THE ARCHITECTURE OF LUXURY with Rolls-Royce’s César Habib
B L AC K T I E O R D E E P B LU E The Seamaster Diver 300M will take you from the bottom of the sea, to the centre of attention and to the top of the world.
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THE STARTUP EDITION ISSUE NUMBER 100 - DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019
2018... IT’S A WRAP! BRING ON 2019!!!!
Dear Passionate Readers, And with this issue we wrap 2018 and prepare to welcome a whole New Year! While much has happened in the last 365 days, I promise you, this has been one of the fastest, shortest years ever!! Why, one wonders… Is it because we are doing so much more than ever before we are barely having the time to take stock? Or is it because we have become accustomed to measuring time by monumental achievements and life changing events, so when none of that magnitude happens you feel time has slipped!? And it is all so very mind boggling! Now that I am taking the time to reflect, I am realizing that while 2018 did not seem to have offered me any monumental moments, it did actually offer me many gratifying and deeply satisfying moments. So… have we become that greedy with time? What level of accomplishments will ever be enough to revive that feeling?! When you are used to high level of challenge and adrenaline, it becomes really hard to impress yourself… And here one truly needs to question…. Do we satisfy ourselves with what is and be grateful, or do we continue the race to new heights as is our innate quest for human evolution?! Satisfaction and Gratitude vs Ambition and Passion … Which should one choose?! My eternal struggle I guess, year after year, still trying to have my cake and eating it, never accepting that such demanding, opposing, high expectations will never be met! Talking about being hardheaded!! Oh well! 2019… Let us start all over again!
Zeina Mokaddam
TISSOT Ballade. SILICON BALANCE SPRING.
ON THE COVER: December 2018 / January 2019 Rolls-Royce’s newly appointed and Dubai-based Regional Director César Habib takes up the reins at the illustrious marque during a propitious era. Phantom, Ghost, Wraith and Dawn models are well established leaders in their field, and they’re now joined by Cullinan - the first four-wheel drive car in the marque’s history. As 2018 draws to a close our Managing Director, Zeina Mokaddam, sat with César and mulled over his first end-of-term report.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nouf Al-Hajri LEGAL CONSULTANT Khaled Al-Kandari Al-Kandari Law Firm PUBLISHED BY
MANAGING DIRECTOR Zeina Mokaddam OPERATIONS MANAGER Micheline kazzi MANAGING EDITOR Simon Balsom EDITORS Rawan Qabazard Katia Abbas
CONTENTS Cover Story 20 César Habib Rolls-Royce The Startup Edition Everyone wants to be the exception, but building a multimillion-dollar company in 12 months simply isn’t the case for the majority of businesses. 24
Startup Editorial Venturing forth
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Styleee me up! Faisal Al Essa’s grand plan to change the way we shop online
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This is... Faisal Al Essa With some sage startup tips
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Abrar Al Husaini Startup opinion
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Starting Up - It’s a Grind Startup advice
Life Refined Our carefully curated guide to the finest from the spheres of horology, automobiles, style, travel, design and much more. In Life Refined we look at the best, and meet the people that are making things happen. It all starts on page 36.
CONTRIBUTORS Adel Al Ansari Faisal Al Bisher Jalil Marvin Danah Al Ansari IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY Maher Al-Nouri
PH7 is a specialized publishing house based in Kuwait. Telephone +(965) 2572 0810 Fax +(965) 2572 0860 Website www.ph7-kw.com To maintain the desired quality of our publication, your contribution and feedback are welcomed. Please email your suggestions to info@ph7-kw.com For advertising, please contact info@ph7-kw.com For subscription, please email info@ph7-kw.com PH7 wishes to state that the opinions expressed in MEN’S PASSION are those of the authors concerned and not necessarily those of the publisher. BPA Audited - 2015
LIFE REFINED Our carefully curated guide to the finest from the spheres of horology, automobiles, style, travel, design and much more. In Life Refined we look at the best, and meet the people that are making things happen.
Drive: 38
Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge
42
Ferrari Portofino: A Perfect Combination of Performance, Versatility and Style
46
Maserati Ghibli Ribelle
48
Aston MartinDBX
50
Ferrari: On the road
52
Bentley Continental GT Convertible
56
McLaren’s bold approach - the Stealth 720S
Watches: 58 Vacheron Constantin - Alexandre Schmeidt 60
Vacheron Constantin - The FiftySix
61
Vacheron Constantin - Pre-SIHH 2019
62
Rado HyperChrome Chronograph
64
Hamilton Khaki X-Wind
66
Panerai Submersible Chrono
67
A. Lange & Söhne
68
Oris Big Crown Pointer Date
Style: 70
Paul Smith & Manchester United
72
Dunhill Festive Gifting
74 Corneliani 78
Zegna x Farfetch
Concierge: 82 Out of the Ordinary 84 Spontini Wellness: 86
Fitness Trackers
Others: 88
Trending on passionsarabia.com
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What’s On
For us, innovation must always serve function. For example, raising our bezel by 2mm has improved the grip. Just a little. When you care about watches, just a little matters a lot.
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César Habib Rolls-Royce Regional Director, Middle East & Africa
Rolls-Royce’s newly appointed and Dubai-based Regional Director César Habib takes up the reins at the illustrious marque during a propitious era. Phantom, Ghost, Wraith and Dawn models are well established leaders in their field, and they’re now joined by Cullinan - the first four-wheel drive car in the marque’s history. As 2018 draws to a close our Managing Director, Zeina Mokaddam, sat with César and mulled over his first end-of-term report. Automotive Briefing
COVER STORY
Quintessentially Rolls-Royce, ‘The Architecture of Luxury’ delivers superlative engineering based around the complete, immersive luxury experience. The power and performance of Cullinan is delivered in a smooth, silent and sublime ride over any terrain. Where are the unchanging elements and ethos that define every Rolls-Royce that simply had to be carried forward to the Cullinan?
approach to life demands a motor car that can go anywhere in ultimate luxury and style – Rolls-Royce style.
Rolls-Royce Cullinan is Rolls-Royce like never before. When Sir Henry Royce said, “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it”, he could have had Cullinan in mind.
Whoever you are and however you see your brand, design (and staying ahead of the pack) is king. What were 2018’s key design landmarks for Rolls-Royce?
When you look at Cullinan you instantly realise that you are standing before a high bodied Rolls-Royce. Cullinan shares the DNA of all Rolls-Royce vehicles like the “Magic Carpet Ride”, exterior lines and interior design. Inside, the cabin of Cullinan combines authentic Rolls-Royce luxury with simple, symmetrical functionality to express the car’s inherent strength.
At Rolls-Royce, we strive for perfection every day. 2018 has definitely seen some remarkable innovations, the most astounding of which being the first Rolls-Royce sports utility vehicle. The Rolls-Royce Collective have also revolutionised the iconic starlight headliner as well as the interior wood veneer with the Wraith Luminary Collection; indeed, the illuminated wood panels as well as the shooting star headliner redefine the ambience that surrounds RollsRoyce occupants. Nevertheless, each motor car is distinctively RollsRoyce – from the exterior geometry to the fine materials adorning the interior and the hand-crafted Spirit of Ecstasy, patrons are bound to instantly recognise the level of luxury characteristic to the marque.
It’s taller than the automobiles that may be considered ‘competitors’. What’s the secret behind the Cullinan’s extraordinary stability on all surfaces?
First and foremost, you’re in the luxury business. Part of maintaining luxury is, perhaps, in limiting supply. How do you balance commercial demands (i.e. increasing sales) with the demands of prestige (i.e. no over-exposure)?
Rolls-Royce patrons couldn’t find what they really wanted in the SUV market. Cullinan is a response to fulfilling their demand as they do not accept limitations or compromises in their lives.
Cullinan is 5,341mm long and the secret behind its stability is the fact that it’s been delivered by exceptional engineering from RRMC team of over 500 dedicated experts! Moreover, the improved drivetrain and the latest generation of self-levelling air suspension take Cullinan passengers on the celebrated Rolls-Royce ‘Magic Carpet Ride’. Four wheel steering technology and of course the Architecture of Luxury enhance the smoothness of the ride. ‘Effortless, Everywhere’ is not just the promise behind Cullinan. It’s the fact.
As the world’s leading luxury house and pinnacle motor car manufacturer we will not be chasing volume - a Rolls-Royce is a rare and precious item. Rolls-Royce will and must remain exceptional and exclusive and this is what our customers demand. Our success is built on long-term sustainable growth.
How can we expect to see the Cullinan evolve? More sporty or more luxurious? We suggest that both will be difficult to achieve. How will Rolls-Royce raise the bar again?
In September we published an article by Torsten Müller-Ötvös where he wrote about bespoke. One comment he made was “With so many Rolls-Royce customers demanding unique, one-off motor cars, we did not want to be tied to inherited architecture from our parent company, BMW.” Perhaps you could expand on this thought a little.
Rolls-Royce Cullinan is the most versatile, family oriented, funto-drive, super-luxury SUV available today. We have already set a benchmark with Cullinan, the Rolls-Royce of SUVs.
The Architecture of Luxury is a very good example here, it is an entirely new, specially engineered aluminium architecture that will inform production of all future Rolls-Royces.
The patrons are the new pioneers, and for them it’s about their sense of adventure and daring in how they live their experiences. This
Cullinan is the second Rolls-Royce to benefit from the new architecture. The Architecture of Luxury is an exclusively engineered
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Rolls-Royce’s famed ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ can now go off-road as a result of the new Cullinan’s aluminium architecture. The self-levelling suspension makes millions of calculations every second. technology for Rolls-Royce and stands as a significant statement of intent and confidence in the success of the next great chapter in the marque’s contemporary renaissance. Unlike mass-luxury manufacturers this has no relation with the marque’s parent company BMW Group and will serve to afford the marque with unprecedented levels of flexibility throughout the second chapter of its renaissance. Which areas of your motor cars are most often requested to be ‘Bespoke’? Commissioning a Rolls-Royce motor car transcends the need of mere mobility; the commissioning process is a memorable experience in itself as Rolls-Royce endows patrons with the freedom to express their interests, passions and lifestyles on a blank canvas. In light of virtually unlimited choices, the final creation is an entirely unique Rolls-Royce motor car that guards a special place in one’s heart. Stories are often told throughout the motor car, from specially created embroidery, to paint, which has been embellished with fine materials, such as gold, silver and crushed diamonds. Some patrons choose to adorn their interiors with exotic leathers and precious gemstones – recent examples include sapphires, emeralds and diamonds! However, Bespoke is not only an aesthetic revolution, it can also be an engineering reconfiguration. A Rolls-Royce motor car can elegantly adapt to patrons’ requirements, be it the incorporation of a humidor, a safe or a scent bottle. As such, owning a Rolls-Royce is nothing short of a lifestyle enhancement as it is tailor-made to owners’ precise specification.
All Rolls-Royce motor cars allow grandiose standards of Bespoke personalisation. Phantom, our flagship motor car, is a particularly prolific oasis of inspiration with its unparalleled Gallery. Indeed, this uninterrupted application of glass across the fascia allows customers to commission and exhibit artwork, within their motor car. From fine art, to contemporary, 3D-printed sculptures, the Gallery allows patrons extraordinary opportunities for Bespoke personalisation. Another recent example of Rolls-Royce Bespoke is Sweptail. The result of a collaboration between patron and artisan, Sweptail’s bold design embraces the marque’s heritage as the world’s leading coachbuilder whilst masterfully fulfilling a customer’s coachbuilt dream. How’s your business looking in Kuwait? What are the areas you’re currently focusing on in the showroom? What can we expect to see from you and your local partner Ali Alghanim Automotive in Kuwait during 2019? Business in general is looking good and 2019 will be a great year for us, Rolls-Royce Cullinan is the most anticipated car of 2018 and, quite possibly, the most anticipated Rolls-Royce of all time. Response from our customers and prospects, the media and fans of the brand has been overwhelmingly positive. The order books for Cullinan are also exceptionally strong and already stretch well into 2019. Phantom is the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce and it is doing well. Ghost Wraith, Dawn and their Black Badge variants are all in a very good shape. In Kuwait, we are nearly sold out for 2019 Cullinan production; this mirrors exactly our expectations for Kuwait.
Are there any requests you’ve refused on the grounds of poor taste? Taste is very much subjective and informed by local trends and architecture. We do not judge their preferences. However, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designers adopt a consultancy role in their interactions with customers. To ensure that they can clearly visualise the commission from the outset, patrons are guided on the best combinations of materials and colours to enhance their original idea. As such, the satisfaction of our patrons is paramount to our mission. What, for you, would be the ultimate bespoke Rolls-Royce?
You’ll find more about Cullinan online at passionsarabia.com as well as manifested by the marque itself on Instagram here: @rollsroycemotors and through #cullinan
COVER STORY
CÉSAR HABIB AND ZEINA MOKADDAM DISCUSS THE CONCLUSION OF AN OUTSTANDING YEAR FOR ROLLSROYCE - BOTH IN KUWAIT AS WELL AS GLOBALLY.
ROLLS-ROYCE, THROUGH THEIR LONG-TERM PARTNERS IN KUWAIT - ALI ALGHANIM & SONS AUTOMOTIVE, ROLLSROYCE MOTOR CARS AASA - INVITED VIP CUSTOMERS, SELECTED GUESTS, AND THE EDITORS OF KUWAIT’S TOP MOTORING AND LIFESTYLE TITLES TO AN EXCLUSIVE ‘CULLINAN DRIVE’ EVENT TO EXPERIENCE ROLLSROYCE’S MOST ANTICIPATED VEHICLE THAT COMBINES THE FINEST MATERIALS IN THE WORLD WITH THE ULTIMATE ‘MAGIC CARPET RIDE’ DRIVING EXPERIENCE OVER EVERY TERRAIN. THE PINNACLE OF ‘EFFORTLESS EVERYWHERE’, THE ASAA CULLINAN DRIVE, TOOK PLACE FROM 31ST OCTOBER - 1ST NOVEMBER 2018. READ MORE, BEGINNING ON PAGE 48.
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The Start-Up Edition VENTURING FORTH
Everyone wants to be the exception, but building a multimilliondollar company in 12 months simply isn’t the case for the majority of businesses. Even those companies that seem like overnight success stories flew under the radar for several years before finding their big break. Read on to learn more. Startup Editorial
So, what’s the secret to building a successful startup? You have to be passionate, committed and willing to work for the long haul. Many startups don’t fail. Rather, their leaders just tend to give up too soon. Be hands on, set realistic goals for growth and development and take your startup journey one step at a time. Understanding the steps and principles below can be the difference between a failed startup and a successful one. Solve a problem you are passionate about. The first step in starting a business, while challenging, is arguably the easiest. You need an idea. The best companies were formed by people who solved a common problem, created convenience or discovered something missing in their field or society. And often, they were willing to commit all of their time and energy to this discovery because they were passionate about it. Without passion, those hard, early years will seem unbearable and leaders will be more inclined to give up. Find validation. While this is not advice you want to give to your teenage son or daughter, finding validation is an important step in building a successful startup. The purpose of starting a business is to solve a problem or fill a need or void. Without affirmation that there is, in fact, a market and a need for your product or service, you may as well move on to your next big idea. Perform stress tests, talk to everyone in your network and get others on board. Decide on how you will fund your business. Focusing on development is crucial, but remember to set aside funds (up to 50 percent) for marketing and promotions, focus groups and building your business. If bootstrapping, it’s important to know that you don’t have to have everything at once. Many startups go years before hiring departments that to some may seem critical (like marketing). Instead, employees and founders wear multiple hats and support each other in new endeavors. Create relationships with your customers. Once you have officially launched your company and promoted it, the key to building a successful business is building customer loyalty and happiness. The cost of acquiring new customers can be high. Instead, follow up with users and create ongoing touchpoints.
Serve customers by sending out surveys and listening, learning and sincerely caring about them. Be flexible. Take criticism graciously and make changes where appropriate. It’s important to trust your original idea, but don’t be too proud to listen to your customers or accept change. Be willing to flex and change after listening to your customers and analyzing your target audience. Carefully prioritize and debate which feedback is most useful and beneficial to the customer and to the company’s future. Don’t get comfortable. If the enemy of progress is comfort, then learn to enjoy being uncomfortable. Make big goals for yourself and your team. Try building your customer base by four to five percent each week and oversee these goals by having an active management role. Always play an active role. Founders are pulled in a thousand different directions with funding, recruiting, partnerships and strategizing, but the most successful companies have hands-on leadership (not to be confused with micromanagers). Create a positive culture in your company by learning to manage your people and to set aside specific time for them. Happy employees lead to happy customers, which will lead to growth. Be patient. Success certainly won’t happen overnight, and it won’t happen for a couple years. Companies that are investing in themselves and carefully and strategically planning ahead for continued efficiency can expect to achieve profitability around their third year in business. But every company is different, and true success may take decades. Steve Jobs established Apple in 1976, but it wasn’t until 1984 that Apple got on the map with the advent of the Macintosh computer. And even then, Apple struggled until the arrival of the iMac and consumer products in the late 90s. As an entrepreneur, as a leader and as a startup founder, it’s critical to know the difference between a great idea and great company. So, decide now that you’re all in, and don’t give up when the going gets tough.
BESPOKE
IP 1 of 5
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FAISAL AL ESSA’S INNOVATIVE NEW ONLINE SHOPPING PORTAL IS ABOUT TO CHANGE THE WAY THE MIDDLE EAST DRESSES ITSELF. FIND IT AT STYLEEE.COM AND @ITSSTYLEEE
Styleee me up! WE’VE SEEN THE FUTURE OF MIDDLE EAST FASHION E-COMMERCE. AND WE LIKE IT.
Times have changed – and the business of fashion has changed more quickly than most. As we continue to lead ever more time-crunched lives, the pressure on us to keep up with the latest has intensified hand-in-hand with an exponential growth in the amount of information we need to absorb. New fashion brands arrive on the market like shooting stars – if you’re not looking at the right area of the sky, they’re pretty easy to miss. Business Briefing
ENTREPRENEUR
We’re all for finding an easier way to stay on-trend, and we’re big fans of letting someone else do the fashion leg-work for us. But who’s going to do this for the Middle Eastern market AND make it fun at the same time? Styleee.com – that’s who. Jumping from one branded website to the next in search of that perfect dress for New Year’s Eve or the ideal new season’s jacket is time consuming at best and, before you know where you are, you’re going around in circles and making a decision too often based on scant research or an overload of information. The solution? E-aggregators. They’ve been gaining traction globally recently but, until now, there’s been no site focusing on the Middle Eastern shopper. These sites serve as the ‘Trivago’ of the fashion world. Instead of finding the top options for ‘5-star hotel, Paris, with great view of the Eiffel Tour’, they’ll deliver to your screen options for anything from ‘green velvet blazer’, through to ‘Armani leather driving shoes’ with a whole world of style in between. Recently launched from its Kuwait base – but reflecting the global tastes of its Middle Eastern market - Faisal Al Essa’s styleee.com has an impressive roster of over 100 international partners and more than 1,000 fashion brands – and it’s already making waves. It aims to become the largest and most innovative fashion portal in the region. To Faisal, the inspiration to create styleee.com came from the frustrations of personal experience shopping online. It wasn’t that the current sites were lacking, but more that they weren’t focusing on the uniqueness of the region’s shoppers and addressing the variety he wanted nor giving the opportunity to create his own personal style. “With styleee.com we’ve taken a whole new fresh approach”, Faisal reports, adding “and we’ve carefully selected the partners we work with. Most of them are already doing business in the region – but none for the region”. Readers will be familiar with many of the partners Faisal is collaborating with, and they’re no small fish counting the likes of leading online style destinations Farfetch and ASOS amongst them, as well as with iconic department stores including Bloomingdales. What’s styleee.com’s signature? What’s its USP? Faisal is clear on this: “Our signature is simple – it saves the shopper time. They can now just go to one place and can compare products, prices and styles”. E-commerce is a growing market in the Middle East. According to Faisal, “A recent study by PriceWaterhouseCooper reported that there were over US$30 billion in e-commerce transactions last year. But even then, there is still huge potential for growth when things are done the right way. We want to bring great brands under one virtual roof, and pair this with an engaging connection to the shopper with some extra features that you won’t find anywhere else”.
One of styleee.com’s first non-commercial features to be rolled out was Styleee Radio – a 24/7 live stream of the hottest hits, it’s online now. “Every day we’re adding new brands and new lines. Our customers can think of us like a search engine for the latest in global fashion. There’s always something new on styleee.com and,” he adds “we’re working on exclusive collaborations for the future too” – leaving us hungry to learn more. Promoted virally by its own users during these early stages (who doesn’t love to be a first-adopter and discoverer of the newest way to shop styles), Faisal’s plans to move to an agressive social media marketing and promotional focus are freshly underway. “We’re working with a digital agency and going down the routes of Facebook, Instagram, Google marketing. Using our own database, we’ll be able to target shoppers and give direct recommendations. This is another way we’ll save our customers valuable time. We need to show the consumer the real value in coming to us. “We’re constantly working on product development. Everything we do will always be based on regional customer’s needs and desires”. “At the end of the day, we want to make the experience fun. You can listen to music at styleee.com. There will be editorial and stories. We’ll add games and competitions. We want the shopping experience to be more fun than merely shopping and then leaving. Everything in life should be fun – why be boring?” Interaction is the key to styleee.com’s future success. Whereas shopping online has been seen as the ultimate in impersonal shopping, Faisal has set about making his style portal a highly personalised experience. He makes a bold claim for styleee.com – We are the future. Bold, yes, but not overhyped. For Faisal, “The future is about making things easier for the shopper, about making things better. We can guide the shopper according to price-point, we have a huge variety of choices for customers to select from. We’re looking at the most useable way to include the benefits of virtual reality shopping – it’s like being in a Mall, but from the comfort of your home or office. We’re involved in many directions VR and the internet are evolving – far more than we can talk about just now”, he smiles. Faisal’s impressive approach to styleee.com is two-fold. He’s set himself the toughest of challenges… to be at the forefront of fashion AND at the forefront of technology at the same time. Although still in its initial launch phase, styleee.com is already exceeding Faisal’s expectations. Take a look yourself, be engaged, and style yourself up.
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This is... Faisal Al Essa WANT TO BE THE NEXT BIG THING? GET READY TO WORK HARD...
Coming from a solid background within his family business – one of Kuwait’s most highly renowned – he moved to Aiwa Gulf and made it the number one value added service in the Middle East. He had contracts with most of the mobile operators in the Middle East and would create content based on subscription. A model of success, it did well and he sold part of the company for a healthy price. Startup Briefing How do you view the regional economy today for potential start-ups? Fertile ground, or a tough road ahead? It’s a great time. It’s like any emerging marketing. For example, there is potential for growth of two- to three-hundred percent in ecommerce and digital projects. That’s huge growth by anyone’s standards. Now, obviously there are some people who will make it and some that won’t – that’s the same as in any industry. You’ll have good people that focus and do things well, and others that won’t. We all remember the dot.com boom and the casualties it brought. Some stopped, but some became huge. We’ve seen in Kuwait what can happen – look at Talabat, Carriage, and For Sale – all were sold on for over $120 million when each was a company only four or five years old. We’ve seen it happen here before, it will happen again – to the lucky few. But there are many people trying – success won’t come to everyone. Which areas of business do you feel are ripe for a well-planned new venture? Which markets are under-tapped? The financial and media sectors are ready for big growth. They need an injection of creativity, and to be served by regionally-tailored products. Crowdfunding is an area which needs further investigation in the Middle East. A regional ‘Kickstarter’ could be the next big thing here. The whole of the region is ready for greater activity including new ventures. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and of course Kuwait – they’re all huge markets being massively underserved. Who, to you, epitomizes the archetypal entrepreneur? And what are the key characteristics for success? I think to be an entrepreneur means more than just thinking about an idea and doing it, you have to be passionate about it too. You have to love it. Really love it. You can’t just start a business with a plan to sell it on in a couple of years and make millions of dollars. It doesn’t work that way. This is everyone’s dream, but to be successful effectively you have to be working at something that feels like a hobby. If you don’t enjoy doing it, you won’t have the power or the passion to move it forward.
Looking back, what do you regard as the project that’s most fulfilled your drive and vision? And what do you feel you were able, uniquely, to offer to secure its success? I love media - anything to do with media. This is my natural home. Of course, the most fulfilling project is any project I’m currently working on – right now that’s styleee.com. I feel I’m passionate about my projects. I invest myself fully. If you’re passionate, you’ll find a way out of any situation – this is more important than a bottomless pit of money because – eventually – this will run out. No matter how excited you are about something, you must do a proper business plan, you need to study your sector and your business. You need this to know where you’re going. Even having done this, no one can guarantee success, but if you have good human resources around you, people who are willing to upgrade themselves on a daily basis, you’ll learn more. Be sure to value working as a team - then you’re best placed to get what you want.
STARTUP
Working hard to make the time to play hard Faisal has an enviable track-record in identifying a growing market and establishing leaders in the field. Founder of Aiwa Gulf, Faisal has also run his own TV channels in Kuwait, and remains well-connected with his finger on the pulse of entrepreneurial Kuwait.He’s a natural entrepreneur.
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Abrar Al Husaini BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER- PRIME DESIGN
Prime Design Studio is a Kuwait-based architecture and interior design firm. They think limitlessly and work systematically to bring life to the spaces they touch. They’re ambitious - the team has led projects across Kuwait and the GCC, catering to residential and commercial. This year they designed projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE. It’s Abrar’s job to ensure the business continues to grow. We asked her for the best advice on how to start and grow a business. Startup Opinion
STARTUP
We are going to start at the beginning. What made you decide to open your own architecture firm? On a cool night in April 2016, my brother Mohammad and I sat outside and talked about our dreams and passions. We’ve always been ambitious, and we pictured ourselves making an impact in the design world. We felt a creative movement starting locally, and we wanted to be a part of it. This led to the creation of Prime Design Studio: an architecture firm focused on producing imaginative designs that complement the creative concepts constantly brewing in Kuwait. Today, I’m proudly managing Prime Design Studio with my teammates Sara AlAnjari and Anupama Nada Kumar - all smart, talented, young women who are under 30 and dedicated to designing, managing, and building spaces around the GCC. What is one thing that you really like about running your own firm? The best thing about running your own firm is setting your own standards. At Prime Design Studio, we get creative with our work process, and the whole team is involved in decisions. I love that we don’t have a typical top-down hierarchical structure and everyone’s voice is heard. We always strive to think creatively and do things differently to achieve maximum efficiency. We still have a long way to go and we are always learning from our mistakes, but the ease of working in a nontraditional way is the best part.
Let’s talk about work life balance. An issue that many entrepreneurs struggle with. I imagine with your situation there is very little separation between work and life? How do you make it work? Like most entrepreneurs, I do struggle with maintaining a work life balance. However, in the past year, I’ve implemented a rule that has helped me a lot. The reality is you’re always going to have to answer late calls and work late hours - it’s part of running your own business. You need to be available. My rule has been to pick a single day of the week - for me that’s typically Friday - where I step away from work responsibilities. I make sure to keep that day for myself, to be present and in the moment. Without that time to recharge, I wouldn’t be able to handle the pressures of tomorrow. If you could give one piece of advice to someone interested in starting their own firm, what would it be? My advice is to be to kind and patient. We are still a very young firm, but over the past years we’ve met so many people that we’ve crossed paths with again and again. We’ve found that leaving a good impression is crucial, because you never know when and under what circumstances you might cross paths with that person again. The first two years of starting your own business are the toughest, and success doesn’t happen overnight, so it’s also important to be patient while working towards achieving your goals.
What is one bad thing about running your own firm? I’m a glass half-full type person, so for the record, what I’m about to highlight is both good and bad. Before Prime Design Studio, I couldn’t possibly imagine the pressures that come with the responsibility of running your own business. Even when we experience successes, celebrations are short because I know I must stay focused on what’s next. When are we going to sign the next client? Is our pipeline clear for the next few months? Do we have enough to cover our costs for the year? Are we operating in the most efficient way? It can get very stressful, but this pressure is also what allows me to keep growing and learning. When you say you want to be the best at this thing, what is that thing? What is Prime Design all about? The obvious answer is we want to be the best at design, but design is multilayered and subjective. We want to provide the best environment for our team to do what they love and to push creative boundaries, because that ultimately leads to great design. We want to be the best at making our clients feel comfortable and capable of expressing themselves around us, because understanding our clients’ needs ultimately leads to great design. We’ve found empathy to be an extremely valuable tool, and as we grow, we will continue to use it to feed our success.
If you could go back to the time when you just graduated from University, what would you tell your younger self? I would tell her that her journey will be filled with opportunities, and failures. The opportunities aren’t always going to find you, you need to get ready to create them. You will make mistakes, and it will be very difficult but make sure to stay tough because your failures will be your greatest lessons. What is one project that you are very proud of? and why? This is a tough question; all our projects are so special to us and we are so proud of every one of them. Our design process involves extensive research to help us push boundaries and design something unique. This is followed by an extremely detailed set of drawings and specifications which we take great pride in. If I had to pick, I would say our work with Gulf Bank is one I’m most proud of. I was proud that one of Kuwait’s leading banks had approached us, and ultimately chose to work with us despite us being a relatively young firm in the market. It validated the quality of our work. I felt proud because we were competing against firms we look up to and they selected us, it felt great! Eventually our work with the bank opened many doors.
You can find out more about Prime Design at pdstudiokw.com and on Instagram at @pdstudiokw
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I hear that people at startups work like crazy. Is that true? Startup teams usually work hard, and if you drop by a typical startup office you’ll see something that looks a lot like it: an office buzzing with activity, energetic young people bouncing between meeting in always-booked conference rooms, and long hours late into the night and over the weekends. That is not to say that startups work uniquely hard: a typical medical resident, law firm associate, PhD candidate, or Wall Street analyst probably works even more hours and has less day-to-day freedom. But it’s true that startups aren’t a great career for someone who wants an easy nine-to-five existence. Although the kinds of people who start or join early stage companies usually aren’t looking for that anyway. But what separates startups that succeed versus the rest is not so much the number of hours worked, it’s how those hours are spent. Great startup teams learn to identify the work that really matters and get it done, even when that work is difficult, unpleasant or contentious. So what is the “hard work” that really matters? Startup teams are very dedicated and ambitious, but it’s usually easy to sit down with a team and find that they either haven’t identified the work that is important or are finding ways to avoid doing that work. I’ve met founders who will: - Sit 100 hours a week in front of a computer writing code, but will spend weeks putting off a 10 minute conversation they are dreading where they need to fire someone who works for them who is performing poorly.
Starting Up - It’s a Grind GOT BIG DREAMS? HERE’S A FEW IDEAS FOR YOU
You’ve got the big idea that’s going to mean you can cut your ties to that corporate office that’s holding you back. You look around and see plenty of guys that have done it before. They made it look easy. In fact, it takes a lot of hard work to make something look easy. Here’s a few things you might like to consider before setting your sights on your first startup. Startup Advice
- Spend five nights a week at startup meetups and conferences, but haven’t yet flown to Saint Louis to spend a week networking at the “boring” industry conference where their buyers hang out. - Spend endless hours instrumenting their product and crunching the resulting data looking for insights (which is necessary, of course), but haven’t yet simply picked up the phone and called 20 of their users and ask them why they aren’t buying the product. - Spend weeks working on the wrong product features because the team is so focused making a deadline that they “didn’t have time” to meet and discuss whether new information has made that product plan obsolete.
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- Hire their startup’s first ten team members from their network of college friends instead of spending the time branching out into new networks to bring more experience and diversity onto the team. - Spend two months dithering about a necessary product strategy pivot because the decision will upset one of the co-founders who is stuck on the initial vision. - Suffer conflict, politics, and duplicate efforts between groups in the company because everyone is “too busy” to sit down an have a staff meeting every week.
- The work changes. When a startup begins to get some traction, it is rewarded by a whole new set of challenges that require the team to start spending their time differently. Inertia and habit often keep teams doubling down on what has worked so far just when they need to rethink how they do things. - Good old fashioned procrastination. Even for experienced managers, it sucks to fire someone. It’s hard to pull the plug on a beloved project. It’s exhausting for introverted founders to spend hours in customer meetings. Great founders find a way to get the hard stuff done. They know there is a reason it’s call “work.”
Usually, these kinds of tasks are not getting neglected because they are time consuming. They get neglected because they are difficult, uncomfortable, require hard choices, or require briefly stepping back from the day-to-day work to reflect and make some decisions.
Got it. So what are some things that startup leaders can do to make sure they are working on the right things?
OK, I can see that. But the advice to work on the right things would apply to someone working at a big company, too. Why is this unique to startups?
- Pick the right team. Startup team members need to wear many hats and need to rapidly learn skills that they lack. But that being said, no one has the discipline to spend all day every day doing tasks they hate. This is why the first few people at a startup need to have a mix of talents: people who are more extroverted and people who are more introverted. People who love analyzing problems and people who love getting on the road presenting to customers. People who love to to manage others and people who want to be individual contributors. This is why pairing a technical and a business-oriented co-founder is often a recipe for success: each can do what they enjoy and are good at.
Focusing on what matters is important no matter what you are doing. It matters at large companies, small companies, and even in your personal life. But it’s especially important at a startup for a few reasons: - Startups have little room for error. The clock starts ticking the day a startup is founded and the team starts scrambling to get enough traction to obtain the revenue or funding to live another day. A single bad hire or delayed decision can put a company out of business when it’s margin for error is just a few month’s cash. - The founders usually are not experienced managers. Bigger companies have management teams whose job it is to identify the right priorities and motivate the team to work on them. Many startups are founded by younger people who haven’t managed before — it takes them some time to realize that they are the management team, and it is entirely up to them what the company works on — no one will come along and do it for them. They also lack the “muscle memory” that experienced managers develop to do the day-to-day tough conversations and decisions needed to manage a team. - The right things aren’t always obvious. Larger companies operate in established markets with established competitors and playbooks for how they execute. A typical big company employee isn’t exposed to decisions that can make or break the company. But startups are constantly stretching to find the right team, product, and customers, which means lots of trial and error and hard decisions. - Most founders identify with a specific discipline. Most founders have a background in coding, product design, growth hacking, business development, or some other specific skill. Like most people, they tend to turn to their strengths to solve problems: the engineer solves problems by writing code, the designer designs, and the deal-maker makes deals. But the work that needs done often falls outside of the comfort zone of the team members. Whoever takes it on will risk failure since they are doing something they aren’t good at, and few people enjoy that, especially the high achievers who are attracted to startups in the first place.
The best companies seem to:
- Pick the right idea. If a team is passionate about an idea, they’ll break down walls to make it work. Teams should pick an idea that plays to their passions and their strengths. A team who loves sitting in the office writing code probably shouldn’t start a company that rewards enterprise sales skills unless they can find a co-founder who can spend all of his or her time on the road with customers. - Get into a regular cadence. Good teams get into a regular cadence of meetings and decision making: weekly staff meetings, weekly 1–1’s with their team members, regular replanning sessions, and regular check-ins with their board and investors. Getting into a weekly cadence, where the team meets at the same time every week, makes it more likely that a team will spend time talking about the hard decisions that are easy to neglect when things get busy. - Stay healthy. Getting the hard things done often takes energy more than it does time. Firing a poorly-performing employee or breaking bad news to the board might take 10 minutes, but it can take lots of energy to rally oneself to finally take those 10 minutes. Great teams find time for exercise, sleep, vacations, friends and family, which help give them the energy to do hard things. - Embrace the challenge. We all gravitate towards things we like and are good at. We all avoid painful conversations. We all hate risk and failure. Don’t beat yourself up. Accept this as your challenge, and start thinking through some strategies to spend more of your time on what matters. And, if you’re still reading and still enthused, then you may be the one that’s going to make it. Either way, we have one final message for you: Good luck!
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LIFE REFINED Our carefully curated guide to the finest from the spheres of horology, automobiles, style, travel, design and much more. In Life Refined we look at the best, and meet the people that are making things happen.
Drive: Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge p38; Ferrari Portofino: A Perfect Combination of
Performance,
Versatility and Style p42; Maserati Ghibli Ribelle p46; Aston MartinDBX p48; Ferrari: On the road p50; Bentley Continental GT Convertible p52;McLaren’s bold approach the Stealth 720S p56; Watches: Vacheron Constantin Alexandre Schmeidt p58; Vacheron Constantin - The FiftySix p60; Vacheron Constantin - Pre-SIHH 2019 p61; Rado HyperChrome Chronograph p62; Hamilton Khaki X-Wind p64; Panerai Submersible Chrono p66; A. Lange & Söhne p67; Oris Big Crown Pointer Date p68; Style: Paul Smith & Manchester United p70; Dunhill Festive Gifting p72; Corneliani p74; Zegna x Farfetch p78;
Concierge: Out of the Ordinary p82; Spontini
p84; Wellness: Fitness Trackers p86; Trending on passionsarabia.com p88 - Events p90 - What’s On p97 36 37
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Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge MIDDLE EAST SEASON 10 PREVIEW
The Porsche BWT GT3CCME is longest running and most professional championship in the region and is based on the highly successful Porsche formula for one-make racing. It was created to give the region’s home-grown driving talent an opportunity to realise their racing potential and is credited with establishing the most exciting and successful series on the regional motor racing calendar. And now, it’s back for Season 10. Autosport news
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Launched in 2009 by Lechner Racing on behalf of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, the competition was the first and remains the only regional championship backed by a manufacturer in the Middle East. It gives official drivers access to the latest Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car, the same model used for international motorsport editions, such as the Porsche Carrera Cup and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the official F1 support race. The series, managed by motorsport legend Walter Lecher, will celebrate an historic 10th season with the introduction of a title sponsor for the first time, thanks to a new partnership with BWT (Best Water Technology), a global leader in the manufacturing of water treatment systems. The new look for Season 10 includes an exciting new format and new schedule including sixteen rounds across six weekends. A diverse grid of international champions, alongside veterans and new, home-grown future stars lined-up at the first race weekend in Dubai Autodrome on 16th November 2018. The longest running and only regional motorsport series, with races in more than one country, is back for a milestone season. The Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East (GT3CCME), managed by Lechner Racing on behalf of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE since its inception in December 2009, has unveiled an action-packed 2018/19 calendar. The anniversary season sees several changes to its format, while continuing to hold its exhilarating championship finale as the official support race of the 2019 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Such is the global reputation and growing appeal of the highly successful one-make series, the landmark tenth anniversary highlights its accomplishment of developing emerging, regional talent. Continuing this legacy, organisers Lechner Racing have reformatted the championship to add more action-packed racing into the rounds than ever before.
A new front apron and a new rear end improve the downforce of the new 911 GT3 Cup Car and therefore enhance traction and performance. The prominent 184-centimetre wide rear wing has been retained from the predecessor model. The wheel dimensions are also unchanged: One-piece 18-inch racing rims with a central locking mechanism are used – with 270-millimetre Michelin racing slicks on the front axle, and a massive 310-millimetre tread on the rear axle. The intelligent aluminium-steel composite construction ensures maximum rigidity and a lightweight body. The new 911 GT3 Cup Car is ready to race weighing in at just 1200 kilograms. The engineers have once again focused speci¬fically on driver safety during development. The driver is protected by a solid safety cage and an innovative, bucket-style racing seat that is moulded particularly heavily around the head and shoulder area. The enlarged rescue hatch in the roof, in line with the latest FIA standard, makes it easier to provide initial treatment and recovery following an accident. Porsche manufactures the 911 GT3 Cup Car on the same production line as the 911 road car in its main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. The basic race tuning is performed at the Weissach motorsport centre, where vehicles are also thoroughly tested by a professional race driver prior to delivery to the customer. Some 3031 units of the 911 GT3 Cup Car have been built in the 996, 997 and 991 model lines since 1998. This makes the brand cup racing car from Stuttgart the most-produced and most-sold GT racing car in the world. Race Structure Testing is restricted to officially organised test days. All participants must have quali¬fied during the official timed practice. There will be two practice and two qualifying sessions during the race weekend, each 30 minutes long. Scoring All results of the individual rounds are combined for the ranking at the end of the season. Drivers are awarded points according to the following scale:
The new season of the longest-running, regional motorsport series consists of sixteen races over six weekends. Instead of just two, Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 5 will now feature three action-packed races. The additions aim to test driver focus and endurance, while also making the -fight for the title more difficult, with added points on offer to disrupt the championship table signifi¬cantly. The Car Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, the most-produced GT racing car now houses a 4-litre, six-cylinder flat engine for even more drive. Thanks to thoroughbred motorsport technology, the compact engine with direct fuel injection delivers peak performance of 357 kW (485 hp). A range of innovative details also improve efficiency in addition to engine performance, ensuring even better durability of the naturally aspirated engine in racing mode and reduced maintenance costs. A valve drive with rigidly mounted rocker arms and a central oil feed is being used for the very first time. What’s more, an integrated oil centrifuge is used to optimise oil defoaming in the engine. A crankshaft with significantly increased rigidity has also been installed.
1st = 25 points 2nd = 23 points 3rd = 21 points 4th = 19 points 5th = 17 points 6th = 15 points 7th = 14 points 8th = 13 points 9th = 12 points 10th = 11 points 11th = 10 points 12th = 9 points 13th = 8 points 14th = 7 points 15th = 6 points 16th = 5 points 17th = 4 points 18th = 3 points 19th = 2 points 20th = 1 point
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A NEW FRONT APRON AND A NEW REAR END IMPROVE THE DOWNFORCE OF THE NEW 911 GT3 CUP CAR AND THEREFORE ENHANCE TRACTION AND PERFORMANCE. THE PROMINENT 184-CENTIMETRE WIDE REAR WING HAS BEEN RETAINED FROM THE PREDECESSOR MODEL.
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THE NEW LOOK FOR SEASON 10 INCLUDES AN EXCITING NEW FORMAT AND NEW SCHEDULE INCLUDING SIXTEEN ROUNDS ACROSS SIX WEEKENDS. A DIVERSE GRID OF INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS, ALONGSIDE VETERANS AND NEW, HOME-GROWN FUTURE STARS LINED-UP AT THE FI¬RST RACE WEEKEND IN DUBAI AUTODROME ON 16TH NOVEMBER 2018.
LAUNCHED IN 2009 BY LECHNER RACING ON BEHALF OF PORSCHE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA FZE, THE COMPETITION WAS THE FIRST AND REMAINS THE ONLY REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BACKED BY A MANUFACTURER IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IT GIVES OFFICIAL DRIVERS ACCESS TO THE LATEST PORSCHE 911 GT3 CUP RACE CAR, THE SAME MODEL USED FOR INTERNATIONAL MOTORSPORT EDITIONS, SUCH AS THE PORSCHE CARRERA CUP AND THE PORSCHE MOBIL 1 SUPERCUP, THE OFFICIAL F1 SUPPORT RACE. THE SERIES, MANAGED BY MOTORSPORT LEGEND WALTER LECHER, WILL CELEBRATE AN HISTORIC 10TH SEASON WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A TITLE SPONSOR FOR THE FIRST TIME, THANKS TO A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BWT (BEST WATER TECHNOLOGY), A GLOBAL LEADER IN THE MANUFACTURING OF WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS.
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Ferrari Portofino: A Perfect Combination of Performance, Versatility and Style FERRARI CONTINUES THE EVOLUTION OF ITS V8 GT
Ferrari is a word synonymous with iconic sports cars and ground-breaking engineering. It is a brand that has motorsports coursing through its veins, courtesty of the legacy of the great Enzo Ferrari, yet is still capable of delivering versatile products that are just at home on the world’s most fashionable streets as they are on the race-track. Automotive Review
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The new Portofino is a perfect emodyment of this ability to capture beauty and performance with one product. This new V8 GT looks set to dominate its segment thanks to a perfect combination of outright power and versatility in addition to a level of driving pleasure and on-board comfort unparalleled on the market. Capable of unleashing a massive 600 cv and sprinting from 0 to 200 km/h in just 10.8 seconds, the Ferrari Portofino is the most dynamic convertible to combine the advantages of a retractable hard top, a roomy boot and a generous cockpit space complete with two rear seats suitable for short trips.
produced in 1957, which has become renowned as being one of the greatest examples of automotive design of all time. Scaglietti built around 100 of these, some with aluminium bodies, and examples now fetch millions at auction. Longwheelbase versions were built between 1958 and 1960 before being replaced by the short-wheelbase version. 365 California Following in its footsteps was the equally impressive 365 California, less than 20 were ever built between 1966 and 1967. The exclusive nature of these Ferraris ensured that California became a hallowed name.
The Ferrari Portofino enjoys an illustrious V8 GT lineage and is the descendant of the popular California family, one of the most famous names associated with the Ferrari brand – a model name that oozes heritage from evey vent. With their soft curves, room for a small amount of luggage and easier-going nature of the chassis for those long inter-continental journeys, the California family are some of the most sought after Ferraris ever built.
California T (bottom right) The Italian company unveiled a modern day reiteration of the California at the 2008 Paris Motor Show which evolved into the California T, launched in 2014. This incarnation of the hard-top convertible boasted a new turbocharged V8, joining models such as the 1984 GTO and 1987 F40, hence the ‘T’ in the moniker.
250 California (top right) The first Ferrari to bear the name California was the original V12-engined 250 California, an exquisitely designed 2-seater spider
The Ferrari California T’s modern design gave it a powerful personality in which sportiness and elegance meld in the classically seamless way of every
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The Portofino. Prepare to be Charmed. You’ll find Ferrari in Kuwait at Al Zayani Automotive in Al Rai Industrial Area, on the 4th Ring Road. Follow them on Instagram at @ferrarialzayanikuwait
Prancing Horse ever built. The design, an elegantly balanced interplay of convex and concave surfaces epitomizes the sublime elegance, sportiness, versatility and exclusivity that have distinguished every California model since the 1950s.
Ferrari Portofino is, in fact, the most powerful convertible to simultaneously offer a retractable hard top, roomy boot and generous occupant space that also includes two rear seats for short trips.
California T HS (previous page, left) In January 2016, Maranello launched a brand-new Handling Speciale (HS) option for the California T, designed for owners looking for an even sportier driving experience, particularly on challenging, twisty routes.
The retractable hard top (RHT) has been completely redesigned and can now be opened or closed in just 14 seconds on the move at lower speeds, making the car even more practical. Careful modelling of the RHT housing now allows the luggage compartment to hold two cabin trolleys with the roof down and three with the roof up. Ideal for any occasion, the Ferrari Portofino represents the perfect combination of design, performance and technology.
The Ferrari Portofino The new car, which takes its name from one of the most charming villages on the Italian Riviera, an eponym for stylish elegance, is the most versatile model in the current-day range. A Ferrari designed to be driven every day that also effortlessly converts from an authentic ‘berlinetta’ coupé to a drop-top capable of delivering a unique Ferrari soundtrack and superb driving pleasure even in day-to-day situations. Powered by the Ferrari V8 turbo, a member of the engine family that won the overall International Engine of the Year Award in both 2016 and 2017, the new car punches out 600 cv and sprints from 0-200 km/h in just 10.8 seconds. The
The Ferrari Portofino is significantly lighter with the adoption of new components featuring innovative designs made possible by the use of cutting-edge production techniques. This, combined with a 40 cv higher power output than the California T, has resulted in a significant hike in performance and a corresponding drop in emissions. Vehicle dynamics benefit from the introduction, for the first time on this model, of electric power steering, the 3rd generation electronic differential (E-Diff3) and the latest evolution of the electronic suspension control system (SCM-E) integrated with Premium 9.1 ESP.
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Maserati Ghibli Ribelle LIMITED EDITION OF 200 CARS IN EMEA MARKETS
Maserati further underlines the importance of Ghibli within its range with a new limited edition launched by the Trident brand in October. The new Maserati “Ghibli Ribelle”, produced in a limited edition of just 200 cars for the EMEA markets and 12 of those for the Middle East and Africa region, offers owners exclusive design and elegant interior trims sharing a common denominator: the refined, sophisticated “Nero Ribelle” mica colour, which shows off the car’s unique design to exquisite effect. This new limited edition Ghibli is available with all of the sports saloon’s three
The uniqueness of the new Ghibli limited edition’s interior is further emphasised
powerplants, the 275 HP V6 turbodiesel and the two petrol options, both twin-
by a chromed aluminium badge bearing the legendary Trident combined with the
turbo V6 delivering 350 HP and 430 HP, designed by Maserati Powertrain and
new Ribelle logo. Located on the central console, in Black Piano finish wood, it
built at the Ferrari plant at Maranello.
is clearly visible to all the vehicle’s occupants to establish its unique, exclusive character.
At first sight, the Ghibli’s elegant silhouette acquires a new dimension thanks to the metallic tone of the “Nero Ribelle” colour. A sophisticated shade
For this “Ghibli Ribelle” limited edition, Maserati also offers the optional
superlatively coordinated with the exclusive shiny black 19 inch Proteo alloy
Ribelle Plus package, providing even greater luxury with laminated privacy
wheels with contrasting red laser etched details. The brake callipers are red.
windows for enhanced thermal and sound insulation, full-LED Matrix adaptive headlights, Harman Kardon premium sound system and opening sunroof.
The interior of the “Ghibli Ribelle” features two-tone black/red dashboard, black door panels and red central armrest, black leather Sport steering wheel with
The “Ghibli Ribelle” limited edition of just 200 cars went on sale in EMEA
tone-on-tone stitching, and steering wheel paddle shifters. The sporty seats (with
region markets from October.
12 position memories) are in full premium leather, again two-tone in black/red with contrasting stitching, available exclusively for this limited edition.
You’ll find Maserati in Kuwait at Al Zayani Maserati, on the 4th Ring Road.
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Aston Martin DBX PROTOTYPE OF ASTON MARTIN’S FIRST SUV BEGINS TESTING Aston Martin has made a significant and symbolic stride towards the luxury brand’s first SUV - now officially confirmed as being named DBX - with the first development prototype being put through its paces along a demanding Welsh Rally stage in the hands of the company’s Chief Engineer, Matt Becker. This first test for DBX signifies the start of an extensive testing programme. One that has begun in Wales, as a nod to Aston Martins’ new St Athan production facility in the Vale of Glamorgan.
NAME OF ASTON MARTIN’S FIRST SUV OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED AS DBX // PROTOTYPE TESTING HAS COMMENCED WITH DBX TACKLING WELSH RALLY STAGE // EXTENSIVE TEST PROGRAMME WILL ENCOMPASS SOME OF THE WORLD’S HARSHEST ENVIRONMENTS // DBX PROGRAMME ON SCHEDULE FOR PRODUCT LAUNCH IN Q4 2019
Though simulation is an essential part of DBX’s early development phase, this first prototype drive in Wales signifies the start of ‘real world’ testing, in which the SUV will be subjected to a punishing regime that will ultimately see development prototypes of the all-new machine tackle some of the world’s harshest environments, from the frozen Arctic and scorching deserts of the Middle East to high Alpine passes and the high-speed demands of the German autobahnen and Nürburgring Nordschleife. The unique nature of DBX in the Aston Martin range means it requires a dedicated test programme; one that features new processes, procedures and standards that reflect its all-purpose role. So, while it will perform with the verve and poise of a true Aston Martin, its dynamic envelope has to extend into areas previously off-limits to the marque’s sporting roots. Naturally this includes impressive multiterrain and towing capabilities as befits a state-of-the-art SUV. Speaking of his drive in the DBX development prototype, Aston Martin Chief Engineer, Matt Becker, said: ‘We have already developed and tuned DBX in the driving simulator, which has enabled us to make excellent progress in advance of the first physical prototype cars being available. Still, it’s always a big day when you get to put the first actual miles on an early prototype and I’m delighted with the near perfect correlation between the simulator and this prototype. As an engineer, it’s genuinely exciting to get a feel for the car you’re working to create. DBX is a very different kind of Aston Martin, but we will be testing it in all conditions and across all terrains to ensure it delivers a driving experience worthy of the wings badge’ DBX is scheduled to be unveiled in the last quarter of 2019 and will be built at Aston Martin Lagonda’s St Athan facility; a state-of-the-art luxury manufacturing plant that will ultimately become the ‘Home of Electrification’ when the marque’s fully-EV models enter production.
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Ferrari: On the road Any day spent driving a Ferrari is a good day, so it follows that a day driving two Ferraris must be exponentially better. Our Danah Alansari did just that - a double with the California T and the GTC4Lusso. We asked her to pick a favourite? Of course, it’s an impossible question to answer!
The Ferrari California T epitomises the sublime elegance, sportiness, versatility and exclusivity that have distinguished every California model since the 1950s. It is a car brimming with innovation that will more than meet the expectations of discerning clients for whom fun behind the wheel is a priority, but who also demand a sumptuously comfortable Grand Tourer they can use every day. The California T is a brilliant expression of Ferrari’s sporty DNA, while its retractable hard top (RHT) and 2+ configuration, amongst other features, make it supremely versatile. Like all Ferraris, the California T boasts cutting-edge technological solutions that make it absolutely unique, most notably the new turbocharged V8 engine. The Ferrari GTC4Lusso is Maranello’s latest interpretation of the four-seater concept, which combines extraordinary performance in all driving conditions with sporty elegance and luxurious comfort for both driver and passengers alike. The GTC4Lusso’s name references several illustrious predecessors, not least the 330 GTC or its 2+2 sister model, the 330 GT, as well as the 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso, which married extreme performance with stylish design and sophisticated materials and craftsmanship. The GTC4Lusso sports the latest evolution of the naturally-aspirated Ferrari GT V12 that melds incredible power with efficiency and provides a soundtrack which is thrilling in performance driving, yet discreet and harmonious in normal touring conditions. To pick a favourite would be like hearing a parent picking their favourite child.
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The Figures GTC4 LUSSO (shown on facing page, third from left) Engine: V12 / 6262cc Max power: 690 CV Max torque: 697 Nm Max speed: 335 kmh 0 - 100 kmh in 3.4 seconds Fuel: 15 l / 100 km
The Figures California T (above) Engine: V8 / 3,855cc Max power: 560 CV Max torque: 755 Nm Max speed: 316 kmh 0 - 100 kmh in 3.6 seconds Fuel: 10.5 l / 100 km
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Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors, said: “Elegant understatement that forces you to look; engineering excellence you’ll take for granted – the extraordinary breadth of capabilities offered by the new Continental GT Convertible is unique and can only be offered by our noble British brand. We have been building luxury Grand Tourers since the company was founded in 1919 and, as we approach our centenary year, the Continental GT Convertible joins a highly acclaimed range – arguably the strongest and most technologically advanced portfolio of products the world has ever seen in one luxury brand.” Elegant and sculptural exterior styling harmonises perfectly with an exquisite handcrafted cabin, featuring the highest quality leathers and sustainably sourced veneers. The tailored convertible roof can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds, with the car travelling at speeds of up to 30 mph (50 km/h). This transforms the Continental GT Convertible from a luxurious coupe into an open-top Grand Tourer at the touch of a button. Seven different fabric hood colours are available, including an authentic tweed finish for the first time. A newly designed neckwarmer (which is both warmer and quieter than in the previous generation model), is seamlessly integrated into the heated Comfort Seats, optimising efficiency and airflow around the electrically adjustable headrests. The styling highlight of the new neckwarmer is a chrome centre vane that stretches the full width of the duct, echoing Bentley’s famous ‘bullseye’ vents. Combined with a heated steering wheel, seat heaters and new heated armrests, these sophisticated comfort features create a luxurious driving experience in all environments. The all-new Continental GT Convertible heightens the sensory experience of open-air motoring with exhilarating performance. A powerful 6.0-litre Bentley W12 engine is mated to a dual-clutch eight-speed transmission.
Bentley Continental GT Convertible THE PINNACLE OPEN-TOP GRAND TOURER
Bentley is introducing the all-new Continental GT Convertible. Designed, engineered and handcrafted in Britain – and representing all Bentley knows about creating the world’s most stylish and elegant Grand Tourers – the GT Convertible is the very essence of the luxury brand.
The new powertrain uses the latest engine management technology to produce 635 PS (626 bhp) and 900 Nm (664 lb.ft.) of torque, and accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds (0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds), on to a top speed of 333 km/h (207 mph). The new Continental GT Convertible also showcases major evolutions in Bentley’s unique application of technology. An advanced, fully digital, driver-focused instrument panel and Bentley Rotating Display for the driver are among the suite of innovations. The latter features an impressive 12.3” touchscreen housed in a three-sided unit, which revolves from pure veneer to reveal either a touchscreen or three elegant analogue dials – offering customers the option of a digital detox when desired. Elegant, sophisticated and refined, the all-new Continental GT Convertible is the pinnacle of open-top luxury Grand Touring. Effortless Elegance Meets Power and Style Unmistakably a Bentley – the third generation Continental GT Convertible retains the elegance and style of its forebears. More sculpted and sharply defined, the all-new body and materials combine to create a truly beautiful car – roof up or down. The Convertible’s profile is longer and lower than its forebear due to the positioning of the front wheels 135 mm further forward. This has allowed the bonnet to be extended and the nose to be lowered. The key signature power lines of its coupe sibling still dominate, flowing back towards the muscular rear haunches. The lighting on the Continental GT Convertible uses the latest LED Matrix technology, but it is the design of the headlamps that truly sets them apart. Inspired by the finest cut-crystal glasses, the internal surfaces are transparent with sharply defined edges that catch the light like a diamond. The result is similar to that of an illuminated gem – an effect which is magnified when the optional welcome sequence gradually illuminates the headlights as you approach the car. The taillights also feature the cut-crystal effect, highlighting the three-dimensional depth of the optics.
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Third generation model represents all Bentley knows about creating the world’s definitive Grand Tourers Beautiful, roof up or down, GT Convertible’s flowing, elegant exterior styling is accented with muscular, sculptural lines Finest handcrafted materials and in-car technologies harmonise to create a connected, personalised cabin Bentley Rotating Display offers customers option of a digital detox Elegantly tailored convertible roof sweeps open in 19 seconds to reveal exquisite, luxurious handcrafted interior Contemporary tweed Convertible roof available for the first time
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DRIVE
The all-new Continental GT Convertible has 21” Five Tri-Spoke wheels as standard, with the option of 10-Spoke and 22” Five Open-Spoke wheels. These three wheel designs are offered in a selection of ten polished and painted finishes. Convertible customers can choose from the palette of 17 colours, including Beluga, Onyx and Portofino. An optional extended range of colours is also available – as well as the option of full bespoke colour-matching for Bentley customers. These can be coordinated with seven exterior roof colours. A Handcrafted Luxurious Cabin The exquisite interior of the all-new Continental GT Convertible is a showcase for Bentley’s unrivalled expertise in the use of natural materials, fully revealed to the world when the elegant roof is lowered. From the highest-quality leathers, to rare, sustainably sourced veneers, such as Koa and Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus, the cabin is a triumph for craftsmanship and artisanal skill. Unique dualveneer is offered, with over 10 square metres of wood used in every car. Customers have the choice of a polished wooden steering wheel too. The dashboard is styled and sculpted by long, flowing wings that mirror the shape of the Bentley badge. Continental GT Convertible customers can choose from eight interior hood lining colours, including Red, Blue and Magnolia. The centre console is finished to match the lower fascia, but can be specified in a new technical finish that is inspired by the delicate mechanical surfacing inside the finest mechanical Swiss watches, known as Côtes de Genève. This surface is machined onto 0.6 mm-thick aluminium and is created by machining from side to side to create a linear pattern. Each row is 5 mm wide and machined at an angle to give a truly three-dimensional finish, with each pass of the machine making a minute step of 0.5 mm. New types of luxurious haptic finishes adorn the interior of the Continental GT Convertible for greater sensory, as well as visual, enjoyment. In some areas, pillow knurling replaces the traditional mechanical knurling, for a softer, more refined feel on switches and controls, while diamond knurling adds a luxurious touch using a detailed three-dimensional faceted surface. The 20-way adjustable Comfort Seats set new industry standards in comfort and refinement. Smooth centre panels allow maximum efficiency for the ventilation, heating and massage functions, while the adjustable bolsters retain the signature Bentley quilting. There is also the option of Hand Cross Stitch finishing. A choice of three audio systems is offered in the new Continental GT Convertible. The standard system features 10 speakers and 650 Watts, while a Bang & Olufsen 1,500 W, 16-speaker system with illuminated speaker grilles is available, benefiting from the first automotive application of the BeoSonic system – a new way for tone setting with a simple, intuitive one-touch user interface. A Naim 2,200 W, 18-speaker system with Active Bass Transducers built into the front seats and eight sound modes is offered for the true audiophile. Behind the wheel, the technological advancements in the new Continental GT Convertible continue. The driver-orientated instrument panel is fully digital and can be personalised by the driver. The Bentley Rotating Display offers the choice between a digital or analogue journey. At first glance there appears to be no screen in the centre of the dashboard. Instead, the veneer flows uninterrupted across the dashboard, while a thin chrome bezel behind the steering wheel surrounds a digital instrument display.
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McLaren’s bold approach the Stealth 720S FROM McLAREN SPECIAL OPERATIONS
McLaren Special Operations (MSO) creates a unique 720S with a ‘Stealth’ design theme. Don’t be fooled by the name: The MSO 720S Stealth Theme from McLaren Special Operations will ensure that one McLaren 720S owner stands out from the crowd even more than usual, in a striking car produced as a bespoke order for McLaren retailer, McLaren London. MSO Defined Sarthe Grey exterior paint - inspired by the 1995 Le Mans-winning McLaren F1 GTR – is contrasted with hand-painted Vermillion Red accents
DRIVE
The McLaren 720S can be ordered as standard in one of three specification
The red detailing – on the front of the car and the bonnet and extending
levels, with MSO Defined options among the additional features offered to
back along the bodysides to the rear deck – was hand-painted by master
customers who want their new car to be unlike others. Beyond this there
craftsmen and craftswomen at McLaren Special Operations in a near-200-
are opportunities to further personalise a McLaren through MSO’s Bespoke
hour process.
services, where areas such as paint and interior stitching can be developed as themes to create a car that is often, quite literally, one-of-a-kind.
The theme of red accents is continued on the 10-Spoke Super Lightweight alloy wheels, which are finished in MSO Bespoke Satin Black with the
‘Stealth’ was one of the MSO Bespoke themes visualised for the McLaren
outer rim and a single spoke in contrasting Vermillion Red. MSO Bespoke
720S on its global debut at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show;
Satin Finish Visual Carbon Fibre components enhance the exterior of the
examples of the Velocity, Track and Pacific themes have already been
car, with the Front Air Intakes, Door Mirror Casings, Door Mirror Arms,
produced as MSO Bespoke orders.
Rear Aero Bridges, Rear Deck and Service Cover and Rear Fender Air Intakes all in the lightweight material.
The MSO 720S Stealth Theme was commissioned by McLaren London to be visually even more purposeful than a standard 720S in Performance
McLaren 720S Performance specification provides a sports-oriented interior
specification. The scope of the Stealth theme encompasses MSO Defined
with carbon fibre switch and centre panel surrounds and Alcantara® trim
Sarthe Grey exterior paint - a colour inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR that
material. In the case of this car, MSO Bespoke additions further develop
was victorious at the famous Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe in 1995 – and
the purposeful theme, with red leather and Apex Red stitching on the fascia,
Vermillion Red contrast paint to accentuate the lines of the 720S body.
door inners and seats.
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Alexandre Schmeidt VACHERON CONSTANTIN REGIONAL BRAND MANAGER
He’s one of the region’s most knowledgable men when it comes to talking watches and, for Vacheron Constantin in particular, of course there’s no one else we’d choose to take the opinion of. Recently in Kuwait for the launch of the maison’s ‘One of Not Many’ campaign, our Managing Director Zeina Mokaddam say down with Alexandre to get the low-down on the campaign, the FiftySix, and to take a view on 2018. Watch talk, a good time
WATCHES
It will soon be one year since the FiftySix Collection was announced just prior to 2018’s SIHH. How has the collection gone on and proved itself commercially? I think the perception of FiftySix at SIHH was overwhelmingly positive. We had very good feedback, and very strong press coverage because it told the story of Vacheron Constantin in a slightly different way. It tells the story of our heritage in a very modern and unexpected way. It’s sophisticated and contemporary and a bit younger. We also launched it together with our One of Not Many campaign – this also gives a new angle on the story of Vacheron Constantin. FiftySix is the first model we launched through the campaign. Recently, in September, we launched the FiftySix at London’s Abbey Road Studios – another different angle, not only for Vacheron Constantin but also amongst watch brands to date. The studio as a choice may be different and unexpected, but it shares the same spirit as ours – heritage and innovation. The view it has presented of us has been very positive. Since the launch, we’ve sold far more than we expected. The profile of customer for the FiftySix is perhaps different to the traditional Vacheron Constantin customer. Do you agree? They are all ‘One of Not Many’. However, the one thing they all share is that they are connoisseurs who appreciate and understand things from a different angle to most other people. They want something that not everyone else has. The FiftySix attracts the modern, cosmopolitan gentleman who wants something classic and modern at the same time. We also launched it in gold as well as steel – offering a unique combination and satisfying a need for some of our existing customers too – especially here in the Middle East. The 4600 FiftySix self-winding uses the ValFleurier movement – so there’s no Hallmark of Geneva here. We prefer not to refer to the model as ‘entry level’, but how do you perceive its appearance in the collection, and has it succeeded in matching the maison’s aims? The caliber is a 100% Vacheron caliber. Finished to the same standards as the caliber you’ll find in every Vacheron watch. The reason it doesn’t have the hallmark is simple – this caliber is made by us in the Vallée de Joux, not Geneva. Again, we’re offering the customer something new – a Vacheron Constantin caliber that isn’t made in Geneva, doesn’t have the Geneva hallmark, but is of the same comparably high quality. Will there be a time when the hallmark isn’t such an important defining reference to a watch? I think the important thing is never to compromise on quality. And then it depends on the client. There are some clients who will always place a high value on the Geneva hallmark. We’ll always continue to offer hallmarked watches for these clients. It will always have its own value because it is an independent certification.
The FiftySix has been the most heavily promoted of all Vacheron Constantin’s watch collections. How significant has it proved in regard to sales? Which have been the most sought-after models? It has been the highlight of this year, but for one good reason. It’s not often that Vacheron Constantin launches an entirely new collection. The good news is that all models are selling well, and we have a good balance across the range. From the simple automatic to the day date and the full calendar. In the Middle East we’ve also seen a very even balance between the steel and the gold. Positioned as the hero of the FiftySix collection, the model uses a new, slim complication and combines and classic dial with avantgarde technical details. What do you see this new model adding to the legacy of the maison? (note to readers… we think when it hits the boutiques in April 2019 it’s going to become the new icon for the contemporary face Vacheron Constantin). We are a true watchmaker – so the FiftySix merits a grand complication. There are very few high complications that exist because in a high complication watch you have a beautiful movement and you don’t want to obscure it with a rotor. But we found a way to combine the two. We have a beautiful movement, and created a technical solution to take the rotor outside the movement – we call it a ‘peripheral rotor’. it’s very difficult to do, but it gives a clear view of the movement. It’s perfect for FiftySix, and is totally unique. Looking back over 2018 with Vacheron Constantin, what are you able to reflect upon and say quietly to yourself, “yes, I did that well”? Honestly, I think we did well on how we brought FiftySix to the region. After revealing at SIHH we then had the launch at Abbey Road. It was something very much for the connoisseur. We developed a concept which we rolled out across the Middle East bringing this connoisseur experience in a similar way to each of the countries. Here in Kuwait too, right now.
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Vacheron Constantin FiftySix OUR WATCH OF 2018
In January 2018, Vacheron Constantin unveiled its Fiftysix® collection in the form of three new models (Self-winding, Day-Date and Complete Calendar), representing the first notes of a new musical score. The cadence is now picking up with a new reference: Fiftysix® Tourbillon. All-in-all, with its many faces and for its classic lines reinvented and for the image the maison immediately and credibly created for it, the FiftySix became our watch of 2018.
WATCHES
Vacheron Constantin Pre-SIHH 2019 In the 18th century, during the Age of Enlightenment, Geneva’s most experienced watchmakers exercised their talent in workshops bathed in natural light and known as cabinets, perched on the top floor of the city’s buildings. These alchemists of time, who crafted extraordinary specially commissioned complicated watches, came to be nicknamed cabinotiers. Accomplished masters of their art, they were endowed with technical and manual skills matched by a wealth of scientific knowledge as well as curiosity for new ideas nurtured by the philosophy of that period. Ably meeting the highest technical, aesthetic and artistic challenges, the one-of-a-kind Vacheron Constantin models currently created by its Les Cabinotiers department – heir to this prestigious history – delight the most demanding Fine Watchmaking connoisseurs, as vividly illustrated in Les Cabinotiers minute repeater tourbillon sky chart. This signature piece follows in the wake of the Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600 and the Symphonia Grande Sonnerie 1860 created by the Les Cabinotiers department in 2017. The feat of associating the minute repeater function, a tourbillon and a depiction of the starry heavens within a Vacheron Constantin watch could only be achieved within the Les Cabinotiers department. Showcasing the technical art of horology along with the aesthetic values of the Manufacture, this new creation echoes the consummate skills that have given rise to the Vacheron Constantin most emblematic and technical models.
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Rado HyperChrome Chronograph in bronze and ceramic ANCIENT MEETS AVANT-GARDE
In a seamless union of ancient and modern elements, the Rado HyperChrome Chronograph Automatic is now available in a beautifully contrasting bronze and high-tech ceramic construction. Limited to 999 pieces, this exclusive timepiece joins two materials that are perfectly suited for use in watchmaking: Bronze, which marks the passage of time by developing a rich patina, and high-tech ceramic, which boasts lightness and superior scratch resistance.
WATCHES
The sporty-chic HyperChrome Chronograph is Rado’s signature all day, every occasion timepiece for gents. In this new model, the 45 mm automatic chronograph retains its scratch resistant high-tech ceramic case – here in matt midnight black – but swaps out the ceramic bracelet for a supple brown vintage look leather strap. Adding to this harmonious contrast are side inserts and chronograph pushers crafted in bronze – humanity’s oldest alloy. Rose gold coloured hands and indexes echo the subtle metallic sheen of the bronze, while a bezel engraved with a tachometric scale provides additional functionality. A bronze beauty for the wrist The initial pale gold colour of the HyperChrome’s bronze elements deepens with time, developing a matt vintage-look patina that is unique to each watch and wearer. As the bronze ages, darkening and taking on more character, it forms a handsome contrast to the flawless high-tech ceramic surfaces of the case. The ceramic case retains the benefits of the material by being lightweight, scratch resistant and hypoallergenic. “A need for true matter is driving designers to reach out for unusual directions, wilder ideas and primitive ingredients such as lava, metal and bronze,” observes renowned trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort. As the Swiss watchmaker known for its pioneering use of materials, Rado worked in the same vein, combining the ancient beauty of bronze with the modern technical achievement of high-tech ceramic. The result is the bronze edition of the HyperChrome Chronograph: a striking combination of old and new, and a watch that honours the passage of time both inside and out.
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Hamilton Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono LE Hamilton is synonymous with aviation and they’re celebrating their first 100 years of timing the skies with a limited edition watch that represents the very best of Hamilton - the Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono Limited Edition. Celebrating a century of evolution in aviation Based on the original Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono, the 2018 Limited Edition is packed with aviation features for pilots and offers a technical perspective including the ground-breaking crosswind calculator of the original. Limited to just 1,918 individually numbered pieces, the Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono Limited Edition features a robust 45 mm stainless steel case. Inside the case is the H-21-Si, the first Hamilton chronograph movement with a silicon hairspring. This material makes the movement more precise as silicon is non-magnetic and less sensitive to shocks. The former is an important feature for pilots because they often stay in environments with high magnetic fields, such as airports. In addition, the movement has been precision certified by COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) as a chronometer. Thanks to newly shaped hands and Super-LumiNova® numerals in sand color that glow neon green in the dark, the watch has enhanced readability. The multilevel black dial allows the eye to navigate between the three counters, the day date window at 9 o’clock and the turning inner bezels. The X-shape visible between the pushers and crowns surrounding the case complete this multi-dimensional theme. The ‘H’ buckle and sturdy leather strap are in typical Hamilton aviation style and there is also a metal bracelet for those who prefer a full steel look.
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Panerai Submersible Chrono Guillaume Néry Edition The new Panerai Submersible Chrono – Guillaume Néry edition is a combination of performance, strength and reliability worthy of the remarkable champion who has inspired this amazing new creation of mechanical engineering. Guillaume Néry was twice a world champion and he broke four constant weight free-diving world records. This former professional athlete is now an ambassador of the sea, turning his astonishing underwater experiences into images and videos which amaze everyone who sees them. In his honour, Panerai has created a new watch combining technical performance and a remarkably powerful, sporty appearance. The Panerai Submersible Chrono – Guillaume Néry edition is above all a professional diver’s watch, water-resistant to a depth of about 300 metres (30 bar) and fitted with a unidirectional rotating bezel, which accurately displays the duration of the dive. The dial is clearly legible under all lighting conditions and in complete darkness, thanks to the luminous white markers, which stand out strongly against the shark grey, textured background. Engraved on the screw back are the champion’s signature and the depths of his final awe-inspiring record: 126 metres, achieved with a single breath. The watch is sexy and light, with its titanium case which integrates perfectly with the blue of the ceramic disc applied to the bezel, the blue hands and the blue rubber strap. It is also a precision chronograph, with fly-back function and the device for zeroing the seconds hand to enable perfect synchronisation with a reference signal. The Panerai Submersible Chrono – Guillaume Néry edition is fitted with a P.9100 automatic calibre with a power reserve of three days. This movement was entirely developed in Panerai’s high quality watchmaking Manufacture in Neuchâtel, in the Laboratorio di Idee where the originality and precision of Panerai watches transform every design into a creation of indomitable character and excellent technical performance.
WATCHES
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down “Lumen” The new A. Lange & Söhne model reliably tells the time around the clock, and its stop function can be used at any time as well. This is because all indications are legible even in darkness, thanks to its semi-transparent dial and luminous displays. The chronograph – with a flyback function, a precisely jumping minute counter and a powerreserve indicator – comes in a limited edition of 200 watches. What strikes the eye at first sight of the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN is its vibrant and yet harmoniously balanced dial design. The characteristic outsize-date display in the framed double aperture marks the tip of an equilateral triangle. Its baseline is defined by the two subsidiary dials for the seconds and the precisely jumping minute counter. In the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN “Lumen”, the ingenious configuration unfolds a new aesthetic dimen¬sion as soon as darkness sets in. This is achieved with a semi-transparent dial and a luminous compound that causes all displays to glow in the darkness – with a distinctive green hue that the human eye perceives as particularly pleasant. The hour and minute hands are filled with the luminous material; the chronograph sweep seconds hand is fully coated with the compound. The seconds hand and minute counter in blued steel revolve above subsidiary dials that are nocti-lucent, too. The minute scale, subdivided into fifth-of-a-second graduations, the concentric tachymeter scale and power-reserve arrow applique also glow in bright green. The new model, available in a limited edition of just 200 watches, comes in a 41-millimetre platinum case. It is worn on a black alligator leather strap with a platinum prong buckle.
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Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Oris marks eight decades of a watchmaking icon. To mark the 80th anniversary of this landmark watch, Oris has created the Big Crown Pointer Date 80th Anniversary Edition, a special piece with a 40mm case, fluted bezel and oversized crown cast in bronze, and a striking green dial. The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date has always been a style statement and a useful instrument. For its 80th anniversary, Oris announces a special bronze edition. In 1938, Oris introduced a pioneering watch for pilots. It had an oversized crown so that glove-wearing airmen could easily adjust it, and an unusual complication – a date indicated by a central pointer hand. The aim behind it was to create a beautiful, high-quality, reasonably priced timekeeper that would be reliable and easy to use, even in hostile conditions. Little could the independent Swiss watchmaker have known at the time that eight decades later, the Big Crown Pointer Date would not only continue to fulfil that ambition, but also that it would have become one of the most recognisable of all watch designs, an icon for the generations. ‘Designs come and go, but the Big Crown Pointer Date has endured and keeps getting stronger,’ says Oris’s Honorary Chairman, Dr Rolf Portmann, who shares his experiences of the Big Crown. ‘It’s become an Oris signature and a symbol of how strong the company’s heritage and brand are.’ Oris has chosen bronze for the case material in part because of its
current popularity, but also because it’s a utilitarian material that tells the story of Oris’s industrial approach to watchmaking. Bronze patinates naturally as it oxidises, so that each watch will take on a unique finish over time. The deep green of the dial also has a natural feel, complementing the bronze case. The combination of materials and colours is symbolic of the watch’s design heritage, Oris’s rich mechanical watchmaking history, and the company’s natural location in Switzerland’s beautiful Waldenburg Valley. The original Oris Big Crown Pointer Date was a landmark watch. In the 80 years since its launch, it has played a pivotal role in Oris’s remarkable story No watch tells the historic tale of independent Swiss watchmaker Oris quite like the iconic Big Crown Pointer Date. It’s a potent symbol of Oris’s philosophy, and some say that without it Oris might not enjoy its current status as a leader in Swiss Made mechanical watches. Since Oris was founded in 1904, its philosophy has always been to create watches that make sense, that serve a real purpose and that can be industrially produced to the highest standards and sold at reasonable prices. Introduced in 1938, the Big Crown Pointer Date fulfilled that timeless brief.
WATCHES
BACK IN THE 1930S, ORIS WAS A FAST-GROWING COMPANY, WITH SEVEN PRODUCTION SITES IN AND AROUND THE PICTURESQUE SWISS VILLAGE OF HÖLSTEIN, WHERE THE COMPANY IS STILL BASED TODAY. THE BIG CROWN POINTER DATE WAS A MILESTONE WATCH FOR THE COMPANY, INTRODUCING THE POINTER DATE FUNCTION INTO THE COLLECTION AND OFFERING PILOTS A GENUINELY USEFUL TOOL.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE ORIS BIG CROWN POINTER DATE? IT’S A HUGELY IMPORTANT WATCH – IT’S ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE PIECES AND THE POINTER DATE IS ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE COMPLICATIONS. AND THINK OF ALL THAT’S CHANGED IN THE 80 YEARS SINCE IT WAS LAUNCHED. WHAT A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT. Dr Rolf Portmann Oris’s Honorary Chairman (left)
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Paul Smith & Manchester United TEAMWORK
Building on their existing formalwear partnership, Paul Smith & Manchester United present a capsule collection of graphic accessories that mix Paul Smith designs with Manchester United’s football heritage.
STYLE
The collaboration centers around two photo prints featuring vintage Manchester United scarves and rosettes. Paul Smith was an innovator in photo print during the 1970s and 1980s, and these unique prints reference that fact while celebrating Manchester United’s rich sporting history. Accessories are the focus of the collaboration. Products in the range include a laptop sleeve, a wash bag, notebooks, leather wallets and cardholders, plus iPhone 8 cases. Introducing another Paul Smith design signature, a colorful striped design features on a wool scarf and pair of socks. Finally, with a nod to Paul Smith formalwear, the collection also includes two striped cufflink designs and a tie with the famous Manchester United crest, which is available in red or black. Paul Smith has been the official formalwear partner of Manchester United for the past decade. This association began in 2008 when Paul Smith supplied the team and officials with suits for their UEFA Champions League Final victory in Moscow. Since then, Manchester United players and staff have also worn custom Paul Smith suits for their FA Cup Final appearance in 2018 and Europa League victory in 2017.
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Dunhill Festive Gifting DUNHILL CRUSH BY FREDRIKSON STALLARD
Individual and unique sculptures of mirrored polished aluminium have been formed by hand in an archaic and intensely physical way. Each art work, connects with dunhill’s aesthetic through the use of metal crafted to reflect light in a fluid and changing way. The art works will be showcased in dunhill flagship stores worldwide, as the reflective frame to the 2018 gifting collection, constantly changing with the movement of viewpoint, time and light. Style Preview
STYLE
“At the heart of our work is the freedom and expression of the performance of creation, the raw energy of instantaneous thought and feeling. The sculptural qualities of our works are born from the desires of instinct, reality, authenticity. They are a record of an energetic moment, aftermath, disruption, the creation of a subconscious collage. The works have an urge to connect, both with their surroundings in terms of form and reflection, both inwards and outwards, and demand the immediate attention of an audience. An audience who, as with the Rorschach ink blot, is given the power to perceive their own ideas in the abstractions they are presented with. The works have an extreme precision of task within their bodies which at first glance may have appeared haphazard or inconclusive. They are in fact neither. In their baroque simplicity they are truly inclusive, collaborative. They are yours. They are what you desire, want and need� Fredrikson Stallard
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A unique Italian knowledge, nurtured along decades of experiences, is the tool that allows the shaping of style as an experiential journey.
Corneliani AUTUMN / WINTER 2018/19
The essence of tailoring lays in the will to put the client first, building things around individual wishes, demands, needs and desires, evolving the craft as times evolve. Tailoring is an experience for the wearer stemming out of the experience of the makers. Both ways, it is a process. The essence of Corneliani is tailoring. Style Preview
STYLE
Working with the client in mind means working on the single item, making it an expression of the moment that molds on the person. The wearer is the only protagonist. Themes are fickle. Items remain, morphing in infinite ways through use. It’s style that takes life through experience and experiences that suggest new ways to style, mixing and morphing worlds and solutions, effortlessly.
F/W 18/19 is the first installment of this ongoing process. The collection builds an open repertoire of possibilities. The elements are given. A thoughtful take on familiar tropes ensues: impeccably functional outerwear, effortless businesswear, refined leisurewear. Evolution results from a subtle balance of weights, patterns, shapes and occasions of use. The quest for harmony translates into an ever-evolving idea of classic beauty. A delve into history defines the essence of the moment. Traditional patterns are enhanced in outerwear and tailoring, while technical pieces gain unexpected aplomb. Color and functional details are hidden on the inside, pleasing the wearer, not the public. Shapes are essential and streamlined, drawing a soft silhouette. The dynamism of skiing adds ĂŠlan, precious leathers and furs provide the pleasure of texture. A muted palette of painterly, dense tones reaffirms the Corneliani roots, strongly linked to Mantua.
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Built around an idea of subtle effortlessness, the collection does not rely on the bold, yet quickly forgettable, fashion statement. Instead, it initiates a dialogue with the wearer, inviting to discover details and characteristics through use, day by day. As such, it owns a timelessness that comes from the will to catch the spirit of the time, keeping authenticity at the core.
STYLE
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Zegna x Farfetch ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA XXX PARTNERSHIP WITH FARFETCH
Ermenegildo Zegna has launched an exclusive partnership with Farfetch, released the Ermenegildo Zegna XXX US Capsule Collection on the leading luxury fashion platform, on November 5th in the U.S. Style preview
STYLE
As part of Ermenegildo Zegna’s international, multi-tiered campaign, this exclusive Farfetch partnership reflects XXX as our most universal collection to date. Now, the XXX movement extends to US audiences; a collection whose goal was described by Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori as to “match the identity of society’s boldest and most visionary members.” The distinctive symbol of a manual craft, XXX represents a bold, contemporary wardrobe of everyday icons, accessories and footwear—from graphic bomber jackets to hand-stitched, hightop sneakers. Discover the entire, bold range of pieces from the Ermenegildo Zegna XXX US Capsule collection on Farfetch.
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Contemporary couture, for everyday wear. Designed for the XXX tribe; those who celebrate both streetwear and tailoring.
STYLE
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ANANTARA IS A LUXURY HOSPITALITY BRAND FOR MODERN TRAVELLERS, CONNECTING THEM TO GENUINE PLACES, PEOPLE AND STORIES THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, AND PROVIDING HEARTFELT HOSPITALITY IN THE WORLD’S MOST EXCITING DESTINATIONS. THE COLLECTION OF DISTINCT, THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED LUXURY HOTELS AND RESORTS PROVIDES A WINDOW THROUGH WHICH TO JOURNEY INTO INVIGORATING NEW TERRITORY, CURATING PERSONAL TRAVEL EXPERIENCES.
From walking in the footsteps of the lost Champa Empire in Quy Nhon, South Vietnam, to indulging one’s inner Robinson Crusoe with a sunset picnic on the private islands of Camamu Bay, Brazil. Thrill seekers will be satiated by the chance to catch a pristine wave off the coast of Sri Lanka, from a private helicopter no less. Guests are encouraged to lose themselves in Anantara and embrace the spirit of adventure, discovery and wonder. Imagine snorkelling a Maldivian reef, suspended in crystal clear water, and coming face to face with a majestic manta ray emerging from the depths of the ocean and stealing one’s heart. Or scaling Oman’s rugged mountains, a breath taking vista of miniature villages and fruit orchards stretching as far as the eye can see, and suddenly feeling the pulse of that incredible country beating in the golden morning light. As purveyors of luxury, Anantara Experiences experts ensure the focus stays firmly on providing the highest level of service and on personalisation. Well-travelled and exacting, Anantara guests relish the experiences that stray off the beaten path while being thoroughly researched, impeccably planned and executed. “Immersing oneself in new destinations, opening one’s heart and mind to serendipitous moments, embracing the unknown is the only way to truly appreciate new cultures and places. At Anantara, we believe that life is a journey – a philosophy that underpins everything we do, from deciding on resort locations to crafting guest experiences,” said Dillip Rajakarier, Minor Hotels CEO, the owning company of Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas.
Out of the Ordinary MAKE IT EXTRAORDINARY
There are experiences that possess the capacity of bringing beauty into laser-sharp focus. Anantara Hotels and Resorts’ new Experiences Campaign is a carefully curated collection of such moments, each distilling the essence of a destination into a relatable and accessible yet distinctive activity. Travel briefing
Anantara Experiences Campaign is an important step in refining and developing this concept. It brings together the brand’s signature experiences, properties and destinations through expertly crafted, on-brand creative work while communicating Anantara ethos during every moment of the customer journey. In the role of curator and facilitator of luxury travel experiences that go beyond the ordinary and the mundane, Anantara strives to inspire, guide and operate as an integral part of the guests’ journey discovering idiosyncratic cultures and indigenous wildlife. The Anantara Experiences Campaign is an integrated multimedia mixed channel campaign featuring print collateral, a suite of digital assets and a cohesive social media strategy launched in September 2018.
CONCIERGE
FROM COSMOPOLITAN CITIES TO DESERT SANDS TO LUSH ISLANDS, ANANTARA CONNECTS TRAVELLERS TO THE INDIGENOUS, GROUNDS THEM IN AUTHENTIC LUXURY, AND HOSTS THEM WITH PASSIONATE EXPERTISE. THE PORTFOLIO CURRENTLY BOASTS OVER 35 STUNNING HOTEL AND PROPERTIES LOCATED IN THAILAND, THE MALDIVES, INDONESIA, VIETNAM, CHINA, CAMBODIA, SRI LANKA, MOZAMBIQUE, ZAMBIA, THE UAE, QATAR, OMAN AND PORTUGAL, WITH A PIPELINE OF FUTURE PROPERTIES ACROSS ASIA, THE INDIAN OCEAN, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA.
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Spontini WITH EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, MASSIMO INNOCENTI
Spontini, Milan’s favorite pizza brand has made its Middle East debut with the opening of their first restaurant in Kuwait at The Forum - The Avenues. The brand’s history goes back to 1953 when the family owned business started selling its pizza by the slice. Talking Food
CONCIERGE
Pizzeria Spontini first saw the light in a small shop that fed the Milanese during the economic boom of the post-war years. Today, Spontini continues to serve handmade, high-quality pizzas, using only the finest Italian ingredients, based on a recipe that has been unchanged for 60 years. Spontini’s winning formula lies in its core strengths of speed, efficiency, simplicity and convenience in its product and service, which led its expansion across Italy, Japan and now the Middle East, with the first destination being Kuwait. How did you start your journey with Spontini? Spontini is a family business that started in Milan back in 1953. My parents took over the business in 1977 along with their partner, and then in 1987 I officially started my journey with Spontini when I bought the family business and became the sole director of the brand. I spent many years behind the oven as a pizza chef and learned a lot about the business, which led me to decide and turn this family-run pizzeria into an enterprise and opened the 2nd store in Viale Papiniano, then continued with the expansion across Italy and in Japan and now we are in Kuwait and the Middle East. What is the brand’s vision? We believe that our recipe for success is based on the speed, efficiency, simplicity and convenience in the products and services we are offering to our customers. We started with serving handmade and high-quality pizza by the slice using the finest ingredients based on a recipe that has been unchanged for more than 60 years, and we are excited to be bringing this concept to Kuwait. What is the concept behind Spontini serving pizza by the slice? Serving pizza by the slice was originally brought to Milan from Tuscany, where it was the traditional way of serving pizza. We adopted this concept when we first launched and were inspired by the values of Milan and just like the style of the city, quick and easy, Spontini is all about speed, efficiency, simplicity and convenience and we have been serving the pizza by the slice since 1953.
Why did you decide to expand the business? Working for years at Spontini and learning every trick of the business, I realized the time has come to expand to meet the increasing demand of the city. We launched our second store in 2008 and continued our expansion to become an enterprise. Contemporarily to the development of the city of Milan, Spontini began its nationwide expansion with the opening in different locations as well. We’ve noticed the overwhelming demand for our pizza in Italy and knowing people’s love for pizza around the world, we’ve decided to branch out even more and get the world to know what Milan’s best pizza tastes like. In 2015, the development abroad began with the launch of the first pizzeria Spontini in Japan and now we are here in Kuwait. We are certain that people of Kuwait will fall in love with our iconic pizza by the slice. What made you think about expansion into the Middle East and Kuwait as a first destination? The Middle East is known to be a dynamic market with consumers who understand and appreciate the Italian cuisine. Kuwait is also known to have carved a reputation for understanding and respecting food and the dining experience. Having our first pizzeria to launch at The Avenues, which is an iconic landmark in the country, is certainly something we’re excited about. It’s the best place for people in Kuwait to connect with the brand and its values. I’ve also noticed from my brief visits to Kuwait, that Italian food has become quite popular in town, which is something very promising for our brand. Why did you choose to partner with M.H. Alshaya? M.H. Alshaya Co. is a leading franchise operator and has a proven track record of operating some of the world’s most well-known brands very successfully in the Middle East. The team here understood and connected with the philosophy of Spontini and we are able to establish our presence in the region through their support and expertise and offer the customers here the same experience that they would experience in our Italian stores. We are looking forward to a successful partnership in order to set our future expansion plans, with the support and expertise of M.H. Alshaya.
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These days fitness trackers have more functions than a swiss army knife, usually including a heart rate monitor, exercise programs, distance trackers, calorie trackers and many more, all with the intention of improving your health. More often than not, they’ll use connectivity to your smart phone, meaning you can access data and analysis on your exercise sessions. Fitness trackers are one of the fastest growing exercise accessories around today. Back in 2011, approximately 14 million people were wearing fitness trackers, with that number predicted to increase to over 170 million in the present day. Keeping Track Well, this one is obvious. But fitness trackers are of course, great for tracking progress. Knowing how far you’ve gone from the starting point is vital in terms of keeping motivation. And that’s why fitness trackers are essential for anyone looking get fit, as they keep a record of your exercise stats, so you can always go back and check just how far you’ve come since the beginning. Ready Made Programs Not everyone can afford a PT, and some people just don’t want someone barking orders at them. For those discerning exercise enthusiasts, fitness trackers are absolutely ideal. Most trackers will offer ready made programs that vary in terms of goal, be it fat loss or general fitness. This means you can follow a workout or overall schedule without the need to be that person in the gym with the notepad and pen, constantly jotting away what you’ve done and what you’re going to do. It also means that whatever your level of fitness, trackers will usually have an exercise of program that caters to your fitness levels. that are tailored to cater for your current fitness level.
Fitness Trackers WORTH THE EFFORT?
It wasn’t so long ago that fitness trackers were limited to seeing Teta walking in to the living room with a pedometer clipped to her waist saying “Look! It counts your steps! What will they think of next?!” Health & Fitness
Goal Setting One of the best ways to mke sure you get the best results from your exercise routine is by setting achievable goals. A big mistake for someone embarking on a journey from the couch to bronze god/goddess is to overreach when starting out. You’re not going to completely transform your body in a couple of weeks. That’s why it’s important to set goals that you can actually achieve, which a fitness tracker will help you with. There’s nothing worse than failing to reach a goal and then letting that make you quit or take away motivation. If you’re realistic, achieving these goals can be an excellent source of inspiration to keep going, if you know you’re improving, there’s more incentive to keep improving.
WELLNESS
Getting in to a Routine/Habit Another way in which fitness trackers can aid not just your exercise but also your general life, is the ability they have to help you with things such as sleep. Research has shown doctors will not recommend such health technology to patients in an attempt to help manage their health on their own. Sleep, diet and exercise are all conducive to a healthy, happy lifestyle, so being able to track all of them can have massive benefits in terms of establishing a routine that you enjoy that improves your health, as well as your general understanding of health. Not only that, but most fitness trackers will recommend some changes to make to be healthier, meaning you can start to change the habits of a lifetime that have been weighing you down. A lot of these above factors combine and result in the main thing we all need… Motivation If there’s one essential starting point of any sort of fitness journey or goal, it’s motivation, plain and simple. You won’t ever accomplish anything, no matter how easy or hard without it. Exercise levels can often vary thanks to the hectic lives we lead, things like diet, sleep and activity patterns will be different across the weeks and months. That’s why maintaining motivation is key, and that’s why a fitness tracker, that allows you to follow, analyse and correct or adjust such habits in order to meet your long term fitness goals. Health As we move forward and technology gets even better, even doctors are starting to report that patients want to incorporate fitness trackers data in to their health assessments, as well as qualified professionals looking towards starting to use fitness trackers to check up on the recovery of a patient from disease or surgery. Not only that, but all of our previous points lend themselves to being healthy, which is course the ultimate end goal. There’s solid research out there that a moderate tracking of what we do can improve our overall health. The important thing too however, is knowing when tracking your health become obsessing over your health, which is in turn unhealthy in itself. A fitness tracker can take care of most of that obsessing, so you don’t have too. Worth it? For sure.
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Trending on passionsarabia.com
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What’s trending at the home of Men’s Passion online
look at the hottest stories from the past month on Men’s Passion’s online home at passionsarabia.com. Follow us on Instagram @passions.arabia for a regular dose of the styles, the trends, the brands, the maisons and the marques... with stories of the passionate people who are making it happen. The Shoestopping Najeeba Hayat I am a self-confessed fashion addict, an obsession with shoes grew early on. My mother is a scientist and couldn’t care less about fashion, so I definitely didn’t get the bug from her. I would go to Villa Moda by myself every Eid and buy a pair of Prada or Miu footwear. passionsarabia.com/the-shoestopping-najeeba-hayat
Dolce & Gabbana There are a lot of words that can be used to describe the collection – opulent, over the top, in your face, maximalist; words often associated with Dolce&Gabbana. But in this collection, they’ve stuck to the staples that they’ve built their empire on and fused in a healthy dose of youthful swagger. But, ohhhh, those accessories… passionsarabia.com/http://www.passionsarabia.com/dolcegabbana-spring-2019
Rita Merheb Khair – Living for Design When we speak of artists and their design philosophies, what is it that comes to mind? There is a popular saying that goes, “the job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery (Francis Bacon)”. Rita Merheb Khair brings back the art element to individualistic designing. passionsarabia.com/rita-merheb-khair-living-for-design-making-it-a-lifestyle
PASSIONS ARABIA
The Mandarin Oriental Foodie Guide We have put together a collection of some of the most desirable food and beverage offerings that Mandarin Oriental has to offer around the globe, including two Michelin-starred outlets. passionsarabia.com/the-mandarin-oriental-foodie-guide
Photoshoot - Girard-Perregaux In the vanguard of horological innovation since its establishment in Geneva in 1791, this high-end Swiss Manufacture is one of few who can claim an unchallenged place amongst their peers of the world’s watchmaking elite. passionsarabia.com/ girard-perregaux
The 812 Superfast: a noble V12 Prancing Horse Pedigree Here, we trace the illustrious lineage of the Ferrari V12, charting the impeccable inspiration that has created a truly modern motoring icon; the 812 Superfast. passionsarabia.com/the-812-superfast-a-noble-v12-prancing-horse-pedigree
Vacheron Constantin On September 11th 2018, Abbey Road Studios hosted Vacheron Constantin’s guests for the launch of the Fiftysix collection. The evening brought to a close three days of events which also saw the introduction of the maison’s new signature ‘One of not Many’. passionsarabia.com/vacheron-constantin-the-fiftysix-and-their-one-of-not-many
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Vacheron Constantin Launching the FiftySix in Kuwait
The world’s oldest Haute Horlogerie manufacture, Vacheron Constantin, hosted an exceptional evening to celebrate the launch of its FIFTYSIX® collection in Kuwait City. The travelling exhibition made its third stop in the Middle East at the prestigious Four Season in Kuwait, showcasing key models from the FIFTYSIX collection: The FIFTYSIX® Day-Date, FIFTYSIX® Complete Calendar An exclusive performance by Palestinian singer and composer Omar Kamal provided the musical narrative for a sophisticated evening that drew more than 60 VIP guests and connoisseurs who were introduced to the Maison’s new artistically-inclined “One of not many” campaign. The experiential event brought to life the distinct world of FIFTYSIX® through a series of distinguished, immersive activities curated to create a memorable arena geared especially for those with exceptionally refined taste.
EVENTS
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THE LIFE REFINED
Audi Q8 The first ever Audi Q8 launched in Kuwait
Audi Kuwait, represented by Fouad Alghanim & Sons Automotive, revealed the new Q8 at their Shuwaikh showroom. The Audi Q8 combines the elegance of a four-door luxury coupĂŠ with the practical versatility of a large SUV. Expressive design with new Singleframe and features from the original Audi quattro.The Audi Q8 offers a unique performance that blends sport and utility into a momentous SUV design. The powerful front and the sloping roof line create dynamism. The sporty interior conveys a luxurious charm and, together with the optionally-adjustable rear seat, also offers plenty of space in the rear. The lounge character of the interior makes it an ideal companion for business or leisure.
EVENTS
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Hyundai Four new models for 2019
Northern Gulf Trading hosted the launch of four new Hyundai 2019 models at their showroom in Shuwaikh. The event was attended by a large number of VIPs and business leaders, Northern Gulf Trading management, representatives of Hyundai Motors and member of the press. CEO of Northern Gulf Commercial Group, Raed Tarjuman, welcomed guests, including His Excellency, Dr. Hong Young Ki, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Kuwait, and explained in detail the current and future plans of the investments by the management of Northern Gulf in terms of expansion and development in the facility to meet the needs of the market and to satisfy the customers of the company. He concluded with thanks to the organizers of the ceremony and the dignitaries at the event.
EVENTS
Volkwagen Kuwait’s World Leader Behbehani Motors opens world’s largest modular Volkswagen showroom
Behbehani Motors Company, the official distributor of Volkswagen in Kuwait has opened the world’s largest modular Volkswagen showroom as part of a wider investment in facilities worth a total of $145.6m. The impressive showroom located in Al Rai is set to offer customers an unparalleled experience and spans across 22,134 square meters. It has the capacity to display 46 vehicles including Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) and Used Cars and offers state-of the-art facilities alongside a unique mezzanine area which overlooks the display of cars.
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Pal-V Liberty The world’s first flying car touches down
Last month we were at the ‘launch’ of the amazing Pal-V Liberty… and welcomed in the age of the flying car in the company of Robert Dingemanse – the founder and CEO of the Dutch-based company behind this beautiful vehicle. His Excellency Frans Potuyt, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kuwait hosted us on the historic night.
LISTINGS
OUR CURATED HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT’S ON IN THE REGION
Kadim Al Sahir What: Singer Where: Dubai Opera House When: 20 and 21 December 2018 For the second year in a row, ‘Caesar’ Kadim Al Sahir returns to Dubai Opera on 20 & 21 December 2018 at 8pm. He is excited to meet his fans again after two successful sell-out concerts in Dubai Opera last year. He will perform a mix of his timeless classics, accompanied with a world class orchestra. dubaiopera.com
Why Culture Matters: The impact of culture and cultural heritage on societal challenges and sustainable development What: Lecture Where: Dar Al Athar Al Islammiyah When: 7 January 2019 There is a growing awareness with groups on national and international levels that the impact of cultural practice and cultural heritage reaches far beyond the realm of culture. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN) notes “that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development”. This lecture explores how this impacts societal challenges and how this impact can be assessed or measured.
TOP PICK: THE MERCHANTS OF BOLLYWOOD Charting the magical history of the world’s largest, most prolific film industry and the dynasty of stars that have lit its way over generations, The Merchants of Bollywood is a tribute to the greatest Indian films from its early origins all the way to today’s blockbusters ruling the box office. The show is based on fiction, on imagination... yet paints a real picture of India’s film industry in an extraordinary evening of music and dancing, told through the story of a young girl, her grandfather and their love of dance. Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre 27 - 30 December 2018 jacc-kw.com
jacc-kw.com
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OBC HUBLOT