Ilovflair summer issue 2013 by Jad Massaad

Fashion is

Seduction

Inhale... Sexhale The Look of Bling Art-itecture Event-ually

Fashion is Seduction

Summer 2013 EDITORS

Jad Massaad Hend Seif El Din Daniela Bonetto Kate Dannies MANAGING DIRECTOR

Jad Massaad

ART DIRECTION

Carol Homsi Elie Zaarour

MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS

2013 isn’t just the rise of the Age of Aquarius.

Hala El Chemor

It is the rise of…

Byblos Printing

The Age of the Woman.

By Love2Luxe email: info@love2luxe.com

She is a new breed of female—a woman who knows fashion is what you wear, but seduction is how you wear it. A new version of the female… the embodiment of all that is sexy, the definitive diva who’s earned it & the vexing vixen who can command it. She is Woman 2.0. iloveflair dedicates this issue to celebrating Woman 2.0. We’ve redesigned our publication in the image of her very unique, strong & powerfully feminine persona. Every article, every feature—in short, every page—is inspired by her; the new identity—its colors of navy, red & white—is a tribute to her power, her femme fatality & her innocence. She is every woman in one woman. In other words, it is a reflection of her… The woman who owns it. The woman who has come into her own. The woman who is the reason that fashion is seduction. Here’s to you.

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Summer 2013 The Playground

The Look of Bling

Beautiful People

Inhale... Sexhale

P6-14 Beirut & Regional Trends

P16 Julia Roberts P30 Eddy Cherfane P32 Karen Fatte P34 Arthur Vicomte P36 Gaston Hochar P48 Richard Neil Irwin

P44 Lydia Courteille

P76 He wears, She wears P78 Oh, Ye, Man... Get Your A-Class On

Passport

P80 Marmaris, Mykonos, Marbella

The Look on the Runway

Silverscreen

The Look on Camera

Design

P56 Ralph Lauren

P48 Abed Mahfouz P58 Mango P68 Givenchy

P82 Releases

P92 Christian Lacroix P96 Trump Tower P100 Who, What, Where and Wear

Art-itechture

P124 A Longitude with a lot of Latitude P126 Holland’s Kubuswonigen & Germany’s Waldspirale

Boys & Toys

P130 Wheelie, Redefining Rims P132 Lamborghini 2013 Estoque

Event-ually

P136 Polo... Not Just a Brand by a Guy Named Ralph P138 Vertu TI Launch P140 Virgin Radio Lebanon Launch P142 Basil Soda, the Show

The Playground

THROWN TO THE FLOOR You wear couture, you buckle it up, you spray it on & now… You can throw it on the floor. Founded in 1997 by the Bonnie & Clyde of the interior design world—Christopher & Suzanne Sharp, The Rug Company is flooring the world, literally. Taking the age old craft of rug design to a new level, the dynamic duo has added a modern & original twist—designed by the fashion world’s most renowned, from Vivienne Westwood to Paul Smith & Marni, just to name a few—these rugs can be custom-made as well. & they don’t just look good, they feel good—which does have to do with the insanely plush handspun wool, but moreover with the fact that all the rugs are made in Kathmandu, sustaining an army of artisans & making a vital contribution to the economy of Nepal.

SPRING CAME WITH MUCH SPEEDY Ah, spring… the birds, the bees, the bags in bloom—it may have been a slow winter, but this year, spring came with much Speedy. One of the Spring/Summer 2013 must-haves, the Speedy PM Damier Facerre does require some must-have of money, with a price tag of 3250,000 LP. However, if you do need a well enough reason to justify its purchase to your husband, technically, you’re buying—he’s buying—a piece of history. If your husband still doesn’t buy into that, well, what you buy & don’t tell him won’t hurt him now, will it?

DEAN MARTIN, FENDI STYLE “These shades can hide my red eyes”…these lyrics from Dean Martin’s “Shades” are exactly why we all dzzzirely need a pair Fendi’s spring/summer 2013 Limited Edition Jewel sunglasses—not because we’re crying, baby; but rather because, that’s how hard we are partying. With each frame featuring 311 Swarovski crystals & 365 hand-set small studs, only 200 pairs of the exclusive sunglasses will be released in each color, peach & gray, & will be available at exclusive outlets & opticians throughout the Middle East as of April. Hmmm… since they do serve as an optical aid for the red eyes you got partying so hard, maybe, just maybe, you don’t have to pay for them—technically, it’s something your health insurance should cover.

Crying is for plain women, Pretty women go shopping Oscar Wilde

The Playground

ET VERTU? Vertu, the world’s leading provider of luxury mobile phones, has launched Vertu Ti, a new contemporary smartphone powered by Android. Encased in titanium, this is a mobile that combines everything you want in your man, let alone phone—durability, elegance & sleekness; & if you’re big on bling, well then, Vertu Ti I has got it, with the largest sapphire crystal screen ever, engineered at 3.7 inches, rendering it virtually scratch proof. Tested & proven to be four times stronger than other smart phones in terms of impact resistance, we can’t promise your wallet sustaining the impact of the price tag.

SOME CARRY RELATIONSHIP BAGGAGE, I CARRY A PORSCHE Oh the many hang-ups & insecurities of relationship pasts some people insist to lug around with them. Rather then end up with such cumbersome baggage, only to become a psychological Hunch Back of Notre dame, why not opt to carry a lighter, more useful & infinitely more attractive TwinBag? Now available in Porsche Design Stores around the world, as well as on Porsche’s official online store, their newest creation, the TwinBag, is handcrafted in Florence from of a fusion of the finest leathers, such as crocodile & ostrich. True to Porsche, it isn’t just designed to make you look good, it’s practical too—with its adjustable handles, the TwinBag works as a handbag or a shoulder bag, & it’s roomy enough to hold A4-size documents plus a 13-inch laptop. Produced from a single piece of calf leather, the moniker of TwinBag is quiet an oxymoron, since there are 13 distinct models, ranging in color from a fabulous tabula raza white to a beige befitting of Audrey Hepburn to the businesswoman’s power black. So for all those carrying around relationship baggage—remember—there are many, many fish in the sea. But, darling, there’s only ONE TwinBag.

AND SEAL IT WITH A KISS If you are going to leave your significant other via a note on the night table, at least have the style to do it on Lacroix Papier. That’s right—the oh-soever fab French designer has transcribed (pun intended) his fabulousness to stationary. From poshly printed notebooks to gift card sets Lacroix is…bringing poetry back. For this very reason, one must also give a big ‘chapeaux’ to Libretto, the company that, since 1997 has brought such stationary designs from Kate Spade, the Ney York Times, Lotta Jansdotter & now, Lacroix.

The Playground

ANGIE & BRAD WON’T STOP WINING Thank God, they’ve given up on their dream to become the Von Trapps—seriously, we were worried they’d approach Julie Andrews in seeking to adopt her. Alas, the portmanteau duo, aka Jolie-Pitt, have another dream now; Angelina & Brad are teaming up with Marc Perrin, a French winegrower to produce a line of organic white & red wines. The luxury wine lable will bear the name Miraval, whose namesake is derived from the couple’s 1,000 acre estate vineyard in Provence, France, where the wine will be produced. The first bottle to come of the collaboration will be a 2012 vintage pink rosé, set to be sold in an elegantly shaped bottle featuring a round label that will read: “Bottled by Jolie-Pitt & Perrin.” One can only be grateful it hasn’t ended up to be bottled by ‘Brangelinerrin’.

WHY DON’T YOU COME... ON A MAGIC CARPET RIDE In 1926, Hussein Maktabi, patriarch of the Maktabi family in Lebanon, immigrated from Isphahan to Beirut. Like his father before him, his passion was collecting fine oriental carpets. His arrival in Lebanon represented a new source of knowledge and expertise about this treasured art form. Since that time, he and his sons have undoubtedly become premier purveyors of antique and decorative carpets in the Middle East. With clients that span the globe, the Maktabi family’s talent, expertise and reputation were in demand to be on display, hence in 1995, the Iwan Maktabi Gallery opened. With a design studio with a wide selection of fabrics, textures, and colors, every carpet is custom made and takes 3 to 5 months to complete, accompanied with a certificate of authenticity that clearly states the age, origin and material of the carpet. Hmmm... who said magic carpets don’t exist?

DOING IT FOR THE KIDZ! KidzMondo Trump Istanbul, opening in late 2013, is a ‘City of Education & Entertainment’, created by Mr. Ali Kazma, the Chairman of Kidz Holding. With a total indoor area of 4,000sqm, 600,000 visitors are expected in its first year. At KidzMondo Trump Istanbul up to 500 children, ages 2 to 14, aren’t just getting book-smart, but also street-smart, learning about the complex world of us adults, including various professions & the value of money, through real life simulated conditions under the supervision of highly competent educators. It has its own economy & a ‘Kidlar’ currency, the only accepted one within the theme park. If you’re one of the citizens of the complex adult world, you can still enjoy it-- KidzMondo is expected to collaborate with 40 brands, establishing everything from a supermarket to beauty & barber shops to a university, theater academy, as well as an arts & crafts workshop… & more. 12

The Playground

ARRIBA! ARRIBA! It’s time to spice up your evening. What better place to head than Cantina Laredo in Covent Garden. Priding themselves in serving you only the top of the crop they entice the guests with preparing one of their signature dishes right at the table. The ‘top shelf ’ guacamole is truly a delight. For a taste of modern Mexican this is it. Hot (in every sense) Laredo boasts a fantastic refined Tex-Mex menu along with delicious, albeit dangerous margaritas. The stylish & spacious restaurant is split into four different sections each with its own personality along with an al fresco terrace, a rarity in central London, where guests can enjoy a margarita & watch the world go by. www.cantinalaredo.co.uk

FINALLY! A SMARTPHONE WITH AN EYE THAT MEANS SOMETHING! The new Samsung Galaxy S4, is truly the next level of technology. Not only is it love at first sight, but it scrolls at first sight too. Equipped with a partial retina sensor, you can start-stop a video just with a flick of your eyes, while wave control allows you to change music tracks & flip between web pages simply with a wave over the phone. And, as all people with Flair share the appreciation for keeping a sleek physique, the Galaxy S4 comes pre-loaded with apps directed towards fitness & health. Proven to be the fastest smartphone ever, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has set a seriously new benchmark in terms of what will be expected out of smartphones. Alas…seems the only thing Apples will be good for now, is keeping the doctor away.

FROM ALRIFAI TO ALPINE Nordic Olympian, Peter Northug, in collaboration with Lebanon’s very own Alrifai & Norway’s new food brand, Nutisal, has developed a nut mix that will give people extra energy to sprint through life—whether in sports or in the daily activities. Branded as “Northug Spurtmix”, Peter wanted to share with his countrymen his own secret to refueling—and since his own personal diet in training for competitions includes a serious dose of nuts, when he was contacted by Nutisal, the idea couldn’t have been more in tune with Northug. An insane idea? For the nutty ones out there, not really.

151, av. Victor Hugo 75116 Paris 469 Broome Street, New York 10013 Palladium, 2 Park Avenue, Mina El Hosn, Beyrouth www.isabelmarant.com

The Playground

THE ABC’S OF BCBG A US Invasion of the most welcomed kind—American brand BCBG MAXAZRIA opened its 3rd branch in ABC Dbayeh with a lifestyle collection reconciling the sophisticated & chic, the eclectic & classical. This prominent fashion trademark is set to attract a large segment of modern women, allowing them to step out thanks to elegant designs incorporated into every garment. Sounds like with BCBG women aren’t only going to step out, but moreover, step up.

SURVIVING PALOMA There was a Paloma that had to survive Picasso, & then there’s Paloma Barcelo, for whom all women would die.The craftsmanship isn’t simply well done—but literally, the tools used to create & shape these pieces are intrinsically unique to Barcelo— chisels of passion, inspiration & a very evident ‘for the love of it’ raison d’etre. Manolo Barcelo, who founded & was personally involved in the crafting of his originally espadrilles company, inherited it to his son, Manuel, who 10 years ago, evolved the brand into a world-class icon. Since then, Barcelo has proven that, though all shoes put soles on you feet, only Barcelo can put soul into them.

PANDORA’S BOX IS FULL OF JEWELS Pandora, the famous mythical femme fatale of the Greek mythical world, surely wouldn’t have gotten in so much trouble had her box been full of Jewels. This modern day Pandora, founded in Denmark in 1982, designs, manufactures & markets hand-finished & modern jewelry made from genuine materials, & get this ladies, all at affordable prices. Available in more than 70 countries throughout over 10,300 retail shops, including approximately 900 concept stores, Pandora’s original, unique & ever-so-innovative designs are a true reflection of jewelry at its best. & the best part is… that’s no myth. www.pandora.net

Beautiful people do not just happen. Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Beautiful People

Julia Roberts’

BELLE VIE She’s earned it, Baby

She really doesn’t have to mention ‘Roberts’ in introducing herself. Given her heavyweight Hollywood status & Academy Award acclaim, coupled with that unique signature smile, the world thinks of only one woman upon hearing her first name. A dedicated wife & mother, the iconic face of Lancome, with a wit & spirit as bold as Erin Brockovich, J‘ ulia’ says it all. 18

By Hend Seif el Din Special thanks to Lancôme

ou’ve been a Lancôme spokesperson since 2009. What kind of relationship do you have with the brand today? I think they’re an awesome company, for one thing. & they all seem to really love what they make, & take a lot of pride in what they are presenting & how they present it & they include me in a way that I didn’t expect. They ask for my opinion about things. I just kind of feel part of the creative team a little bit more than I had anticipated. So in that regard it’s been really nice to be building relationships with people instead of just working for them.

Would you say that being part of the creative process is one of your favorite aspects of being a Lancôme spokesperson? Yes! & I love being a supermodel at 44-years-old. & make no mistake, I am a supermodel! Who is the Lancôme woman? When they hired me—because to me it’s always seemed a little bit beyond me, like I wasn’t quite as poised or as sophisticated or elegant as I think of the Lancôme idea. For that, I think about Isabella Rossellini & how elegant & beautiful she is.To me, she’s the eternal face of Lancôme. So when they came to me I realized, Oh it is more about the every day person who wants to make an investment in their products & have them work for them. But it’s not the thing that kind of rules their morning-- trying to get out the door with kids & drive the carpool. It’s a lot more accessible than I realized. You are the ambassadress for Lancôme’s new woman’s fragrance, which is a composition that incites women to freedom & to choose happiness. How do these values resonate with you? I just believe in being happy. 100%. & following your internal compass & there is patchouli in there. Did you take part in developing the fragrance? I did, which is what made it so fun because all along I was saying, if they wanted to start from scratch & make a new fragrance that I was going to represent, I would want to wear it. I would want it to be something that if someone says, Oh, this is the perfume that she wears, hmm, that it wasn’t going to be something that would repel me. & I talked about the kind of scents that I liked. & patchouli was one of them, & any kind of woodsy scent & nothing too powdery. We went back & forth-they would bring a lot of samples for me to smell & if I really didn’t like something I would nix it. I was surprised

by how much input they took from me. It made it really fun. The fragrance is described as being made up of luminous floral notes as well as earthier more sensual touches like iris & patchouli. What do these scents bring to mind & why do you like the patchouli? There’s just something about patchouli. Well, here’s what I think is funny about patchouli. People have a very dramatic response, even to the word. They’ll go, oh, no no. It’s like telling someone you’re a Scorpio. They go, Oh, okay. Like you think you have it all figured out. & there’s so many different types of patchouli & I think it is really just evocative for people & transporting & for me, I think it’s really individual people. I mean I remember Marcia Gay Harden, a few years ago, I hadn’t seen her for a few years & we ran into each other & she gave me a big hug & she goes, Oh, you still smell the same! & you know, it just made her so happy & kind of brought our friendship right back to the last day we saw each other. So that’s the thing about smells & for me, patchouli & always having that as part of my fragrance is, I don’t know, is kind of like the though line of my life. When people kind of knowing that I’m somewhere nearby. Or my kids like to sleep with a scarf I’ve worn around my neck all day & it just makes you feel cozy. When did you first discover it? I guess, well, it’s always kind of been a back & forth between sandalwood & patchouli, but it’s always been something that’s, as they describe there, something that’s earthy, you know? Woodsy, sort of hippie notes. My twenties, I guess. What do you think of the perfume bottle? It’s so beautiful. You know what I love that they did which I think is amazing in this day & age where everything’s about brand & everything’s got the name of the company & the person & the place stamped all

Is there something that you habitually do to keep your body healthy & your face beautiful? Well, I do try to eat well but I’m not crazed. I just try to have a good balanced amount of the good stuff. I guess it is about water & things that are green. I consume a lot of green stuff. Oh & I stopped eating gluten. How difficult was that? Here’s the thing about today’s world. Everything, the key to it, is preparation. My girlfriend advised it as an experiment. She said, if I go through your pantry & I replace everything that you have with a gluten-free version, will you just try it? & I said yes. Wow. & how do you feel? I feel good – I’m getting there. What about pizza? Cookies? I just make gluten-free pizza. It’s delicious. Believe me I’m not going without anything.That’s the key. I made glutenfree cookies & yesterday I made four loaves of glutenfree banana bread. & I just put them in the freezer. It’s all the same. Would that be your beauty secret? Going gluten free? Staying healthy & well, making out. Kissing…that’s a good one. And do you wear makeup during the day-time? I wear Lancôme sunscreen every day & then, if I really want to blow the doors off of a PTA meeting I’ll put on some mascara & curl my eyelashes. & put on some Juicy Tubes. If you are going to an event or party, do you have a different makeup that you wear in the evening? Yes, more eyeliner & more Juicy Tubes. & then there’s the trained hair & make up professionals that really know what they are doing. What is your fragrance? Don’t I smell good? Yes, is it a patchouli derivative? Yes, everything is, to me. I like to smell nice & it is best when it’s kind of there, but still draws people in. You have to get close to figure out what you’re dealing with.

over it. There’s nothing written on the bottle. Not even the name of the perfume, which is so bold because it just looks clean & beautiful. & I think it’s such a strong statement in this kind of marketplace to just have this stunning bottle. The color of the perfume is so sweet & delicate and, yeah. It’s really beautiful. Do you have a beauty secret? Yes. Do you want to share that? Well, it’s a secret. (laughing) Do you have a secret that you’d like to not make a secret? I honestly think the key to anyone looking beautiful in a room is being happy in their life. I mean that’s really the biggest part of what anybody looks like because whether you’re meaning to or not, you’re wearing your life on your face & in your posture & in your attitude. So I think that is the number one key to coming across as a beautiful individual. And aside from that… Lancôme eye cream. 20

Is it something you put on every day? I have a choice of a few things & they’re all made by different friends, which is nice, so that it’s not something that everybody has. How do you manage to always be so passionate & full of life, & you have all this energy? I think we just have to appreciate every day. It can just all be gone so quickly and—the older you get, the more fragile you understand life to be. I think that’s a good motivation for getting out of bed joyfully every day. What makes a woman beautiful & unique? So many things. But women have that – I think it’s that internal, feminine compass that you can walk in any room & a great woman can assess within 90 seconds who is full of shit & who she wants to sit next to at dinner. How has your relationship with your body & your self-image changed in recent years? I think I have more comfort & Elizabeth, my stylist, forces me to wear tighter clothes so that people can see my waist, though we disagree on where my waist is. I think I have more comfort, more pride in everything still being relatively where it started. Do you have a fitness routine? I do. It is this type of yoga hybrid that’s called Buti.

Buti yoga or just Buti? It’s called Buti. I do it with a yoga teacher & some friends. We all go to this class together. Can you tell us the story behind the advertising film? What does it conjure up for you? I like what they came up with & I love that they brought in Tarsem who is such a visual person & who I have such a strong relationship with that—because I’ve never really made a commercial & I felt I didn’t—I get kind of caught between the logic of being an actor & that doesn’t really apply to commercials. It’s not about logic or motivation. So to have Tarsem there was a great thrill & comfort to me. & this concept that they came up with – just the idea of freeing yourself & stepping away from, you know, the crowd as it were. I think it’s very timely. What emotions does the name inspire in you? La Vie a Belle, the beautiful life. Again, it’s like the bottle, the fragrance, & the name, obviously these people work really hard to create a harmony of what they’re trying to present & to me they’ve really done it. This name is so sweet & light & just kind of a sunny day to me. What’s the woman like that you’re playing in the commercial? Does she have secret desires? I’m not sure of her secret life. I think it’s just that idea of suddenly getting to a moment where you realize you don’t want to be part of a group or participate in a life where you feel tethered or coveted or just going along. How important were the hairstyles & the clothes to help in helping to create this other life? Well, it’s kind of everything, really, because it’s not like acting. It’s just sort of inhabiting that space & that look & everything else. So really that is everything. What the set looks like, the dress, the makeup & the hair—all of that is, that needs to be precise. & then I just have to make my decisions in how to inhabit that space to best portray this concept. It’s wacky, really, making commercials. I don’t think I’d be really good at it to do all the time. What emotions did you want to communicate? Confidence & courage to just forge your own path. In Snow White, there is an obsession with appearance as opposed to what we call inner beauty. How would you define inner beauty versus superficial beauty? Snow White is a very old fairy tale so obviously the idea of vanity & obsession with youth & beauty is long standing. So I think to say, of this time or of my business is funny because you realize this has been forever. People have felt this way forever & it is nice to update those ideas & make it modern. I mean, today, unfortunately with science, people have gotten so crazy with trying to move their face round & you end up with your chin on your forehead. It’s bizarre. But if that is truly going to make a person happy then that is what they should do. I don’t know that that’s the result people get. I think I would start with therapy. Do you like fairytales? I do. But real fairytales are pretty intense, you know? People’s eyes get gouged out & they fall out of towers & get stabbed & they starve in the dark forest & it’s not bedtime reading, for sure. Do you have a fairytale or book or character when you were growing up that you identified with? I identified with Dr. Doolittle as a child, which is not really a fairytale but that was the story that I—I thought he was amazing & had the coolest skill imaginable. Did you have fun playing the villain in this part? I did. It was a great time. It really was fun because Lily was a good sport about it & she was a trooper & I would pinch her & slap her & pull her hair & tell her I hate her & she would still give me a hug at the end of

the day, so that’s, you know, it only works when both people are up for it. What about Tarsem? What was that like delving into his creative realm as a director & letting yourself go, as a villain? Well, in the very beginning when we all got to Montreal, I’d spent enough time with him that I felt we had a good communication & a good understanding of one another & you know, you have to just pack up & move to planet Tarsem & know that that’s where you’re gonna live & it’s going to be this kind of wacky, wild, period of time & you just, you’ve gotta go with it. You have to give yourself over to all of this visual stimulation, these colorful, enormous sets & these huge costumes. He’s an amazing person. I really admire him so deeply. & we had fun! I find that when a director really knows what they want & they know when they have it, it doesn’t have to be this kind of labored over, 18-hour day. You can really kind of get it done & be energized & happy. I think he’s great. I loved working with him. Do you have anything that you’re working on? I’m supposed to be doing a movie with Meryl Streep in the fall. And you guys have never worked together before? No. Well we did a charity play, a one-night play at Lincoln Center once, but that was it. I worship her, of course. Do you know whether its comedy or drama? Oh, it’s a drama. I know—I wish we could be girlfriends & she could be sweet to me but she’s just wicked to me, mean & cruel. It’s worse than that. It’s so much worse. You come across very down to earth & very happy & are always quick to smile. Do you make a point of projecting that even when you’re not feeling great? No. I pretty much put it out there, the true feelings I’m experiencing. You do? Good, bad or otherwise. But I think that’s also, to feel comfortable enough with who you are & the people that you’re putting yourself with that you can say you’re having a bad day or a hard time & get that support from your friends or your co-workers. I think within that is a sense of place & happiness as well. Do you think we’ve moved on from the times of superficial values? I think so.You know everybody kind of makes fun of the 80s & 90s that we all became suddenly consumed with ourselves, & getting ahead in the work place, & it was a very career driven idea. & here we are, it’s the 21st century & I think like anything, life moves in these big sweeping circles & we have to come back to simpler times, whether it be because economically people are struggling & are forced into simpler times & forced to scale back material aspects of their life & really just end up having the people in their lives to entertain them & support them & participate in life. & you realize the beauty of that & how great it is to really strip out all that external noise & you find the joy in being together. Does a woman need to have it all to be happy? Well, the answer to that is, define “all.” Because somebody can have very little from an outsider’s point of view & feel deeply fulfilled, so I think as long as you have that sense of completion & fulfillment in your life then you do have it all. It’s really about your attitude. What do you think about the quote, “Happiness is something we only recognize when it has left the room.” Well, I think that’s interesting. The illusive quality of happiness is that people don’t appreciate it until it’s left the

room. Or recognize it. Or, you know, it’s like, any of us when we look back at pictures of us five years ago, ten years ago, twenty years ago & go, why didn’t I appreciate how great I looked? Or how not great you looked. You’ve been famous half your life—I’m sure you’ve had experiences where were a lot happier or not at all happy. Have you learned to appreciate everything along the way as you’ve matured through the business? Well, I think as a young person I recognized the gift of being happy. & that it was a gift. & that you cultivate it like anything & don’t take it for granted & I think I’ve always had a really keen sense of that in myself. I’ve always been just a really optimistic person. & I have a lot of gratitude for that, for sure, because optimism & a sense of humor does come in handy with three kids. Over your two-decade career, do you find that you take a little bit of every experience with you? Of course. & I think the greatest souvenir of any movie experience is going to be if you create a lasting relationship with one or more people that you’ve worked with. & I do have quite a beautiful collection of friends over the last twenty years – people I’ve met on movies & certainly Tarsem is my greatest souvenir of making that movie. What do you still want to achieve in your professional career? You know, just continue to look for things that are exciting. I mean, I love my job. I love doing my job & being creative & participating in that team effort of trying to make a really great movie & I love that I still feel that way. I get nervous when I go to work. It’s exciting. So to keep finding things that can make you feel that way & give me good reason to be away from my family all day—it’s, I just want to keep doing that. Is there a director or an actor that you have your sights on that you’d like to work with? I mean, there are tons. I can’t really start naming names. What about any of the younger actors, or young directors? Is there any performance that’s caught your eye? Well I do think that that Rachel McAdams is great. Always consistently is interesting. Who else is great? You know everybody, name some names & I’ll say who’s great. Who’s the girl? Now I’m getting obsessed. Who was the girl? Jessica Chastain… Oh! She’s so good. She’s so good. I mean, it’s like stupid good. We just watched The Debt, which I hadn’t seen. I mean that girl is…it’s just ridiculous. She’s fabulous. Is there any character in history you’d love to play? Who would I love to play? That’s a good question. Albert Einstein. Once you famously said you had a crush on Abraham Lincoln. Is there anybody that you have a crush on these days? Boy, I live to regret having said that, in about ten different ways I regret having said that. Yeah, President Obama. Staying with the political crush. But I mean, in a very appropriate way, people! What do you dream of doing that involves nothing related to Hollywood? Well, like a thousand things. Being able to spend more time at my domestic arts, & knitting. I’ve been going to sewing school so I’d really like to be able to hone my sewing skills even more because I feel like I have time to do it & then I don’t have time to do it & I forget the things I’ve learned.

What’s the last thing you’ve made? The last thing I made was a dress out of a massive scarf that somebody gave me for my birthday a few years ago. It was a black & white scarf that had all these cool pictures & newspaper article prints of The Rolling Stones, & I turned it into this really cool dress. You made a dress? Yes! How do you define luxury today? Being able to do what I want to do And what is your definition of French elegance? The French—it’s like a little magic trick, those people, isn’t it? Those gals & their heels & their baguettes & their bicycle basket & their child in a little school uniform. I think Juliette Binoche is elegant & French & fabulous. Where do you see yourself in ten years? Fifty-four f****** years old. & a supermodel! Do you have a favorite memory? Marrying my husband, having my kids. What would you say is your greatest strength? You’d have to ask a friend. I don’t know. What is my greatest strength? Loyalty? Compassion? What do you have the most pride in or what makes you the most personally satisfied? My family. I think meeting my husband & the relationship that we’ve cultivated over a dozen years is my greatest source of pride. And what are you most proud of? My family & how much we all like each other. Do you have a favorite moment as an actress? Well, I think probably the first time I met Mike Nichols & having breakfast with him & that relationship beginning & making Closer together. That’s a pretty remarkable moment in my career for me. What is your favorite quality in a person? A sense of humor, & a sense of cultural awareness. 22

Do you have a favorite musical artist at the moment? Yes. My son is obsessed with a song by a guy called Flo Rida, because he’s from Florida. But for me, same old people—Dave Matthews, Damien Rice, the classic rotation in my car. Do you have a favorite designer at the moment? Diane Von Furstenberg is—just saw her the other night. She’s elegant. There’s an elegant person! Umm lets see, Balenciaga. I do love my vintage Ossie Clark. & I love Stella [McCartney]. Do you have a mantra to get your hopes up when you’re down or when you’re having a bad day? Is there something that you tell yourself? Well, you know there is…and I say this with a sense of humor, I don’t take it too seriously, but I do think it’s always a good thing to think of in my head: No way out but through. You have to do it, you have to commit to it & that’s the only way you’re ever going to be on the other side of it. Is there any other profession you might have wanted to do if could live in an alternate universe? I think I would have liked to have been a school teacher. Do you think you would have been good at it? I do. I do. I appreciated the teachers who were trying to actually inspire us to learn things as opposed to force us to learn things.There’s such a big difference. & I know it’s hard to be a teacher. You have to lose your enthusiasm & inspiration from time to time. But the ones that didn’t seemed like gods & goddesses to me. Is there a trip you’d really like to take? I would like to go to Africa with my kids when they’re a little bit older & can remember everything we do. You know, I just think to travel that whole continent would be pretty amazing. Are you still an avid reader? Well, right now it books with pictures, with my kids. But I actually did just buy a book—a hard-back to take on vacation that doesn’t have any pictures in it. & I am so excited to read it. The Orphan Master’s Son.

And what’s your biggest indulgence? My Birkin bag. That’s a luxury item, for sure. My husband calls it the Honda because it costs as much as a Honda. What would be your advice for the every day woman on taking time out of the day to make sure that they appreciate the moments even when life can seem at its most challenging. When I was pregnant the first time with my twins, I remember reading a book & it said somewhere to invest in a crockpot because you will only ever have time & energy in the morning to make dinner for the next four years, which is true. & I got a crock pot. But it also said when you have a new baby & you’re exhausted & the baby goes down for a nap, go to sleep. Or take a bath. Or call your sister or do whatever it is that you want to do before you do the laundry & wash the dishes & clean up the x, y & z & all the things that need to get done because you will always run out of time & then you will have never gotten to what is important for you. & I think that’s true, new baby or not, it’s just true in life. When you have that moment of quiet to not, you know, & I often times will say to myself, that can wait. Just sit down & drink a cup of tea, or whatever it is, because it’s essential & it helps you have just more to give the next moment that other people occupy with you. I think. It’s incredible that you have a fully realized domestic life & you joke about doing the dishes, but I know you do do the dishes. & then on the other side, this movie star life. But that’s the thing, it takes a village to put this (movie star) on. It’s not just me having some sense of fabulosity that I wake up like this. I’m perfectly aware of who I am when I get up, & how many people it takes to put this on. You know? For that public element of my life. But they are just two completely different things. It sounds so corny but I think it’s the truest statement of my work, which is that my job doesn’t make me an extraordinary person. I’m a regular person with an extraordinary job. & the circumstances of it are pretty remarkable. But it doesn’t make me remarkable. & you know, I have plenty of people to remind me of that if I forget.

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Beautiful People

SKIN THE VOICE OF A DIVA Daniela Bonetto speaks to Skin following the release of a new album, sound & a renaissance of sorts.

ront woman of Skunk Anansie, Skin, whose real name is Deborah Anne Dyer, was born in Brixton & jumped to fame when she started rocking for the multi-platinum-selling Britrock group of the 90’s. Chances are that you, as I, were listing to this charttopping blend of grunge, indie & punk as we belted out some teenage angst for a decade until the group split in 2001. Think back to those days, there was no one quite like them & even today they retain their aura of uniqueness.

Being a fan of these sounds meant that when Skunk Anansie was out of the picture for a long nine years we didn’t know where to bang our heads anymore. Skin has always been very honest about why the band went into hiatus in the first place. “It was more to do with problems in the band. We were just exhausted by all the playing, but we had time to recover & sort ourselves out. I think we’re better than ever now.” Thankfully the return wasn’t hard. Skin describes it as being “really natural.” She believed that the band had reached a point where a time-out was necessary & it was the perfect occasion for them to re-think their past & look towards their future. “People are looking for emotion in their music & realness, & you can’t get that from contestants on X Factor. & you want to see live music, a live band like us; because I think we’re much more interesting.” And we have been waiting. Their triumphant welcome-back album, Wonderlustre in 2010 made us realise how much we had missed them. & now another three years later & going at it solo they are back with another fabulous sound. “Black Traffic is our best ever,” she states. With genuine enthusiasm Skin declares that this album holds, “some of my favourite lyrics on it. It’s driving & modern.” The band which still includes the four original members & fiery chemistry is still very

much playing alternative rock & sleek melodies. & of course there is Skin, with her unmistakable diva vocals in the opener ‘I Will Break You’ & ‘Satisfied?’ where the classic punk-ish energy still distinguishes them from the masses. Skin reveals that she takes good care of herself although “my voice has changed though, as on this album I’ve sung everything a lot lower as an experiment, & also when you’re going on tour, it’s good not to keep hitting high notes. It’s a different matter when you’re in the studio, but I now do a lot of songs in mid-range.” But some things never change. “We never made it on the radio then! We were a band that never made it onto the Radio 1 playlists or anywhere. We were always a kind of cult band, & now we’re an Internet band, a YouTube band, because we’ve never really invested in the mainstream & it never welcomed us.” She continues, “They’re missing out the fact that with the Internet, people are looking for bands that can touch their souls. I mean, there are lots of young people out there who are writing their own material but I think that what’s on the radio is really quite different from what’s going on live, & on the internet & YouTube”. Social media has also taken a liking to Skunk Anansie & they have had a good response. “[Social media is] very, very good, to be honest. That’s where our market is these days, & most of our fans are on Twitter or Facebook. There’s a lot of word-ofmouth there.” Times change & it’s incredible to see how this band is still at the forefront of their genre. “I think one of the things we do is make our artwork very beautiful & make it very attractive to people & do special things.The way we do it is go ok, you download the music for free then you’ve got to try & do something else for the band like spread the word, buy a ticket to a gig, or buy the artwork. & we’re internet monkeys so we do a lot of social networking all that kind of stuff...”

Beautiful People

TDEVITTO orrey

Delightful, Delicious, Devitto Known to all the Pretty Little Liars fans as Melissa Hastings, actress Torrey Devitto is truly anything but a liar, liar, pants on fire. Winning over even a bigger following playing Dr. Meredith Fell in The Vampire Diaries, the only things perhaps that surpass her talent, are her beauty & compassionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;making it quite easy for Flair to get up close & personal with her about love, life, Hospice & her new character on Army Wives.

By Hend Seif el Din Special Thanks to ML C PR

I loved your character, Meredith, on The Vampire Diaries, any upcoming appearances? Yes, you will be seeing Meredith again. Did you enjoy playing Meredith? Any similarities to the real you? I really enjoyed playing Meredith. I found her to be a strong, grounding character. Unlike some of my other characters, I tried to play her as naturally as possible. I guess there are some similarities there. How did you enjoy working with your husband, Paul Wesley? We never actually got to work together, but being in the same State working on the same set is always a treat. It’s nice getting to bump into him in the hallways. Congrats on landing a role on Army Wives. How much of a challenge is this going to be for you? Tell me more about the character you will be playing. Thank you! I absolutely love this character! She is the definition of kick ass & so multifaceted. She’s an ex airborne, army wife & mother. I cannot wait to see where they are going to take her throughout the course of this year. There are so many different places to take her. It will definitely be fun to watch! How different is your Army Wives character from other characters you’ve played before? She’s very different from any character I have ever played. She is the most realistic one. She comes from a place of reality, the real world. She has a real background & real life problems. I think she will be very relatable to a lot of people. Would you say you’re a risk-taker? Yes, I try to be, with respect to me personally & with my work. There is nothing more gratifying than achieving a task you thought to be impossible. Moving on from Hollywood, tell me more about your support of fur-free fashion? Being against fur is something I have been aware of & passionate about since I was a kid. It’s just completely pointless & vain. Skinning animals to use their skin for fashion is nothing but vile. It makes me sick!

Why did you choose to co-host the H-Couture Fur Free fashion Show with your husband? Because it was a great opportunity to speak out against something I am clearly very passionate about. I read that you love animals…do you have any pets? Yes. I have an adorable, sweet, loving little boy (dog) named Beau. You’ve been an ambassador for Hospice for five years now, what drew you to the organization in the first place? I was yearning for something to fill a void that I felt was in my life. I thought I wanted to work with children at a hospital or something like it, but when I was google searching, Hospice popped up. After I went through the three weeks of training I just fell in love with everything about Hospice. Being with someone & helping them go through their last stage in life as comfortably as possible was just something I knew I wanted to be a part of. Tell me more about your experience with Hospice. It has just been so eye opening for me. It has taught me how I want to live my life. I want to live with no regrets & I want to love to the greatest capacity.

UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL

Biggest risk you’ve ever taken? Deciding to choose acting as my career. Define beauty Beauty–for me–is finding inner peace & confidence within yourself…being comfortable with who you are…and being kind & loving. The bold vs. the beautiful…who’s the winner? Neither. Too much of one thing, is a bad thing. Love is... family. You came up with the brilliant “Comfort. Love. Respect” theme for the National Hospice & Palliative Care month…tell me more about it. I just wanted to come up with words or a slogan that I felt truly represented what hospice was about. I found that. comfort, love & respect are what Hospice provides for their patients. I also know that you designed a T-shirt for Hospice. How did you come up with it? I felt the NHPCO needed a “hipper” t-shirt to entice people to donate to the cause. I know that –especially–being in LA, a lot of people love to donate to a charity when there is a great t-shirt involved! How has working with Hospice changed you? It’s changed me a lot. It has made me a lot more compassionate & it has really made me more aware of how I want to spend my time on this planet Any upcoming plans you’d like to share with us? Just going to be spending a lot of time in Charleston, South Carolina, which is where we film Army Wives. I can’t wait to explore the city. It is stunning! 28

What inspires you? Nature inspires me…sunsets & sunrises inspire me, & the people I love inspire me. Words of wisdom? Don’t ever judge your own path. It’s yours & its beautiful, just enjoy the ride.

Beautiful People

Rihanna The Color of Burn

Once upon a time, it was a collaboration with Eminem—but today, Rihanna’s ‘Burn’ takes on a whole new dimension of meaning as the fresh face of MAC cosmetics. A brand known for epic color & glamour, Rihanna is quite the befitting face, resonating multiple shades of talent, packaged in iconic style & pizzazz.

he World Beyond Chris Sure, there’s the ongoing media fascination over her relationship with Chris Brown, but that’s counterbalanced by her Grammywinning singing career, her new fashion collection with British retailer River Island and, now, a new, groundbreaking deal with MAC Cosmetics. It is understandable, of course, why the media is always fighting for a piece of her. “Privately, yeah, it’s a pain in the ass, but at the same time they help me to get my message across. My creativity — I’ll never let anyone interfere with that — because that’s something I love. & if I’m not doing that, I’m wasting my time.”   The MAC agreement — which Rihanna called “a no-brainer” — will mean more chances for her to get really creative. In an unprecedented deal for both, MAC & Rihanna have collaborated on multiple collections of color cosmetics, set to roll out later this year.  The first product to launch will be RiRi Woo, a lipstick inspired by her favorite MAC red, Ruby Woo. Its release will coincide with Rihanna’s Diamonds Tour concerts on May 4 & 5 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where MAC will open a pop-up shop on the first night to showcase the line.    A Girl Who Doesn’t Blush at the Chance “When you think of makeup, the brand that pops into your mind — for something legit — is MAC,” said the singer, who was dressed in a black, strappy, curve-hugging dress of her own design & matching Manolo Blahnik heels during an exclusive interview with WWD. “Whatever color you want, it’s like ‘Let’s go to MAC.’ I’ve been using MAC on tour for such a long time it was a natural fit for me. I have always loved makeup, & I always said that if I do it, I want to do it with a credible brand.”   Rihanna argues that creating makeup is no different from making songs — or clothing, for that matter. “Being creative is something that I love, so I can put that into different outlets. Music happens to be the first thing that I gravitated to, & now music opens doors to just so many different opportunities, & they all tie in. My makeup looks, my fashion looks…they help me to express myself as an artist. I think it helps people to understand me or my mood, my story.”  Although MAC has collaborated with myriad brands & celebrities in the past, this is the first time the brand has worked with a famous person for more than just a one-off project. “We always say that MAC likes to go on a date but doesn’t really want to go into a relationship,” said John Demsey, group president of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., MAC’s parent company. “This relationship with Rihanna is a longterm one that involves the development of four distinct color initiatives.”   The Four Seasons of Sexy The four collections, to be known as RiRi [Hearts] MAC, will launch throughout 2013. Rihanna’s name will appear on the packaging, & her signature will be embossed on the RiRi Woo lipstick case, as well as on the bullets of the summer lipsticks, including several of the fall & holiday pieces.  Sold at the Rihanna concerts & online, RiRi Woo will release a follow up summer collection, which will also be sold online. A third will land in brick-

and-mortar stores for fall, & there will be an on-counter holiday collection.    Demsey stressed that the collections did not involve Rihanna slapping her name on generic product. “This was not a front,” he said. “This is a true, organic collaboration based on mutual admiration & respect.These four collections are like four tracks on a Rihanna compilation. Each one has its own vibe, look, special makeup packaging & flavor.This is really the convergence of pop culture, fast fashion, & iconic style & makeup,” he said, adding that he had been closely following the singer — with an eye to a potential deal — since she released her first single in 2005. “She’s a star.The world follows her look — how she wears her hair, her nails, her clothing, how she styles herself.”    A Girl’s Girl Seemingly everything Rihanna does makes news on an almost-daily basis — including her on-again, off-again relationship with Brown, her allegedly abusive boyfriend. When asked if that coverage was a potential downside for MAC, Demsey didn’t skip a beat.  “She’s a grown woman, & whatever makes her happy makes us happy. Life’s complicated. Far be it for us to judge,” he said.  Rihanna loved working on the collections — & even got her girlfriends involved. MAC gave her free rein with regard to packaging & colors, makeup textures & finishes.   “I really got to play,” Rihanna said. “There’s so much to choose from, & you can mix different textures with different colors & different greens in different eye shadows. I learned so much about the detail of makeup & what makes things look different. What makes it apply different is really important. Every little detail is important. One of the biggest surprises was seeing the result. “The package that we designed & the product that we created, to see it sitting there in your hand was kind of scary. It was like, ‘This cannot be real.” Truly Woo-nderful Creating RiRi Woo was a particular challenge, as she continues, “Working with MAC, it’s difficult to get a red lipstick that beats Ruby Woo, because it works on every skin tone. I had so many different samples to choose from & so many different colors underneath — blue, yellow, orange & pink bases. & I got to pick one that worked, & I tried it on all my friends to make sure it worked on all of our skin tones.”      “When it comes to creating things, I like to get my hands in there,” Rihanna emphasizes with the same excitement she has regarding her new collaboration; a 120-piece spring fashion collection with the British high-street retailer River Island, featuring sexy crop tops, hooded jumpsuits & high-slit skirts to be sold through the retailer. Well, Rihanna must be doing something right—and the last thing she sounds like she needs is any Umbrella.

Beautiful People

There’s Samsung about

EddyCherfane CEO at AC Holding S.A.L. Chinese Zodiac: Monkey Horoscope: Gemini

You’d think, being the CEO of Cherfane, Tawil &Co., Distributors of Samsung Electronics in Lebanon, Eddy Cherfane would be a bit pompous, perhaps more in your face—so when FLAIR was waiting in the Samsung boardroom to interview him, we expected a man to walk in with a big ado attitude. Instead, a guy with clever eyes & a modest demeanor enters the room (modesty, mind you, to the point where even Eddie doesn’t seem to be aware of his own cleverness), and… well, you have to read on to find out. 32

ou love what you do because…? I’m passionate about it—the brand itself is very sexy, the innovation in particular. We’re always coming out with new products that drive the passion for what I do even more. I love when I know a new device is coming out in a few months, & thinking about ways to get people excited about it, how to make it relevant to their lives.

The greatest challenge in life is…? Finding a balance—between life & work. You spend more time in the office than you do at home, which means work is really where you live. It’s a constant challenge, especially that work never finishes. I’ve recently started to turn off my work phone when I am spending time with my family. But finding the balance between life & work, that is something that isn’t easy.

Why Samsung? Because of the technology portfolio—we’re the biggest product leaders in regards to many technology categories.

Business philosophy you live by summarized in the title of a book, movie or song. “Defeat teaches better than victory”—it’s not a book, or movie or song, but it’s a motto I really find true.

What is Flair? To me, it’s the ability to see beyond your nose—this talent to be two steps ahead of everyone else… anything you do, whether work or your personal life. What qualifies a woman to have Flair? She’s stylish, she’s smart, she’s well mannered, but in a distinct way—a distinction that makes her different, stand out. Whatever she does, it isn’t just like everyone else. A woman with distinction definitely has Flair. Electronics are sexy because… They are always developing—there’s always something new out there, so it really keeps you on your toes. You never get bored with any technology or device; you constantly are challenged to remain head to head with the developments & really absorb them.

If you take over the world the first thing you will do is…? To be honest, I wouldn’t want to take over the world—the world is a very unfair place; to make it right is not an easy job. In fact, if anything, it is a responsibility, not a privilege, having such power. I cannot claim to have the tools to bring fairness to the world, & so I cannot claim to really be the man for the job. What is the one electronic device that really is sexy to see a woman using? Our Galaxy Note 2—it brings out creativity in people—especially in a woman.You can take a picture & then use the pen to draw, design & create. That’s sexy. Your famous last words will be…? Life is my college, may I graduate well & earn some honors.

Beautiful People

Karen Fatte

Managing Partner at Natuzzi lebanon Chinese Zodiac: Tiger Horoscope: Aquarius

hat makes Karen, Karen? Enthusiasm & passion for the things that I like to do & believe in

Why Natuzzi? My husband has been the agent of Natuzzi in the Middle East for more than 15 years. I have followed closely the development of the Natuzzi brand over the years and, like my husband, I became passionate about it. What is Flair? The ability & intuition to be able to tell right from wrong & beautiful from plain.

What qualifies a woman to have Flair? Her attitude, sureness about herself, & the impression she gives to other. You were born to… Do the things I believe in, & try to make a difference You want to be remembered for… Trying hard & doing my best, whether taking care of my family & the people I love or working hard to achieve my goals,. Life philosophy you live by summarized in the title of a book, movie or song. Nothing comes from nothing Your greatest strength is…? Perseverance Your greatest weakness is…? Apprehension Your famous last words will be…? I told you so!

Opera sofa

Benvenuti a casa.

Find out about the new Opera model at www.natuzzi.com

DOWNTOWN BEIRUT - Foch Residence Bldg - Chafic Wazzan avenue - Marfaa - Tel 01 986 987

Beautiful People

Arthur Vicomte CEO of Vicomte A. Chinese Zodiac: The Dog Horoscope:Aries

here are many Arthurs but I’m THE Arthur because…? Ahahah. Because I am the only Vicomte ;)

Why Vicomte A? Because I come from an old French Family from which I inherited the title. There are very few Vicomte’s in France, it’s a rare title. This rareness & this subtleness feed our the identity of Vicomte A as an exclusive brand. We are aiming at targeting an elite but to offer an exclusive elegant to people who stand from the crowd. What is Flair? It is result of the unique combination of energy, creativity, inspiration & individual vision which we channel through Vicomte A to create unparalleled product. Vicomte A possesses an intuitive Parisian Flair, combined with a youthful effervescent spirit, unwavering attention to detail & love of life which combines to produce unique, European chic apparel for like minded people throughout the World. We are always thinking many steps ahead of the game to ensure the brand is always full of surprises – Vicomte A could never be dull! What qualifies a woman to have Flair? Energy, confidence & vibrence. Passion is everything because… Without it you are nothing My passion is my job which is why I give 200% to everything I do at all times. Passion gives you energy, motivation & relentless drive which produces results. Who is your alter ego? My brother Marci who also works for Vicomte A in Paris. He is extremely sharp works more on the corporate side of the company so we balance each other perfectly. Fashion philosophy you live by summarised in the title of a book, movie or song. Book & Film : The great Gasby Song : Happy (C2C) You want to go down in history for…? As the brand that brought color & elegance to men fashion The one thing no one knows about you is…? That I am a very shy person, its very hard for me to give an interview it requires a lot of effort from me. I am far more comfortable in my office with my team or in the countryside where I grew up in Burgundy.

M ea ser ve d

all

Beautiful People

Gaston Hochar CEO at Chateau Musar Chinese Zodiac: Horse of fire Horoscope:Leo

ou love what you do because…? Wine is a very true & authentic representation of what life can offer. It is only available through life, ie the fermentation of grape juice into wine by Yeast. And when you let life do its work for years & years without abusing technology, you feel the results in the wine & specially in older vintages where life expresses itself.

Why Musar? Musar is a French adaptation of the name of the original place where the wines were produced in the middle of the XXth century, from the 1930’s till the mid 50’s. I joined the family business in 1994 because wine stories are always a reflection of family cultural heritage. What is Luxury? Luxury is something some can afford & others cannot. It gives a sense of satisfaction & a sense of emptiness. Satisfaction for what you can afford & emptiness because you realize that you would like to buy things more luxurious that you cannot afford. It’s meaning stretches out & is end ess. It has infinite levels depending on each person. & when you finally think you have it, it slips away as you want & need more of it. Wine is sexy because… it has legs & tears, a body & a soul. It can be delicate & elegant, fine & structured, complex & vibrantly dynamic... All those characteristics & many others are linked to our senses & impressions, which makes you decide if something/ someone is sexy. Wine is sexy because it removes your inhibitions & allows more personalized contacts between human beings. The greatest challenge in life is…? Life itself. Define the qualities of a perfect woman A perfect woman in absolute terms has all the qualities of the world with none of the defaults. However, you are asking a (not perfect) human being to give you the qualities of a perfect woman, the answer will therefore not be perfect & she should be : naturally feminin, discerning & have a sense of humor. If you take over the world the first thing you will do is…? Bring more humanity to the system we live in. What character would you best describe a woman who drinks a white, rose or red wine? white is delicate, rose is trendy & red is powerful. What is your favorite inspiration? Life & Nature. It says it all, has it all, & shows you all the possible ways. Your famous last words will be…? Not Famous.

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Beautiful People

Richard NeilIrwin Martini Brand Ambassador Chinese Zodiac: Earth horse Horoscope: Virgo

hat makes Richard, Richard? I naturally like to be part of a group, to communicate, to meet & understand new cultures & belong to a group… I’m a people’s person, team player.

What is Flair? Flair is everything that wows consumers/ Jerrey Thomas used to dazzle people by flairing, spinning bottles & presenting his drinks. This is where the first flair was originated for me… flair is the dazzling effect to give people a smile and positive attitude. Why Martini? Italian, classy, chic, it’s a lifestyle drink that represents the fine moments of life. What qualifies a woman to have a Martini? The Martini woman is sexy, seductive, she knows what she wants & knows how to leave an impression. She’s like a Martini glass—really sleek. Her personality is like a Martini—smooth, subtle. Unlike a Martini though, she’s not easily shaken or stirred. Why are drinks sexy? Drinks are sexy because they are well presented, the glass shape has a meaning, the color, the mix, to finally come up with a drink that sexy to look at, sexy to the extent that you almost don’t want to drink it & spoil its visual beauty. The greatest challenge in life is…? Balance, even the perfect drink needs a balance of ingredients... the challenge is to hit that balance. Your greatest weakness? Beautiful women Your greatest strength? Beautiful women What is the one drink that really represents Seduction & why? Martini Royale… it is served in a huge round glass so the person who is drinking it would feel the bonding experience with the drink. Your famous last words will be…? Smile everyday at least once to someone.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave a piece of jewelry at his house so you can go back & get it later; he may be with his real girlfriend. Amy SedarisÂ

The Look of Bling

form &

FUNCTION The Sum of All Angles

You don’t have to be Pythagoras to appreciate Hillary Park’s designs—in fact, better off to leave the axioms & theorem of their symmetrical precision to her, since she does have a degree in theoretical mathematics. But if anything, it goes to show a beautiful mind isn’t just tangible, but wearable.

+ B = C-reative

She makes what she likes, & others seem to like what she makes. Hilary’s designs are meant to be timeless pieces constructed from the finest materials that will last a lifetime. The perpetual appeal of her work is evidenced by the fact that some of her earliest designs remain very popular today. Working almost exclusively in gold & silver, her pieces are inspired by her interests in sacred geometry, astrology, stones, & architecture. Her work is partially an influence of her travels to India, Mexico & Africa; pieces such as her Masai warrior earrings & Lakshmi pendant are a nod to her global treks & exposure.

The Madness to Her Method Hilary creates pieces as the inspiration comes to her: she does not design with collections in mind, but instead constantly creates new pieces as ideas strike. She might create an entire pendant to showcase a particularly special stone, or a pair of earrings that embody a certain quality or message she wants to project. One of her favorite pieces, the winding path cuff, was inspired by absent minded doodling & reflection upon the interconnectedness of life.

With a store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, & a thriving parallel business as an astrologer, Hilary has found success in her second career. This has not stopped her from continuing to devote mental & physical energy to imagining & executing her unique designs. All of her work is handmade in New York, with the majority produced personally by her. Guess Hillary is quite luckyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;after all, how many people can claim to see the future through a crystal ball they designed too.

The Look of Bling

One Gem of a Woman She has everything of a mischievous heroine in a boudoir, with a doll’s face & her hair, cut with a cheeky fringe; Lydia Courteille is a Parisian fairy tale reknown for her cabinet of curiosities where she pulls the string’s the portrait introduction quoted from her website says it all. She is not a jewelry designer, she is a woman that inspires bejeweled & bedazzled stories. Lydia Courteille’s pieces are original & magical as is the woman herself. www.lydiacourteille.com

Green garnet & tourmaline Paraiba “Crocodile” ring “Maracaibo” collection

Rubies, black & white diamond “Scorpio” ring 13th Sign collection

Fire opal, sapphires, diamonds & green garnet & rubies ring Green garnet & tourmaline Paraiba & champagne diamond “Crocodile & Snake” bracelet “Maracaibo” collection

Xochimilco Garden collection

LookÂ for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress. Coco Chanel

The Look on the Camera Dress by Abed Mahfouz- Spring/Summer 2013, Rosette Collection C1002591 Mouawad Earrings, Diamond White 2.12 CTS Tsavorite 4.31 CTS R1003579 Mouawad Ring, Diamond White 1.82 CTS Tsavorite 0.79 CTS

Dress by Abed Mahfouz- Spring/ Summer 2013 C1006470 Mouawad Earrings, White Gold, Diamond White 6.09 R1010837 Mouawad ring, White Gold Diamond White 1.86 CTS and Black Diamond 5.03 CTS

The Look on the Camera Dress by Abed Mahfouz- Spring/Summer 2013 R1011223 Mouawad Ring, White Gold, Diamond White 3.2 CTS.

The Look on the Camera Dress by Abed Mahfouz- Spring/Summer 2013 C1007862 Mouawad Earrings, White Gold Diamond 1.94 CTS and Brown Diamond 3.65 CTS R1012763 Mouawad Ring, White Gold, Diamond 3.93 CTS and Brown Diamond 3.16 CTS

The Look on the Camera Dress by Abed Mahfouz- Spring/Summer 2013 Lava collection R4000529 Mouawad Ring, Red Gold, Diamond White 2.01 CTS, Black Diamond 1.8CTS and Citrine 48.28 CTS.

Dress by Abed Mahfouz- Spring/Summer 2013 Lava collection R4000529 Mouawad Ring, Red Gold, Diamond White 2.01 CTS, Black Diamond 1.8CTS and Citrine 48.28 CTS.

The Look on the Runway

Ralph Lauren There’s an old song that comes to mind with Ralph Lauren’s latest collection—‘I Could Never be Your Woman.’ The designs—eliciting the force of the female, command an energy & strength that reigns sheer power few men are able to absorb, let alone be in the presence of. Wearing them, the runway isn’t limited to the fashion show—it precedes women wherever they go. 58

The Look on the Camera

Mango... Fabulously Delish! Romance isn’t just in the air—it’s on women everywhere this summer. Mango’s latest collection, filled with subtle nuances of abso-fabulosity, is truly a celebration of the feminine chic, in all its glory. From linens to silks, silhouettes to flawlessly flowing, this year, it’s simple but striking—and with a force that only a goddess could muster up. 60

The Look on the Camera

Edward Achour We Achour You That This Truly is Fashion

It is possible that not even a woman knows her own body like Edward Achour. Maestro of draping, no one can create women’s couture that embraces her, literally, as well as Achour can. & just when you think he’s perfected the art of the science of design, he tops himself off. This summer, ladies, he’s done it again. 62

The Look on the Camera

The Value’s Clearly Gone Up at the

No matter how old he gets, Giorgio will remain forever young—which reflects in a once again impressive, fresh & youthful collection. Vibrant, colorful & durable, for once, we don’t have to trade comfort for fashion. This year, you can camp & glam all in the same breath.

The Look on the Camera

Rani Zakhem Goes Everywear!

Some pages you’d want to read. This page you’d want to wear! Satisfying the demand of what when and where to wear it, Rani Zakhem’s latest collection is versatile enough to go everywear! The fall collection is here with colors, shapes and the right crops that will leave you obsessed on which nail color and hairstyle to wear with it! 66

The Look on the Camera

Sandra,Oh!

Starting her studies in Business Management, Swiss born designer, Sandra Mansour, continued Beaux Arts in Geneva. It changed her life. As she puts it, “I found myself in a world of beauty, where everyone was speaking the same language. The language of Art.” Following her passion as well as her Lebanese heritage, Sandra came to Lebanon, working side by side with Elie Saab. Armed with such an apprenticeship, she finished her Masters in Fashion Design at the Instituto Maragoni in Paris. A year later, with her own couture line headquartered out of Beirut, Sandra’s dream ‘seams’ to be coming together. 68

The Look on the Camera

StarsWearing Givenchy When you are the best, you wear the best. Hollywood’s bold & beautiful are in love & inside all that is Givenchy. But, darling, Givenchy isn’t worn by the stars—the stars are worn by Givenchy. 70

The Look on her Skin

Ole!Ole! ForOleo Lancome, the skincare brand renowned for its scientific expertise, introduces its Oleo-Regeneration, which harnesses the power of precious oils to regenerate the skin’s potential. Essential Citrus oil & voluptuous Camellia oil are allied within a new generation of oleotextures to restore skin’s substance to a denser quality. Day after day, it feels comfortable, elastic & re-plumped. Shimmering like liquid gold, the unique texture wraps the skin with lightweight, yet vanishing and radiant sensation.

VivaRenergie Reviva! INSPIRED BY THE LATEST AESTHETIC REVITALIZATION TECHNIQUES, used for visible results on skin tightening, firmness & radiance, Lancôme presents New RÉNERGIE REVIVA-PLASMA, the 1st revitalizing concentrate with a reverse-emulsion formula with millions of active droplets, a dipeptide technology. The results are quite impressive too-- of the women who tried, 78% said their skin seemed more rested after one application per day. 94% said their skin looked revitalized, while 87% believe that their facial contours appear more defined. If you really want great results, use Rénergie Reviva-Plasma before the Rénergie Multi-Lift Day & Rénergie Multi-Lift Night creams. 72

There’s lost of things you pull out lipstick for. L’Wren Scott

The Look on her Skin

QuelVisionnaire Extraordinaire! Continuing for its quest to provide women with permanently “perfect skin”, Lancôme launches Teint Visionnaire, the first high-tech make-up duo that pushes the concept of perfect skin to an entirely different level; prodiving the alliance of a targeted high-coverage corrector enriched with vitamin CG & a perfecting foundation with a concentration of [LR 2412], exclusively patented under Lancome. For the first time, women no longer have to choose between ultra-perfection & a natural looking result-with Teint Visionnaire, a reconciliation has been reached between perfect coverage, a natural finish & skincare efficacy. 74

The Look on her Skin

Cacharel, Catch meâ&#x20AC;Ś Unfurls around orange blossom. It seemed like an obvious choice to represent this new game of seduction. Its creamy & sensual facet, accentuated it with a delicious almond milk accord. Its fresher, teasing & sparkling facet is emphasized by petitgrain & mandarin notes. Amber woods heighten desire with warm, enveloping notes. The result is mouthwatering pleasure: light & addictive, innocent & carnal, refreshing & sensual. This perfectly recalls this idea of playfulness.

Diesel got the dose right! Diesel Loverdose allegedly possesses molecules that stimulate hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for attraction and lust. The very composition is floral â&#x20AC;&#x201C; spicy, opening with star anise and mandarin. Sambac jasmine, licorice and gardenia petals form the core of the composition, placed on an oriental base of amber, vanilla and woody notes. The bottle is symbolically designed to resemble a heart â&#x20AC;&#x201C; shaped diamond pierced by an arrow, colored in intense shades of purple.

Ralph Lauren Live Life In Color!

Contemporary life is an exciting, colorful multi-dimensional adventure for a confident young woman. She can no longer be defined by a single aspect of her life. Ralph Lauren celebrates her many facets & accomplishments with The Big Pony Collection for Women, a series of four fragrances embracing dynamic femininity. A new generation of women is leading the way & they now have a fragrance collection to call their own. 76

Before I die I wanna taste everyone in the world. Angelina Jolie

Inhale, Sexhale

He Wears, She Wears... The statement it makes. The identity it creates. The empowerment it brings.

Fashion is each personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship with the world at large. Alas, ladies & gentlemen, though fashion is a relationship, it is also very much like a relationship. The ABCs of fashion are the ABCs of romanceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;inclusive, of course, of the attraction, chemistry & sexual connection that come with such Casablanca Bergman-Bogart fireworks.

Good Material

If you consider yourself someone who only wears the best, then don’t even consider trying on something far from it. You wouldn’t wear knock off cashmere—obviously because, first, it would be incredibly itchy & drive you up the wall, & second, it will come unraveled quickly. If you’re a cashmere girl, why would you settle for an acrylic guy? A) He’s easily accessible because he’s cheap & B) because he’s cheap, he’s not going to last, darling. If you want a cashmere man, then keep your eyes open for one; when he becomes a good bargain, pounce on the opportunity & own him like a new sweater. Matching—material matching seems easy enough, but very few actually master it. Would you wear leather on leather? Unless your name is Dominique Tress, highly unlikely—if you are leather, if you are sleek, sexy & in your face bold, don’t pair up with a leather guy. Get a cotton one. & if he’s a good grade cotton, he won’t shrink.

Flattery Will Get You Everywhere

Bodies come in different shapes & styles; the truly fashionable don’t just wear what’s in, they wear what flatters them. The choice in men you make is no different—if you’re a stiletto chic, don’t expect a training suit guy to flatter you by any means. One look in the mirror, you can see it isn’t working—and no matter how bad ass you are, there are certain styles that don’t go together, come what may. If you insist to fool yourself, nonetheless, you can’t fool people. Just like a party will stop & gasp, whisper & gossip, if you make an entrance in stilettos & a training suit, they’ll do the same with a guy that clearly doesn’t flatter you. And it’s no difference when donning stretch pants. If you’ve got a big booty, you don’t go around wearing pants that can’t hold in that booty & accentuate its shape. Big booties should be flaunted, not daunted. Similarly big booty personalities need men that can support them—a man that’s confident is going to be able to make you look good, without making you feel bad.

Tailor Made versus Ready-to-Wear

You might get away with one-size-fits-all if you’re buying a t-shirt, but when you are serious about making an impression, getting the job or walking the red carpet, you’ll do whatever it takes to have couture that is made just for you. Date a t-shirt, but don’t marry one. As long as you are honest enough with yourself to know the difference, you’ll be wise enough not to contemplate going to a VIP event in a shirt that drowns out who you really are. Same goes for a suit that lasts—off the rack, a suit is great to wear to one job interview or a spontaneous client meeting. But in establishing your rank in the business world, the executives have suits made to fit, as they wouldn’t ever compromise to fit themselves into a ready-made suit. Honey, if you buy a ready made man, don’t blame him for how he’s been tailored… blame yourself for not looking closely at the stitching before buying into him.

And For You Men… Boxers versus Briefs

That whole argument—you know, ‘boxers versus briefs’. Boxers allow you to breathe, while briefs suffocate. As simple & predictable as men are though, God bless them, most always end up chasing a woman who’s a brief & then wonder why she’s smothering them. It’s not rocket science—it’s pretty straightforward. The reason is because she’s a brief! Boxers are healthier for a reason. They’re relaxed. Find yourself a good boxer woman— someone who’s easy-breezy, gives you room to move, but still knows how to contain you. While a woman who’s a brief will eventually cause you to lose all your boys, a boxer woman is smart enough to know you need them around & that it is okay to hang out with them. She won’t be threatened by it. Above all, the single biggest advantage of a boxer woman is this: she grabs you & hugs you only around the waste. Think about it—when a woman’s scorned, do you really want to be with one who’s a brief knowing that, literally, she has you by the balls?

Inhale, Sexhale

Oh Ye, Men… Get Your A-Class On You men seem lost. Yeah, yeah… you hide it behind your big bad boy personas… you deflect it through a silence that gives the façade of sexy and strong; but deep down when it comes to women, you guys wish Google made a map to understanding what they want. So, here goes—and the analogy, one to which most men can relate. Cars. That’s right, gentlemen. A woman wants the same things out of a man that a man wants out of his car. Once you understand that, you’ll understand the logic and emotion of what women want when it comes to you boys. 80

Engineered to Move her

The primary function of any car is to move you. Of course, different cars have different capabilities in moving you. Some are too big to take you through the city; some are ill equipped to travel rocky terrain; some don’t have enough energy to go the distance. All of this is based on the engineering—the drive of a car. When it comes to the engineering of men, women want a man with drive. Just like a greatly engineered car drives you, a greatly engineered man drives a woman. What are the elements of a well-engineered man? Confidence in knowing of your capabilities and limits, ambition in having the passion to run after what you want and will, which is the horsepower of your determination. If you’ve got those, you can move her—or any woman for that matter. Remember, just like you wouldn’t buy into a car that looks hot but isn’t well engineered, a woman won’t buy into a man who is attractive but doesn’t have the attitude to match from within… even if he is Clooney’s better-looking clone.

The Little Engine That Could

Some men are naturally aspirated, and can breathe on their own, and some require boost. In either case, they should have enough charge for to ignite and maintain the flame of passion in the relationship without burning out, or choking. A well-modulated man does so efficiently, without contaminating the relationship. A little bit of turbulence can propagate the flame of passion, but too much will quench that flame.

Women Love a Good Chassis

After the engine, the chassis is the most integral component of any car. Not only is it the canvas onto which all of the vehicle’s parts are attached, but it also provides invaluable structural integrity—in other words, it prevents the car from collapsing onto itself under large amounts of strain. In a man’s case, that chassis is his patience. Patience is the suspension bushings to absorb high frequency annoyances without being easily rattled. As such, a good chassis design deals with directional stability. It is highly maneuverable, with a good balance between comfort and handling. But a car with over-steer can spin out the chassis. Same goes with a man—too much over-steer or control can spin out the relationship with a woman. You need to provide her with comfort and be able to handle her.

Where Happiness Lies: The Collision Avoidance System

What keeps a woman happy? The Collision Avoidance System. Men, by using your eyes and ears, you do get quite a few forward collision warning signals, such as a change in her posture, her body language and tone of voice. If you really know her and can gauge her, this should be pretty easy, and you’ll successfully avoid a severe and relationship-threatening collision.

How Advanced is Your Infotainment System

A car’s Infotainment System—from attention assist to communication, information, entertainment, alerts and personalization—basically, it listens and can respond to what you really want. Same goes with women—if you’re a man that is attentive, entertaining, alert and understands each woman’s needs, via listening rather than assuming, you’re golden. Women love attention. Women love communication. Just like you, they want to be entertained and they want to feel, not that you’re around, but that you are present. Being with them, to most men, doesn’t mean being with them, to all women. Personalization is exactly what presence entails.

The World’s Best Man as a Car

If you still don’t get it—let us put it this way; when you buy a car, you’re looking for a rocking body with wicked performance. It’s got to have the engineering, the chassis, an innovative and clever Infotainment System, as well as Attention Assist that has your back. Will you buy it even if it is expensive? Yes. Why? Because what you will get out of it is worth it, so you’ll sacrifice something else to get it—without having to sell your soul. In the end, you’ve got a sexy looking car that’s strong, powerful and well balanced from within. As a man, that’s who you want to be to a woman. A crazy analogy? Maybe. But hey—in giving the above a shot, the worst that could happen is that your little black book becomes a lot fatter.

Passport

Destination: Marmaris

On the Map: Southwest Turkey, along the Turkish Riviera Claim to Fame: Healing waters that iron out wrinkles & attack cellulite Perks: Extravagant nightlife, numerous clubs & bars stretching along the

coast from the

elegant marina to Icmeler’s curve of sand & shingle beach.

Celebrity Travelers: Steven Spielberg, Spain’s Prince Felipe & Princess Letizia, Albanian President Bamir Topi

Go if… you’re a big group of friends looking for a little R&R with intermittent party time. Pack… casual, light & cute. Be bronzed by the sun at… the Club Turban, offering private beaches, high class cuisine & sumptuous spas.

Be an insomniac and… stroll through twisting streets in the older Kaleici district, followed by an open air concert at the amphitheater. The real haute cuisine is found around the Marina. If you don’t want to party hard, slide on down to an intimate jazz club or cocktail bar – it’s all going on until about 4am.

Destination: Mykonos

On the Map: Greek Islands, in the heart of Cyclades Claim to Fame: Contrast between the beauty of natural Zen & hedonistic glamour. Perks:Ferry ride away from Piaeus, Thessaloniki, Crete, Rhodes, Kos & all the major Cyclades islands.

Celebrity Travelers: Kim Kardashian, Bruce Willis, Anthony Bourdain Go if… you are single or are looking to give your significant other a quick & solid reason to break up with you

Pack… a bathing suit. If you end up wearing that, you aren’t utilizing the full potential of a Mykonos vacation.

Be seen at… the Skandinavian Bar, in the heart of Mykonos town, where famous DJ concoct an energetic & exciting atmosphere of the best dance music around.

Bar hop on to… the Cavo Paradiso, one of the more infamous clubs where the chic & chicer go to boogie while enjoying the backdrop of the Aegean sea.

Recover the following day at… the Queen of Mykonos Champagne & Cocktail Bar, where

anyone who’s anyone goes to be seen in town. Sit on the terrace with a coffee & watch the world go by. Break your promise to yourself to not repeat last night’s mistake & take off to… the Caprice Bar, named by Newsweek as one of the 10 best bars in the world.

Destination: Marbella

On the Map: Costa del Sol, between Malaga & the Gibraltar Strait Claim to Fame: Spain’s answer to St Tropez Perks: Easier to count non-perks, as EVERYTHING Marbella is fabulous. Must sees include the especially fabulous village of Mijas.

Celebrity Travelers: David Beckham, Samuel L. Jackson, George Clooney owns property Go if… you are fabulous, gorgeous & gravity’s still working with you, not against you Pack… like you are going to be walking a fashion week runway 24/7 Rub shoulders with the beautiful people… at the Sisu Boutique Hotel & Day Club. Lay

back with a cocktail at one of Sisu’s exclusive pool parties or chill out in a roof terrace cabana. Shine like a celebrity and… go to the must-see venues in Puerto Banus, Pangea, a sky bar nightclub, & Tibu Banus, a beyond wow open terrace, both of which are where haute personalities go to get down until 7am.

It is better to travel well than to arrive. Buddha

SilverScreen

Red 2

Retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. But if that’s not good enough of a plot to be a reason to go see it, here are 5 really good reasons nonetheless-- Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Helen Mirren & Anthony Hopkins.

Love Bite

School is over & summer has begun in the dead-end seaside town of Rainmouth. Jamie’s friends, looking for a means to live by day, working in the local pie factory, look for sex by night. Jamie is bored out of his mind, running his pot-head mother’s B&B. But when he meets beautiful, smart & sexy American traveler Juliana at a party, he’s smitten. Soon after Juliana’s arrival, strange things start happening. One of the local teens goes missing at a party. Then, another. Jamie is warned that a werewolf is in town & preying solely on virgin flesh. Ergo, the only way to be safe is to lose your virginity. Pretty soon, everyone is dying to get laid.

Elysrium

Set in the year 2159, where plastic surgery has advanced to stop the aging process, Elysium is about a very wealthy gent living on a man-made space station, while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth;only one man on one mission could bring equality to the polarized worlds.

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Design is not for philosophy, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for life. Issey Miyake

Design

When Modernism & Historicism Unite

Waldo Works revamps Smythsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flagship Store Waldo Works, the London-based architectural design studio, renowned for its innovative, bold, & inventive designs, once again epitomized elegance, & creativity through its redesigning of the iconic Smythson Flagship store in London. British to the core, the flagship store is a true manifestation of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage. The architecture & furniture choices reflect the synergy of moderns & historicism, both of which underline the Smythson identity.

Waldo Works approached this design with one thing in mind: to infuse the current architecture with a modern twist. In collaboration with the board of directors, the concept pays homage to the great houses of London, which got lost in the war, & is thus constructed as a series of private rooms. Keeping the architectural shell monochromatic, the blocks of colorâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;thanks to the productsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;are dramatically emphasized, while ensuring that the original architecture by Raymond Erith is preserved.

Design

With respect to design, visitors enter the store through the Grand Gallery, with its ornate ceiling & traditional materials, ensuring a sense of depth & permanence. As an evident juxtaposition to the historic shell, Waldo Works inserted highly engineered lighting, modern minimalist cabinets, as well as unusually proportioned–yet elegant–tables in Nile blue & brass. As for the Library, its white panels are kept in line with Erith’s architecture. Moving on to the domed Handbag Room. Painted in six shades of white, it is based on Sir John Soane’s breakfast room, & provides a library of handbags. The Smythson’s exotic purses & handbags sit atop a five-meter-high nickel shelving that curves around the walls. Home to the stationary collection is the Personalization Studio. With its Nile blue papered walls, which truly create a parlor-like setting, it is furnished with spiderback chairs & a 1930s ebony frame velvet sofa, along with a Kinetic sculpture by Daniel Chadwick, which hangs down from the ceiling. This room houses all the historic examples of the brand’s stationary. 90

The Travel Hall is painted in pale blue to reflect the Featherweight paper found in Smythson notebooks & diaries, while also displaying a wide range of accessories & luggage. Painted in ink blue–reminiscent of a murky London sky–is the Home Collection Room. Its study-like feel is brought to life through Waldo Works’ choices of furniture, among which are an antique desk, leather-bound candleholders, as well as cabinets with marble shelves.

Design

And Seal It with a Kiss Christian Lacroix’s Illustrated Stationary If you are going to leave your significant other via a note on the night table, at least have the style to do it on Lacroix Papier. That’s right—the oh-so-ever fab French designer has transcribed (pun intended) his fabulousness to stationary. From poshly printed notebooks to gift card sets Lacroix is…bringing poetry back. For this very reason, one must also give a big ‘chapeaux’ to Libretto, the company that, since 1997 has brought such stationary designs from Kate Spade, the Ney York Times, Lotta Jansdotter & now, Lacroix.

Contemporary Art de Vivre The definition of eclectic & contemporary, the newly renovated Compagnie Française de l’Orient et de la Chine (CFOC) concept store in Paris is a true shopper’s paradise. Located on Boulevard Haussman in Paris, the CFOC is an acronym suited to travel & wealth of craftsmanship from Asia, the Orient, & everywhere in between. Recently renovated–and revamped–by François Schmidt & Sarah Lavoine, the two interior designers truly excelled in creating the two-level innovative concept store.

According to Lavoine, the duo worked “from Japaneseinspired mood boards,” opting for natural woods & light hues to bring the brand–along with its travel, savoir-fair & craftsmanship connotations–back to life. Founded in 1989 by Laurent Dumas, “the CFOC was literally a sleeping beauty […] an institution that just needed to be reawakened,” according to Schmidt. 94

With respect to the interior designing of the space, he adds, “we put the accent on pureness, on a Japanese nuance rather than on a Chinese one, based on highly-sophisticated yet raw materials.” In the words of Dumas, the goal was to create & design “a concept store that will promote art de vivre, the art of living, in the broad sense.” He further adds, “for the CFOC, this means preserving a savoirfaire that is rare or that is on the verge of disappearing by incorporating it into contemporary art de vivre,” allowing consumers to discover affordable luxury, & establishing the latter in major cities. In order to promote this slowly diminishing concept, the premises, as well as the packaging & representation had to be revamped, in order to shed light on the uniqueness & beauty of the “savoir-faire.”

With natural hues, authentic materials, & unique embroidery lying at the essence of the CFOC’s latest collection, the concept store boasts an impressive collection of refined linens, tableware, decorative items & furniture. With lots of wooden furniture–designed & created by Asian & European furniture designers, lacquered timeless pieces with a contemporary twist, blown glass items, ceramic vases, & elegantly simple tableware with cherry blossom motifs & Zen lines, the true savoir-faire feel, laced with contemporary art de vivre, truly comes to life on the Boulevard Haussman.

Design

Out Trumping Any Place Else Trump Tower Punta del Este If you truly are of the rich & famous, then you reside or at least have a second or third home in one of Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projects. While Punta del Este, Uruguay, might be a new name for some, insiders know that this beach resort is where the money & power of Latin America congregate for explosive nights of partying & languid days of seaside relaxation. This town has its fair share of luxury hotels & residences but, the elite of Punta del Este will call the $100 million seafront Trump Towers their home. By Kate Dannies Renderings Credits: YY Development Group/Craft CG Destination Images Credit: Federico Pallas & Jimmy Baikovicius

Even the Girl from Impanema It is quite possible that the lady’s left the Brazil & the song to go where the glam & fab are flocking. Punta del Este, nestled on Uruguay’s southern coast across the bay from Argentina, known as the “Hamptons of South America”, is where the better-to-do business tycoons & celebrities make their second home, including Shakira. The chic vagabonds, who just visit, are everyone from A-list stars from Ricky Martin to Paris Hilton. Located directly on the Playa Brava beach front, the residence is the only building that offers direct ocean views for all 129 of its private residences spanning 23 floors. The building also includes a 10,000 square foot cascaded heated outdoor pool, two 75-foot pools, two private cinemas, & a climate-controlled indoor tennis court. But that’s not all… Como Se Dice, ‘What’s Your Name Again?’

If you can’t impress your women by remembering their names, bachelors, you should be able to sufficely blow them away with the property’s private pools, sculpture gardens & social areas, which include a cigar lounge & a wine bar. Overlooking the beach & the ocean, residents will have exclusive access to Punta del Este’s hottest sands. The back of the tower features an expansive private pool set with plush private cabanas & gorgeous green landscaping. Residence options range from one-bedroom pieds a terre, for that jetsetting bachelor, to duplex penthouses, for the one big happy family (or perhaps the bachelor who needs to hide the multiple women in his life from one another). But in either case, hopefully by 2016, when the Trump Towers open its doors, digital technology will come up with an application to improve such bachelors’ memories.

Design

Industrial Design Altering the Definition of Beauty

Industrial elements in interior design are currently making headlines. One of the hottest, most sought-after trends in the interior design world, industrial designs are popping up everywhere. Popular for renovated buildings & lofts, it can nevertheless be applied to every other living space. Noteâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;howeverâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;that if you have a rather open space & high ceilings, the design will look its best. All you need to do is to create an illusion of rough & worn-out surfaces, along with materials & accents that hint at an industrial past. 98

If possible, opt for an apartment or house that is yet to be finished. Leaving some walls and/ or surfaces unfinished is key to industrial design, & will only add flair to your space. Consider directly painting over a brick wall, keeping its texture alive. Also add some rough metal elements, think: vintage, railroad, recycled & reused. If your place comes with ceiling beams, why not leave them exposed? The same applies to steel surfaces. In most cases, this trend is very closely linked with minimalism. In other words, do not purchase too many objects, to avoid ending up with a cluttered room. With an industrial-designed room, exposed elements & attention to detail are key, laced with enough space for each item to stand alone.

Think: rough texture. Steel structures, steel columns, concrete, & exposed bricks are vital elements. You do not, however, want to overdo it. So feel free to leave one or two walls exposed, while you paint the others. With respect to the latter, painted walls truly work with large wall art. When it comes to flooring, take a risk & go with polished concrete and/or stone or wood finishes; nothing that looks to shiny.

Design

A Stylish Collaboration

Who, What, Where & Wear

Fashion is about which designer, what collection & the glitterati donning it all, but for the diehard fashionista, it’s also about being where even the furniture is fashion too. Enter Lagerfeld & Cassina, who, for the first time, have brought the world of haute couture & the world of haute interiors together. That’s right, the Zeus of fashion titans, Karl Lagerfeld has once again awed the world with an original photographic series using a selection of furniture from the Cassina collections as his protagonists.Through his lens, the furniture becomes part of his sophisticated style & reveals a striking interpretation of iconic pieces designed by internationally renowned designers & architects, interpreted & created by Cassina. As he is true to his passion for fashion, this series of ‘portraits’ emanate an equally intense passion for the historic & contemporary pieces from the Cassina collections, including Pierre Jeanneret, Franco Albini & Gio Ponti. The photo exhibition, held at Cassina Showroom in Paris from January to March 2013, proved to be a spectacular success—but then again, Lagerfeld has been & will always be the ultimate exhibitionist. Photo credit: Olivier Saillant

Photo credit: Karl Lagerfeld

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Photo credit: Olivier Saillant

Design

DESIGN PIONEERS Demure & Daring

Interior design is a matter of taste, but whether daring or demure, there is no question that some designers, love ‘em or hate ‘em, are true pioneers of style. FLAIR brings you our list of eight designers pursuing new paths in classic & contemporary interior design. Prepare to be seriously inspired.

Kelly Hoppen

You may know her best as Sienna Miller’s ex-stepmother, but Kelly Hoppen is a celebrity in her own right. The South African-born British interior designer is famous for her plush yet classic interiors & for her unrelenting drive to the top. Hoppen landed her first job at just 16, designing a London restaurant. Since then she has gone on to mastermind countless high profile private & corporate design jobs, including the British Airways first 102

class cabin, & launch her own line of soft furnishings. We love the fact that Hoppen keeps in classic while working in new shapes, hues & textures at every opportunity. Her interiors are formal & muted, yet approachable & comfortable, like a favourite modern luxury hotel. We love the way she combines a soft palette of white & beige with black & glass accents in sleek & sophisticated spaces that cater to comfort without overpowering the senses.

Thomas Pheasant

Native Washington DC interior designer Thomas Pheasant’s style is White House-worthy. Conservative & classic, the designer doesn’t take creative chances, but if you look closely, the careful & exquisite eye he brings to each project is apparent. Whether in the selection of the perfect shade of cream, the ultimate chair, or the quintessential light fixture, Pheasant will not rest until each element of a simple room is perfect.

Classic simplicity isn’t as easy as it may seem. While Washington remains the nexus of Pheasant’s career— he designed rooms in the famous Hay Adams Hotel near the White House—he has also undertaken projects in other parts of the USA & around the world. We think his clean & crisp designs are classic & livable & his attention to detail is spot on. If you enjoy Washingtonian reserve look no further—there won’t be any surprises, but all the details will be spot on.

Kit Kemp Kit Kemp knows how to push classic design to a new place, & that’s why we love her work. The British designer is firmly grounded in a classic English country aesthetic, but she pushes it further, combining traditional fabrics with contrasting furniture & accents in rooms that are cheerful & joyous explosions of colour & texture. Intimate & inviting, Kemp’s interiors make us feel right at home in luxury without the pretence. The

designer has made her name in hotel interiors, notably designing Firmdale Hotels in London & New York & London’s Covent Garden Hotel, among many others. She has also lent her magic touch to countless other commercial projects & private homes. We love the way Kemp keeps it formal & classic while adding her own special touch—this is a trick all aspiring designers should keep in mind. 103

Jamie Drake New York design superstar Jamie Drake creates comfortable & classic spaces that exude an appealing offhanded elegance. Over his thirty-year career, Drake has bewitched clients from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to Madonna & many others. Drake’s interiors feature subtle colour blocking set off by carefully chosen modern art. While the modern art & Drake’s strong sense of colour might trick the eye into believing otherwise, the foundation of Drake’s aesthetic is decidedly classic, giving his work a broad appeal. We love the fact that he is not afraid to use vibrant hues on the walls & in the furniture, but that he keeps it under control by directing a design through a particular dominant shade to structure it & keep it approachable & livable.

Zeynep Fadillioglu Best known as the first woman to design a mosque, Zeynep Fadilloglu is the epitome of a daring designer. Istanbul born & bred, Fadilloglu studied design & architecture in London & has completed many world-class projects in Europe, Turkey & the Middle East. Her most famous & controversial work was the interiors for Turkey’s Shakirin Mosque, completed in 2009. The mosque interiors combine modern technique & traditional Islamic art, & Fadilloglu ensured that the women’s section of the space was equal to the men’s in size & splendor. When not designing mosques, Fadilloglu creates daring interiors that combine the best of east & west. Her own home in Istanbul is a testament to the creative power of daring to cross cultural boundaries in design. 104

Karim Rashid International design darling, Cairo-born Rashid has been pushing the envelope ever since he got interested in design. Renowned for his gravity-defying & psychedelic designs, Rashid’s imaginative approach to furniture & interiors has won him serious acclaim worldwide. Rashid channels his expertise in industrial design & art into his interiors. His spaces are highly functional & practical while remaining attractive & appealing. Light effects or instalment pieces accent stark white surfaces, & every single object in a Rashid room serves a specific purpose. In this way, his spaces manage to seem extravagant while actually being minimalistic, an interesting reflection of Rashid’s own philosophy. Always daring to be different, Rashid makes Egypt proud with his cutting edge work & imaginative approach.

Tara Bernerd British socialite Bernerd is known as the domestic goddess of interiors…and with good reason. Bernerd surprises & pleases with interior designs that defy the stereotype of upper class English wealth. With projects such as London’s Raffles private members club & Belgraves London under her belt, not to mention a commission for Trump Tower in New York in progress, Bernerd is a force to be reckoned with. Her interiors are deep: layers of color, texture & objects create & incredible sense of plush comfort & groundedness. Even in the impersonal space of a hotel, Bernerd’s touch makes objects come alive & take on a history & interest that is welcoming & warm. Bernerd is not afraid to boldly juxtapose colour & texture in ways that are unexpectedly incredible. We love that she pushes the limits & comes out on top every time.

Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design darling & interior consultant to the stars, Bullard is a fixture in the Hollywood design scene known for his posh & over the top spaces. He has designed for A-listers from Tamara Mellon & Elton John to Cher & Kid Rock. He pleases his clients time after time by tempering his design edge with just enough traditional comfort to make his spaces approachable & comprehensible to a wide audience. This doesn’t mean they are boring, far from it: Bullard has a gift for packing tons of punch with colour, texture & form, pushing it right to the edge of OTT without actually getting there. We love a man who knows how to live on the edge, & so does everyone else: Bullard’s star is on the up, & we can’t wait to see what happens next. 105

Design

Beautiful

BOKJA

Winged Dark Humour Founded in 2000 by Beirut-based designers Hoda Baroudi & Maria Hibri, Bokja is renowned for its artistic installations & one-of-a-kind pieces that combine shapes, textiles, & embroideries from around the world. With an impressive client list including Christian Louboutin, Julia Roberts, Salma Hayek, Kate Hudson, & many more, it comes as no surprise that the design studio’s unique creations are one of the most sought-after in the world today. Their latest accomplishments include an upcoming Sufi-inspired exhibition, as well as a politically-infused installation, with a twist.

The design & craft studio will be presenting their newest exhibition at Design Days Dubai, at the Contemporary Art Platform from 18-21 March 2013. In collaboration with designer Wyssem Nochi, Bokja has created an exhibition titled The Seven Stages of the Heart. This collection is rooted in Sufi teaching and, through the creative application of fabrics to seven of Nochi’s iconic iron chairs, the installation illustrates the journey from the material to the spiritual. Baroudi & Hibri, describe how they were drawn to Sufism & chose to interpret the teaching through their collection. “The lines of the hexagon in Wyssem Nochi’s chair form a natural pyramid,” they said. “His design was pure & minimal & offered the perfect foundation to build our collection. Each upholstered chair represents a stage in the journey of life – to shed oneself of all material possessions & earthly desires.” They add, “When thinking about the impact of recent events in our region of the world, we found ourselves looking inwards, trying to make sense of things. Intuitively we were drawn to the words & teachings of Sufism to help us understand, spiritually, what has been happening.” The Seven Stages of the Heart The collection starts with a chair made entirely of “plastic noise,” fake flowers, cutlery & keyboards The second stage is represented by layers of Suzani textiles & needlepoint images of earthy connections: a bowl of fruit & home 106

At stage three we see a shift. The chair is composed of layers of heavy white fabrics & Arabic letters begin to appear as in embroidered gold thread. By now, the shift is clear. An embroidered Sufi text appears alongside a face The core of the fifth chair features an embroidered Burj Khalifa on top of an Ottoman prince’s coat. The fine, gold thread of the embroidery shines with vanity but the remainder of the chair is exposed, revealing the iron structure of Nochi’s design. Stage six features more exposed iron with embroidered birds on a dilapidated Suzani fabric. At the seventh, & final stage, the chair is covered in a simple, natural white fiber representing a harmonious unity with God.

And Then There were None Agatha Christie’s most popular novel, “And Then There Were None,” is a story about ten people who have previously been complicit in the deaths of others but have escaped notice or punishment. They are tricked into coming onto an island where each is murdered one by one, in a manner paralleling the popular nursery rhyme, “Ten Little Indians.”

Inspired by the domino effect of crumbling dictatorships in the Arab region, Bokja has created & Then There Were None, an installation of tactile spheres. Each piece represents a leader from time & their sphere ofor “no longer of ” - influence. Injecting a twist of dark humor, Bokja presents the installation in parallel with the popular nursery rhyme, “Ten Little Indians.” From a hand embroidered image of Marie Antoinette (France) to birds trapped by barbed wire (Palestine) to a female crying tears of blood that stain her black abaya (Syria), Bokja warns of the timeless phenomena of dictatorship & playfully questions a day “when there will be none.”

Design

Contemporary

Meets Eclectic Combining jaw-dropping flair & comfort, the renowned Taylor Howes interior design firm, truly epitomizes 2013 charm. Founded by Karen Howes & Gail Taylor in 1991, the London-based company is now fully controlled by Karen, since Gail left to spend time with her family. Nevertheless, the dynamic duo are still committed business partners through their joint venture, TH:2, which produces capsule furniture collections & accessories.

A guest lecturer at the KLC design school, as well as a supporter of budding entrepreneurs, Karenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal vision is what makes up most of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DNA. She believes, that when it comes to interior design, a positive, approachable, & refreshing energy is key in producing great work creatively, & ensuring that clients enjoy the experience as a whole.

Definitely one of the most unique & innovative pieces in the apartment is this moneybag glass sculpture. With an ice-coated feel, it surely is one of a kind.

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As for the bathroom, Taylor Howes chose a graybrown marble with strong white veins, creating a modern, sleek, & perfect look. With stainless steel hardware, the overall ambience ensures a feeling of order & neatness.

Design

Brilliant, Daring, Fabulous & Fun

Jewel Tones are Hot! Brilliant hues are IN & gracing the walls of some of the most luxuriously designed living spaces. From ruby red to emerald green & deep sapphire, beautiful kaleidoscopic designs are definitely what you want to have in your home.

As a start, think of your favorite precious or semiprecious stone. Imagine its color shimmering in the sun…and go for it! That’s the dominant jewel tone you want to include into your living room. Don’t, however, limit yourself to “only” gemstones; think “teal,” “peacock blue,” & “fuschia,” as well; they’re vibrant, daring, & bejeweled themselves! There’s no denying that gem-inspired colors & dramatic & daring, which means if you don’t plan ahead, things could turn very ugly…very soon. So, when working with jewel tones, bear in mind that they work best when matched with other vibrant hues, or when set against neutral ones– like black & gray. By all means, keep them as far away as possible from pastels. 110

Just because the color is daring, doesn’t mean the room has to look gaudy. On the contrary! When faced with a large space, emerald green walls will work wonders in cozying it up for you. Consider combining ruby red & teal for a warming effect.

Other excellent color combinations are, teal with amethyst & gold for a royal feel, amber & amethyst for a cozy ambience, bright emerald & off white for a fresher look, & peacock blue against a white background for uniqueness. Bear in mind that these dramatic hues–when used on walls–truly electrify the place, & so…make sure you go for an eggshell finish to avoid extremes; i.e. to ensure you don’t end up with either a dark–or a disco-inspired–room. Also, if you paint your ceiling white, the effect will be a rather stark contrast, so go ahead an choose a neutral hue, like warm beige or light gray, which will give you a more luxurious & softer final result. A few tips to remember before indulging in this ultra-fabulous & daring endeavor are: • Opt for a secondary color to accent your space; think in terms of complementary &/or contrasting hues • For a true multi-colorful design, feel free to mix & match jewel tones (within reason, that is) • If you’re worried of going overboard, go for table accents & decorative items in daring shades in stead. • When it comes to jewel-toned furniture, choose pieces with similar intensities to avoid looking messy. • Texture is key. Velvet, leather, & silk look mar velous in emerald green & ruby red. • Opt for a unique piece of funky furniture for that extra oomph! Think: colorful cabinet, luxu rious curvy chaise, or fuschia rug. • If you go for cooler shades, like sapphire & teal, add a dash of warmth by incorporating gold or topaz-colored accent pieces.

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The Beauty of Aura Design

Based in KSA, Aura–an independent home fashion retailer– offers unique items catered to fit individuals looking for a distinct style that blends the best of the West along with the flair of the Middle East. Hoping to expand its operations to the rest of the MENA region, Aura launched its first standalone store in Panorama Mall, Riyadh in April 2010. Offering an unmatched shopping experience across 900 square meters of free flowing retail space, aura’s style collections are displayed as inspirational rooms that offer complete design solutions whilst simultaneously showcasing the flexibility of aura’s mix & match philosophy.

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Offering attainable luxury home fashion, with a broad selection of unique products ranging from dining, living spaces, bedroom furniture, tableware, home accessories & lifestyle items, aura is a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;one stop shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; concept for home fashion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; providing all the elements needed to create a tailored personal look. aura is an innovative destination for customers who are looking for the opportunity

to truly develop their own unique space, allowing them to select styles, shapes & colors which bears their own style fingerprint to reflect their personality, ensuring that their home - their oasis - is a true reflection of each individual.

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Design

Kamini Ezralow’s Elegant Bronze First there was man. Then there was… you know, a bunch of historical eras & stuff. Thanks to Kamini Ezralow, her vision, her talent & her capacity to not just metaphorically pound the art into metal, but to really shape it into a masterpiece the world’s come full circle, back to the Bronze Age, & this time its seriously fierce.

The Woman Behind the Woman She’s global, baby. With South African & Indian Roots, having grown up in Hong Kong, gone to school in Germany & being fluent in French, English & German, Kamini Ezralow, who now lives in London, epitomizes the iconic designer. She’s well traveled, well versed, well cultured & well diverse. With such an eclectic background, it’s no surprise that such textile-tastic influences, like her mother’s golden threaded & beaded saris, eventually drew her to study interior design at the Inchbald School of Design in London, completely abandoning the European Studies degree she had started. Shortly after, she started her business in Hong 116

Kong, where, yes ladies & gentleman, true to an Eat, Pray, Love romance, she met her American husband, Orrin, an ordained Buddhist teacher & Taoist medicine doctor.

Namaste in LA Moving back to LA, Orrinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hometown, Kamini set up a studio, Dao Designs, but somehow managed to still function as Creative Director of Intarya Ezralow in London on a wide spect rum of interior design projects, many of which earned her accolades, awards & solidified a signature style of clean lines & old-fashioned glamour for which she is recognized. & though LA is where their heart is, at the beginning of 2012 she finally set up her own London-based studio, Ezralow Designs, alongside her husband, working on projects across the globe. A Bronze Baptism Having just launched her first collection of furniture, Bronze, at the Salon Internazionale del Mobile in Milan in April, in collaboration with Italian firm, Orsi, Kamini christened them Bronze, as every one of the initial eight 118

designs feature bronze detailing, usually, in a very subtle manner. Inspired by Art Deco, Bronze is tailored to fit today’s glam through the artist’s creative combinations of antiqued bronze with gray-stained sycamore, parchment, mirror, lacquer, silk, & cashmere. Giving the collection a timeless edge, its clean lines, fine materials, & luxurious finishes, allow the individual pieces to work harmoniously within any given context—plus, Bronze is also ergonomic, comfortable, & functional as well. Located in the Cabiate district of Italy–an area once renowned for its artisan heritage–Orsi perfectly fit into Ezralow’s image. The designer wanted to harness the local talent, in a bid to prove that luxury is no longer about a price tag, but rather represents the quality of materials, generation-to-generation skills, & design. Talent, brains & bronze—quite ironic really, since Kamini’s surely a Midas girl with a golden touch.

Design

Branching Out Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Saturday morning & Daniela Bonetto heads out to the forest to reach some new heights.

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Rest & relaxation are exactly what the doctor ordered at the beginning of a new year. What with the run-around for Christmas & New Year finally over it is time to shed that festive weight (in every sense) & go resolutionbound. While the list of these promises slips away even before commencing there is one place not far from London which promises to get you into shape mind, body & soul. Bring on the Treehouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. They always say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a nature vs. nurture dilemma but this time both are catered for at Chewton Glen. This new project means that guests are submerged into beautifully kept nature where each tree is numbered & kept under surveillance. Built high among the trees of a secluded valley, each Treehouse is an unforgettable setting for getting away from everything. Think luxury pods, surrounded by wildlife, built next to a National Park where breakfast arrives by hamper through a secret hatchway & where guests can sit in the hot tub on their balcony & sip champagne. Now you should have a pretty good picture.

As one of the most luxurious hotel in the country, Chewton Glen is the only place on the map which offers you a complete forest hide-away. With the 12 newly built Treehouse’s, guests can shut themselves off from the hustle & bustle & immerse themselves into such natural splendour. Stay in one of these pods which are built on stilts & spend the day gazing at the luscious greenery that surrounds the room. Keep your curtains open & feel a little bit king of the forest. “The inevitable restrictions of building in such a picturesque & secluded valley actually helped shape the design, positioning & vista of each pod & the end result is one that has evolved organically over the course of time”, says Andrew Stembridge, managing director of Chewton Glen, “Our strategy was to work hand in hand with the local council, the ecologists & arboriculturists & this ensured that everyone & everything was considered from the outset. Even the badgers were provided with a brand new five-star home - built out of oak - & other wildlife was politely asked to ‘stand aside’ for a few months whilst we undertook the construction in the most considerate manner. Not a tree was felled nor a tree-root disturbed. The design & project team also worked in harmony to create these completely unique buildings which would blend into the natural habitat & create the absolute minimum footprint in every conceivable way”. Designer Martin Hulbert has created a wildlife sanctuary for guests by only picking furniture & amenities which would match the wildlife surrounding. Nothing stands out rather the interiors have been designed in soft, warm, muted colours so not to deter from the outside stage. The coffee table is a particular favourite with roughly cut tree logs as the base & a simple glass top to cover. Little owl lamps sit on the consoles further adding to the theme. A small kitchenette is always stocked with fresh pastries & adds to the comforts of the hotel. Utter privacy is the name of the game & guests can chose whether to disappear for the duration of their stay or enjoy the rest of the goodies on offer.

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Although it would be great to hibernate at these heights it’s also worth venturing into the main body of the hotel where a marvellous spa awaits (although once again this can all be done privately in your neck of the woods) or have a delicious meal at Vetiver Restaurant which serves home-grown produce picked directly from their kitchen garden 10 meters from the front entrance.

Chewton Glen is a traditional British hotel where the toilet is still called ‘powder room’. It oozes British countryside glamour get-a-way although it mixes superbly with all the high specs relating to its five star category. Chewton Glen is really out of the ordinary in its service to render anyone’s stay the most comfortable yet. Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa New Milton, New Forest, Hampshire, England T +44 (0)1425 275 341 chewtonglen.com

Art-itechture

A Longitude with a lot of

Latitude

Daniela Bonetto discusses with Buro Ole Scheeren the unveiling of twin towers DUO in Singapore. By Daniela Bonetto in collaboration with Buro-OS All images courtesy of DUO by Ole Scheeren © Buro-OS

For those on the rise, DUO is it. LIterally the high life of the city, the of this Malaysian-Singaporean joint venture actively engages the space of the surrounding city to form a new civic nucleus in Singapore’s modern metropolis. The two towers are not conceived as autonomous objects, but defined by the spaces they create around them. Skylines & Horizons Singapore consistently ranks as one of Asia’s most liveable cities. However, it is increasingly dominated by isolated individual towers that favor exclusion over social connectivity; but, the brilliance of DUO is it subtracts circular carvings from the allowable building volumes in a series of concave movements that generate urban

spaces – a kind of “urban poché” that co-opts adjacent buildings & symbiotically inscribes the two towers into their context. Vertical facades raise skywards along the adjoining roads, while a net-like hexagonal pattern of sunshades reinforces the dynamic concave shapes. Leisure zones & gardens act as a connector between multiple transport hubs & establish a flow of tropical greenery & lively commercial activity, accessible to the public 24 hours a day. A plaza, carved into the centre of the towers 124

& integrating the neighboring building as part of its perimeter, forms a new public nexus between the historic district of Kampong Glam & the extension of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial corridor. Connecting the Dots Multiple levels of vertical connectivity give access to large elevated terraces for the hotel & residents, a public observation deck & a sky restaurant atop the office/ hotel tower, while establishing a direct connection to the adjacent underground MRT subway station. Extensive landscape areas at the ground levels, elevated terraces, & roofscapes provide accessible green space equal to the total area of the site. The development incorporates environmental strategies through passive & active energy efficient design & naturally ventilated spaces.The buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s orientation is optimized to prevailing sun & wind angles, while the concave building massing captures & channels wind flows through & across the site, fostering cool microclimates within the shaded outdoor spaces.

With its architectural ingenuity & spectacular location, DUO isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just like a great place to park your life, but to take it for a spin too.

Art-itechture

Unique, Innovative & Bold

Holland’s Kubuswoningen & Germany’s Waldspirale If you ask us, The Netherlands is a country that outdoes itself year after year in terms of innovation. This tiny country has given us so much: from Amsterdam to the world’s finest tulips to Rembrandt & the International Criminal Court, The Netherlands is a powerhouse of style & substance. Add architectural avant-garde to the list: the country’s cube houses are an imaginative experiment in gravity & perspective-defying architecture. As for Germany, which is world-renowned for its cutting edge industrial design & clean lines, it is most often associated with razor-sharp precision & contemporary style. One special residential building in Darmstadt proves that German design is as unpredictable as it is creative. By Kate Dannies

The Waldspirale The Waldspirale, or Forest Spiral, is a wacky & wild residential tower in the southern German town of Darmstadt. Far from the sleek towers of Frankfurt & Munich & the industrial-chic lofts of Berlin, this innovative building is a testament to the playfulness of German design. Completed in 2000, the Waldspirale is the brainchild of Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a controversial contemporary artist who passed away the same year. The artist’s vision was planned by architect Heinz M. Springmann, & built by a local German company. Hundertwasser’s work is marked by a vibrant colour palette, rejection of straight lines, & strong individualism. These signature elements are reflected in the Waldspirale, a structure that shuns straight lines & embraces colour at every opportunity. The brightly painted exterior, glossy & vibrant ceramic columns & rounded edges & Russian-style onion domes all speak to the artist’s unique style. The U-shaped building has an irregular façade, which features an uneven grid of over 1,000 windows, no two of which are quite the same. The building’s height is also irregular, with a diagonal roof reaching twelve stories at 126

its peak. The roof, which is green, features a bar-café & a landscaped garden that rises ramp-like over the U-shaped structure. Trees poke out of the windows at sharp angles, emphasizing the integration of the residential building with surrounding nature. A small playground & artificial lake occupy the interior courtyard of the structure. Inside the building, all sharp angles are rounded, & no two door handles to the 105 apartments are the same. A handful of the Waldspirale’s apartments are decorated by Hundertwasser, & feature vibrant tiling & rounded corners. Individualism & organicism are key elements that pervade the space: uniformity is shunned & the quirks & irregularities of difference are embraced. The Waldspirale leaves the impression of a fantastical graphic birthday cake; something straight out of Alice in Wonderland that awakens the senses & inspires a playful happiness in the viewer. We imagine that living there is an exercise in joy & unexpected revelation. We think more of our favourite artists should turn architect: what could be better than living inside spaces designed with aesthetics in mind?

The Kubuswoningen Architect Piet Blom wanted to solve Holland’s housing crunch while enabling the country’s famous street culture to survive & thrive. The result? Living as an urban roof: a concept designed to maximize living space & street space all in one swipe. Blom accomplished this objective by tilting the box: taking the traditional cubic form of a house & shifting it 45 degrees so that more cubes could sit side by side. Supported & elevated by hexagonal pylons, the design allowed for more square footage while creating streetlevel space for commerce & recreation. Each cube is composed of three floors: a ground floor entrance hall, a first floor kitchen & living area, a second floor sleeping area, & a top floor that can be used as a garden or outdoor living space. All the walls & windows are angled a 54.7 degrees & each space is about 100 square metres, 25 per cent of which is unusable due to extreme angles & overhangs.

Blom envisioned the cubes as trees comprising a forest, or a miniature village within the city fostering community & prosperity. About 60 cube houses were built in the Dutch towns of Helmond & Rotterdam in the 1970’s, but Blom’s vision was never carried through to the scale he had hoped for. Still, the cube houses remain standing as a local site of interest & a reminder of Holland’s superior imagination when it comes to urban architecture. While the Helmond cubes were destroyed in a December 2011 fire, the Rotterdam cube houses remain inhabited. A popular tourist site, one of the houses has been repurposed as a show home that tourists can visit to see how the interior space functions. A handful of larger cubes have been converted into one of the coolest hostels in the world.

While we’d love to live in a luxury cube, constrained living space & persistent vertigo have led us to believe that visiting the cubes for a few nights as a hotel guest is more than enough to satisfy our curiosity & ignite our appetite for creative urban architecture that brings together communities & defies gravity.

Punk Fashion Takes on NYC This spring there is a fashion revolution taking over The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Daniela Bonetto investigates what all the clamour is about.

Ladies & gentlemen brace yourselves for a roller-coaster of art vs. fashion; PUNK: Chaos to Couture is coming to the MET. Organized by The Costume Institute, the exhibition examines punk’s impact from its birth in the 1970s through its continuing influence on high fashion today. “Punk’s signature mixing of references was fuelled by artistic developments such as Dada & postmodernism,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director & CEO of The MET. “Since its origins, punk has had an incendiary influence on fashion,” continues Andrew Bolton, Curator in The Costume Institute. “Although punk’s democracy stands in opposition to fashion’s autocracy, designers continue to appropriate punk’s aesthetic vocabulary to capture its youthful rebelliousness & aggressive forcefulness.” 128

The exhibition, which boasts photographer Nick Knight as the creative consultant, will feature approximately 100 designs for men & women. Original punk garments from the mid-1970s will be juxtaposed with recent, directional fashion to illustrate how haute couture

& ready-to- wear have borrowed punk’s visual symbols, with paillettes being replaced with safety pins, feathers with razor blades, & bugle beads with studs. Focusing on the relationship between the punk concept of ‘do-it-yourself ’ & the couture concept of ‘made-to- measure’, the exhibition will be organized around the materials, techniques, & embellishments associated with the anti-establishment style. Presented as an immersive multimedia, multisensory experience, the clothes will be animated with period music videos & soundscaping audio techniques. Organized thematically, gallery sections will include Rebel Heroes, which will evoke the New York & London music scenes of the mid-70s, focusing on iconic punk bands such as The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, & The Clash.

The Couturiers Situationists gallery will examine Malcolm McLaren & Vivienne Westwood’s visual codification of punk through the merging of social realism & artistic expression, featuring fashion & graphics they produced for their boutique on King’s Road in London, including Let it Rock, SEX, & Seditionaries. Pavilions of Anarchy & Elegance will juxtapose punk designs with haute couture creations, focusing on customization & hand craftsmanship. Punk Couture will explore high fashion’s engagement with punk hardware such as studs, spikes, chains, zippers, padlocks, safety pins, & razor blades. D.I.Y. Style will highlight the impact of punk’s bricolage ethos on high fashion, including the use of recycled materials from trash culture. La Mode Destroy will examine the effect of punk’s rip-it-to-shreds attitude via torn & shredded garments associated with deconstructionist fashions. Designers in the exhibition will include Azzedine Alaïa, Christopher Bailey (Burberry), Zowie Broach & Brian Kirkby (Boudicca), Hussein Chalayan, Christophe Decarnin (Balmain), Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana (Dolce & Gabbana), John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Nicolas Ghesquière (Balenciaga), Viktor Horsting & Rolf Snoeren (Viktor & Rolf), Marc Jacobs, Christopher Kane, Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons), Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Helmut Lang, Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Franco Moschino, Thierry Mugler, Gianni Versace, Alexander Wang, Junya Watanabe, Yohji Yamamoto, Vivienne Westwood, & many others. Exhibition dates: May 9–August 11, 2013 metmuseum.org 129

Boys & Toys

Wheelie: Redefining Rims What started out as a simple idea, gave birth to Wheelie, the sole retailer of Schmidt Felgen luxury rims in Egypt. Known for its luxurious rims, the team behind Wheelie felt the urge–and need–to add a little luxe to the Egyptian car market, making car lovers happier than ever! In their exclusive interview with FLAIR Magazine, they talk to us about the hows, whats, & where to find these luxurious rims. 130

Who is Schmidt Felgen? Schmidt Felgen is a renowned German company, known for its luxury rims all around Europe. The company was founded in 1985, & has been growing–and going strong– ever since. And who is Wheelie? We are a group of enthusiasts & car lovers, who felt the need to bring these luxury rims into the country, adding–not only flair to any automotive they accessorize– but also security & safety. Have you always been a fan of Schmidt Felgen? Yes! They are truly modern, innovative, & creative! Everything they create and/or design is centered around one main concept: the implementation of the perfect rim, & we find that incredible!

How would you describe your product? It’s very simple actually. “German-made, top notch designer rims.” Why did you think of starting Wheelie in the first place? We noticed that the market for rims–or luxury rims– does not exist in Egypt, & yet for car lovers it is a vital aspect that needs to be taken into consideration. What makes you think your product will be successful? Naturally, we were a bit suspicious at first, but in the first two weeks after launching our Facebook page, we collected more than 2000 likes! The latter proves that the product is in demand, understood, & loved. Furthermore, numerous orders were already placed, & some were delivered a few weeks ago.

Do you offer consultation, with respect to which rims to choose? Of course! With the vast array of rims, each car deserves to have its own customized look! Some rims just look better on certain brands, and–with our expertise– we can help our clients in that respect. Furthermore, some of our rims can also be customized in terms of color, which is yet another option we offer. Due to all of that, we supply based on demand, in order to ensure that every customer can have the perfect rims he/she desires, & that he/she is not limited to a certain collection we have on display. What about your clients? Are they mainly men? Surprisingly…they’re not! We have a very mixed client base, ranging from men & women in their 20s, up to clients in their 70s! And, to answer your question, we have an almost equal amount of male & female clients. Tell me…why should I buy your product, when I can find rims anywhere else? Yes, you will find rims, but not these rims. I can guarantee that in terms of design, weight, & safety, our products are

incomparable! Furthermore, our rims are better than “other” aluminum ones because they are three-piece rims, have RADINOX® technology, are DurChrome coated, fully handmade, & due to their specific rotationsymmetric production process, even material spreading & high material compaction occur, thus creating rims with lower weight & improved concentricity. What about your newest line of rims? We find our new range of products very exciting! Schmidt Felgen used a new material for this line, one

that is so strong, you can even drive up a sidewalk without the wheels on the rims, & the rims won’t be damaged! Incredible! How can clients reach you? Since we just started, our website is currently under construction, & we’re still looking for the perfect location for our showroom. For now, clients can find our page on Facebook, or can contact us via email at: webmaster@seeking-alpha.net.

Boys & Toys

Lamborghini 2013 Estoque

Eco-friendly, Stunning, Comfortable & Superior Performance

Luxurious, fits the economic range, as well as being environmentally friendly are not your average specs for a household name luxury car brand like Lamborghini. Beauty, function & comfort are what this car is all about. The 2013 Lamborghini Estoque is a four-door concept sedan that has been remodeled, modified, & reloaded with outstanding comfort & safety features like disc brakes with ABS, a traction-control system & full complement of airbags. What seals the deal for this car is its high performance combined with its comfort features, which make it a well rounded candidate for customers around the world & nothing short of desirable. 132

Powered by a 5.2 liter V10 engine, the Estoque makes for a fierce vehicle that also delivers a 560 HP with a torque of 398 lb-ft with enhanced all-independent doublewishbone suspension. It also holds a six-speed of manual & automated transmission with steering wheel shift paddles. It has a wheelbase of 118.5 inches & its base curb weight is at an estimate of 3,850 pounds. The stunner has a longer wheelbase that makes it quite the looker as well as this helps the drifting & shifting over the roads. The body is made out of an exclusive mixture of aluminum & carbon fiber to minimize weight & boost acceleration. Not only does it perform well, but it is also built with a great consideration to the environment, reducing its carbon footprint by decreasing its emissions.

The exterior is quite fabulous where the four-passenger car has a low rooftop & silhouette Ă la coupe style. The interior is very similar to the previous Estoque model with a leather-lined cockpit. With a lofty price of 250,000 the 2013 Lamborghini has managed to stay true to the high standards of technical specifications such as aggressive horsepower as well as great design & structure.

Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it. Yves Saint-Laurent

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Lamborghini 50th Anniversary - Grande GiroLebanon Launch

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Polo… Not Just a Brand by a Guy Named Ralph Ah, Lauren… how we do love thee—but when it comes to diehard fans, for some, Polo isn’t fashion, it’s a sport. Kicking off with opeing ceremonies at the Desert Palm with players, patrons & sponsors alike at the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge were keen in anticipation of the next four days of fast paced polo. Among the players was the Cartier team patron Adriano Agosti, & stellar record maker of the eponumous event, having won the Cartier International titles in both Dubai & China in 2012. This year sees a new member of the Desert Palm team, Her Highness Sheikha Maitha Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, daughter of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President & Prime Minister of the UAE &

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Ruler of Dubai. Held under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President & Prime Minister of the UAE & Ruler of Dubai, every match of the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge will be played at Ali Albwardy’s Desert Palm estate, home to one of Dubai’s premier boutique retreats, Desert Palm by Per AQUUM. To ensure that the players’ & ponies’ style are threaded as elegant as their play, La Martina has been reappointed as the Official Team Kit Supplier, while the Porsche Centre Dubai, in its role as Official Car Supplier, will chauffeur the VIPs & players on time. Pommery returns too in 2013, hosting the cocktail reception after Friday’s finals - always the perfect way to conclude a magnificent tournament.

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Vertu TI Beirut Launch

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Basil Soda Fashion Event

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Virgin Radio Lebanon Launch

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