Jumana April/May 2010

SERIOUS ABOUT STYLE

APR/MAY 2010

Crystal Renn:

‘I’m not going to be smaller for you.’

STAR STYLE Dress like Kate and co, p28

PLUS

Tom Ford, one-man superbrand We reveal the best signature facial in Dubai Travel: tea and kittens in Tokyo, p61

INTO THE WILD

Giving SS10’s hazy hues a rugged twist

Bedtime story What your sleeping position says about you THE MAGAZINE OF

Produced in International Media Production Zone

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JUMANA CONTENTS

In this issue...

April/May

16

Style icon: Tom Ford on the perfect sock length, p10

Jumana style

28 Steal her style

5 Editor’s column

How to dress like a fashionista,

The politics of fashion

from Leighton to Alexa

58

6 Runway News from the style world

45 Let’s face it

8 Lust-haves

We review signature facials

The ten best bits in the shops

10 Style icon

46 While you are sleeping

In conversation with Tom Ford

What your position means

16 Trends

Jumana life

We give the lowdown on what to wear right now

50 Life etc Little things that make us happy

Photo shoot

20 Ask the stylist

52 Plus size matters We talk to model Crystal Renn

30 The road less travelled

56 Recipe

Marissa Woods to the rescue

21 She’s gotta have it

Hazy days in Hatta

57 Do the twist

A dress made in heaven

Seared red snapper with risotto The crazier side of furniture

22 Essential selection

Jumana beauty

58 Picture this

The holiday wardrobe, sussed

Joe McNally on photography

25 Three ways to wear

40 Health and beauty news

Beautiful, versatile peep-toes

Brand new potions!

Travel to the Japanese capital

26 What to wear for...

43 Crowning glory

64 My style

A music festival!

How to get the latest hairstyles

With designer Lamis Khamis

27 The world...

44 Get fresh

According to Uma Ghosh

Makeup trends explained

On the cover

61 Tokyo tales

62 Directory

This issue we headed to Hatta so we could showcase the season’s dusky hues against the dramatic beauty of the desert – turn to page 30 for the full shoot. Bareface’s Natalia K wears dress, Dhs449, necklace, Dhs129, and bracelet, Dhs129, all by Massimo Dutti. Hair and makeup by Katie Cousins, photography by Jason Gareth.

BURJUMAN BurJuman is the residence of high fashion in Dubai. A haven of luxury shopping, it is home to the finest brands in the world. Here, leading icons mingle comfortably with one another: Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Fendi, Christian Dior, Chanel, Hermès, Valentino, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Loewe, Etro, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Salvatore Ferragamo, Just Cavalli, Gianfranco Ferré, Escada and many more. With over 300 leading fashion stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, you'll always be spoilt for choice.

JUMANA Jumana is a fashion magazine that builds on BurJuman’s reputation as the residence of high fashion in Dubai by offering the city’s residents expert advice on what to wear and how to wear it, from clothes and accessories to makeup. The magazine employs international journalists and local fashion experts to make sure it is always market-leading. All of the products featured in Jumana are available in BurJuman.

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Editor’s column

The politics of fashion Ele Cooper questions whether appearances count when it comes to people in power.

In the run-up to the British general election, a large proportion of the press (especially titles aimed at women) have seemed just as concerned with the fashion choices of the opposing leaders’ wives as with which of the parties is most likely to improve life in the UK. This is not a Brit-specific phenomenon.

Just think of Michelle Obama – during the US election, her wardrobe received almost as much coverage as Barack’s healthcare plans. Or how about the ultraglamorous Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, wife of French president Nicolas Sarkozy – which half of that couple generates more column inches? This is undoubtedly a gendered issue: none of us skim over the policies of female politicians in favour of scrutinising their husbands’ outfits – but why?

Well, obviously there is less variation in what men can wear – it’s pretty much suits, suits or suits in varying shades of charcoal and navy. Analysing the minor details tends to be the sole domain of fashion experts and those with too much time on their hands. Women, on the other hand, have a whole host of sartorial options before them: dresses, skirts, trousers, colour palettes, jewellery and accessories are all at their fingertips, and when they make use of them, it tends to have positive results.

Contrary to the beliefs of some Carla Bruni-Sarkozy fans, the pattern of glamorous wife alongside plain politician is as long-established as patriarchy.

Nowadays, the situation’s more political than ever, with Sarah Brown (wife of Gordon), Samantha Cameron (wife of David) and Michelle Obama (no intro necessary) all donning high street numbers during the recession in a bid to convey the

Being well presented makes you feel, as well as look, more powerful. rather questionable message that they, too, were feeling the pinch.

The knee-jerk reaction to all this is one of feminist outrage: Brown, Cameron and Obama are all successful, intelligent women – why should the way they look even be mentioned? Well, it’s here that I have to moot a rather controversial opinion: because it does matter. Okay, it’s sexist that they are focused on more than their husbands, but the appearance of anyone in power (or anyone that has influence over those in power, as these women quite clearly do) can be a huge indication of how in control they are. Would you want your

MANAGING DIRECTOR

EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Victoria Hazell-Thatcher

Ele Cooper

Mick Brown, Michelle Waldron,

victoria@hotmediapublishing.com

ele@hotmediapublishing.com

Harriet Walker, Marissa Woods

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04 375 7617

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

ART EDITOR

Rob Orchard

Jenni Dennis

rob@hotmediapublishing.com

jenni@hotmediapublishing.com

Jumana is published on behalf of BurJuman by HOT Media Publishing. permission is forbidden. Every 19,700 December 2009

care has been taken in compiling

HOT Media Publishing 2010

the contents of this magazine, but

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national leader discussing the country’s future with someone who couldn’t even be bothered to brush their hair?

This isn’t limited to spouses – women who are powerful in their own right are just as closely scrutinised. Let’s face it: if your boss showed up to work without having showered, and wearing the previous day’s clothes, you wouldn’t feel as confident in their ability to take care of the company as if they turned up in an immaculate suit smelling fresh as a daisy. I’m not saying that having an awareness of fashion in the trends sense is important – but taking care of yourself is. Leaving the house knowing you look good doesn’t just make you come across as more powerful; it makes you feel it too – and that’s what truly great style is all about. I say hats off to these women for having recognised the political power of their wardrobes and used it to their advantage – it’s girl power at its best.

What do you think? Email ele@hotmedia publishing.com.

From l-r: Samantha Cameron; Sarah Brown; Carla Bruni-Sarkozy; Michelle Obama

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Runway News, views and fashion funnies

On the up

Wise words

Many of us receive advice from our bosses and models are no exception. Pep-talk-style signs were put up backstage at several of the SS10 catwalk shows – our favourite has to be John Galliano’s handwritten words of wisdom, pictured prior to his dry ice bubble-fuelled spectacle: ‘You are back in our movie set.

In our pink horizon, bubbles love you… but don’t play with them, walk through them. Be STRONG, UPBEAT, SEXY. Keep your eyes focused directly into cameras. Enjoy!’

SARTORIAL SILLIES

These are almost as crazy as the late Alexander McQueen’s infamous armadillo ten-inchers, although we can’t help but wonder whether, judging by the lack of actual shoe in these, well, shoes, it was a cost-reducing measure rather than an attempt to make a statement. After all, even fashion royalty like Domenico and Stefano felt the credit crunch. Dhs4,200, Dolce & Gabbana at Opera

Watch it How cool is this? It’s from the Issey Miyake range, newly launched at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, and we can’t think of anything we’d rather check the time on. Dhs3,075, Issey Miyake at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons

We already knew it, but Dubai’s rising credibility in the fashion world has now been officially recognised. The city’s branch of the French Fashion University Esmod (FFUE) cited data from the Global Language Monitor showing Dubai to have ascended a massive 13 places in the ‘top fashion cities of the world’ ranking between 2007 and now, leaping from 24th to 11th. Based on their knowledge of the local fashion scene, the FFUE researchers reckon that this year Dubai is set to climb even further when the Global Language Monitor’s 2010 data is released in July.

Young designers at Esmod

AND THE WINNER IS…

Now that red carpet season is over, we’ve had plenty of time to review the stars’ wardrobe hits, disasters and malfunctions (all in the name of research of course) and have come to the conclusion that Versace was the undoubted winner in the best dressed stakes – both the flowing and more structured dresses were a real treat to witness. Take a look at these fabulous frocks and you’ll be hard pushed to disagree.

From left to right: Demi Moore at the Oscars; Elizabeth Banks at the Oscars; Penelope Cruz at the Goya awards; Jennifer Lopez at the Grammy’s; the lady herself – Donatella Versace at the Asian Film Festival

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JUMANA STYLE

Fur real?

Ever been puzzled by clothing labels that state ‘other’ on their content details? Animal rights campaigners have brought to light a loophole in US law which means that products worth less than $150 don’t have to state it if they contain real fur. In fact, one study found that 96 per cent of fur-trimmed jackets purchased from well-known American retailers contained fur from domestic dogs, wolves or raccoon dogs – so next time you’re shopping it’s worth asking the sales assistant what the ‘faux’ fur trimmings are actually made from.

BUCKETING THE TREND It’s official: the bucket bag is the surprise hit of the season. These are our favourites.

Rose bag, price on request, Kenzo; woven calfskin bag, approximately Dhs10,500, Versace

Alarmingly useful

Ever requested a wake-up call in a hotel only for them to forget about you? We have, which is why we were so pleased to see this travel-friendly fold-up alarm clock from Ettinger – now we’ll never have to miss an early morning meeting again, more’s the pity… www.ettinger.co.uk

Stepping out Luxury Italian leatherwear shop Fratelli Rossetti has recently reopened its doors in BurJuman, in newly renovated premises.

Welcoming guests to the ceremony were Etoile’s president and managing director Ingie Chalhoub and Patrick Chalhoub, managing director and vice president of the Chalhoub group. The 94sq-ft space was flooded with fashionistas all eager to get their mitts on a pair of the brand’s famously soft, comfy shoes and its classic handbags, while models strutted their stuff in the latest collection. The store is located on level two and surrounded by other high-end brands. 04 352 3035.

Twittering on From the funny to the philosophical, Twitter provided us with a veritable feast of tidbits from the black-clad brigade at the AW10 fashion weeks. Here are our favourites. @DKNY (DKNY publicist): I am going 2 sleep. Why? Because I have to wake up at 4AM to do the Donna Karan run of show. Yes it gets done that last minute. Why? No clue. @derekblasberg (fashion writer): Just arrived at the Purple party and there was a naked man in the corner.

What was shocking – how not shocked I was. @Hintmag (magazine): We’ve closed many a bar, but Laura Mulleavy has us beat, rocking out to Bon Jovi with friends as we slipped out of the Rodarte party. @toryburch (designer): Heading to the tents with my red ribbon for luck. It’s a tradition handed down from my great grandmother. @peoplesrev (Kelly Cutrone, fashion publicist): is it me, or are the models super skinnified this season? @MercedesLFW (Mercedes London Fashion Week): Model overheard at Margaret Howell: Pls put some mascara in my brows? They’ve been bleached so much there’s nothing left! @henryholland (designer): Just told my mum I feel fat and my clothes are tight. “You just have to stop eating” thanks mum, great advice. @Fashionista_com (website): there’s a model in a 2812 velvet turban, but Katie Grand’s here, so it’s ok...

Loving this summery ring – and it’s only Dhs19 in the Nine West sale!

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JUMANA STYLE

Lust-haves

These beautiful pieces are right at the top of our (admittedly very long) wish list…

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2

3

4

5

6

7

9

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Block co lour is a key s pring trend – w e love these pla yful slingback s!

1. Zip-up dress, Dhs1,315, BCBGMAXAZRIA; 2. Raspberry zip-up dress, Dhs815, DKNY; 3. White sequin dress, Dhs679, Massimo Dutti; 4. Scarf, Dhs70, Accessorize; 5. Top with lace detailing, Dhs1,102, BCBGMAXAZRIA; 6. Alice in Wonderland shopping bag, Dhs785, Furla; 7. Destiny Spirit watch, approximately Dhs6,000, Versace; 8. Psychedelic print dress, Dhs2,460, Manish Arora at Saks Fifth Avenue; 9. Americana bikini, price on request, Ralph Lauren; 10. Bianca slingbacks, Dhs2,820, Christian Louboutin at Saks Fifth Avenue.

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JUMANA PROFILE

Style icon

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Tom Ford, Gucci saviour and one-man superbrand, talks Studio 54, perfectionism and the perfect length of a gentleman’s sock.

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JUMANA PROFILE

I

t is, when you think about it, the in person he looks exactly the same – as the boredom kicked in. ‘What I missed quintessential American name. Totally if he has somehow reversed the normal was my voice in contemporary culture, classless, it could belong to a farm alchemical process and made himself a and I didn’t understand how valuable that boy or a president. The perfect name living projection of the idealised figure in was to me,’ he says. ‘All of a sudden I had for a brand – the two syllables, like photographs, rather than the other way no forum, no voice.’

He had always said he would never use Kodak or Pepsi, lending themselves to a round. He is wearing an immaculate dark particular rhythmic cadence and graphic blue suit, and a crisp white shirt with the his own name as a brand, but in 2005, symmetry, picked out on advertisements, top four buttons undone – an affectation with Domenico De Sole, he launched his own company producing fragrances and perfume bottles and clothes labels. Has he has virtually made his signature.

Ford is a man of great charm and almost eyewear. In 2007 he launched his own any fashion designer ever been as much the embodiment of their own product courtly manners, who has polished the line of menswear, opening his first Tom as Tom Ford, first as the creative director whole business of being Tom Ford to Ford store in New York. There are now 21 of Gucci and now as the man behind his a fine, seductive sheen. His manner is throughout the world. But what he really eponymous fashion label? The sartorial disarmingly personable, slightly camp, wanted to do, he says, was fulfil his life’s ambition of making a film. He set exactitude, the air of self-sacrifice to the rituals of ruthless grooming Ford has polished the whole up his own production company, Fade to Black, and started scouting and perfect body shape – this is a around for scripts. After 18 months man who once described himself business of being Tom Ford he had found nothing he liked as having been on a diet since he to a fine, seductive sheen. until, driving alone one day, his was 13. ‘My image is a tool,’ Ford says. ‘I look at it as ruthlessly as I look at a very flirtatious; his conversation lends mind suddenly went back to a book he picture in an ad: that’s wrong, that’s wrong. him the impression of being delightfully had first read more than 25 years earlier, I realise its selling power and its potential candid and indiscreet, while at the same Christopher Isherwood’s novel A Single – the brand personified. But it’s not me.’ leaving you in no doubt that he is telling Man. Set in Los Angeles in 1962, the Ford has homes in Los Angeles and you nothing he doesn’t want you to know. novel tells the story of one day in the life of In his ten years as the creative director George, a middle-aged English professor at New Mexico, although much of his time nowadays is spent in London, where he of Gucci, Ford built up the company from a Los Angeles university who is struggling owns a townhouse in Mayfair – but he near bankruptcy to being one of the most to come to terms with the death of his prefers to conduct his meetings in the profitable fashion businesses in the world. partner in a car crash. Ford first read A Dorchester. Ford greets me, swigging The name Gucci became synonymous with Single Man in the early ’80s, when he had mineral water out of a bottle. He pours the unashamedly ostentatious designer- moved from New York to LA to do acting mine into a glass. As Ford is the first to label culture of the 1990s, and Ford was work – and Ford says he identified with tell you, at 48 he is older than he looks. its high priest, his name as recognisable the character of the desolate George. Later, In an earlier life, he trained briefly as an as any of his celebrity clientele. So it was he would be introduced to Isherwood actor, and featured in a number of TV something of a shock when in 2004 Ford himself. ‘I was fascinated by him,’ Ford commercials (he has always refused to name and his chief executive, Domenico De remembers, ‘but he didn’t notice me really the products, for fear they’ll come back Sole, abruptly left the company following – which I didn’t understand.’

Ford’s feeling of being ‘a kindred spirit’ to haunt him), and in every photograph a reported dispute over managerial control you have ever seen of him, Ford looks as with Gucci’s French owner, Pinault- with Isherwood was reinforced when he read Isherwood’s posthumously published if he has been airbrushed and Botoxed Printemps-Redoute.

Ford says he thought he would just play diaries in the 1990s. ‘At the top of every to pristine, unblemished perfection. But the really odd thing about him is that golf and tennis for the rest of his life. Then day is “Today I’m going to stop smoking

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JUMANA PROFILE

Ford on the set of A Single Man; Top right: Colin Firth, who plays the lead, was Oscar-nominated for his role; Bottom right: Julianne Moore signed up to act in the film within 24 hours of reading the script

Ford gives the impression of being delightfully candid and indiscreet, while leaving you in no doubt that he isn’t telling you anything he doesn’t want you to know. and drinking vodka tonics”. This has been the struggle of my life! Every single day I wake up thinking today I’m going to stop smoking and drinking vodka tonics. I finally did stop smoking.’

Reading the novel again, Ford says he was struck even more forcefully, not only by its theme of loss and acceptance, but by his identification with the figure of George. He acquired the rights and set about co-writing (with David Scearce), directing and producing the film himself, casting Colin Firth and Julianne Moore in the leading roles, and shooting the whole thing in only 21 days on a budget of less than $7 million. Ford, who in his last four years at Gucci alone is estimated to have earned close to $200 million, financed the film entirely on his own. It is already looking like a shrewd investment.

A Single Man is – as one might expect – sumptuously beautiful. Indeed, everything, and everyone, in the film is beautiful, from George’s tailor-made suits to the angelic young student (played by Nicholas Hoult).

‘Everybody says that,’ Ford says, ‘but I just see that they are the way they should look.’

Nowhere is this sense of aesthetic exactitude more pronounced than in the character of George. If the college lecturer was once a surrogate of Isherwood, you sense that Ford has now made him a surrogate of himself. George dresses in what appear to be Tom Ford signature suits – dark, worn with crisp, white shirts and slim, dark ties – and displays an almost neurotic obsession with order and tidiness – a trait that Ford readily admits to.

He has taken care to ensure the opening line of the film is the same as the book: ‘Waking up begins with saying am and now.’ Says Ford, ‘That’s another reason I related to this. Every morning when I wake up it’s almost painful. And the first thing I think is, hmm, I’m still here. It takes me time in the morning to become “Tom”.’

The elder of two children, Ford was born in Texas and lived in Austin until the age of 11 when his family moved to New Mexico. His parents, Tom and Shirley, were property brokers, but an equally influential figure in his childhood was his grandmother Ruth – a big-haired, bejewelled Texan who saw off six husbands

and whose life, Ford says, was built around ‘shopping and dressing and making herself beautiful’. He adored her.

Over the years, a number of apocryphal stories have grown up about Ford’s childhood, which seem almost prophetic: how when his parents went out leaving him with a babysitter, Ford would spend the evening rearranging the furniture; how on the school bus while the other children wore nylon windcheaters and carried plastic lunchboxes, Ford sported a navy greatcoat and carried a junior briefcase.

He says the stories are true.

At 17 he moved to New York to study art history at NYU. In his third week, lonely, depressed and ‘praying for something to happen to me’, a classmate, the nowfamous illustrator Ian Falconer, knocked on his door and invited him to a party. He was introduced to Andy Warhol, who by the end of the night had introduced him to Studio 54, and what Ford describes as his ‘coming of age’ had begun.

Ford’s first job in fashion was working as a lowly press officer at Chloé, on a sixmonth internship in Paris. At the time he

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was studying architecture, having dropped out of his art history course and flirted with acting. Later, he did gain a degree in architecture, despite spending the last year actually studying fashion design.

He went on to work for two years as an assistant for the American designer Cathy Hardwick, before moving to Perry Ellis. In 1990 he was hired by Gucci to supervise an overhaul of its women’s ready-to-wear line.

The once-venerable luxury goods business had completely lost its way, beset by family feuds and disastrous business decisions.

Dawn Mello, the creative director who hired Ford, would later recall that nobody else wanted the job.

Ford quickly set out his stall. Gucci took its aesthetic from the chairman, Maurizio Gucci. ‘In Maurizio’s office everything was brown leather,’ one former employee remembers. ‘But when you walked into Tom’s office everything was white. Even though he was just one of the design team, he had a very strong point of view.’

Within a year, Ford had been put in charge of designing menswear and shoes, and in 1994 he was promoted to creative director, responsible for everything from the designs to the advertising, promotion and store interiors. Between 1995 and 1996, sales at Gucci increased by 90 per cent. By 1999 the house, which had been almost bankrupt when Ford joined, was valued at about $4.3 billion. In that same year, the Gucci Group paid £613 million for Sanofi Beauté, the parent company of Yves St Laurent, and Ford was installed as YSL’s head designer.

Ford brought a Hollywood-style glamour to the business of running a fashion house, and made the hitherto staid Gucci brand hip. He introduced designs – skinny satin shirts, hipsters, dresses slashed to reveal expanses of naked flesh – that were overtly sexy, and supremely commercial: a kind of flashy, libidinous dressing, suffused with nostalgia for the hedonistic days when a pretty teenager could swan around Studio 54 with impunity. Ford promoted himself as relentlessly as the Gucci marque, given to such pronouncements as ‘I am my own

‘My image is a tool.

I realise its selling power – the brand personified. But it’s not me.’ muse’: part Beau Brummell, part fashion’s most assiduous control freak.

One former colleague describes the atmosphere before a season’s first show, when staff had been labouring to prepare the space according to Ford’s exacting specifications: ‘It was like having a Hollywood actor walk in; he had that charisma. And then everybody waited to see if he was happy or not – generally he was not, or he was only half-happy. It was not easy to work for him. He had an idea in his mind and the reality had to match that idea 100 per cent. And it was clear, you could either cope with that and the level of excellence that he demanded, or you go.’

Ford’s almost fanatical perfectionism has become legend. Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue and no laggard herself in this department, noted with evident admiration how, when in 2003 she asked him to be co-chairman for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala, he insisted that the salt and pepper shakers be custom-designed (by Gucci), and that he be sent Polaroids of

every usher who was going to be hired for his personal approval.

The franchise agreements for Tom Ford stores are so strict that franchisees are allowed to display only what Ford deems to be ‘acceptable type flowers’. The bonsai trees that are a decorative feature in his flagship store on Madison Avenue are rotated every seven to ten days, in order to keep them up to requisite perkiness.

Ford says his perfectionism is ‘almost a mental illness’. He can hardly meet anybody without noticing that they should be wearing stripes, not checks, or that if they darkened their eyebrows their foreheads wouldn’t look as high.

‘But I detach that from what I think of them as a person. I don’t care what my friends wear, I really don’t. The physical is a different thing to me. It’s like my critiquing a magazine cover – it just comes naturally. I can look at somebody and go click, click, click… For example, I noticed right off that the bottom buttons are not unbuttoned on your jacket sleeve.’ He leans forward – ‘May I?’ – and undoes the fourth button. ‘It’s a style affectation that shows everybody that your buttons actually function.’

Of course! But isn’t it rather exhausting to keep noticing things like that?

‘It’s sickening! Horrible! But at least you can get away from me. I can’t get away.’ He shifts his gaze. ‘You wear short socks!’

I look down. Are short socks bad?

‘It’s very American. And of course in Italy it’s a faux pas. If you don’t wear high socks there everyone thinks you’re trash. In America it’s the reverse. If you have high socks you’re Euro-trash.’

I bought these in Marks & Spencer, I tell him.

His silence is the cold, savage kiss of fashion death.

You wouldn’t wear Marks & Spencer?

‘No.’ A pause. ‘Well, I would if I could find the kind I liked. But I can’t.’

Ford, of course, manufactures his own socks. ‘These aren’t from my store. But I can’t say where I bought them because I don’t want to plug another brand.’

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A Single Man received great critical acclaim; Right: Anna Wintour and Ford are fellow perfectionists

‘I am disgusted by the dumbing down of America; disgusted by the obesity – it’s a perfect metaphor for over-abundance.’

So you do buy in other shops?

‘Not real clothes. T-shirts, socks and underwear.’ He pauses. ‘Actually, I don’t wear underwear.’

Ford says that even before his 2004 departure from Gucci he had been experiencing a sense of dissatisfaction with his life. There’s a saying he is fond of using – about midlife being when you get to the top of the ladder only to realise that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. ‘I love that line,’ he says. ‘I didn’t invent it. I heard it and filed it away.

‘Like a lot of people in Western culture I started to believe this was my one and only life and that it was all about getting a bigger house and a bigger this and a bigger that… You know when you’re so busy you don’t have time to get depressed, to even ponder anything? But when I left Gucci, all of a sudden I had time. And I became lost.’ He balks at using the term ‘mid-life crisis’ – ‘because people just talk about that: “Oh, he had a crisis.” But I did.’

He pauses. ‘I know, you’re looking at me thinking, how could he have a crisis…’ I understand, I reply, that you underwent

analysis. For a fraction of a second, the charm and personableness vanishes.

‘Underwent analysis!’ Ford rolls his eyes, and repeats the phrase as if it were a tabloid headline. ‘Oh God, I love British journalism. It can be so sensationalist.’

He saw a therapist for 18 months and came to realise that his malaise stemmed from having neglected the ‘intuitive, spiritual’ side of his character.

In this sense, too, it seems that his life is mirroring Isherwood’s. In his late 30s Isherwood developed an interest in Eastern philosophy, becoming a student of the Indian guru Swami Prabhavananda. It is a side of Isherwood’s life that Ford says he is ‘totally fascinated by’. His own reading has led him to the Tao Te Ching, the treatise believed to have been composed by the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu in 6bc, which roughly translates as ‘the Way’. (Chapter 46, verse 2: ‘There is no guilt greater than to sanction ambition; no calamity greater than to be discontented with one’s lot; no fault greater than the wish to be getting.’)

Ford describes it as ‘my absolute bible, in every way. Even though I had intuitively

always lived that way, I hadn’t been able to verbalise it or understand it as a natural philosophy. But making this film was enormously helpful, totally cathartic. It was like my mid-life crisis there on screen, along with the kind of epiphany and coming to terms with everything.’

A Single Man, quite apart from its theme of loss and redemption, is characterised by Isherwood’s vitriolic disdain for American bourgeois values and consumerism.

‘I have that same criticism,’ Ford says.

‘I am disgusted by the dumbing down of America; disgusted by where we are as a culture – I’m disgusted by the obesity in America. Obesity – it’s such a perfect metaphor for over-abundance.’

But isn’t he in the business of luxurious over-abundance?

‘I can justify that. We live in a material world. And one of the greatest pleasures of the material world is to be had from beautiful things – if it’s kept in perspective.

That’s the key. For many people, if they break a crystal glass, it kills them. A beautiful glass – I drop it, I don’t care. I sweep it up. It’s to be used. So if you can keep it in perspective, it’s okay.’

And you are able to do that?

‘Sometimes, no. But right now, yes. And that was the big change in my mind. But for me it’s either carry on, or move away and become a monk. I have that side too.’

He owns a ranch in New Mexico – 24,000 acres, bigger than Manhattan, so big ‘I can’t see anything of the 20th century in any direction’.

‘The older I get,’ he says, ‘the more time I want to spend there. So it’s either live there for ever, ride my horses, plant my garden, watch it grow. Or… I don’t know. But I have come to terms with…’ The sentence peters out into a thoughtful silence.

Being phenomenally wealthy?

Ford doesn’t miss a beat.

‘Oh, I’ve earned every penny.’

By Mick Brown / The Daily Telegraph / The Interview People

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JUMANA STYLE

Trends

Sail through spring and into summer with these key catwalk looks.

Paler, less pinky hues will work well with a tan Dhs1,484, BCBGMAXAZRIA

Dhs1,855, D&G at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs3,510, Christian Louboutin at Saks Fifth Avenue

what to wear...

Dhs195, New Look

Nude

It’s the biggest colour of the season, seen on runways from Versace in Milan to Marc Jacobs in New York. Hues range from romantic peach to ghostly grey – if you’re pale skinned, err towards the warmer end of the spectrum and you’ll look delicate rather than ill. Alternatively, pairing it with bold splashes of black is a very 2010 way to carry off the trend: Jean Paul Gaultier did this best.

Dhs130, New Look

Dhs229, Promod

Dhs80, New Look Price on request, Guess by Marciano

Dhs30, New Look

Dhs229, Promod Dhs519, Massimo Dutti

Dhs1,190, D&G at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs730, Juicy Couture at Saks Fifth Avenue

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JUMANA STYLE

This military-style belted jacket hits the utility nail on the head

Dhs615, Guess Dhs5,375, Celine

Price on request, Guess by Marciano Dhs200, Gap

Dhs1,950, Tod’s

what to wear...

Utility

This season’s utility trend has a distinctly military flavour to it, with camouflage prints and brass buttons all over the place. Don’t worry though, fashion hasn’t gone practical per se: think grungey khaki boots with a sky-high heel (Isabel Marant), a canvas jacket with short flappy sleeves (Oscar de la Renta), or a pair of shorts with big sensible pockets but far too little fabric to protect a gal in battle.

Dhs105, New Look

Dhs145, Mango

Dhs185, Gap Dhs905, D&G at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs3,025, Le Silla at Opera

Dhs225, Bebe

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JUMANA STYLE Dhs1,095, Ralph Lauren

Dhs2,860, Dolce & Gabbana at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs7,170, Valentino

what to wear...

Lace Dhs140, New Look

Dhs80, New Look

Blending prettiness and sexiness, a splash of lace is the perfect manifestation of the underwear as outerwear trend.

Erdem’s ladylike collection had an almost Spanish feel to it, with pretty mantilla-style detailing to his dresses, while Stella McCartney’s slashed-to-the-navel, all-lace halterneck tops left SS10 audiences in no doubt as to where she wanted the male critics’ minds to drift.

Dhs105, New Look

Dhs1,685, Red Valentino at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs3,405, Dolce & Gabbana at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs3,430, Valentino

This top’s customised look gives the lace trend an urban twist

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JUMANA STYLE

Transparent accessories

Subtly echoing last year’s space age obsession, see-through accessories are officially where it’s at right now. Alexis Bittar-designed, see-through bubble necklaces were all the rage at Michael Kors while Burberry’s models rocked Lucite bangles.

This is a great high street interpretation of the Kors necklace

Dhs676, Scervino Street

Dhs895, GF Ferré

Dhs35, New Look Dhs185, Bebe

Tassels

The most whimsical accessories trend around is undoubtedly the tassel, made cool again by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton. Combine with deck shoes – another big one to watch for summer – and you’ve got a fashion match made in heaven.

Dhs4,200, Louis Vuitton Dhs8,100, Louis Vuitton

Dhs40, New Look

Dhs329, Massimo Dutti

Nautical

Perhaps this would be more worthy of note if it weren’t in fashion, but we just can’t get enough of the seafaring look (as showcased, this season, at Loewe) – plus very few people are unable to pull off a classic white/navy combo.

Dhs65, New Look

Dhs3,340, Chanel

Dhs7,495, Ralph Lauren

Dhs1,280, Loewe

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JUMANA STYLE

Ask the stylist

From fancy dress fear to updating classic pieces, our fashion guru solves your style dilemmas. Got a question for Marissa? Email jumana@hotmediapublishing.com.

Fringe Benefits How do I embrace the fringing trend without looking like I’m off to a fancy dress party in a cowgirl costume?

Fringing is a trend that has been echoed in detailing on shoes, bags and clothing, so the choice is endless. Just think about editing when building fringing into your look: either keep your garments fringe-free and build a focal point towards the fringing on a handbag, or create focus with a pair of towering (and slimming) heels with fringing detail on the shoe. Provided you don’t wear more than two fringed items at once, you’ll look more catwalk-savvy than Country and Western singer!

Front row fashion I’ve been invited to a catwalk show in Dubai – what on earth do I wear? Do I go ultra-fashionable or play it safe and stick with black?

I love seeing fashionistas, particularly those who are adventurous and dramatic, in the audience Dhs4,435, at fashion shows.

Ralph Lauren However, what you wear all depends on your personality and how you choose to express it. If you are the fashion-editor-inwaiting type, opt for a classic and sophisticated dress like this red Ralph Lauren number and pair it with a pair of neutral pumps. If,

This classic dress will never go out of style

Image Facto r 04 361 81 29; www.image factor uae.com

Doing denim right

Q

I have been hankering after a denim shirt for ages and have finally found the perfect one – quite loose and long with the loveliest pearl buttons – but have no idea what to wear it with! Any suggestions?

A

I would team it with a pair of black skinny jeans. For a dressy evening out, I love Viktor & Rolf’s version, but a more budget-friendly option is Diesel’s skinny fit. Pair with sky-high python heels (Sonia Rykiel does a gorgeous pair) – this will accentuate the detailing on your denim shirt and the metallic shoes will respond to the shine of the pearl buttons, combining glamour and fun. Ballet pumps would work nicely if you’re going casual.

on the other hand, you want to show your fun side, then dare to be different with a gorgeous pair of heels from Loewe and a colourful silk shift from Etro.

Dress distress I have an old cream dress which isn’t very ‘now’ – it’s quite plain and almost grannyish – but I can’t bear to stop wearing it. What sort of accessories could I add to bring it up to date?

The easiest and most affordable way to update an outfit is to add accessories.

To avoid stepping into a time warp, bring the look up to date by layering a range of same-tone necklaces in gold or silver shades (depending on your skin colour).

Dhs80, New Look

Dhs1,400, Viktor & Rolf at Saks Fifth Avenue

This references a number of the runway collections for SS10, where layering was applied to bangles, necklaces and even rings. Try mixing different lengths of necklaces in different widths from the latest Guess Jewellery collection at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, and personalise with charms – I particularly love the hearts which come in different sizes and scales – or try New Look for budget options.

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JUMANA STYLE

The boho dip dye, the go r beadwork, geous the acidic lime green ‌ What c an we say? W e. Want. N ow Dhs2,170 , Sue Won . g at Saks Fif th Avenue

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JUMANA STYLE

Essential selection Take inspiration from these ten must-haves and you won’t go far wrong with your holiday preparation.

Beach bum

Kaftan A great alternative to a one-piece for those who feel too embarrassed to wander around wearing a couple of scraps of Lycra – and also very useful for lunchtime modesty.

Kaftan, Dhs1,670, Cecilia Prado at Saks Fifth Avenue

Hat A good hat like this one will not only protect you from the sun’s midday rays but also add a hint of style and mystery while you’re poolside.

Hat, Dhs245, Ted Baker

Beach bag A wicker beach bag will never go out of style – just make sure yours is big enough to fit in all of your beach paraphernalia.

Bag, Dhs2,825, Dolce & Gabbana at Saks Fifth Avenue

Flip-flops Let’s face it – very few of us can pull off the SATC-style heels-by-the-pool look. Rubber flip-flops are water-resistant, comfy and don’t necessarily have to be plain and ugly – just look at these cuties.

Flip-flops, Dhs225, Havaiana at Praias

Swimwear Now that SS10 is upon us, the shops are stocking a vast array of swimwear. If you haven’t had time to squeeze in that pre-vacation weight loss plan, don’t despair: apply fake tan before you go as cellulite is tougher to spot on darker skin, and if you’re feeling too selfconscious for a bikini, just get a one-piece or a tankini.

Bikini top and bottoms, Dhs403 each, BCBGMAXAZRIA

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JUMANA STYLE

Out and about

Camisoles An essential tool for the capsule wardrobe, a few plain but colourful camisoles will enable you to create lots of different outfits using different bottom/ top/accessory combinations.

Vest, Dhs25, New Look

Colourful jewellery A key way to make the same clothes look fresh and different is to accessorise. Do this with playful accessories – and don’t be afraid to embrace those happy, bright colours!

Necklace, Dhs49, Promod

Cardi

Special dress While it’s important to have plain pieces for your capsule travel wardrobe, there’s no denying that it’s nice to have a special frock or two for dressier evenings. Bright, vibrant colours will show off your tan beautifully.

Dress, Dhs1,335, Alice & Trixie at Saks Fifth Avenue

Linen trousers It might be a cliché but these are invaluable, particularly if you’re visiting religious sites and want to look respectful while keeping cool.

Unfortunately, there’s no escaping the fact that linen creases – deal with it and embrace the rumpled look. You’re on holiday after all.

Trousers, Dhs99, Mango

Unlike Dubai, many places can be blazingly hot during the day but have a distinct chill at night. Be prepared with a versatile cardigan or pashmina.

Cardigan, Dhs99, Mango

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A BETTER CLASS OF SHOPPING. With over 300 of the world’s finest brands, including Saks Fifth Avenue, you’ll always be spoilt for choice.

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JUMANA STYLE

Three ways to wear...

Peep-toes, Dhs3,275, Le Silla at Opera

Their combination of cut-out detailing and summery tan colour makes these heels bang on trend. Here’s how to make them work for your cash.

Earrings, Dhs40, Accessorize Shirt, Dhs165, New Look

Blouse, Dhs3,115, Antonio Berardi at Saks Fifth Avenue

Earrings, Dhs35, Accessorize Dress, Dhs895, Ted Baker

For lunch

For brunch Belt, Dhs115, Mango

For coffee Sunglasses, Dhs1,515, Kenzo

Shorts, Dhs315, Bebe

Leggings, Dhs79, Promod Bag, Dhs289, Mango

A good denim shirt is one of the season’s biggest (and most useful) fashion staples.

It shouldn’t be too fitted – keep it long and loose where possible – but add a waist belt to retain a feminine silhouette.

A touch of fringing on your handbag will tick another trend box. Finally, add colour with cute, playful earrings. This is a fairly casual look so restrict it to daywear.

Bangle, Dhs575, Just Cavalli

Bangle, Dhs2,960, Loewe

Bag, Dhs13,653, Donna Karan

Sheer fabrics are huge right now and this shirt, with its bright hue and chic neck-tie detail, is a gorgeous manifestation of the trend. To keep it young, team with nautical shorts and ’80s-reminiscent jewellery. The comfortably bulky python-skin number is roomy enough to hold even Mary Poppins’ handbag contents and we love the sabretooth-style fastener.

Clutch, Dhs1,510, Furla

This multi-layered, fish scale-style frock is perfect for five-star outdoor brunching as it’ll keep you cool in the spring sunshine.

However, if the dress and bow clutch combo is too girly for you, toughen it up with this punky Cavalli bracelet to show buffet queue-jumpers you mean business – and don’t forget to protect your peepers with an elegant pair of sunnies.

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JUMANA STYLE

What to wear for a...

There’s a wealth of festivals just around the corner, but looking good while feeling comfortable is easier said than done. Here are our picks of the season’s most Glasto-friendly pieces…

Bot toms

Tops

5

6

2

1

7

4

3

Layer or unbutton and wear with a white vest if this is too short in the middle Accessories

Shoes

13

10

9

12

14

11 15 16

This is a very cool nod to the cowgirl trend

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Want to keep it local?

WOMAD Abu Dhabi, April 22-24 A free music festival that unites the UAE’s international population, set on the capital’s corniche.

Workshops and food-fest Taste The World run alongside, with cooking demonstrations by chefs from all over the world. www.womad.org Want to get wet?

Glastonbury Somerset, UK, June 23-27 Arguably the world’s most famous music festival (and infamous for its rain), this is vast, with the grounds holding around 177,000 people. U2 are headlining in June – exciting news! www.glastonbury festivals.co.uk Want to dance?

Soundwave Petrcane, Croatia, July 23-25 Like the UK’s Bestival but in a fishing village, Soundwave features DJ sets on the beach, bands at an amphitheatre and what is apparently Europe’s best party boat.

Croatia hasn’t joined the Euro yet so it’s great if you’re on a budget. www.soundwave croatia.com

Tops 1. Dhs249, Massimo Dutti; 2. Dhs320, DKNY; 3. Dhs730, Juicy Couture at Saks Fifth Avenue; 4. Dhs95, New Look. Bottoms 5. Dhs120, New Look; 6. Dhs130, New Look; 7. Dhs1,235, Robert Rodriguez at Saks Fifth Avenue; 8. Price on request, Monsoon. Accessories 9. Dhs69, Mango; 10. Dhs175, Bebe; 11. Dhs1,895, Marc by Marc Jacobs at Saks Fifth Avenue; 12. Dhs175, Mango. Shoes 13. Dhs130, New Look; 14. Dhs1,895, Sigerson Morrison at Saks Fifth Avenue; 15. Dhs130, New Look; 16. Dhs Dhs329, Dune.

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JUMANA STYLE

The world according to…

UMA GHOSH DESHPANDE The High Life Dubai presenter and clothes designer shares her thoughts on everything from PJs to fast food.

People can’t believe it when they see me in the supermarket. I’m like, ‘I’m married, I have a nine-yearold son, I do have to buy groceries!’

I recently won a Style Icon award. I think I inspire people because they see me as a complete woman in how I balance things – but I still always look fresh and happy. That can be a challenge!

Interviewing Dita Von Teese was great. She was so feminine and proper – but my favourite celeb is Shahrukh Khan, who I’ve interviewed four times. I’m reading his biography at the moment; his story is so inspiring.

Getting star struck is a good thing. It makes celebrities feel important!

People should mix designer brands and high street clothes. Buying a designer dress does not automatically makes you look ‘happening’. I like to look a little edgy.

Dubai’s fashion scene is still in its infancy. It has grown a lot over the past five years and in another five it will be ready to compete with major fashion capitals.

My pink Louis Vuitton stole is my favourite accessory.

I’m always cold so I take it everywhere.

Everything by Missoni looks the same. Their knitted pieces just aren’t me. But I love most other designers – especially Cavalli; he makes women look like women.

Pyjamas do not feature in my life. I don’t own a single pair – I just don’t feel myself in loose clothing. The other day I went to a pyjama party and had to wear leggings!

Deep-fried food is my weakness. I have to eat it every day – but I also work out every day. I’m pretty addicted.

I am hopeless at travelling light. I always have to pay for excess baggage because of the amount I pack.

Self-help books helped me overcome postnatal depression. There’s not a lot of awareness about the condition and so I didn’t know what was wrong with me for a long time. It was scary.

Although I don’t like to plan too much, there’s a lot I’d like to do. I’m working on a documentary about relationships in Dubai, I’m in talks about opening my own finishing school and I’m introducing a travel segment to my show which will involve visiting some very exotic places.

My to-do list is endless!

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JUMANA STYLE

ALEXA CHUNG

Dhs199, Promod

Brit girl Alexa is renowned for her kooky style, which is invariably topped off with an ‘I didn’t try that hard, the outfit just kind of fell together’ air. The feline-featured TV presenter is the master of mixing vintage finds with Topshop steals.

Steal her style: Couple plain, borderline androgynous pieces with ultra girly touches.

For the Chung ’tude, slouch slightly and give an enigmatic half-smile.

Dhs219, Nine West

Dhs199, Mango

Dhs272, DKNY

Satchel-style bags are huge right now Dhs1,140, Juicy Couture at Saks Fifth Avenue

STEAL HER STYLE

Whether on or off-duty, most celebs look so immaculately put together that the average woman wouldn’t even bother trying to copy her style icon’s look – but with our guide, you can look like Leighton Meester any day of the week...

LEIGHTON MEESTER

Dhs2,825, Shanghai Tang

Dhs3,031, Donna Karan

Unlike Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf, whom Meester plays and whose wardrobe has adopted caricature-like levels of preppiness, Leighton rarely appears in an outfit we wouldn’t want to wear ourselves. Given her enviably slim physique, she makes a conscious effort to emphasise her curves, so her clothes tend to be nipped in or belted at the waistline.

Steal her style: Don’t be afraid to mix casual and dressy pieces – this keeps sophisticated outfits fresh and young.

A big chunky knit shrug or cardi will make pretty Dhs305, dresses more Ted Baker casual

Dhs143, Monsoon

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JUMANA STYLE

FREIDA PINTO

KATE MOSS

Kate is the queen of making a trend her own before anyone else even knows it’s in fashion – but she’s also not afraid to wear classic favourites again and again. Kate gives even her girliest outfits a hint of rock’n’roll with sultry eyeliner and leather boots.

Steal her style: Team on-trend pieces with items you’ve had for years to give your look a personal twist.

Due to her girl-next-door style, the Slumdog star is just as happy in jeans and a vest as she is in evening gowns. Though monochrome here, she often complements her colourings with blues and yellows.

Steal her style: Loose smocks and comfy flats are key to achieving Freida’s relaxed daytime style.

Dhs615, Ted Baker

Dhs850, Joie at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs9,760, Ralph Lauren Dhs285, Bebe

Dhs130, New Look Dhs299, Dune

DIANE KRUGER

RIHANNA

Frequently spotted in catwalk shows’ front rows, pop star Rihanna’s sexy combo of punky attitude and feminine silhouettes makes her a fash pack favourite.

Steal her style: Mix on-trend corsets with low-key denims or leathers and don’t be afraid to experiment with new styles.

Dhs1,185, D&G at Saks Fifth Avenue

A big hit with Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli, the model-turned actress has evolved her style a lot over the past few years. No longer restricted only to pretty blush tones and flowing gowns, Diane now embraces grungier looks.

Steal her style: Take a leaf from her book and team tough leather trousers with a sparkly top.

Price on request, Guess

Dhs680, Elie Tahari at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs4,869, Donna Karan

Dhs7,230, Christian Louboutin at Saks Fifth Avenue

Dhs1,1276, BCBGMAXAZRIA

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JUMANA LIFE

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

March to your own beat in desert-friendly cowgirl suedes, double denim, caramel hues and dusky pinks, as showcased in Massimo Dutti’s sultry new collection.

Art direction: Jenni Dennis | Styling: Ele Cooper | Photography: Jason Gareth | Hair and makeup: Katie Cousins using MAC and Cloud 9 | Model: Natalia K at Bareface

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JUMANA LIFE

Shirt, Dhs249; jeans, Dhs249; belt, Dhs189; necklace, Dhs129; bracelet, Dhs69; all Massimo Dutti.

Boots, model’s own.

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JUMANA LIFE

SHIRT | DHS249 JEANS | DHS249 BELT | DHS189 NECKLACE | DHS129 BRACELET | DHS69 ALL MASSIMO DUTTI Dress, Dhs829; necklace, BOOTS | MODEL’S OWN

Dhs149; cuff, Dhs99; handbag, Dhs679; all Massimo Dutti.

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JUMANA LIFE

Dress, Dhs349; cuff, Dhs99; both Massimo Dutti.

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JUMANA LIFE

Top, Dhs399; shorts, Dhs529; both Massimo Dutti.

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JUMANA LIFE

Top, Dhs229; waistcoat, Dhs329; shorts, Dhs249; silver and pink bracelets, Dhs99; bangles, Dhs69; all Massimo Dutti.

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JUMANA LIFE

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JUMANA LIFE

Top, Dhs289; shorts, Dhs149; bracelet, Dhs129; all Massimo Dutti.

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JUMANA LIFE

Hotting up…

It might still be spring in most parts of the world, but with temperatures already hitting the 40s we think we’re justified in saying summer has well and truly landed. But rather than moan about the makeup-ruining effects of the heat, we’ve decided to stay positive and focus on all the nice things the hottest season brings – a whole host of luscious new perfumes (p40) for starters. If, however, you plan to hibernate in your air-conditioned apartment until October at the very earliest, what better time to analyse the way in which you sleep (p46) than now? You never know, you might learn something about yourself.

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JUMANA HEALTH & BEAUTY

Health & beauty news

Tuck it in Fancy flattening your tummy without doing a single sit-up? Yup, so do we, which is why we’ve stocked up on the new Rodial Tummy Tuck Sticks.

The follow-up to their smash hit Tummy Tuck Gel, these little sachets – which you add to water and drink once a day – contain natural ingredients including green clay (which aids digestion), fennel seeds (which eliminate gases), pineapple and papaya (both of which contain enzymes that help the body break food down quicker), all of which apparently combine to give you a slimmer waistline. Sounds good to us. www.rodial.co.uk

Summer scents

Looking for a fresh summer scent? Check out these luxurious new offerings…

Blu Mediterraneo by Acqua di Parma Key ingredients: Bergamot, vetiver, red ginger Price: Dhs397, Saks Fifth Avenue CK One Summer Key ingredients: Pear, kaffir lime, cedarwood Price: Dhs185, Faces 212 Ice by Carolina Herrera Key ingredients: Bergamot, rose, red forest fruits Price: Dhs249, Faces Bellissima by Blumarine Key ingredients: Ginger, grapefruit, musk Price: Dhs396, Faces Flora by Gucci Eau de Parfum Key ingredients: Rose, sandalwood, citrus Price: Dhs327, Paris Gallery

BEAUTY ACADEMY We caught up with Egypt’s Star Academy finalist Lara Scandar to find out how she always manages to look so darn pretty.

Do you follow a particular diet plan?

I live to eat, rather than eat to live, so following a diet would be out of the question for me – but luckily I’ve never been a fan of junk food. I try to include vegetables in every meal as they keep my skin fresh. It’s something I learned from my mum and she has gorgeous skin.

Do you work out?

With the recent launch of my first single, ‘Mission Is You’, I haven’t had the time to work out but I’m hoping that will change after the promotional tour. My usual regime consists of one or two hours being trained in the gym by my dad, but I also do ballet which is such a different workout. I need a variety of workout activities or I’d get bored!

You are travelling a lot at the minute – what’s the best way to stay looking beautiful when you’re on the go?

During the making of my video I would travel between Egypt and LA quite a lot so I had to take extra care as it was important for me to be on top form at all times. Staying hydrated is key to keeping skin fresh so I always drink

lots of water. In addition I do have a bit of a system I follow, which includes La Mer Moisturising Gel Cream and Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya facial scrub – it really helps my skin recover from all the makeup that is required for TV and photo shoots. I try to keep it as simple and as natural as possible.

Do you have any cheat’s tips for looking fresh when you’re very tired?

My secret would definitely be simplicity. A touch of Dior concealer under the eyes and some mascara usually does the trick and keeps me looking and feeling good throughout the day.

What is the one beauty product you couldn’t imagine living without?

It’s got to be my Fiber Lash Mascara by MAC – it makes all the difference.

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JUMANA HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ab fab MAC’s new range, which comprises nine lip glosses, six lip pencils and six blush duos, may have been named Too Fabulous, but with these gorgeous colours on offer, we think it’s just fabulous enough. From Dhs66, MAC

Coldilocks BENEFIT’S SUGARBOMB is just the ticket for achieving shimmering, slightly flushed-looking cheeks – simply swirl the natural-bristle brush around the peach, plum, pink and rose powders for an ohso-romantic pop of colour.

Dhs143, Faces

Want hair extensions but don’t fancy melting the carotene onto your locks? Fear not, a heat-free alternative is available. ‘We use an ultrasonic machine which not only means less damage to your hair, but also makes the process safer,’ says Tabu Ali, owner of Cherry Ladies Salon (04 399 8838), based at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi. Extensions cost from Dhs2,000, length-depending. Sign us up!

’s If you avoid highlighters for fear of ruining your foundation, try Guerlain Météorites, a base layer designed to shine through makeup. The bottle is full

of opalescent pearls which melt on contact with skin. Dhs293, Paris Gallery

Beauty cupboard bites

Every issue we test the newest products in the Jumana beauty cupboard so that we can tell you whether they’re any good or not. What can we say, we’re nice like that.

1

THE HYDRATING FACIAL

BY LA MER This cotton facial pack contains anti-ageing and hydrating algae and comes in two halves, for the upper and lower regions of your face. They come folded, and it’s not really clear whether the outside or inside should be applied to the skin; another problem we faced (excuse the pun) was that the eyeholes aren’t wide enough for long lashes, leading to a pretty achey eye after the product accidentally went into it! Having said that, the product itself is good: it left our skin feeling soft and youthful.

Dhs1,250 for six, Paris Gallery

2

DERMALOGICA CLEARING MATTIFIER Intended for application beneath your makeup, this is a lifesaver for those of us whose skin has a tendency to err towards the shinier side of ‘glowing’. The gel has a velvet-like consistency and just a pea-sized amount will eradicate the need for oil blotting papers or equivalent products. Very impressive.

Dhs162, BurJuman Pharmacy

3

TAMANU MOISTURISING CREAM

BY SHIFFA Shiffa have come up trumps again, this time using oil from the tamanu, an inedible fruit. This is a rich cream that’s probably best applied at night – it could leave skin looking a little greasy if used under makeup – but that only adds to its indulgent feel. It also has the distinctive smell of a spa product too – a real treat.

Dhs420, Saks Fifth Avenue

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JUMANA HEALTH & BEAUTY

Hair how-to

Crowning glory Give your hair a new lease of life with these three catwalk looks.

Ditzy Chic The look: Floaty but voluminous Best example at: Betty Jackson Copy the catwalk: This look is best suited to those with naturally straight or wavy locks. Roughly crimp clean hair all over (making it perfectly even isn’t too important as this look doesn’t need to be neat). Once your hair is looking appropriately ’80s, build up a textural base by tipping your head upside down and working in a tennis ball-sized handful of volumising mousse. Standing upright again and lifting the top layer of your hair out of the way, place mediumsized Velcro rollers around the crown of your head, stopping about two inches from the front of your head on either side, then place the top layer back down.

Leave in for as long as possible, then use your hair dryer on the cool setting to set it, back-combing as you go. Finish with a spritz of medium-hold hair spray.

Getting the crimp perfectly even isn’t too

important – this look doesn’t

need to be neat

Stick to the sidelines The look: High-shine über neatness Best example at: Gucci Copy the catwalk: This is a fab solution for days when you don’t have time to wash your hair – but it’s not for the fainthearted. The side parting has to be so far over that it’s almost on the side of your head. It also needs to be immaculately neat.

Use a fine-toothed comb for the parting and a pea-sized drop of serum to smooth down flyaways – this will also up the ante on the shine front, but rub it all over your hands before applying to hair to avoid greasy spots. Once your parting is perfectly straight, comb any hair that is within an inch in front of your crown straight back, so that the parting stops earlier than it naturally would. Then pull all the hair into a neat ponytail or bun, making sure there are no bumps in it.

Golden girl

The stylists didn’t waste time with bleach –

they simply spray-painted gold onto models’ hair The look: Soft metallic glamour Best example at: Giorgio Armani Copy the catwalk: This is a very classy look – think molten, glistening caramel; a grown-up cross between blonde and brown. The hair stylists at Giorgio Armani didn’t waste any time with bleach – they simply spray-painted this spun gold effect onto models’ hair. Coupling the golden highlights with darker lowlights takes it to a more fashionable level, but whatever you do, don’t inadvertently end up with the oh-so’90s black-underneath, peroxide-on-top look. If you’d rather leave paint jobs to your interior designer, do it the old-fashioned way and pop to the salon, spritzing with some Frederic Fekkai shimmer spray (available from Saks Fifth Avenue) afterwards to achieve the metallic effect.

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Makeup how-to

Get fresh

Michelle W aldron is a makeup artis t who has worked with Rihanna an d backstage at Alexander McQueen.

Call 055 48 0 3722 for en quiries.

Update your look with Michelle Waldron’s guide to spring’s coolest new beauty trends.

‘This glitzy evening look is all about the glittery pout! To get this catwalk-savvy effect, first apply Giorgio Armani Silk lipstick in shade 79 (1) (Dhs135, Saks Fifth Avenue). It’s quite tricky to get glitter to stay put without it spilling all over your face – I find that the best way to avoid this messy outcome is to mix the glitter with lipgloss on my hand before applying it – that way it’s sticky. Use Make Up For Ever’s Graphic Glitter (2) (Dhs145, Paris Gallery) and Giorgio Armani Lip Shimmer 6 (Dhs125, Saks Fifth Avenue).

To get the dewy glow across your skin, add some Benefit High Beam (3) (Dhs125, Faces) into your foundation and it will instantly brighten your complexion. Dab a tiny bit under your eyebrows to give you an instant eye lift as well. To give your eyes even more pop and to get that curled lash look, use YSL Volume Infini Curl mascara (4) (Dhs140, Paris Gallery).’

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‘Healthy, glowing skin is something that will never go out of fashion. To get this radiant look, start off by using DiorSkin Foundation (Dhs215, Paris Gallery). For an overall glow you can add an illuminator such as Giorgio Armani’s Fluid Sheer #3 (1) (Dhs190, Saks Fifth Avenue) to your foundation, but for a more defined and sculpted look use it just along your cheekbones, temples and under the eyebrow. A lower-budget alternative to Fluid Sheers is Benefit Highbeam for paler skin tones or Moonbeam (2) for warmer skin tones (both Dhs125 from Faces). Keeping the look very natural, use Benefit’s Brow Shaping Kit (3) (Dhs148, Faces) to groom your eyebrows and Lancôme Divine Lasting Curves Mascara (Dhs150, Faces). Finish off with Estée Lauder’s Tender Lipbalm (Dhs75, Paris Gallery) to keep your pout glowing just as much as your skin.’

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‘A playful, bright eyeliner allows you to accentuate your eyes and exercise your creative side. It’s important to get it spot on and keep the rest of your make-up natural. Start off with a foundation base like Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk (Dhs195, Saks Fifth Avenue). Lightly dust a translucent powder on top such as MAC Prep + Prime (Dhs107, MAC). Next, apply a lightweight concealer to the eyelids such as YSL Touche Eclat (1) (Dhs162, Faces), and lightly dust loose powder on top so that your eyeliner won’t appear greasy. Using MAC Blue Herizon liner (2) (Dhs90, MAC), draw a thin-to-medium line on the upper lash line, starting from the inner corner and working outward in short strokes, staying as close to your lash line as possible. Create a little flick to the liner by tilting your head upwards and looking down. If you find liquid liner tricky, practise first with eyeliner pencils. Once you’re happy with your eyeliner, tame your brows with Clinique’s Instant Lift for Brows in Dark Brown (Dhs85, Paris Gallery). Use Benefit Bad Gal Lash (Dhs99, Faces) to finish off your eyes. Finally, add a tiny bit of colour to your lips using Givenchy Nude Shine 09 (Dhs120, Paris Gallery).’

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Tried and tested

Let’s face it...

The Jumana reviewers check out three of the city’s most indulgent signature facials.

1Balinese facial

The Ritz-Carlton Spa, 04 318 6132. 60-minute treatment Dhs500.

The treatment: I love this spa, not least because of its plush carpets (having something soft underfoot provides a hard-to-find combination of luxury and comfort!). And it’s quiet – blissfully so. Once my therapist had led me through to the treatment room, she cleansed my face using a product that combined areca nut extracts and cananga, coconut and rose oils, then toned with peppermint tea with honey. I was already feeling über relaxed – and the subsequent jasmine exfoliating scrub felt as if it were sloughing away all my cares. There followed a lovely facial massage and a clay mask. The only criticism I have is that some of the products didn’t smell that pleasant.

The result: Though there wasn’t a huge difference the next day, straight after the treatment my skin felt soft and supple and the relaxation factor in itself made the facial worth it.

3 Eve Lom signature facial

Chill Spa, Media City and Bur Dubai, 04 369 0902. 90-minute treatment Dhs650.

The treatment: The Eve Lom signature facial combines a relaxing spa experience with a prescriptive facial treatment. An initial massage is followed by Eve Loms’s famous cleanse.

Hot wax is then applied carefully in layers – this is a little bizarre; it feels a bit like being embalmed (although having never been embalmed myself I cannot say for sure!) – but is apparently very good for opening your pores. Extraction follows and then a fabulous clay mask which eliminates any excess oil. Eve Lom moisturising eye cream and day moisturiser application provides a luxurious end to the treatment.

The result This really is a five-star facial – I feel about ten years younger and my skin is softer than it has been in years. Highly recommended.

Winner

essential 2 Softness renovateur facial

The Spa at The Palace, Downtown Burj Dubai, 04 428 7888. 60-minute treatment Dhs430.

The treatment: As someone whose beauty regime has never extended beyond a quick cleanse, tone and moisturise, I dreaded to imagine what state my skin was in. The facial started, somewhat randomly, with a foot soak, during which my therapist asked questions about my routine and what type of massages I tended to opt for.

Once in the treatment room I was able to choose a music playlist – a nice touch I thought. A UV light was then shined on my face and I learned that I had sensitive combination skin and also, to my dismay, sun damage. Although it was a bit scary, I’m glad I know so I can look after my skin better. The Clarita products definitely calmed down my redness and the scrub took off what felt like several layers of dead skin. The final step was a Masque de Coton and I was given a lovely neck and shoulder massage while it was working its magic.

The result: Overall it was an educational yet relaxing treatment and I left The Spa with a very soft face and the feeling that the experience had been totally tailored to my needs.

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COUPLES The Honeymoon Hug Unsurprisingly, this position is most common in new couples, with the man and woman facing each other in a full-body embrace. Contact is continuous, from cheeks to feet, and it represents how close they feel to one another (although few people maintain it for the entire night!). Limbs become entangled which is representative of wanting to fuse into one being, showing utter commitment. If you’ve been together for a long time and one of you suddenly reintroduces this sleeping position, it could mean that you are feeling particularly dependent on your partner at that time.

Zen style Once you’ve been together for a while, it’s very common for you to sleep back-to-back but with your buttocks touching.

Don’t panic – this doesn’t signify a loss of closeness: facing away from each other can be demonstrative of your sense of independence and individuality, but the fact that you’re still in physical contact shows that you remain connected.

WHILE YOU ARE SLEEPING

Think the way you lie in bed is a simple matter of ergonomic preference? Think again: apparently, the position of your body during sleep can be very telling, both about yourself and about your relationship. We checked out research by sleep expert Professor Chris Idzikowski and body language consultant Patti Wood and found some pretty interesting insights…

The Spoon This is when you both lie on your sides in a semi-foetal position, with one person (usually the man) shadowing the other’s body line, and contact running the entire length of the body. It’s common during the first few years of marriage and signals security and intimacy – especially if, when you turn in your sleep, your partner echoes your movement. Studies have shown that sleeping like this reduces stress: the hugger is saying ‘I want to surround you’ while the ‘huggee’ is saying ‘I know you’ve got my back’.

The Cliffhanger This rather dramatically named position occurs when you are both sleeping at far sides of the bed with your backs to each other. It can mean different things: if it’s a sudden shift away from your normal sleeping pattern, you should try and get to the bottom of it without feeling angry or hurt. Your partner could be going through a tough time and just need some space – if this is the case, it’s probably not a permanent state of affairs. If you have gradually begun to sleep this way, however, it could just be a natural progression towards a more comfortable night’s sleep (and the honesty involved in admitting this can actually be a sign that you’re in a healthy relationship).

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SINGLES

The Yearner It might look odd, but around 13 per cent of people sleep this way – on their side, with both arms out in front. If you’re one of them, you are likely to come across as open but actually be quite suspicious and cynical. You probably take a while to make decisions, being careful to weigh up advantages and disadvantages, but once you’ve made your mind up you stubbornly stick to your guns and rarely have any regrets.

The Freefall Sleepers who lie on their front, hands around the pillow and head to one side, tend to be extrovert and occasionally a little brash.

However, at the same time, they are quite sensitive and don’t react well to criticism or tense situations. In good news, this position aids digestion.

The Soldier

The Starfish Lying on your back with both arms around your pillow indicates that you are a good friend and excellent listener, always on-hand to provide support and guidance when those around you need it. You probably aren’t keen on being the centre of attention. Unfortunately, this position is conducive to snoring and can also cause disturbed sleep patterns.

The Foetus Almost half of all people sleep in the foetal position – i.e. on their side, curled up with their knees drawn in – although twice as many women as men sleep this way. It indicates that you can appear tough to the outside world but you’re actually a sensitive soul, full of innocence and trust. You can tend to be shy when you first meet people, but quickly relax. If this is your chosen sleeping position, try to lie on your right hand side – lying on your left can put pressure on your liver, stomach and lungs.

If you lie on your back with both arms ridigly by your sides, you’re probably a very quiet, shy person.

You are not a fan of being in the limelight or having a fuss made, but at the same time you’re a strong character, persistently setting high standards for both yourself and others.

The Log This is where you lie on your side, with both arms fairly straight by your sides. If you sleep this way, you are probably an easygoing, sociable sort who enjoys feeling part of the in-crowd. You are likely to be quite a trusting person but this can sometimes translate into your being a bit gullible – so keep your wits about you…

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Bright lights, big city If oodles of neon, lashings of sushi and the odd spot of kitten-petting are your thing, then Tokyo is the city for you. Turn to page 61 for the Jumana lowdown on where to stay, what to see and how to drink your tea while you’re there. But if you’re planning on staying put in Dubai for the time being, panic not: from crab-eating to moonlit yoga sessions, there’s more going on in the city at the moment than you can shake an Hermes handbag at – check out Life etc on page 50 for the juice.

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Life etc IT COMES BUT ONCE A YEAR...

Would you believe it – the annual Tiger Chilli Crab Festival is upon us once more.

If that sounds right up your gastronomical street then look no further than the BarZar Amphitheatre, where Singaporean crab and Tiger beer will be on offer between 2pm and midnight, April 14-18. Call 04 366 6730 to find out more.

Check out locally based artist Kate Toledo’s second solo exhibition of Persianstyle impression ceramics at Gallery 76 from April 14. www.artdubai.com

Dishing it out We checked out two gorgeous restaurants this month – one that’s brand new and the other a Dubai favourite with a new Thai menu.

The low-down: The über-cool, formerly southeast Asian restaurant has narrowed its gastronomic focus with a new ‘Flavours of Thailand’ concept.

The food: Everything sounded so good that we opted for a sharer platter to start so we could sample as much as possible – the tender chicken satay and punchy green papaya both warranted particular praise. For mains, it was panang – the best we’ve had outside Thailand itself – and a sinfully creamy red curry.

The décor: Inside, the restaurant is decorated with quirky paper lanterns and there’s a glasswalled central kitchen – but the outdoor seating area is divine for cooler evenings.

The damage: Average for a three-course meal with glass of house wine Dhs220 per person.

Caramel… and not just because we’re hungry. It looks set to be a huge trend for autumn.

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You, on your own plane. Book a stay of two nights or more at the Desert Islands Resort and Spa

by Anantara on Sir Baniyas Island and you’ll be eligible to get a private seaplane transfer from Abu Dhabi airport for just Dhs99.

Call 02 801 5400 to find out more.

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Saturdays. Head to Nasimi Beach’s new weekly event, Play, and enjoy the barbecue (which runs from 1pm-11pm) while listening to soulful DJ sets from Radio 1’s DJ Schooly. Call 04 426 0700 for reservations.

Rococo, Sofitel Jumeirah Beach (04 448 4848)

Spice Emporium, Westin (04 399 4141)

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The low-down: The signature restaurant of the newly opened Sofitel dishes up Italian cuisine with a modern twist.

The food: For starters we had scallops with spinach, passion fruit sauce and beetroot, and a grilled vegetable millefeuille with pesto and pine kernels. The scallops were perfect – tender and salty – and their accompaniments, though a little odd-sounding, complemented them excellently.

The millefeuille had a delightfully light pastry.

For mains, the roll of pasta with ricotta, aubergine, pistachio pesto and tomato sorbet was deliciously creamy; the rack of lamb meanwhile came with a drool-worthy pistachio and almond crust. When it came to desserts, the crunchy cannoli with hazelnut mousse could have done with less of the former and more of the latter but the tiramisu was the best we’ve ever had.

The décor: Quite cool – lots of rich purples and lime greens – although they went one step too far with the patterned wall behind the bar.

The damage: Average for a three-course meal with glass of house wine Dhs320 per person.

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Gordon Ramsay – or more accurately his restaurant, Verre. It has just reopened with a new head chef, new décor, new menu and new chef’s table. We can’t wait to check it out. Reservations can be made on 04 227 7550.

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The dog – if that’s part of your yoga repertoire. Head to the Madinat Jumeirah’s beach at 7pm on April 28 for their Full Moon session. Tickets cost Dhs200 including one free studio session – call 04 366 6818 for bookings.

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Black – at least if Julien Macdonald gets his way. He recently listed ditching it as one of the five things he was most looking forward to this summer.

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Diet Coke – sooo last season. The fash pack are drinking coconut water these days, darling.

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Hemlines. The skirts in Phoebe Philo’s superb AW10 collection for Celine were strictly below the knee.

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Course you can Is your career in need of a boost – or even a complete overhaul?

If so, getting a postgraduate qualification could be a good way of reskilling.

Michigan State University, a branch of the prestigious American institution based at Dubai International Academic City, offers a range of great postgraduate degrees and diplomas with a strong focus on business. From 7pm-9pm on April 20 they’ll be holding an open evening, where you can meet the faculty and talk with an academic counsellor about what you’re looking for – call 04 436 1500 to book. You can also talk to the admissions staff live online on April 6 from 7pm-8pm – just log on to dubai.msu.edu and click through to the chat link.

HERE COME THE GIRLS

Dance Off!

Ladies’ nights are popping up all over at the minute.

Wild Wadi has brought back all-female Thursdays from 8pm for Dhs165, or, if you prefer your girls’ nights more chilled out, head to chic new bar Shades at the Address Dubai Marina (left), which overlooks an infinity pool, and claim two free drinks on Tuesday nights. The sweet-toothed should head to Gossip Girls night at the Media One hotel’s Z:ONE, also on Tuesdays, for a Bounty Bar or Jelly Bean martini.

Kate Moss will soon be appearing alongside ballet dancer (and former SATC star) Mikhail Baryshnikov in a short fundraising dance film.

Although it’s set to be privately screened, we’re sure it’ll be on Youtube quicker than you can say ‘demi-plié’.

Career profile: Joanna Bates

We quiz a professional instructor at Al Badia Golf Club on her job.

How long have you been at Al Badia?

I’ve been here just over one week!

But I’ve been teaching golf for 14 years – I was based in the UK until now.

English and Maths to be able to start your PGA training, which for me was a four-year course. It involved lots of assignments and residential trips and we sat exams at the end of every year - not just in teaching but in sports science, equipment technology, tournaments and business management. It was hard work.

How did you get into golf?

I had my first lesson at the age of 13 – I was keener on boys and shopping but my dad said, ‘No, you’re having golf lessons.’ I became addicted to it straight away and knew I wanted to do it for a living. As it turned out, there weren’t many female golfers around so I was playing with lads anyway which was good! Once I’d left school I got my handicap down to three, then at 17 I turned pro. As well as having a handicap of four or better, you need GCSEs in

Your lessons must be popular with women, especially in such a maledominated field.

[Joanne is the UAE’s first female golfer attached to a specific golf club.] Yes, it’s a bit like going to the doctor – women prefer going to women! The indoor lessons are in an enclosed space and some people find it less intimidating.

There are also musculoskeletal differences between women and men so a female teacher is better able to demonstrate techniques to other women.

So what exactly does your role entail from day to day?

Well teaching golf is the main element, but I also do club-fitting. We’ve got the region’s only tailor-made performance lab – nine cameras and sensors analyse your swing, measuring everything about your posture, back, head position, where the ball hits your club… Then you can have a club made which is perfectly customised to you.

What personality qualities do you need to be a golf instructor?

Being in a male-dominated industry, I’ve found that I’ve always had to go that extra mile. I set myself goals and make an effort to develop through speaking to and shadowing different people. Just be focused, determined and patient. www.albadiagolfclub.ae

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PLUS SIZE MATTERS

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Jumana woman

WHEN CRYSTAL RENN BEGAN MODELLING, SHE STARVED HERSELF TO FIT THE INDUSTRY IDEAL. THEN SHE STARTED EATING AGAIN – AND, AS A SIZE 16, NOW HAS THE WORLD AT HER FEET. HARRIET WALKER MEETS A WOMAN WHOSE FIGURE IS CHANGING THE FACE OF FASHION. Crystal Renn has been in Vogue; she has been in catwalk shows and ad campaigns; she has written a book. In short, she has done everything that aspiring models dream of, but she has done it as a UK size 16. In an industry where most models are no bigger than a size eight and anyone bigger than that is lucky to get catalogue work, this is simply unheard of.

Renn, 23, has been modelling for ten years, but she is now the face of a revolution. ‘I don’t know if I’m the first,’ she replies modestly, when I suggest she has blazed a trail out of the plussize commercial hinterland and into prestigious fashion magazines. ‘I just wanted to do editorial. My size was irrelevant. Throw size away. I am capable of the things that were promised to me when I was 14.’

This was the age at which Renn was discovered by a scout from New York.

He told her she could be the next Gisele Bundchen – if she slimmed her hips down to 34 inches. Renn made up her mind to do so and lost the requisite nine inches. It meant dropping nearly five stone (30kg), or 42 per cent of her entire body weight. ‘I thought, “I’ll eat healthily and I’ll just be a size zero like models,”’ she says. ‘I dropped about 35 pounds [16kg] in three months then I realised it wasn’t going to be so easy. That’s when things took a more extreme turn: the calories came down, the exercise went up and the absolute obsession took hold – of all parts of my life.’

Renn’s memoir, Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves, is a powerful account of what she went through to become a model. It’s chatty but not too light, and it’s intelligent, steely and very affecting. ‘People need to hear this story because it’s their story,’ she says. ‘I think most women can relate to it in some way.’

On shoots and at interviews, most models instantly stand out as the girl who is noticeably different from everyone else, because she is a size that very few people can maintain. Renn and I meet in New York a few days before Fashion Week kicks off there, and the city is littered with long-haired, leggy types in leather trousers and platform heels. But Crystal Renn looks like a normal person, albeit a very beautiful one. And she doesn’t look like a size 16. She hears this a lot. In her book, she describes the constant trills from editors and stylists that she meets who tell her, by way of a compliment, that she doesn’t ‘look fat’.

‘It’s simply bizarre,’ she writes, ‘that “normal” is the new overweight.’ With her abundant hair, flawless skin and fleshy curves, in her shoots Crystal Renn brings to mind a classical statue or a Rubens, perhaps even Jennifer Lopez. In person though, she is almost unobtrusive: tall and striking, yes, but when we first pass on the stairs I have to check that it’s her.

She certainly doesn’t resemble the kind of model who does mail-order catalogues.

Dressed in black, she looks high fashion

through and through: a Viktor & Rolf blazer with Ann Demeulemeester leggings and Rick Owens wedge-boots, carrying a Balenciaga handbag. But in glasses and with straight hair, she also looks like a very pretty law student – a career path she once aspired to. ‘I was living in Mississippi,’ she recounts. ‘I dreamed of being a lawyer and going to Yale, it’s what I wanted to do. But how was I going to get there without the $300,000 for the education? What the fashion industry allowed me to do was – and yes, I suffered greatly because of my decisions – at 16, I saw the world.’

Renn describes her school-aged self as ‘the goth girl, the freak’, but she was in fact a bright teenager, a cheerleader with an interest in Shakespeare and martial arts. Raised by her grandmother, Renn lived in Florida until she was 12, when the pair moved to Mississippi – at Renn’s insistence – to live with her biological mother. ‘Lana’, as she is referred to in the book, suffered from drug addictions and mental health problems during Renn’s infancy, but later settled and had two other daughters. Renn is no longer in close contact with her.

But far from being a victim of a dysfunctional childhood, Crystal Renn is a poised, articulate and thoughtful young woman. She gives the impression of deep self-knowledge, which gives her the confidence and drive to focus on important issues. ‘My passion keeps gaining momentum. I’m fighting for a

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Renn at Ford Models’ celebration of her book, alongside Katie Ford, the company’s former CEO

‘I feel more accepted than ever before. I was never comfortable in my own skin until I recovered from anorexia and became the weight that I am now.’ cause: women hate themselves. That is so sad. There are so many people out there who could change the world, but they’re consumed with self-hatred.’

Indeed, Renn herself has blossomed since the day she took the decision to become a plus-size model. Her ‘epiphany’, as she calls it, came shortly after she was sent home from a shoot for being too large. She was a size eight. ‘I went down to six stone [38kg] and then luckily – although at the time I didn’t think I was very lucky – my body rebelled. I would be eating only vegetables and exercising up to eight hours a day, but I went up to a size six [a UK 10].’ Renn was called in to see her agent and spent the weekend before the meeting working out and surviving on chewing gum. She had joined two gyms so she could spend as much time as possible exercising without raising suspicions, and in the book describes herself hobbling home ‘like an elderly woman, holding on to brick walls and lampposts’. She now has a recurring hip complaint, a ‘grinding noise’, caused by too much time on the treadmill.

At that fateful meeting, Renn was told that she needed to lose more weight. ‘I

was done,’ she writes in her book. ‘I was dying. I didn’t want to die.’ So she opted for plus-size, a chance to earn a living at a weight that came more naturally; she transferred agencies and spent months recovering, going up to a size 20 before eventually settling at the 16 she is now.

She is more successful today than she ever managed to be during her anorexic years. ‘I feel more accepted,’ she says. ‘I was never comfortable until I recovered from anorexia and became the weight that I am now. It’s about a healthy diet, it’s about exercise, it’s about moderation.’

In her book, Renn quotes an average day’s consumption: breakfast is two eggs with toast, an avocado and orange juice; lunch is salmon and brown rice with vegetables; dinner some duck gnocchi with salad and a crème brulée. ‘Just because I’m a plussize model doesn’t mean that fast food is my daily diet,’ she says, countering claims that she is an unhealthy role model for women in an age of rising obesity levels.

Doesn’t she ever get sick of talking about food and her body? ‘Sometimes I just want to lie down in a padded room.

It’s more exhausting because I’m so passionate about the subject.’

One might expect Crystal Renn to have become disillusioned with fashion.

But her book also discusses her career since she recovered from anorexia. Her enthusiasm for fashion is undampened.

‘I model for women,’ she asserts. ‘It’s for them to feel inspired. And I discover something about myself after every shoot.

Some might laugh, “Oh, a model and her craft”, but you know what? Get in front of a camera and find enough confidence to perform: it’s not easy.’

How, then, does she reconcile this job to the one that made her so ill? ‘The fashion industry didn’t chain me to a treadmill,’ she reasons. ‘They didn’t stuff vegetables down my throat, they weren’t there when I was exercising for 16 hours.

I do not blame the fashion industry for my anorexia, it was my decision. The fashion industry actually offered me some of the greatest opportunities of my life.’

But for someone who has experienced so severe an eating disorder, the constant scrutiny that comes with modelling could be seriously damaging or even bring about a relapse. ‘Of course, it hurts,’ Renn concedes. ‘They’ll manipulate the pictures or use an unflattering pose. There’s a lot of talk on the internet of “she’s a 4” [UK size 8] or “she’s a 16” [UK size 20]. Hey, I fluctuate. I sometimes find the scrutiny very difficult to deal with, but I’m not going to be smaller for you – and I’m not going to be bigger for you either.

‘I don’t believe all models should be size 16s,’ she continues. ‘That’s discrimination the other way. And I don’t want things to change overnight – that would be a trend.

We should have a variety of women. I’d like to see a similar thing to the ’80s: real women, personalities, beauty!’

There has been some movement in the past year, from the un-airbrushed picture of model Lizzie Miller with a slightlyrounder-than-usual stomach (for a glossy magazine) in US Glamour, to German magazine Brigitte’s pledge to shoot clothes

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Harriet Walker © The Independent/The Interview People

Proving that curvy doesn’t mean frumpy at Jean Paul Gaultier’s ‘30 years in fashion’ party

‘I don’t believe that all models should be size 16s – that’s discrimination the other way. And I don’t want things to change overnight – that would be a trend.’ on ordinary women. British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman recently penned an open letter to designers, asking them to make samples larger so that models could be bigger, claiming that many models in Vogue actually needed airbrushing to make them look less thin.

Renn herself featured in high-fashion bible V magazine, wearing the same

designer looks as catwalk model Jacquelyn Jablonski, and striking similar poses. Add to that Mark Fast’s efforts to use larger models (including Renn) at his last few shows, and change seems to be afoot.

Some cynics argue that models are required to be as close to a walking clothes-hanger as possible to show off the clothes in their purest state. Which

means no wobbly bits and nothing that could count as vaguely erotic, thereby rendering a sheer chiffon blouse obscene.

‘If I wanted to see them on a hanger, I would just look at the garments in my closet,’ Renn counters. ‘Those clothes are going to be on real women. They should be able to see variety up there and not feel pressure to change. It would be a huge boost economically – the amount of money that could be made from women feeling empowered and beautiful. I think it would start a surge of shopping.’

So why haven’t things changed before now? ‘If you see human heft as a sign of tackiness,’ Renn writes, ‘then extreme thinness can be a way of distancing yourself from that and seeming more high-class than the people you scorn.’ I reply that brands rely on perpetuating an often unachievable sense of luxury and perhaps thinness is something that goes with that. Renn refers once more to the economy and the slew of fashion bankruptcies last year. ‘Designers sending one type of girl down the runway is saying, “This is the only thing that can be beautiful, and you, you fat consumer, will never be beautiful, no matter what you do. And you will also not be able to wear my dress.”’

But few sufferers of eating disorders blame their illness on pictures of skinny models; it is more the sense of perfection that one can never quite live up to which causes anxiety and self-hatred.

While Crystal Renn is a size 16, she is no lumpen hag. Some people will always look better than others. ‘Oh, that’s life!’ she laughs. ‘Sorry! It was hard for me too when I learned that! If you look to others, there’ll always be someone prettier. Look to yourself.

‘Women have come so far,’ she carries on, ‘but not as far as we could yet go, because our vanity worries take up most of our time mentally and it’s holding us back. If we stop obsessing about calories, imagine how much your mind is freed up. I certainly found that to be the case.’

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Recipe

Ewald Gonsalves, executive sous chef at the Crowne Plaza Dubai, shares this deceptively simple fish dish.

Ingredients

4 red snappers (around 150g each) 16 asparagus spears 10ml olive oil For the risotto 160g risotto rice 20g shallots, chopped 100ml olive oil 100ml white wine (or alcohol-free substitute) 500ml fish stock 100g grated parmesan 50g butter

Preparation 1. Warm up olive oil in a pan. Pan-fry the red snapper on the skin side. Cook it slowly on a low heat.

2. Boil the asparagus in salted water for five minutes. Cool in iced water.

3. Cut the asparagus spears in half and keep the heads aside.

4. Slice the rest of the stems and use in the risotto.

The Risotto 5. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sweat the chopped shallots for two minutes. Add the risotto rice and let it sweat with the shallots for a further two minutes.

6. Deglaze the mixture with white wine (or substitute) and reduce.

7. Gradually pour the fish stock into the pan until the rice is cooked and sticky.

8. Add the sliced asparagus, parmesan and butter.

The Sauce 9. Heat a pan and add 10g of butter.

10. Once warm, add the shallots and sweat for two minutes.

11. Add the wine and lemon juice. Reduce to one third of the original quantity.

12. Add the cream and reduce again by a half. Remove from the heat.

13. Add the rest of the butter, salt and pepper. Strain, then add the caviar.

For the sauce 50g shallots, chopped 10ml lemon juice 50ml cream 100ml white wine (or alcohol-free substitute) 100g butter 1tbsp caviar

Presentation 14. Place one spoonful of risotto in the middle of the plate.

15. Arrange the asparagus tips on the top, overlapping the risotto.

16. Place the red snapper on the side of the plate, skin side facing up.

17. Drizzle the sauce around the plate.

Recipe and image courtesy of the Western Steakhouse, Crowne Plaza Dubai (04 331 1111). This and 49 others have been printed in a special charity book called Around The World In 50 Flavours, available from the hotel. All proceeds go to the Dubai Autism Centre.

‘I love this recipe because of its delicate complementary flavours and gentle sauce – they make it a diverse and memorable dish!’

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Interiors

Feeling inspired?

Furniture can go way beyond functionality. Here, Driscoll Peter Devins, the nutty professor of interior design, explains to us how his tables combine sculpture, science and plain old plate-holding.

If you agree that furniture should be fun as well as functional, these could be the pieces for you…

1 2

3

4

5 6 ‘The spiral tables weren’t originally meant to be furniture – they were meant to play with the vagaries of the line between design and sculpture. Then people started asking if I would make one for them – so I kind of got into it backwards!

‘Why spirals? Well I was always fascinated by the shape, from pulling the springs out of household objects as a child, to learning about the role of the double helix in genetics in later life.

‘I like that the tables seemingly achieve the impossible, with a spiral woven through a piece of solid marble – although if you look closely there’s a trick to it... I also designed a legless table which can support the weight of a human – I was intrigued by the question, “How can I make something so difficult seem so light – how do I make the impossible possible?” It’s all about

‘The tables seemingly achieve the impossible, while making something extremely complex appear simple to the eye.’ making something extremely complex seem simple to the eye.

‘At the end of the day, though, they’re playful and that’s what I love about them.

You’ve gotta have fun.’

For enquiries contact Elisabeth Keim, managing director, on 050 930 1833. www.devinsdesign.com

7

1. Cassette tape mirror, Dhs1,795, THE One (www.theoneplanet.com); 2. Drop chandelier, Dhs4,995, THE One (as before); 3. Moroso chair, Dhs8,679, Boutique 1; 4. W side table and bar stool, from Dhs5,500 per item, CASAPRESTIGE (www.casaprestige.ae); 5. Zeta chair, Dhs4,600, Western Furniture (www.westernfurniture-uae. com); 6. WEB chair Dhs345, Home Centre (www. homecentre.net); 7. Cushion, BoConcept, Dhs429 (www.boconcept.ae).

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JUMANA JUMANAHOME LIFE

PICTURE THIS

We caught up with master photographer Joe McNally during Gulf Photo Plus to find out what makes one of the industry’s most influential people tick.

What inspired you to get into photography?

I was in journalism school, training to be a writer, and as part of that course I had to learn basic photography skills. From the very first minutes out in the field pursuing pictures, even the basic ones I was taking as a student, the camera felt very natural in my hands. It was tremendously exciting to be out there in the real world, and have the ability to document people’s lives. I dove into the field headfirst and researched photographic heroes such as Gene Smith, Brian Brake, Gordon Parks…

Their work was so inspiring that I realised I simply had no choice but to become a photographer.

American Photo has listed you as one of the 100 most important people in photography.

What do you think it is about your work or technique that earned you that accolade?

I don’t really view myself as such. I’ve always been a straightforward, hard-working photographer who struggles with the same issues of excellence, art, craft and the perpetually looming question of ‘How do I get better at this?’ as any other photographer.

I’ve been blessed with good opportunities, and been able to work for some terrific magazines whose reach have been extraordinary.

Atmosphere-wise, what has been the most electrifying photograph you’ve ever taken?

I get very excited when I am able to execute a photo that is very close to how I had imagined it should be, because pictures often fall short of what I hope for. One such photo is of the actress Michelle Yeoh, dangling from a helicopter on wires 500 feet above the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. I needed to show an Asian actor or actress doing a stunt and relating to Hollywood all at the same time, and this photo, which was months in the planning, came out exactly the way I wanted it to.

Has taking a photograph ever led to a relationship or friendship with someone you otherwise never would have met?

Well, being a photographer led me to meet my wife, and for that, I am very

lucky. And yes, in the course of a career I have been invited into many lives because of the simple fact that I had a camera in my hands. I have worked with entertainers, athletes, scientists, medical doctors, people in the theatre and performing arts.

I have been blessed to meet those folks because they’re extremely good at what they do.

Which star have you most enjoyed shooting?

Probably Tony Bennett. He’s a terrific talent, with a great, durable voice that is filled with emotion. He’s also a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

In terms of end result, what’s the best photo that you’ve taken?

It would have to be the set of photos I shot with the Giant Polaroid camera in the aftermath of 9/11 for a project named ‘Faces at Ground Zero’. Those pictures spoke to people, struck an emotional chord, helped raise money, and honoured the courage of those who acted selflessly during a very difficult time. They are not my ‘favorite’ photos in pictorial terms, but in terms of end result, they did have a positive impact.

How did it feel to be taking those photos?

It was a very stressful and emotional time in New York. I’ve been based there my whole career, so I really felt I had to give something back. The most important part of the project was meeting and photographing magnificent, courageous people, with whom I still have relationships.

Have you ever regretted taking a photograph?

I’ve certainly regretted accepting certain assignments. You say yes to a job, and on rare occasions you discover that maybe you are not the one who should be shooting it for whatever reason.

Then taking the pictures becomes a real chore and the results aren’t particularly memorable. As far as a specific frame, I really can’t think of one that I regret. There are many I wish I hadn’t taken and attached my name to, because they’re not very good – but regret is a strong word.

What’s been your favourite National Geographic assignment?

Probably my very first cover story, called ‘The Sense of Sight’. It was an opportunity to examine

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Left: McNally is not entirely comfortable in front of the lens

how the marvellous instrument that is the eye actually works. I shot the job in time blocks that spread over a year. It ran 40 pages and a cover, and it was a very defining story for me.

Do you feel that photo journalism is more effective than the written word?

I feel the most effective way to tell a story is the combination of words and pictures. Nowadays, that refers to a lot more than just ink on paper.

We are getting into multimedia, video, web publishing… The best of it remains that blend of a written and visual account of an event or story.

How heavily do you rely on Photoshop?

Almost not at all, except for certain commercial work where it is required. I’m not any good at it, so I stay away from it generally. I tend to treat a digital image in the same way that I used to treat a slide: it is what it is.

Who would you most love to photograph?

If he were living, Michelangelo. Among the living, it’s hard to say. Obama would be terrific to meet – I feel very positive about the fact that America elected him. Maybe Tom Petty: he’s an old guy like me, but he keeps rocking. The cast of NCIS because my wife would really like that picture!

Meryl Streep because of her talent and her ability to become different people; Cate Blanchett because her face has a timeless beauty; Ed Harris because his face looks like a piece of granite.

You have been professionally photographed yourself – how does it feel being on the other side of the lens?

Same as for everyone I suppose. Wishing I had lost some weight, looked better, younger, less like something the cat dragged in. It is an interesting adventure for me though, because I’m always curious about how other photographers work.

What do you ultimately hope to achieve through your photography?

Simply to be remembered as a good shooter, who did the job well and was really passionate about the all-too-brief, amazing time I spent with a camera to my eye. www.joemcnally.com

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Travel Drink tea and play with kittens in the Japanese capital.

View There are numerous rooftop cafés from which to take in the Tokyo skyline but be prepared: most demand cover fees. After its appearance in Lost In Translation, the Park Hyatt (www.tokyo.park.hyatt.com) is perhaps the most famous spot, and if you go before 7.30pm you can get in for free.

Go

Eat

Nowhere manages to simultaneously embrace cutting-edge modernity and an intricate and fascinating history quite like Tokyo. The buzz – created by the combination of so many neon lights it looks like a toddler’s been let loose with an electronic highlighter pen, a 12.8 million-strong population, and more high-tech gadgets than you can shake a Blackberrry at – has to be experienced to be believed.

Stay Occupying the top ten floors of a tower in the heart of funky Downtown, the Park Hotel (www.parkhoteltokyo.com) is definitely one of the city’s coolest hostelries, with a hollowed-out core right to the building’s peak and rooms decked out with dark woods and natural fabrics.

Custom-fitted, hand-stuffed pillows are also on offer to weary travellers – heaven.

Yuian is noteworthy not just for its superb Japanese cuisine, which includes an excellent daikon sashimi salad, but also for its décor. Shoes must be removed before entering the wood, tatami and glass dining rooms, but first check out the floorplan – the restaurant is wrapped around the corner of a triangular skyscraper – and the views from its 52nd-floor perspective.

See

Start with a stroll through the Hamarikyu Gardens at the former Imperial Palace grounds, a little-known spot where emperors used to hunt ducks – a fact you’re reminded of by the grave, built to pacify the birds’ angry spirits – which also has a sweet peony garden overflowing with white butterflies. Then head to Nakajima teahouse, reached by crossing a bridge over a lake past weeping willows, where kimono-clad ladies will teach you the traditional Japanese tea-drinking ceremony (it must be done in three sips, with the cup’s pattern facing your companion).

Shop Splash the cash in Ginza district, Tokyo’s answer to London’s Knightsbridge, with designer department stores galore – or for a true taste of Japanese kitsch (and a dose of entertainment to boot), head to Tokyu Hands. As well as selling treadmills for dogs, the six-storey Ikebukuro branch has a petting corner where stressed office workers can stroke kittens on their lunch break. Bizarre.

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Store Directory BurJuman

04 352 0222

Womenswear Abdullah Hussain Khunji Abu Haleeqa Stores Al Bandar Al Jeaidi Fashion Alviero Martini Balizza Basler BCBGMAXAZRIA Bebe Bhs Bossini Burberry Blumarine Bridal suite cK Calvin Klein Caractère Celine Cerutti Jeans Cesare Furs Cesare Paciotti Chanel Christian La Croix D&G Diesel Dior DKNY Donna Karan Dolce & Gabbana Epoca Escada Esprit Etro Fendi First Choice House First Lady Gap GF Ferré Gianfranco Ferré G 2000 Giordano Guess Hang Ten Hanayen Hermès Jalabiat Yasmine JeansWest Just Cavalli Kenneth Cole Kenzo La Perla La Senza Lacoste Laurel Lauren Vidal Levi’s List Loewe Mango Manzari Marina Rinaldi Massimo Dutti Mashayakh Abbayah Monsoon

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Menswear Abu Haleeqa Stores Bhs Blue Drake Bossini Burberry cK Calvin Klein Canali Cerutti Jeans Cesare Paciotti D&G Diesel DKNY Donna Karan Esprit Etro Fabio Inghirami GAP Gianfranco Ferré Gio Ferrari GF Ferré G 2000 Giordano Guess Hang Ten Hermès Hugo Boss JeansWest Just Cavalli Kenneth Cole Kenzo Lacoste Levi’s Loewe Marco Polo

04 352 7388 04 352 5150 04 352 5355 04 351 6917 04 351 3515 04 355 7862 04 351 4335 04 352 9726 04 351 9292 04 351 5551 04 351 6181 04 351 3788 04 351 6794 04 355 3324 04 351 3737 04 352 5551 04 352 0120 04 352 7117 04 352 5402 04 355 1845 04 355 2942 04 351 3866 04 355 3324 04 351 9285 04 351 1190 04 355 7845 04 352 7045 04 351 1737 04 355 5872 04 351 1885 04 351 2855 04 351 6728 04 355 8860 04 359 8864

Massimo Dutti Monte Napoleone New Look Next Otto Kern Paul & Shark Paul Smith Pal Zileri Pierre Cardin Pollini Quicksilver Ralph Lauren Replay Richmond Rodeo Drive Saks Fifth Avenue Salsa Salvatore Ferragamo Scervino Street Shanghai Tang Ted Baker Tru Trussardi Valentino Verri Versace Zara

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Sportswear Adidas Adidas Originals Nike Parah Paul & Shark Praias Prince Saks Fifth Avenue Skechers Studio R

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04 359 3578 04 351 5133 04 351 2787 04 351 1153 04 351 4306 04 355 1788 04 351 3515 04 351 7106 04 351 9292 04 359 3925 04 355 7388 04 355 8528 04 351 5551 04 351 5551 04 351 5551 04 359 4101 04 351 3737 04 351 1833 04 352 8460 04 352 3035 04 352 2285 04 355 1845 04 352 7117 04 351 1190 04 351 5887 04 351 5251

Loewe Louis Vuitton Mario Cerutti Montblanc Moreschi/Stuart Weitzman New Look Nine West Opera Pablosky Paris Gallery Piquadro PoinTure Pollini Richmond Roberto Botticelli Sacoche Saks Fifth Avenue Salvatore Ferragamo Samsonite Sharief Stuart Weitzman/Moreschi Tanagra Tod’s Tru Trussardi Versace VDP (Via Delle Perle) Vicini Vincci

04 355 8860 04 359 2610 04 352 9726 04 355 7377 04 355 0907 04 355 6578 04 351 6214 04 359 9978 04 359 6330 04 351 7704 04 351 9058 04 355 3552 04 351 0511 04 355 6820 04 355 4897 04 351 5656 04 351 5551 04 351 2323 04 352 3641 04 355 3377 04 355 0907 04 355 0183 04 355 4417 04 351 1801 04 351 7792 04 351 3477 04 351 4975 04 351 7246

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04 351 0068 04 352 5150 04 351 6917 04 351 4579 04 351 3515 04 359 1352 04 351 5551 04 351 5115 04 352 0120 04 351 8393 04 351 9285 04 351 2855 04 351 7955 04 351 3391 04 351 7651 04 359 5555 04 355 2205 04 352 8916 04 351 0026 04 355 6578 04 351 9340 04 359 6330 04 355 3552 04 351 0445 04 351 5551 04 355 9866 04 351 9919 04 351 1340 04 351 2257

Jewellery/Watches/Lifestyle Accessorize Ahmed Siddiqi & Sons Ahmed Siddiqi & Sons Aldo Accessories Al Futtaim Jewellery

04 355 2205 04 355 2323 04 355 9090 04 351 2787 04 351 1275

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Al Liali Jewellery Al Zain Jewellery Baume & Mercier Bin Hindi Jewellery Al Washia Blancpain Breguet Cartier Chaumet Chopard Damas Jewellery Damas Les Exclusives Dhamani Jewels Felopateer Palace Folli Follie Glitter Hour Choice Istana IWC Jewellery Spot Karina Collections Korloff Mandoos Jewels Mansour Jewellers Mohd Rasool Khoory Jewels Montblanc Omega Paolo Bongia Paris Gallery Prima Gold Ramsson Jewellery Rivoli Saks Fifth Avenue Stefan Hafner Swatch Tabbah TAG Heuer Tanagra The Watch House Tiffany & Co Van Cleef & Arpels Watch Gallery Watch Land Zaina Jewellers Zoppini

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Books/Stationery/Games Al Jabre Al Elmiah Book Shop Early Learning Centre Geekay Games Gulf Greetings Little Things Magrudy’s Virgin Megastore

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Speciality stores Bateel (dates & confectionery) Frou Frou (scarves) GNC (nutrition) Life Style (nutrition) Patchi (confectionery & fine food) Smokers’ Center Sweflora (florist)

04 355 2853 04 351 6012 04 351 8443 04 351 6033 04 351 1855 04 352 7939 04 351 3669

Textiles/Tailoring Abdullah Hussain Khunji (men) Abdullah Hussain Khunji (women) Al Washia Bait Al Madani (gents’ tailoring) Hotoon textile Massimo Dutti (tailoring section)

04 351 7253 04 351 7033 04 355 7941 04 351 1661 04 355 1578 04 351 3352

Personal/Professional services All Day Minimart 04 351 9121 Al Ghurair Exchange 04 352 9170 Al Ghurair International Exchange 04 351 8895 Beverly Hills Salon (men’s) 04 355 6567 BurJuman Pharmacy 04 351 8825 Curve (nail & hair studio) 04 355 3788 DNATA (travel agent) 04 359 9399 National Bank of Dubai 04 355 5222 3M (car/auto accessories & fixing) 04 351 3383 Unicare Clinic 04 359 9292 Seconds (key cutting) 04 351 5171 Wonder Bus Tours 04 359 5656 Xerox Emirates (business services) 04 352 5885

Electronics

Al Futtaim Panatech Bang & Olufsen Braun Cellucom Digicom Digital (Grand Stores) Jumbo Electronics Nokia Vertu Virgin Megastore

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Health clubs/Spas Fitness First Dragon Fly Spa

04 351 0044 04 351 1120

Audio/Video/Photography Diamond Audio Vision Digital (Grand Stores) Photo Magic Virgin Megastore

04 352 7671 04 352 3641 04 351 4783 04 351 3358

WIN! A STAY IN A SUITE AT THE BONNINGTON Based at Jumeirah Lake Towers, the Bonnington (www.bonningtontower.com) is one of Dubai’s newest hotels. Bonnington is a British brand that’s synonymous with luxury and class, and the five-star Dubai property has 208 guest bedrooms comprising deluxe rooms, club deluxe rooms, club deluxe suites and deluxe suites. We’ve got a night’s stay for two in a deluxe suite to give away – the room comes complete with king-sized bed and a bathroom with double vanity fittings and a rain shower.

Also on offer to the lucky winner is dinner at the Cavendish restaurant, which has an exquisite menu divided into colours (namely yellow, red, blue and green). Our pick of each respectively would have to be the duck bangers, lamb rack, caramelised wild salmon and butternut squash risotto – delicious!

To enter, answer the following easy question:

What is the Cavendish’s menu divided by? a) Numbers b) Colours c) Cuisines With ‘Bonnington’ in the subject line, email your answer, name, phone number and address to jumanacomps@hotmediapublishing.com by May 31 to be in with your chance of winning.

Cafés/Coffee shops Barista Espresso Café Havana Cinnabon/Seattle’s Best Coffee 03 Degrees Dome Jumana Dunkin’ Donuts EurocaF Fruitesca Gloria Jean’s Coffees Hediard La Gaufrette Lino’s Milano Gelateria Mrs. Fields Paul Sky Lobby Café Starbucks The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf The Mix

04 359 5951 04 359 2260 04 351 8097 04 355 5321 04 355 5962 04 351 5936 04 351 1711 04 352 4075 04 351 7731 04 351 0660 04 351 8688 04 352 2271 04 359 8866 04 351 7027 04 351 7009 04 508 7860 04 351 6656 04 352 2225 04 351 8959

Food court Al Baiq (Lebanese cuisine) Baskin Robbins Burger King Chinese Palace Chili’s Fish World Fujiyama Marrybrown Sala Thai Santino’s Shamiana Subway The Mix

04 352 4200 04 355 5651 04 352 8991 04 351 9074 04 352 2900 04 351 4774 04 351 8484 04 351 7729 04 352 0465 04 351 1951 04 351 8803 04 355 5611 04 351 8959

Restaurants Belladonna Caffe Spasso

04 352 4350 04 359 5465

Carino’s Caviar House & Prunier Dome Japengo Jimmy’s Killer Prawns Hatam Restaurant Noodle House The Orchestra The Gallery Restaurant The Wok House Yam Restaurant YO! Sushi Zone Lounge

04 351 4411 04 359 6824 04 355 6004 04 352 4350 04 355 5182 04 352 2655 04 352 6615 04 352 8882 04 508 7833 04 359 9786 Opening soon!

04 359 5479 04 355 8011

Entertainment Fun City Fun World Toby’s Adventure Land

04 359 3336 04 352 2922 04 355 2868

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My style THE NICEST THING IN MY HOME

I have a wooden board with inscriptions from the Qu’ran which I bought from a souk in Marrakech. I keep it on my mantelpiece. I don’t know whether it’s old or new but I love it and everyone who enters my home immediately gravitates towards it and comments on how much they like it.

My scent Black Orchid by Tom Ford is my favourite evening perfume – its ylang ylang, patchouli and blackcurrant notes give it a very rich, deep fragrance.

My shopping style I love to mix modern, high-end designer pieces with unusual vintage clothes which I collect on my travels. I have several favourite vintage stores in LA and New York which I tend to visit as soon as I’m off the plane.

The nicest compliment I’ve ever been paid…

I have had customers email me and say they love my designs and that I inspire them which really brightens up my day. …And the worst insult:

Lamis Khamis,

I have heard people say that they could make my clothes themselves which is just silly – sure, anyone can design a dress but a lot of hard work goes into running a successful brand and if they could really do the same then they would. I’d love to see them try!

fashion designer

MY FASHION PASSION

I WOULD MOST LOVE TO DRESS…

Madonna – I grew up in the ’80s and she was an inspiration. Also Suri Cruise, even though she’s only three years old!

Right now I’m listening to…

Rihanna’s album, Rated R. Not only is she a great musician but she’s also a fashion icon: I love that she breaks the mould and is adventurous with her style – she’s totally unique.

I collect Victorian dresses and blouses; I have a wardrobe full of them now!

I hardly ever wear them, I just love looking at them and hanging them on my bedroom wall. My other favourite piece is a leather tassel cape with beading.

burjuman.com 04-352 0222

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