-fibre fin that takes inspiration from the iconic Jaguar D-Type, and the fuel filler caps inspired by the Series 1 XJ.

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Bentley Suite dreams Staying in a Manhattan landmark and being immersed in the Bentley world all at the same time are possible at the St. Regis Hotel New York’s Bentley Suite. The 1,700 square foot suite features an entryway foyer, one bedroom, one and a half baths, an expansive dining room and living room complete with floor to ceiling windows on the 15th floor. Throughout the suite there are numerous references to Bentley and automobiles generally, such as all the wood veneer finishes throughout the suite being representative of the entire range of wood finishes one can have in a Bentley vehicle, or the dining room clocks designed to evoke a car’s dashboard.

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bentley

For Men Only Earlier this year Bentley launched its first luxury fragrance range for men. The ‘Lalique for Bentley Crystal Edition’ is presented in a crystal flacon designed by Lalique and featuring the legendary ‘Flying B’ Bentley mascot.

Produced in a limited edition of 999 pieces, this eau de parfum features woody notes and exquisite leather “to complement the epicentres of excellence within Bentley’s craftsmanship”. The ‘Bentley for Men’ and ‘Bentley for Men Intense’ fragrances also feature fine wood and leather notes, while the bottle design echoes the luxury of the cars with its elegant symmetry.

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Maserati A seat on a different journey Paying homage to Maserati’s new Quattroporte, this new ‘lounge chair Maserati’ previewed at Milan’s International Furniture Fair earlier this year. It represents the combination of two Italian brands – Maserati and Zanotta – and exudes their shared values of exclusiveness, sophistication, comfort, refined materials, and a very high level of craftsmanship.

Designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, this limited edition lounge chair is about travel and speed of a different dimension – that of the imagination, memory and thought. It is an opportunity to create a moment ‘out of time’, according to Zanotta, an itinerary of the senses that is deliberately re­newed every time you sit in a Maserati or relax in one of these precious Zanotta armchairs.

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Maserati

Music to your ears Some men may love nothing more than the sound of their car’s purring engine, but Maserati took this concept a little further. With the help of Bowers & Wilkin, a British maker of high-end audio products, the creative genius of legendary producer Howie B and a visit to Abbey Road Studios in London, Maserati sought to isolate and record the notes of a Maserati engine, then used them to create two unique tracks. A world tour in eight locations, starting in Dubai, followed, featuring a mix of live performances and audio-visual installations.

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Porsche

Carry on craftsmanship In March Porsche Design launched its first women’s handbag, crafted from leather by workers in Florence.

The TwinBag gets its name from its adjustable handles that allow it to be carried as a handbag or shoulder bag. Produced from a single piece of calf leather, painstakingly stitched by hand, and featuring fittings made from precious metals, such as gold, white gold, rose gold, matt gold, silver and chrome, this is a stylish item for those that like to live life in the luxury lane.

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Bentley A cut above A classic and highly esteemed barbershop in the heart of Britain’s capital city, Pankhurst London celebrated its move to a new address on Newburgh Street with the introduction of custom-made Bentley Mulliner leather barbers’ chairs. The six chairs were given a hand-crafted, bespoke leather finish by the Bentley Mulliner team, giving gentlemen the opportunity to relax in sophisticated style whether they opt for a traditional wet shave or thoroughly modern haircut.

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Aston Martin

Vote with your feet Style, craftsmanship and quality are values embodied by Aston Martin and esteemed British shoemaker John Lobb, so a collaboration felt only natural. The resulting Winner Sport – a lightweight driver’s shoe is made from full-grain calfskin and lined with supple sheepskin. Soft padding has been added at the ankle for comfort, and metallic eyelets, punched with a wheel of fine holes, reflect the automotive design cues of Aston Martin. The specially engineered bonded rubber sole comes in white or red, while the shoe itself is available in a range of colours.

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Maserati

Packed with pride Any getaway by car goes up in the style stakes when matching luggage is involved. For the new Quattroporte Maserati teamed up with Poltrona Frau to produce a set of leather luggage whose design fully exploits the load capacity of the luggage compartment, so that each piece maximises the space available. Amid the soft leather, small details reflect the Maserati identity, such as the trident embossed on the front, the ‘Maserati’ name written on the hideaway handle, and the zipper pull customised with the Quattroporte logo. The six-piece set of cases even has two optional extras, a shoe carrier and garment bag.

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lu xu ry l ifest yl e The Luxu ry Touch

Aston Martin

A walk in the park Now even babies, once they utter their first words, can brag that their wheels are Aston Martin. Teaming up with leading British brand Silver Cross (the inventors of the modern baby carriage), the legendary sports car marque has put its name to the Silver Cross Surf – Aston Martin Edition, available in a strictly limited edition of 800 pieces.

The chassis has been precision engineered by Silver Cross to ensure a blissfully smooth ride on any terrain, just like any true Aston Martin fan is used to.

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Jaguar A luxurious abode The hospitality world’s first Jaguar Suite was unveiled in London in 2011 at the five-star boutique hotel 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites and Residences. The Jaguar Suite is one of 86 at this hotel set just minutes away from Buckingham Palace and with its own Michelin-starred restaurant. Overseen by Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum and his design team, the 1,832 square foot, two-bedroom suite was given a design that alludes to classic and contemporary Jaguar models, from the legendary 1960s’ E-type to the state-of-the art C-X75. Guests should look out for specially-commissioned auto-inspired artwork and displays, as well as a number of intriguing design features, such as the minimalistic cleanfuel fireplace referencing the shape of the brand’s hallmark rear window or the custommade Jaguar wallpaper.

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lu xu ry l ifest yl e The Luxu ry Touch

Jaguar

Driven by Desire It seems to make perfect sense: a car that is so stunning, it deserves to be the star of its own movie. This is probably what Jaguar was thinking when it came up with the idea for ‘Desire’ a 13-minute short film that had its premiere at the Sundance London film and music festival in April. Created in collaboration with Ridley Scott Associates, the film stars Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis and features a soundtrack by Lana Del Rey, but the real star is the red Jaguar F-Type seen throughout it. The suspense-laden, beautifully shot movie has the tagline ‘One man. One job. But in the desert, nothing is simple’, and while it is seen by some as a bigbudget, glorified form of advertising, there’s no doubt that for F-Type owners and would-be owners it is more a case of a racy love affair played out on the big screen.

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RollsRoyce

The finishing touches The Spirit of Ecstasy emblem is so iconic that Rolls-Royce has immortalised it in a range of accessories, including sterling silver cufflinks and a scarf and tie. The latter are made from 100 percent Italian silk and feature a white Spirit of Ecstasy pattern with a background in classic wildflower, the colour of the Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Collection cars. On the reverse of the tie is an image of Eleanor Thornton, who it is thought the original Spirit of Ecstasy was modelled on. The men’s wallet in the finest soft nappa leather with suede lining celebrates the guiding vision of the company’s founder, Sir Henry Royce, with his words ‘Strive for perfection’ subtly debossed into the leather.

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lu xu ry l ifest yl e

Aston Martin

Lone rider Only 77 of the One-77 Cycle were made, limiting the number of people who can say their Aston Martin appreciation is on a path all of its own. Made in England and crafted from the highest-grade carbon fibre, this is a highly technically capable cycle whose price of ÂŁ25,000 reflects it serious capabilities and craftsmanship. The bespoke leather trimmed and stitched carbon fibre handlebars (which feature a touchscreen display) have been designed to echo the form of the One-77 super car and provide accommodation for the hydraulic brake cylinder and ultra-bright LED headlights. Indeed every detail has been carefully thought out to ensure top performance.

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lux u ry l ifest yl e L if e styl e

Words: Rich Thornton

A look at Maslak 1453, the new residential minicity complex in the suburbs of Istanbul, and how one man is setting new rules for how we live and work

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rom the entrepreneur who brought Istanbul My Club and My City Hotel, Maslak 1453 is a new project by Agaoglu’s Ali Agaoglu that seeks to give the Istanbul dweller the all-inclusive living experience. Construction has already begun on this development behemoth in the desirable Turkish capital’s Maslak district. Encircled by acres of pine forest, Maslak 1453 is named after the year of Fatih’s Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Now, 650 years later, Ali Agaoglu is planning his own takeover. He’s already set the wheels in motion to put Istanbul on the financial map by contracting the Istanbul International Finance Centre, and this new residential project

gives those financial workers a place to live and play.

An attempt to create ‘a unique lifestyle insulated in pure serenity’, Maslak provides 24 towers, 4 terrace residence groups and numerous loft flats as homes, as well as sports centres, shopping malls, art galleries and even a rooftop amphitheatre as entertainment. Agaoglu is famous for its nationalist pride: the company only employs Turkish staff and only uses Turkish materials in its construction. What’s more, everything at Maslak 1453 is environmentally sound; a trigeneration system ensures economic utilisation of energy sources and all building materials are responsibly sourced. With Istanbul set to become a new global capital, Maslak 1453 is like living in your own protective bubble in the centre of the world.

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Mas l a k

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lu xu ry l ifest yl e Li festyl e

Selections meets

With a background in development and construction, and a keen eye for Turkey’s business world and tourist trade, 59-year-old Ali Ibrahim Agaoglu has become one of the most influential figures in global industry – and one of Turkey’s richest men. Here, he speaks to Selections about his inspirational family, the pleasure of a tireless commitment to work, and his revolutionary reshaping of how and where the international elite will live.

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What kind of people do you think will live in Maslak 1453?

Maslak 1453 has been designed to promise a modern life for all citizens of the world. The whole architecture of the project, and the life offered within, has been designed with people from a high socio-economic class in mind.

The project has seen significant demand from Gulf countries, particularly the UAE, Kuwait and Yemen.

Ehsaan Fareed Abduljawad has recently bought $200 million worth of property on the site.

What is the idea behind MY concept? My Club, My City Hotel …

The idea behind My concept dates back to the hotel and tourism ethos of Ağaoğlu in the 1980s.

We wanted to convey our experience from the tourism sector to the residential sector. Thus, we do not only offer a house; we offer a concept of life.

A concept of a beautiful life with loved ones, which goes far beyond sheltering. We placed the My concept at the centre of our promise to offer such a life.

As a family man, what do you hope for children in the future?

I am an education volunteer. We are establishing numerous education projects throughout the country.

I have no doubt that our well-educated children and youth will develop significant projects in the future. Therefore, I want my children to complete their education the best possible way, this is my biggest wish.

Who most inspires you? Is it anyone from your family or a celebrity?

It is certainly my father. I started business life with him. I learned a lot from him. I spent all my childhood years in construction sites in Istanbul; thus, I may say that I was always at the coalface of business. In my senior year of high school he experienced a health problem and so I assumed the responsibility of heading the business. I conducted

the business for two years and during this period I tripled, maybe quadrupled what I had received.

I was a man of action, I would assume risks. My father, on the other hand, was an old-timer who did not want to change the business habits of his time.

This situation which seemed to be negative at the time was, in one respect, the best thing that has ever happened to me as it was something that motivated me and gave me the passion to realise my goals. I conflicted with my father in my desire to grow fast and invest more. So one day I asked him to forgive me and I quit the job. When I quit I submitted him a report of all the accounts since the day I had assumed the post. I attained my success through following my father’s lead and developing what I saw from him. I learned business skills from him and benefited from it a lot.

What is the thing that is indispensable for you, that you cannot live without?

My family and profession.

I am happy and at peace when I am at work. I work 18 hours a day. I am the earliest to come to work in the mornings.

I do not take a holiday longer than three days. I go to construction sites at nighttime and observe how things are going. I feel happy as I produce.

The most precious things in the world for me are, surely, my children. We often come together outside working hours.

Spending quality time with them is very important for me. I am very lucky in that regard.

What is your next biggest passion? What is the thing that you would like to have in your lifetime?

My happiness depends on working. Does what I produce make people happy? Do my works add value to people’s lives? I hope so. This is my never-ending passion in life.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Unfortunately, I smoke.

This is my biggest regret in life.

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{Mikimoto – 120 years} Long a ‘must-have’ item for women the world over, including Coco Chanel, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, cultured pearls from Mikimoto have been adding a touch of elegance and refinement to outfits now for 120 years.

The luxury brand has grown beyond recognition since its early days in the 1880s when the company’s founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, first began his pioneering work in pearl cultivation.

And yet, its commitment to producing top-quality pearls, unmatched in lustre, colour and shape, remains just as strong.

Mikimoto marked its 120-year anniversary with a show, titled ‘Twelve Pearls and Dreams’, featuring models parading an array of delightful anniversary items on the runway. The luxury line also created a Pearl Crown for the occasion, which showcases 12 jewelled flowers set with rare pearls and adorned with 3,400 diamonds. The crown, which took over two years to create, will be available to view at Mikimoto stores around the world throughout the year.

{Rabih Kayrouz on the Cote d’Azur} This summer fashion designer Rabih Kayrouz is celebrating the opening of his first boutique in Saint Tropez, the famed resort town on the Cote d’Azur. To mark the occasion he has designed a limited edition collection of must-have items, including a printed sarong and colourful pashminas. The boutique itself is on rue Gambetta and features wood and mirrors in a design concept

by Christophe Martin, who has been collaborating with the brand for several seasons.

{Chanel’s summer residence} For the fourth year in a row Chanel has taken up its summer residence in Saint Tropez.

Located at La Mistralée Hotel, the fashion house is showcasing its 2013 Spring/Summer

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Ready-to-Wear and Accessories collections as well as the 2012/13 Paris-Edimbourg Metiers d’art collection, while a single glass showcase is host to the new Première watch.

Louboutins, but not like any others

Men can now own their own pair of Christian Louboutin shoes embellished with a tattoo of their own design or one designed by the shoe master himself. This bespoke service has been launched in the Middle East at Level, in the Dubai Mall, where clients are invited to discuss their design and preferences during a private appointment with an in-house bespoke services

expert, who will walk them through each step of the process. A choice of three embroidery techniques can be employed to bring the tattoos to life: Outline and Shine, a technique which uses a black and silver thread, Colour which uses dynamic coloured thread, and Colour and Relief which uses a variety of vibrant colours of thread as well as fine bead work. Ladies aren’t

overlooked by the service either, with the choice of four classic styles representing a range of heel heights and styles available to be tattooed by the bespoke service. It takes three months from the day of ordering to receiving the finished product, during which time the shoes will have passed through the hands of artisans in Italy and India.

{Hala Debs new collections} Lebanese couture and wedding-dress designer Hala Debs has released two new collections this summer to give both the party girl and the blushing bride a chance at something sensual. Absurd offers 13 new pieces inspired by architecture found in nature. Curling roses and clutching vines adorn this selection of sleek evening wear which aims to reflect the organic elegance of willow domes. Runaway Bride is Debs’ first Bridal collection with each gown sentimentally designed with a youthful, modern twist.

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Great, like Gatsby There’s no need to step back into the roaring twenties to get The Great Gatsby’s style. Selections brings you the outfits and jewellery that recreate the mood perfectly for pleasure-filled summer soirees.

I ll u strattio n s : Y a s m i n a N y s t e n

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1 19th century ivory earrings set with white diamonds on 18K yellow gold by Andre Marcha.

2 Archival locket that inspired the Daisy Heart locket from The Great Gatsby Collection by Tiffany & Co., inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s film in collaboration with Catherine Martin.

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Ring with a cushion-cut black onyx, diamonds and platinum. From The Great Gatsby collection

by Tiffany & Co., inspired

by Baz Luhrmann’s film in collaboration with Catherine Martin, featured

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in the 2013 Blue Book.

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1 Mother of pearl and Biwako pearl brooch set with white diamonds on 18K white gold by Andre Marcha.

2 Evantail earrings: mother of pearl fan earrings set with white and yellow diamonds on 18K white gold by Andre Marcha.

3 Tassel pendant of diamonds, seed pearls and platinum.

From The Great Gatsby collection by Tiffany & Co., inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s film in collaboration with Catherine Martin, featured in the 2013 Blue Book.

4 Brooks Brothers onebutton tuxedo jacket, made from a wool and mohair blend, woven in Italy at Barberis Mill.

Based on Brooks Brothers trim Fitzgerald fit, with narrow lapels and higher armholes. Silk faille detail on peak lapels and buttons.

Half-canvas construction.

Fully lined. Centre vent.

Sleeves have been left unfinished for preparation of functional buttonholes.

May be worn with Brooks Brothers High Rise Tuxedo Trousers to recreate an

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iconic look from the film.

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1 Tassel pendants of diamonds, freshwater cultured pearls and platinum. From The Great Gatsby collection by Tiffany & Co.

2 Brooks Brothers three-button blazer, made from a wool and

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cotton blend, woven in England at Abraham Moon & Sons Mill.

Based on Brooks Brothers trim Fitzgerald fit, with narrow lapels and higher armholes. Half-

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canvas construction. Fully lined.

Side vents. May be worn with Brooks Brothers Grey Cotton Twill Trousers to recreate an iconic look from the film.

3 Brooks Brothers shawl collar cardigan, made from pure cotton.

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Women’s card case of sterling silver and white enamel.

From The Great Gatsby collection by Tiffany & Co.

5 Monogram cufflinks of black enamel, diamonds and platinum. From The Great Gatsby collection by Tiffany & Co.

6 Monogram cufflinks of green enamel and 18 karat gold. From The Great Gatsby collection by Tiffany & Co., inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s film in collaboration with Catherine Martin.

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1 Brooks Brothers three-button jacket, made from wool, woven in Italy at Comero Mill. Based on Brooks Brothers trim Fitzgerald fit, with narrow lapels and higher armholes. 3/2 roll lapel- only two buttons are visible with a third, top button rolled beneath

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the lapel. Three open patch pockets. Repp stripe tipping on lapels and front of jacket.

Half-canvas construction.

Fully lined. Centre vent.

May be worn with Brooks Brothers Light Grey Cotton Twill Trousers to recreate an iconic look from the film.

2 Card case of sterling silver and black enamel.

From The Great Gatsby collection by Tiffany & Co.

3 Flask of sterling silver and black enamel. From The Great Gatsby collection

by Tiffany & Co.

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Words: Kasia Maciejowska

fas h io n Intervi ew

Selections meets Karen K

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focused. “Each New Year I make up a motto for myself that sets the tone for the year ahead. I just try to feel what’s right for me and act from the heart,” she says.

This intensely personal approach is abundantly clear from the website of her brand, Karen K. As the face – and body - of the label her waist-length glossy hair and long limbs represent her designs. The brochure for her debut collection featured a nude and seated Karen, bearing her giant wings tattoo that would inspire her company logo.

The label launched at the fashART charity gala dinner at London’s Natural History Museum in 2010 and the image is one of several giant portraits that now decorate Karen’s home.

“My wings are my iconography – they signify the freedom to be myself,” Karen explains, trying on her winged Miss Karena shoe style. The sequined wings on the pale gold platforms enclasp her feet against a sheer mesh, adding a flattering lightness to their campy symbolism.

Portrait by Marco Galavino

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aren el Khazen is a fantasy come to life. A model and shoe designer, she is a picture of overt femininity in her towering heels, bustier top and pink jeans. But this 28-year old woman is quite the tomboy at heart.

As a teenager she played professional basketball for the Lebanese national team, won prizes for sharp shooting, and had a pair of wings tattooed on her back. She was born in Lebanon and grew up in Greece. Having such rebellious tastes must have taken some guts.

Fearlessness is something Karen does very well. Her striking, angular beauty shows some of the steely determination that has led her to realise her dream of having her own shoe label. Perched on a giant sofa in her Regency apartment, overlooking London’s Hyde Park, she muses on how she stays

Karen K campaign photography

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Behind each sequined strip also hides some serious support – these are towering stilettos after all.

Recounting how she suffered lower back problems from wearing poorly engineered high heels, Karen is keen to emphasise how comfortable her pieces are.

She personally re-calculates the proportions on each shoe, correcting the regular lasts that her factory uses until she finds the perfect angles for distributing weight around the foot. She came up with the idea of lining some styles with memory foam – used in mattresses – that shapes to each individual foot after a few wears.

Karen K products are often near-bespoke in this way. The majority are limited editions and Karen hand-decorates each shoe herself. Lace, fur, sequins and beadwork bring craftsmanship to her collections, and every model has a name and a character to go with it. Miss Bowdoir features a T-bar of pearl buttons. Lady Loulou has a giant 80s-style velvet bow on the side.

Although most of her styles are courts and strappy sandals, it is Karen’s boots that really shine.

One stand-out pair – called Lady Mia - come in knee-high purple suede, with pale gladiator straps wrapping around the back of the calf. Her provocative thigh-high boots in black leather with an attached garter belt won her a celebrity fan last year after she sent some to Nicole Scherzinger, the most high-profile member of American girl band The Pussycat Dolls. Perfectly matched to the band’s background as a Burlesque troupe, they were a hit

above & Below: Karen K sketches

facing page Clockwise from top left: Lady Kayla, Miss F Tock, Miss Jasmine, Lady Ascot, Miss Bedford, Miss Pinkink (Orange), Miss Valerie, Lady Diana, Lady Mia.

with Nicole, who tweeted Karen after wearing them in concert. Other stars who wear her shoes include Czech model Karolina Kurkova and British pop star Cheryl Cole. “Kim Kardashian also follows me on Twitter,” Karen adds proudly.

With her beauty, warmth and energy, this international young woman has countless charms.

Perhaps her greatest, however, is her graciousness.

“Lots of people lose themselves working in modelling, so I try to stay grateful. It is an honour for me to be the face of De Grisogono jewellery, for example, and I tell them so,” she says. Not everyone makes the grade of course. Red Bull asked her to represent them, as her tattoo so perfectly chimes with their motto ‘Red Bull Gives You Wings’, but she politely declined. “I just couldn’t be the Red Bull girl,” she laughs.

“Do you want to see something really cool?” she asks excitedly over a glass of wine on the sofa. The cuff she is playing with is actually a fur-covered Slap Wrap – the springy band that you slap onto your wrist to make it curl into a bracelet. It was big in the 1980s. “Do you remember these from when you were a kid? I love them!” She also shows me mini scented heart cushions that she’s made to go inside her shoes. “These are my guilty pleasures –the silly details that make life more fun.”And there you have it. Leather boots and seven inch heels may be her public signature, but in private Karen K loves Slap Wraps. Let us hope she finds a way to use them in her upcoming lingerie line.

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L ifest yl e

Wearing your art on your sleeve Words: Rich Thornton

A retrospective of eccentric men’s fashion at RISD Museum examines what it means to be exceptionally well-dressed, and how to do it

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ome may say the art of being a dandy is no art at all. Prancing about in clothes that even restrain your ability to prance is surely a form of masochism rather than a fine aesthetic accomplishment. But if the only way to judge what counts as art is by whether it gets displayed in an art gallery, it looks like the dandies are in the same boat as the Da Vincis.

Artist/Rebel/Dandy is the current exhibition at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), an attempt to track the rise of the well-dressed gentleman in Western culture. To clarify, a dandy can be defined as “a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies,

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pursued with the appearance of nonchalance”, according to the much maligned but often consulted source Wikipedia. This exhibition displays a selection of fine clothes pinched from the wardrobes of the best-dressed men in modern history; cravats, waistcoats, tweeds and top hats that accentuate the masculine frame and raise the observer’s eyebrow.

It all began with Beau Brummel, an elegant 18th century Englishman who forged a path to exclusive London society by looking ultra-dashing and being exceedingly well-buttoned.

His sartorial revolution rippled across both the Channel and the Atlantic, into the polish of the Parisian boot and the ruffles of the American dress-shirt. From there, social-climbing upstarts from around the globe have been welcomed into the cliquey upper echelons

Dandyism is a distinctly male phenomenon

by pairing perfectly-shaped brogues with an exotic gold monocle, or something of the like.

The relationship between society and clothes is worth mentioning because it is a central question of the exhibition. While basking in the charm of a silk plain-weave coat, the viewer is provoked to ponder the value of spending such time and money on luxurious garments.

Split into five themes rather than progressing chronologically, the essence behind the desire to look sharp is examined by tagging each dandy as Historian, Connoisseur, Revolutionary, Romantic or Explorer. Characters stretch from the impeccably dressed racial-rights activist W.E.B Du Bois to the outright eccentric Sebastian Horsley, who proclaimed that “being well-dressed gives a feeling of inward tranquility which psychoanalysis is powerless to bestow”.

Curators Irvin and Brewer explain the vision behind the show: “Connecting the actual garments of the creative men who wore them with portrayals of the dandy throughout history offers the viewer fresh insights into the power of fashion and textiles as a male pursuit.” Dandyism is a distinctly male phenomenon and the exhibition also seeks to redress the focus our culture has bestowed on the clothing habits of women. If Rhode Island is a little far too travel, the exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated book, so you can enjoy the glory of the dandy attire from the comfort of your coffee table, which, as it happens, is probably what a true dandy would do.

Artist/Rebel/Dandy:: Men of Fashion April 28th – August 18th, 2013 RISD Museum, 224 Benefit St, Providence, RI 02903, United States

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Fantastical

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hen Cinderella famously slipped her dainty little toes into a single slipper and won her prince, she wasn’t just satisfying her need for something other than clogs, she was moving up the social ladder, from put-upon servant to princess. Throughout history the use of shoes, along with all forms of apparel, has been seen as a status of wealth and power, and no less so in the fairy tales and stories told to children.

From ‘Puss in Boots’ to ‘The Red Shoes’, the foot furnishings of women, and men, have been used to tell the tale of good triumphing over or trumping evil, and love winning all. Today, it may seem a little far-fetched for shoes to be seen as magic, but we all know that feeling of pure joy when we slip on a new pair – your day can be transformed. As an ode to the shoes in fairy tales, mythology and legend the Museo

feet

Shoes star as the leading men, and ladies, in a new exhibition at the Salvatore Ferragamo museum

Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence is hosting an exhibition, The Amazing Shoemaker: Fairy Tales and Legends about Shoes and Shoemakers.

Covering a range of topics, the collection of wonders is the creation of curators Stefania Ricci, Sergio Risaliti and Luca Scarlini. It is broken up into different sections in different rooms, and exhibits shoes, illustrations, music and film – one specially made short is ‘White

Shoe’ which tells the story of Ferragamo creating a pair of shoes in a single night for his sister’s First Holy Communion.

Artists of varying disciplines have contributed to the exhibition, expressing their own thoughts on the traditional fairy tale, including well-known children’s authors Antonio Faeti and Michele Rak, film historian Alessandro Bernardi, and writers and poets like Hamid

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legend

“I still read fairy tales and I like them best of all.”

Ziarati, Michele Mari and Elisa Biagini who have written new fairy tales specifically for the project, with illustrations by Michela Petoletti and Francesca Ghermandi.

A particular highlight is the music written especially for the show by composer Luis Bacalov, while photographers Simona Ghizzoni and Lorenzo Cicconi Massi, together with Arrigo Coppitz, have photographed Ferragamo shoes in fairy-tale settings.

As a man who spent his life making the women who wore his shoes feel like those princesses in fairy tales, the exhibition couldn’t be more apt, and to tell the story of the grand shoemaker himself there are the graphic illustrations of Frank Espinosa, creator of the famous comic book ‘Rocketo’. As Audrey Hepburn, one of Ferragamo’s clients once said: “I still read fairy tales and I like them best of all.”

The exhibition will run until March 2014 Museo Salvatore Ferragamo Palazzo Spini Feroni, Florence

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{100 years of the road with the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost}

In commemoration of the 1913 Alpine Trial, Rolls-Royce is sending 48 RollsRoyce Silver Ghosts on a trip across central Europe. One hundred years after the motor tour that saw the Silver Ghost pinned as the ‘best car in the world’, these century-old cars are still in good enough shape to cross mountains and traverse valleys. The Rolls-Royce ‘Works Team’ has honoured another tradition of the race by using London’s Brown’s Hotel as their start point for the tour.

From there, they’ve driven both a 1913 Silver Ghost – known to car collectors as the most expensive car in the world (one sold for $7.1 milion last July) – and a 2013 Alpine Trial Centenary Collection Rolls-Royce Ghost to meet the rest of the pack in Vienna. The muscular and modern descendent of the classic 1913 variety, the Centenary Collection, is the perfect buy for those wishing to take part in the story, without inheriting the maintenance of owning a 100 year old car.

{Fitzgerald slept here} In homage to Baz Luhrmann’s on-screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, The Plaza Hotel in New York has crafted the luxurious, boutique Fitzgerald Suite. As a patron of the hotel himself, Fitzgerald has been posthumously honoured with this 700-square-foot, 18th floor art deco suite which ‘channels the dynamism of the Jazz Age’ via period-inspired pieces from the home furnishings atelier RH, Restoration Hardware. Crowned with a distinctive front door which mimics the grillwork in the film’s logo, the new oak floors, dome ceilings and antique steamer trunks help the occupier enjoy the grandeur of 1920s sophistication before exploring the dazzling avenues of bustling Manhattan.

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The Fitzgerald Suite starts at $2,795 per night.

{Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island kicks-off a month of sport} This July, the Gulf’s most luxury tourist destination – Yas Island –will be offering sport lovers another reason to visit. To celebrate the 2013 British Lions rugby tour in Australia, the Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, has set up four huge screens in its opulent ballroom where it will offer its classic menu as the perfect accompaniment to the tensest games. Golf addicts are also catered for as Yas Links and Hickory’s sports bar offers a pre-rugby championship tee-off at the sobering sunrise time of 7.30 am, leaving plenty of space for lunch before the 2 pm kick-off.

If rugby and golf leave you cold, warm up with Train Yas, an evening cycling exercise session which takes place on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race track – and is organised in salute to the 2013 Tour de France.

{A century and a half of luxury for Monte-Carlo SBM Group } Monaco is in the midst of a menu of glorious celebrations as Monte-Carlo SBM Group marks 150 years since it took the first step towards creating a luxury town at the top of the Spélugues plateau. The first Casino de Monte-Carlo was inaugurated in 1863, under the watchful eye of the Group’s founder, François Blanc. One year later, the prestigious Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo opened its doors, paving the way for a long line of majestic establishments to be built, which included additional hotels, casinos, and restaurants.

The Group’s many projects, which were brought to fruition on the invitation of Prince Charles III of Monaco, have taken luxury tourism, gastronomy, art, and culture, sports, and wellbeing facilities to a new level.

The festivities planned for Monte-Carlo SBM Group’s 150-year anniversary include an exhibition at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, titled MONACOPOLIS, which traces the city’s development, a book launch, a summer art season, and a sporting summer festival. The Group is also offering special anniversary packages at its hotels.

{Browns Hotel celebrates 175 years} Guests at the luxurious Brown’s Hotel in the UK can look forward to a series of celebratory events this year as the luxury, five-star resort marks its 175th anniversary. Boasting one of the most prestigious addresses in London’s Mayfair district, Brown’s Hotel is just a stone’s throw from many of the city’s most famous landmarks, including theatres, shops and restaurants. The award-winning hotel dates back to 1837, when Lord Byron’s butler, James Brown, and his wife acquired a number of residences in Dover Street which

they transformed into luxury accommodation the following year. Over the years, the hotel has welcomed many famous guests, ranging from royalty to Hollywood celebrities. Brown’s added a contemporary twist to its traditional Victorian ambience in the new millennium when it became part of the famed Rocco Forte brand. The hotel will be hosting a series of celebratory events to mark its landmark anniversary, including special dining options in its restaurants and a 175-Years Suite Package for guests.

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W ords : S u s a n W i l s o n

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Golf has ever been the gentleman’s pastime. It is a sport with hushed crowds, retina burning outfits, sporting stars and fierce competition. It might not automatically come to mind when you think of how to spend an afternoon out in fair weather, but once you pick

up that club you are almost guaranteed to be hooked. And when you are, there are plenty of stunning courses around the world for the professional and amateur to enjoy alike.

Selections takes a look at some of the most beautiful and luxurious locations to swing a club worldwide.

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Mission Hills, China While golf might be experiencing a slump in North America and Europe, in Asia it is a booming market. China is home to Guinness Record-holding Mission Hills, the largest golf facility in the world. There are twelve courses to play, each designed by a golfing star, with the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh and David Duval some of names behind them.

This 20 square kilometre golfing complex, close to Hong Kong and situated on the mainland, in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, has played host to numerous competitions including the Omega Mission Hills World Cup between 2007 and 2009, and is the hub of golf in the country. Each of the courses offers something different. The Norman Course in particular – rugged and heavily tree lined - has garnered a reputation of being one of the hardest courses in Asia.

It is also a fully integrated luxury resort, home to a five star hotel, spa facilities, conference and meeting facilities, shopping centres, tennis courts and more. Most exciting is the Mission Hills mineral springs, where you can enjoy a true taste of the Orient, and relax in the volcanic springs after a long round or two of golf.

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Course 5 (D) - Lava Fields #18 (RF)

Course 1 (A) - Blackstone #3 (TB)

Course 2 (B) -Sandbelt Trails #16 (TB)

Blue Canyon, Thailand “One of the best I have ever played on.” Tiger Woods, 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic Situated on Phuket Island, Thailand, the Blue Canyon Club is home to two award-winning championship courses, The Canyon and The Lakes, which were designed by Japanese architect Yoshikazo Kato, and opened in 1991 and 1999 respectively.

Built on the site of a former tin mine, the Blue Canyon Country Club is an internationally renowned golf club, which has hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic on an unparalleled three occasions in 1994, 1998 and 2007. Situated in a 720 acre valley nestled between the backdrops of the imposing Phang Nga Mountains and the Andaman Sea, the scenery on these courses is truly breathtaking: both were designed to minimise the interruption to the natural landscape around them.

Blue Canyon is the site of Tiger Woods’ famous comeback win against Ernie Els in the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic, when he came from nine strokes down to secure victory in a playoff. And golf enthusiasts who come to play a round enjoy gorgeous backgrounds on courses that have made golfing history.

The Blue Canyon resort itself is home not only to golf but to a boutique spa resort, combining the best of Thai and Swedish massages and elegant lodges to offer a luxurious stay in Thailand.

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Steenburg, S outh Africa A firm favourite amongst golf enthusiasts, the Steenburg Golf Club is located on the Steenburg Estate, just twenty minutes from the heart of Cape Town.

Frequently named among the top three courses to play in South Africa, Steenburg was designed by prolific South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich, and has a par 3 on the 14th that boasts the longest green in the country – 76 metres.

The estate that hosts the golf course is located in the affluent Constantia region of Cape Town and it shows. Keen golfers come to Steenburg to play the course and are greeted with the whole package. Steenburg – mountain of stone – is the oldest vinery in the cape, dating back to the 17th century. The Steenburg Golf Club was officially opened in 1996 and is surrounded by the estate vines, a luxury spa, and a five star hotel to enjoy a luxurious stay in when not out on the course.

The lush surrounds of the Constantia Valley help cement the must-play nature of this South African course, with the natural features and hazards of the vineyards, waterways, and pine forests providing beautiful scenery to complement the challenging course.

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© Dick Durrance

Palmilla, Mexico A world-class experience, Palmilla is the first Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course in Latin America. Situated in Los Cabos, off the coast of the Sea of Cortez, Palmilla is three courses rolled into one location, with Arroyo (desert), Mountain and Ocean courses offering up a 27-hole resort.

The Arroyo course is nine holes through desert valleys, with the backdrop of the Sea of Cortez, and “three of the best holes in all of Los Cabos golf ”, on offer on the 6th, 7th and 8th. The Mountain course is aptly named and its nine holes are played with the backdrop of mountains and an impressive reservoir at the 5th and 6th. Both courses opened in 1992, with the Ocean course following in 1997.

The Ocean course, with some holes within “a pitching wedge” of the sea itself, comes with the challenge of a 600-foot elevation change between the first six holes of the nine hole course.

The Golf Club comes in partnership with the One&Only Palmilla, a luxury resort situated across from the courses in the Baja California Peninsula of Northern Mexico. With 173 lavish suites, a full service spa, and restaurants including Market, run by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the One&Only lives up to its calling card and is a stunning place to stay, in a great location for golf.

© Dick Durrance

© Dick Durrance

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The Ailsa Golf Course - 9th Hole Turnberry Resort, Scotland (Property)

Turnberry, Scotland “Where could they find such a glorious combination of picturesque grandeur by land and sea? Every mile, there was some hallowed spot, immortalised by the heroism of Bruce or the genius of Burns.� On the opening of Station Hotel, Turnberry, 1906 Returning to the home of golf, Scotland, one of the most luxurious locations to play is at the five-star Turnberry resort off the South Western coast.

While the three courses, along with a golf academy and five-star hotel were designed by James Millar and launched in 1906, this changed with the outbreak of the First World War. The courses were turned into an airbase and the hotel into a hospital. After the war the first and second courses were renamed Ailsa and Arran, but once again the location was turned into an airbase and hospital during the Second World War. The Ailsa as it is today was rebuilt and reopened in 1951 with a new design by Mackenzie Ross. It has been the host of the Open Championship on four separate occasions (1977, 1986, 1994 and 2009), and has breathtaking views of the Alisa Craig and the Isle of Arran from its links.

The Station Hotel at Turnberry offered up the heights of luxury in 1906 and its modern-day guests can expect nothing less in this modernised 20th century building.

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BELOW: The Open Golf Championship 2009 Turnberry Resort, Scotland (Property)

BOTTOM: The Ailsa Golf Course - 11th Tee Turnberry Resort, Scotland (Property)

The Old Course, Scotland “If I had ever been sat down and told I was to play there and nowhere else for the rest of my life, I should have chosen the Old Course at St Andrews.” Bobby Jones No list of golf courses could ever be complete without mentioning where it all began. The St Andrews Links, in St Andrews, Scotland is the largest public golf venue in Europe. Of its seven courses the most famous and iconic is the Old Course. Around 45,000 rounds of golf are played on the Old Course every year, by everyone from amateurs to professionals. It is regarded as the most important course in the world, situated in the ‘Home of Golf ’, St. Andrews, and has a history that goes back 600 years.

Unlike many of the finest golf courses situated across the world today, the Old Course has a unique genesis. Rather than being designed by one architect, it has instead evolved naturally over the course of six centuries, witnessing rising standards of equipment, higher competition and golf ’s expansion onto the world stage. And through all of that it has remained a pinnacle of championship golf, hosting the open championship as recently as 2010. A beautiful and challenging course to play, it is also situated in one of Scotland’s most charming and picturesque seaside towns. It is no wonder so many golf enthusiasts travel from across the globe to play the Old Course.

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Set a short drive outside of the South Western coastal town of Antalya, Rixos Sungate in Turkey is an actual haven for anyone wishing to escape a hustle and bustle led lifestyle.

Driving in the entrance through vast walls of rushing water, it is like being transported into a colony for survivors of a postapocalyptic world. Lush greenery, a welcoming staff and a definite feeling of safety, it really is a rescue from busy day-to-day life.

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Boredom, thy name is mud I always see holidays as a chance, like many, to recharge my batteries and relax. However, by relaxation I don’t mean spending every single moment prostrate in the sun, by a pool with fruit cocktails (though, that is of course something one must indulge in every now and then). No, I like to be active. Sungate provides various activities to suit both adults and children, ranging from zip lining across the complex, yikes, to watersports off their private pier.

Should you have an aversion to the sun, there are two pools, out of the 16 they have, that are indoors. There is also a gym for those who don’t see water skiing as enough of a challenge for their abs. Lazing on loungers, though, is something never to be shunned and you can either set up camp at one of the many pools, or retreat to the beach. For the VIP lazies among us there are the Alara and VIP piers, so sipping cocktails under straw umbrellas and dipping your toes into the Mediterranean can be the order of the day.

For the children pretty much everything takes place at the Rixy Club. Covering 20,000 square metres of grassland, there are multiple water slides, games, evening entertainment, art workshops and even a little zoo filled with cute bunnies and beautiful peacocks. Children from six months up to 13 years of age can be left in the trusty care of the Rixy staff, while mum and dad indulge in alone time, or build up their muscles in sports. The ultimate activity to note for this summer when it comes to the little ones is the Mickey’s Music Festival brought to Antalya by Disney. Shows are performed daily in the town in German, Russian, Turkish and English.

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And then there was silence Being pampered is the ultimate holiday treat. A short walk from one’s room and into the arms of a therapist are like honey to my ears, so to find the Rixos Royal SPA specialises in a plethora of European and Far Eastern therapies, from Ayurvedic to Balinese, I was ready to be indulged. Even if you’re with someone, you can opt for couples treatments – a bonus.

Expert therapists at the spa are quick to note any problems you may have and can offer the best treatments available to alleviate stress, as soon as you can allow.

Whether it be a detoxifying green tea body mask or a sports massage that takes your fancy, the spa is kitted out with saunas, Jacuzzis and a chilled out vibe that you won’t want to say goodbye to.

Gourmet pleasures When it comes to dining, to say there is more than enough choices is an understatement. In total there are 14 places to satisfy one’s appetite at Sungate. The range in choice is so vast that you could spend one evening imagining you are in Latin America, while dining at the Cactus restaurant, and then next, Japan as you gorge on sail boats filled with sushi and tempura. Breakfasts, lunches and dinners can all be taken advantage of buffet style or a la carte, from Turkish and Greek cuisine, to Italian and Chinese. And of course, don’t forget, the 24hour room service.

For the responsible adults amongst us there are 15 bars situated around the complex, varying in content, a number specialising in healthy fruit juices. A way to enjoy the evening, or possibly the afternoon as well, is to prop yourself up at the Mixologie or Piano bars and take full advantage of the fact that you do not have to wake for work in the morning.

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Hand Picked Guilty Pleasures Words: Stephanie Plentl

Selections shares a few wellkept secrets with readers in this issue’s pick of some of the finest experiences from around the world

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Jade Massage at The Setai Hotel Miami At it’s best, a massage has the potential to eliminate all stress and strain and transport the body and mind to a delicious state of bliss. However, not all massages are created equal and a first visit to a spa is always accompanied by a certain amount of ‘will this be worth it’ anxiety. One of Miami’s most refined hotels, The Setai, doesn’t do things by halves. In fact, they do things by double: not one exceptional masseuse, but two – in perfect synchronicity. By using a variety of massage techniques including Shiatsu, Balinese, Thai, Swedish and Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, tension is utterly dissolved, twice as fast. www.thesetaihotel.com

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Bespoke Perfume

by Miller Harris London A signature scent is a delicate way to project your personality, but with so many fragrances available the choice can be daunting. Lyn Harris, founder and ‘nose’ of the Miller Harris perfume brand, is on hand to guide you through your most evocative memories to channel your ideal perfume. Using raw ingredients from the countless bottles lining the shelves of her laboratory in the Miller Harris boutique in Notting Hill, London, Harris blends them into an utterly personal and unique fragrance. This process takes up to six months and costs ÂŁ8,000 for the consultation and first engraved bottle. www.millerharris.com

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Aquim Chocolate Rio de Janeiro It’s easy to forget that chocolate is made from a tropical fruit. It should have subtle notes of dried banana, mango and passion fruit – flavours often masked by the vanilla and sugar used in modern processing. In a quest for the most pure chocolate, Samantha Aquim looked to her native country of Brazil to create Q0 – a series of chocolate blends that have garnered worldwide accolades from chocolate connoisseurs. Using 100% cocoa from the Bahia region, harvested by hand and slow roasted, the true flavours and natural sweetness of her Q0 chocolate are able to shine through. The cigar-style presentation box ($1,000) is filled with graduating chocolate intensities and available to order online. www.aquimgastronomia.br.com

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Cecil Wright Super Yachts

You know you’re in a different league when there’s a prefix of ‘super’ – and so it is with the yachts on offer from new ‘superyacht’ brokerage firm, Cecil Wright.Conceived to fill a niche for more discreet and bespoke yacht charter experiences, Cecil Wright offers a personalised service that is often missing from the bigger firms, from filling the freezer with your favourite ice cream to setting up an on-board nightclub. The superyachts themselves are of exceptional quality – the Hampshire II boasts a basketball court, cinema, wine cellar, glass bottomed ‘aquarium room’ and a 30m waterslide, with airport transfers to the yacht by Bentley (from £200,000 per week). www.cecilwright.com

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Baros Maldives Baros is one pearl in the delicate necklace of 1,190 islands that make up the archipelago of the Maldives, an enduring magnet destination for honeymooners. This year Baros Maldives celebrates 40 years of seducing guests with its pristine beaches, lush tropical gardens and barefoot luxury aesthetic throughout the property.

With exceptional diving on offer as well as windsurfing, snorkelling, glass-bottomed canoes and double-seated kayaks, there are several ways to appreciate the fragile reef of this sublime coral island. Gourmet cuisine can be enjoyed in the restaurant, in your elegant villa, in a private beach setting or even while sailing on a traditional Nooma sunset cruise. Why should this experience be the reserve of honeymooners? www.baros.com

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Truffle Hunting at Crillon le Brave France Situated on a hilltop near Avignon in the Rhone Valley, the surroundings of Crillon le Brave are renowned for their vineyards, olive oil, lavender, lively antiques markets and medieval architecture, not to mention the 6000ft high Mont Ventoux - the penultimate stage in the Tour de France. As if all that wasn’t enough, the region also produces the ultimate gourmand delicacy - truffles. The truffle season runs from November to March and Crillon Le Brave – an exquisite hotel in itself - offers a package that includes truffle hunting with an expert and their trained dogs, a truffle cooking demonstration and a dinnertime feast of truffle specialties. www.crillonlebrave.com)

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News Art Beat Preview Interview Space Event Diary

ART & DESIGN

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{Art thefts on the rise} The buying of art is on the up, so say the experts, but so too is the theft of it. After the boom years of art purchasing before the global economic crisis, the market has petered out and the need for those buyers to be vigilant about their purchases is as necessary as ever.

A recent Bloomberg news article shared the astonishing facts of a very vibrant industry. The article, which spoke largely with members of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, shared the fact that the agency estimates $6billion of artwork is stolen a year.

If you’re a buyer, dealer or just interested in the world of art and antiquities, there are a few resources we recommend you check out: the FBI’s National Stolen Art File, which provides you with a searchable list of everything from candlesticks to sofas that has been stolen since their programme began. Then there is The Art Loss Register, apparently the world’s largest database of lost and stolen art, antiques and collectibles.

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{Prima Installation for Swarovski}

{The grassier, the better}

World-renowned Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid has been commissioned by Swarovski to create an installation to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of her first built project. After years of struggling to push her work from 2D to 3D, her geometrically-subversive Fire Station was built at the Vitra Campus architectural school in Weil am Rhein, Germany. This year, Prima – an angular piece made from five highly polished components that can be moved into different configurations - will be installed in front of the Fire Station “reflecting and honouring the design process of the building”. Not just a piece of art, Prima is designed to be sat on and enjoyed from every angle; a poly-sided mirror, ready to reflect the ambitions and dreams of the young architectural minds unfolding at Vitra.

Nestled into the Rocky Mountains you would be forgiven for not noticing this exquisite feature of architecture – that’s probably because the roofing appears as mountain meadows. ‘House in the mountains’ is one of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Housing Award winners. There were six recipients in total and the structures, which range from apartments to individual homes, vary in style and location, but do not differ in their eventual aim: to see housing “as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit, and a valuable national resource”. From ‘Via Verde’ in the Bronx, New York, to ‘Lake View Residence’ in Austin, Texas, the six abodes are all a testament to outstanding achievements in architecture. Inspiration for anyone?

www.aia.org

{Saloua Raouda Choucair at the Tate} This Lebanese artist Saloua Raouda Choucair now in her 90s, is finally having her first major museum exhibition. The Tate in London is currently exhibiting a body of the artist’s work, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and textiles. Choucair honed her skills in Paris as a student of Fernand Léger in the 1940s but from the 1950s onwards spent most of her life in Beirut. Largely working without much recognition outside of the country’s art community, her work was revived in 2010 when curators from the Tate visited her Beirut home. These curators have since gone on to call her ‘a pioneer of Modernism in the Middle East’.The exhibition focuses on her sculptures from the 1950s to 1980s, made in metal, stone, wood and fibreglass, as well as some of her early abstract paintings, including her ‘Self Portrait’ from 1943 and ‘Paris-Beirut’ from 1948. ‘Saloua Raouda Choucair’ is at the Tate until October 20.

{Awarding architecture for its positive impact}

The Aga Khan Development Network has announced its nominations for this year’s Architecture Awards. The jury that created the list is made up of internationally recognised architects and they have gone for a range that varies in its execution as well as location. From North Africa to the Middle East to East Asia, the projects range

from the rehabilitation of sites (such as the Tabriz Bazaar in Tehran), to reconstruction (such as the Nahr el-Bared Refugee Camp in Lebanon’s Tripoli), construction (of the Maria Grazia Cutuli school in Afghanistan), and the preservation of the Mbaru Niang, conical houses on the remote island village of the same name, in Indonesia. According

to the Network, those chosen have been so not only for their architectural calibre but for the positive impact they make on life around them. The award, now in its 36th year, will see $1million going to the winning project. Up to six finalists will be selected at a ceremony in Lisbon in September.

For more information about the projects visit www.akdn.org/architecture

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Words: Susan Wilson

Selections picks out some of the best art events not to miss in the coming months

She who tells a story: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab world

Farley Farm House: Home of the Surrealists

August 27, 2013 – January 12, 2014 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA Ranging from fine art to photojournalism, the works of these twelve pioneering women artists explore identity, interrogate society, shift perceptions and especially question the nature of the relationship between representation and power within the Middle East.

Sundays, April – October, 2013 Farley Farm House, Chiddingly, UK Throughout the 20th century, Farley Farm House played host to art heavyweights such as Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst and Joan Miro. The home of war and fashion photographer Lee Miller and her husband Roland Penrose, Picasso’s biographer, this quaint countryside hideaway now exhibits works from its former occupants and guests, all displayed within the original décor of 1950s England.

Curiosity: Art & the Pleasures of Knowing May 25 – September 16, 2013 Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK Through a combination of contemporary art and historical artifacts, and inspired by the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ of the Renaissance, the esteemed Southbank Centre has put together a touring exhibition which ponders the very human state of being curious – be it virtuous in the pursuit of knowledge, or devious in the search for the profane.

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Artist/Rebel/Dandy: Men of Fashion April 28 – August 18, 2013 RISD Museum, Rhode Island, USA A catalogue in the art of tasteful flamboyance, this retrospective of the rise and sustainment of the dandy as a figure in popular culture investigates what it means to be exceptionally well-dressed, and what mental states lie behind it.

Van Gogh at Work

The Panza Collection

Art in Berlin 1880 – 1980

May 1, 2013 – January 12, 2014 Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands In celebration of its reopening, the Van Gogh Museum hosts a show that charts the artist’s prolific development over a tenyear period of his life. Displaying material from the museum’s own collection, as well as borrowed masterpieces like Sunflowers, the exhibition is a rare chance to see a variety of Van Gogh’s work in unison.

October 5, 2013 – January 12, 2014 Ca’ Pesaro, Venice, Italy A homage to collectors as essential actors in the conservation of art, this show gathers the masterpieces of Giuseppe Panza di Biumo for the viewer to appreciate one man’s impeccable aesthetic taste.

From the depths of Rothko to the pop of Liechtenstein, Panza’s collection is a comprehensive array of 20th century art stars.

Permanent Exhibition Berlinische Galerie, Berlin, Germany Shirking the ubiquitous ‘white cube’ interior, the architectural rearrangement of the gallery’s upper space is proudly introduced by a comprehensive overview of the city’s artistic output during its most tumultuous century.

All You Need Is Love

James Turrell

April 26 – September 1, 2013 Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan To mark its tenth anniversary, Mori devotes its summer to the irrevocably human landscape of love. Be it familial, erotic, jealous or philanthropic, the works of Marc Chagall and Damien Hirst collide with 200 others in an artistic investigation into the most important feeling our species must suffer.

June 21 – September 25, 2013 Guggenheim, New York, USA Turrell is famous for creating rooms of art that merge natural skylight and bold artificial illumination. This show presents a new site-specific skyscape in the gallery’s rotunda as well as a selection of the artist’s other works.

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In September, Beirut hosts its fourth annual Beirut Art Fair, but it’s not just redefining art, it’s changing borders too.

Words: Rich Thornton

Words: Owen Adams

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or the past four years, Pascal Odille and Laure d’Hauteville have been building bridges. From Casablanca to Manila, the Beirut Art Fair – formally the more revealing but awkwardly named MENASART (Middle-East, North Africa and South Asia Art) – has been collecting art from the region’s top galleries and bringing it to Lebanon.

This year, all roads lead to Beirut, where the fair will not only inhabit the waterfront Beirut Exhibition Centre, but sprawl into the streets of Downtown.

Artistic Director Pascal Odille says the idea of the show is to “defend MENASA art” in a region connected less by geography and more by the fact each area is characterised by a “mix of religious

communities”. Tension often bodes well for art (as the current eruption of quality Syrian work shows) and Lebanon’s fractious history is explored through one of the fair’s main features, ‘Generation War’.

Curated by Odille, this collection of photography reveals the tragic beauty of a torn apart 198090s Lebanon, captured by at-the-time amateur photographers whose most natural response to the war was to document it.

Accompanying this central, non-commercial concession is the gallery-led South-East Asian pavilion. Here, specially selected galleries from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines show work by young artists tipped for big things. One art collective, Vertical Submarine, will be exhibiting their ‘Flirting Point’ installation,

...the idea of the show is to “defend MENASA art” in a region connected less by geography and more by the fact each area is characterised by a “mix of religious communities”

a physical, illuminated meeting point which jibes at Singapore’s socially regulated culture. This type of art is sure to be a hit in etiquette-ridden Lebanon, and is evidence of the connection felt between the MENASA regions.

More evidence still is Odille and d’Hauteville’s next project. In November 2014, they will open Singapore Menasart, a new fair which aims to spread Middle Eastern and North African art into South-East Asia, just as the Beirut Art Fair provides the opposite exchange. Odille admits he’s following the trends, saying, “After Chinese art began to get expensive in 2008, the East Asian focus has shifted south, and South-East Asian artists are getting a lot more attention.”

Back in Beirut, the real draw of this year’s

show will be the accompanying Beirut Art Week.

Stretching from 17th – 24th September, this side project brings the art to the people by erecting sculptures in the street, placing art in shop windows, and using the city’s architecture as a backdrop to some eye-catching installations. From Martyrs’ Square to Zaitunay Bay, Beirut Art Week will burst across Downtown, filling the city with colour and personality.

The world’s art market moves fast, and it is ocean-crossing collaborations like the Beirut Art Fair which can help the region puff up its feathers and get noticed by the big fish.

left to right:

Jean Marc Nahas

Chang Yoong Chia

Samer Mohdad

David Chan

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From the to the

Words: Lucy Knight

Beirut is awash with creative talent and Milan wants a piece.

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erched on a chintz sofa in a makeshift, typically old English sitting room, in the centre of the Eklekta store in Corniche el Nahr, Beirut, Italian architect and designer Dante Donegani explains why he moved from one to the other, “At the time I graduated it was a bad moment, in my opinion.” It was the early 80s and a degree in architecture was fast proving to be the training for something else entirely – product design. For Donegani, also, the training was too constricting and not open to any of the changes he could see around him in society. At that time there were no schools of design, only fine art and architecture were on offer. So, taking the lead from his own ‘gurus’, Donegani moved over to product design.

Following in the footsteps of designers like Vico Magistretti and Achille Castiglioni, he proved yet again that his path was not an uncommon

one, for in Italy, architecture and product design go hand in hand. “Magistretti explained to me,” says Donegani, “that in post-war Italy he was building modern homes but trying to furnish them was impossible, so he designed the objects to go inside them.” The famous Italian architect and critic Ernesto Rogers succinctly described how his countrymen approached the discipline, ‘From spoon to the town’, - if you do one, you can most certainly do the other.

So, it is from the design path that Donegani has rarely strayed and all the while, hand in hand with his design partner, Giovanni Lauda. For the past twenty years, after meeting at design school in 1986, the two have worked side by side with their company D&L Studio. Designing exhibition spaces and setting up trade fairs, they have also designed home and office ware for companies including Rotaliana and Luceplan. An example of their penchant for the simplistic and tidied away, is the ‘Passepartout’ for Edra, a contemporary furniture design company,

For in Italy, architecture and product design go hand in hand.

Donegani andd Lauda’s Passepartout.

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From top to bottom: The pair’s famous Multipot; Donegani and Lauda sharing brainwaves; The Pergolato, a result of their research project for a ‘living kitchen’.

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now on display at the Triennale di Milano and San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art. “When you work in a team you can verify everything. And for me, the idea of designing anything without Giovanni is difficult,” says Donegani.

Like so many other great partnerships and friendships, it all began at college - Lauda and Donegani became friends at the Domus Academy during the 80s. Founded in 1982 it was the first post-graduate school offering a wide variety of design specific courses. And it was on behalf of the academy that Donegani, now the Chair of their design department, found himself sitting on the chintz sofa in Beirut – encouraging the budding design talent of Lebanon to make their way to Milan.

The ease with which architects move from the discipline to product design seems indicative of an importance we are increasingly placing on items and pieces, rather than those that house them. For Donegani, the words of one of Domus’ founders, Andrea Branzi, ring true more today than ever before: “The modern city is defined by merchandise”.

And in Italy this has been embraced, with Donegani saying, “It’s common to see the name of an architect on a product, and not just from Italy, from all over the world.” So, no reason then why some Lebanese names shouldn’t be finding themselves onto some chaise longues and lamps.

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inhales the air of modernity’. This atmosphere is achieved by combining modernist-minimalist whitewash walls with a three metre by three metre room where the only light source is a small hole in the ceiling. “The space is like a big pin hole camera,” explains Taniguchi, “not only can you see the art object but you can hear the sound of outside, smell the paint, and feel the air move slightly.”

Taniguchi believes in the inherent connection between Buddhism and art. Being born in a temple, it is the Japanese religious tradition to follow in the family footsteps and become a priest. Drawn away by his passion for photography, Taniguchi now understands that his longing for art was a direct

“This space is my study, it doesn’t have to produce or present new artists, it is for finding yourself, the core of your heart, through the artwork.”

Rich Thornton

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It is known to be an irritating problem, that viewing art in an art gallery is not ideal.

The hum of the air conditioning, high-heels tapping on concrete floors, the clacking of a receptionist’s keyboard – how are you expected to lose yourself amidst all these distractions? The key, it seems, is to become a Buddhist.

Born in a Tokyo temple in 1960, Buddhist priest Akiyoshi Taniguchi displays art his own way.

Inspired by the Japanese ‘golden age’ of photography in the 1970s, Taniguchi left his home to study visual art in New York, and then returned to Tokyo to open his own gallery – Kurenboh. The name derives from three Japanese characters: KU, nothingness; REN, the lotus which represents beauty growing from the muck; and BOH, study room. Taniguchi’s gallery is just this.

Built as an annex to the Chohouin Temple in Kurama, Kurenboh is space where ‘an ancient system of thought

Words: Rich

I

Kurenboh is a one-of-a-kind ‘meditation gallery’ in Tokyo that uses Buddhist philosophy to create a most intimate art viewing experience

The lines of light – the eye becomes lost in the disorienting but calming architecture of Kurenboh.

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Total focus – founder, priest and curator Akiyoshi Tanguchi ensures his displays offer minimal distraction and maximum purity.

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A selection of daguerreotype photographs from recently displayed artist Takashi Arai, complete with contemplation cushion.

The peaceful white curves of the cosy meditative gallery, edged with natural light.

result of his heritage in Buddhism. “The arts and Buddhism have basically the same matter, seeing the art works is like looking in a mirror, the result is finding yourself. This process is just like Buddhist meditation training.” Indeed, Taniguchi coined the term ‘Meditation Gallery’ in order to describe Kurenboh; he chooses carefully the art that is displayed, and usually collaborates with the artist to ensure their work best suits its viewing environment.

Traditional gallery spaces may aim to create calm to help their guests to enjoy the art more fully, but Taniguchi believes time and solitude are essential. “Most good artists are attempting a high level of thought, but most audiences can reach this level if they are given time, space and comfort,” he says. Kurenboh intensifies this experience through its policy and architecture: only one person is allowed in the space at a time, and all of the corners and hard edges of the walls have been curved to invoke a feeling of weightlessness.

Non-profit and non-commercial, Kurenboh provides unique solace from a gallery culture which too often follows the price tag and not the painting.

“This space is my study, it doesn’t have to produce or present new artists, it is for finding yourself, the core of your heart, through the artwork.”

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Words: Rich Thornton

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f you like quiet waterways, Italian birdsong and the luxury of finding a seat in a restaurant, this summer is not the time to visit Venice. From June until November, this tiny island-city will play host to the grandest homage to contemporary art the current world can muster: La Biennale di Venezia 2013. Fried-crab canapés and crisp Pinot Grigio go hand-in-hand with room upon room of paintings, installations and sculpture as this once-every-two-years event offers a portfolio of the world’s most admired artists, and a catalogue of the world’s best dressed who’s who.

Growing from a local decorative arts show at the end of the 19th century, the Biennale now hosts 88 countries and over 300,000 guests. Held across two sprawling city spaces, the outdoor Giardini and the ex-shipyard Arsenale, the Biennale has not just built its reputation by exhibiting art, but through an ambitious architectural phenomenon.

Instead of providing spaces for artists to exhibit, the fair invites countries to build their own pavilions to showcase their countrymen’s art. Inaugurated

by Belgium in 1907, most European nations had established pavilions by the time the United States joined the game in 1930, joined by Venezuela in

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1954 and Australia in 1987. This year sees the opening of the Indonesian pavilion and an even more curious occurrence. Tired of the same old halls, the curators of the French and German pavilions have decided to swap venues and showcase each other’s talent. This collaborative spirit is what the true Biennale is all about.

Unlike the notorious Art Basel and London Frieze fairs, this Venetian extravaganza prides itself on not selling the work it shows. Rather than provide a battleground for commercial galleries to woo the rich and gullible, the Biennale provides a fertile space for dialogue about contemporary art.

Alongside the national pavilions, the fair hosts an international exhibition led by a specifically

elected world-renowned curator. This year, associate director at the contemporary-art focused New Museum in New York Massimiliano Gioni presents ‘The Encyclopedic Palace’. This exhibition continues the Biennale’s recent philosophy of ‘exhibitionresearch’, a term which, in the words of the Biennale president Paulo Baratta, hopes to ensure that there are “no more shows without archives”. In a knowingly facile attempt to categorise all of the world’s beauty, Gioni will take artworks that “weren’t meant to be art’ and ask the viewer to find their own artistic relationship with them.

National pride and high-concept art may take precedence at the Biennale, but the fair also hosts educational workshops, art talks and ‘collateral’

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events which allow non-profit art enterprises to reach new audiences (and funding). Edge of Arabia, a London-based not-for-profit, is one such collaborator which aims to develop the ‘appreciation of contemporary Arab art and culture with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia’.

One of the most sensational additions to the Biennale’s program in 2013 is the inclusion of work from the Holy See. Whether the new Pope himself has been involved in the process is an open question, but the Vatican’s foray into contemporary art will surely be something not to miss.

When to visit the Biennale is always a topic of debate. If you’re keen to be seen by the people in the know, it’s not worth going if you don’t make it in June. If an actual appreciation of the art is what you’re after, do as the true aficionados and leave it until the weather’s cooler and the yachts have left the bay.

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The illustrator Amelie Hegardt tells Selections what inspired her at this year’s 55th Venice Biennale

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went to Venice seeking inspiration. I wanted to feel the city and to recharge my perspective. And as always, the uncanny place, with its obtuse alleyways and impossible landscape, left the greatest impression on me. The theatre of the Giardini, the exhibits and the people all left me with a sense of cultural encounter – with art and its eccentric characters.

I was surprised to find myself most drawn to sculptural pieces that had posture and weight. I tend to like the statuesque and to fall for artists who show great attention to detail. Although different to what I do, I find that my work shares some of their pared back romance.

They all consider body and form, and provoke the vanity and voyeurism of the viewer – as my drawings sometimes do.

Berlinde de Bruckere’s Cripplewood was outstanding in the flesh. The scale of the sculpture and her choice of wax material were brought out by the dark light in which it was shown. Seeing it brought me back to the sensation of being a child again, and of being curious about nature and about art.

Portrait by Therese Severinsen

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Venice Biennale 2013 Photo: Amelie Hegardt

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ABOVE: Danae, Vadim Zakharov, Russia. Photo: Amelie Hegardt

FACING PAGE: Cripplewood, Berlinde De Bruyckere. Photo: Amelie Hegardt

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ABOVE: Untitled Scrolls, Lin Xue, China. Photo: Amelie Hegardt

FACING PAGE: Cabinet of ceramics, Ron Nagle, USA. Photo: Amelie Hegardt

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ABOVE: The Dove, Hilma af Klint, N o . 13, Sweden. Photo: Amelie Hegardt

FACING PAGE: Walking On Water, Muhammed Kazem, United Arab Emirates. Photo: Amelie Hegardt

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