ISSUE 54

The Sisterhood N°54 2018 Maria Grazia Chiuri . Sonam Kapoor . Cara Delevingne . Gigi Hadid . Alma Jodorowsky . Charlotte Tilbury

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16 Chairman SHAHAB IZADPANAH

EDITORIAL

PUBLISHING

Editor in Chief MOJEH IZADPANAH

Managing Director IVAN DONCIC

Managing Editor NATASCHA HAWKE

Brand Manager KELLY BALDWIN

Features Editor ANNIE DARLING

Sales Director NADINE CHEHABEDDINE

Senior Editorial Assistant SOPHIE PASZTOR

Digital Sales LAURA SOBH

Guest Fashion Stylist KIM HOWELLS INA LEKIEWICZ

Senior Publishing Executive DESIREE LABANDA-GAVERIA Administrative Executive MINA TAGT

ART

Paris Representative GHISLAIN DE CASTELBAJAC

Production and Creative Direction MOJEH MAGAZINE

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Art Director AMIRREZA AMIRASLANI Graphic Designer BALAJI MAHENDRAN

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Contributing Photographers AURELIA LE WENDY BEVAN

LOUIS FOURTEEN FOR MOJEH Concierge Service Management DAISY MARCHANT Published under HS Media Group FZ LLC Registered at Dubai Design District Building No. 8, Offices 212 P.O.Box 502333, Dubai, UAE.

Cover photographed by Aurelia Le, models wear Gucci, Prada, Ellery and Miu Miu

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For the UAE printed by Emirates Printing Press LLC. Distribution- UAE: Al Nisr Distribution LLC. Bahrain: Jashanmal & Sons BSC (C). Oman: United Media Services LLC. Lebanon: Messageries Du Moyen-Orient The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessary those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers particular circumstances. The ownership of trademark is acknowledged, therefore reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All credits are subjects to change. Copyright HS MEDIA GROUP FZ LLC 2011

CONTRIBUTORS WENDY BEVAN, British, Photographer

KATE WILLS, British, Journalist

Wendy Bevan is a multi-disciplinary

Kate travels to Botswana in Where The Wild Things Are, page 122, and

artist who lives between London

explores the Generation M, page

and Los Angeles, she shot The True

50. She lives between London and

Romantics on page 64 with stylist

Los Angeles.

Kim Howells.

What does collaboration mean to you? A fine balance of fine ideas.

What does collaboration mean to you? That two, three or maybe

Most important relationship? The relationship with my family

even four heads are always better than one.

and friends.

Most important relationship? Three amazing women who I’m lucky

Designer piece: Anything Dries Van Noten.

enough to call my best friends - and have done for over 20 years.

Film you love: Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire.

Book: The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson – it’s a memoir about

When were you last shocked by something? Nothing shocks me.

motherhood, but is so much better than that sounds.

Who epitomises cool in your eyes? Nick Cave.

Film you love: Spielberg’s The Post. I’m a sucker for movies about

Song lyrics: “Joseph walked on and on. The sunset went down and

old-school journalism.

down. Coldness cooled their desire and Dawn said, ‘Let’s build a

Where are you hanging out at the moment? The Oost

fire, is this desire?’” By PJ Harvey.

neighbourhood of Amsterdam – vintage markets and hot-tubs on

Three words to describe you: Eclectic, bohemian, straight-talking.

rooftops.

Most memorable shoot subject? Shooting Debbie Harry about

Three words to describe you: Nomadic, passionate, easily-

12 years ago.

distracted.

Who would you love to shoot? PJ Harvey.

Where are you going next? Los Angeles to warm my cold British

Artist that inspires you? Salvador Dali.

bones for a few months.

LAUREN COCHRANE, British, Fashion Journalist

INA LEKIEWICZ, Polish, Stylist

Lauren Cochrane is senior fashion

Ina is a stylist, art director and

writer of The Guardian newspaper.

fashion writer based in London.

Based in London, she wrote The

She styled Worlds in Collision,

Art of Collaboration, page 54, for

shot by photographer Aurelie Le,

MOJEH’s February issue.

on page 80.

What does collaboration mean to you? Two coming together to

What is your most important relationship? My boyfriend who

make something new.

always believes in me and shows me that my dreams can come true.

What is your most important relationship? My friends, family,

What S/S18 trends are you wearing? Romantic maxi dresses,

loved one and – most important of all – my cat.

unexpected layering.

Fashion you can’t live without? Sweatshirts, the Burberry check

Accessory you can’t live without? Saint Laurent’s small bags in

and, as always, anything by Christopher Kane.

black and beige – they literally go with every possible outfit. Chloé

What are you reading? Life and Death on the New York Dancefloor

Susanna boots as they are so comfy and add an edge to every outfit.

by Tim Lawrence. It’s about the downtown scene in New York in

Where are you hanging out at the moment? East London; Stoke

the early Eighties.

Newington by day, and Moth Club if I go out.

Film you love: I actually really liked Mad Max: Thunder Road. I like

Who epitomises cool in your eyes? The cow that escaped from

a film cranked up to 11 from start to finish.

a farm in Poland to join a bison herd. Amazing proof that everyone

Where are you hanging out at the moment? Hoi Polloi, Pamela

should follow their dreams.

and Spiritland in London.

Favourite shoot memory? Shooting in Iceland – it’s like working

When were you last shocked by something and what was it? I am

in a fairytale.

shocked every day by the news cycle.

Who have you loved styling? Anja Rubik, she has an amazing

Favourite line from a song? At the moment it’s: “I’m like an exit

sense of style.

away.” By Kendrick Lamar.

Where are you going next? Isle of Skye for a shoot.

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MOJEH CONTENTS

28. FASHION, FREEDOM, FEMINISM Maria Grazia Chiuri’s S/S18 collection for Dior once again explores the importance of women in society, only this time her focus is on art.

38. GIRL ON FILM With film-makers and fashion brands flocking to work with upcoming It girl Alma Jodorowsky, she’s proving that she’s more than just a pretty face.

Cosmos Secret Watch, VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

44. TWO’S COMPANY The link between fashion designers and their talented muses are explored, as we look to regional creatives to see how their relationships have developed.

50. GENERATION M The modesty movement is not only sweeping the fashion scene, it’s bringing together women from all walks of life.

54. THE ART OF COLLABORATION With the recent flurry of high profile collaborations fast becoming one of fashion’s most influential trends, we discover why duos work so well.

107. CAPTURING CARA Cara Delevingne unveils Dior’s new skincare line, Capture Youth, and speaks about the importance of taking risks when it comes to self-image.

110. MY BEAUTY JOURNEY Beauty entrepreneurs share their memories, insecurities and inspirations that led to the start of their make-up empires.

Bague Camelia Ring, CHANEL

118. AGE OF ENTITLEMENT Are millennials the most narcissistic and selfabsorbed generation in history, or have we finally recognised our self-worth?

122. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Quad biking, canoeing, hiking - a safari in Botswana offers a lot more than a traditional game drive, as writer Kate Wills discovers.

132. SONAM KAPOOR Sonam Kapoor’s latest movie is an exploration of feminist values in one of the world’s poorest contries, she tells MOJEH why it moved her.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

SISTERHOOD

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Mojeh_I and write to me at editor@mojeh.com

Mojeh Izadpanah Editor in Chief

Photography: Aurelie Le

At the time of going to print, I am in Paris for the spring haute couture shows. As expected, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s collection for Dior has been a highlight; of course for the beautiful clothes, but more so for her sensitivity and ability to capture the current mood. Models, many in black – appropriate following last month’s Time’s Up initiative at the Golden Globes – were tattooed along their collarbones with sentences that read: “L’amour est toujours deviant vous. Aimes!” – “Love is always before you.

Love!” borrowed from surrealist André Breton. An appreciated message of positivity at a time when fashion probably needs it the most.

Love is also the message in MOJEH’s February issue. We are celebrating love between people, women in particular, and their passions, exploring relationships, movements and partnerships that result in positivity.

In this issue we are honoured to have exclusive interviews with the feminist voices of Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri, Sonam Kapoor and Cara Delevingne, as well as some of the region’s top female designers, in conversation with the all-important muses that inspire them (Two’s Company, on page 44). In Generation M, page 50, we have explored the true impact of modesty as a collective female movement, interviewing key players at the core, such as Mariah Idrissi, the first hijab-wearing model, who shares, “The best thing about the modest movement is that it has really brought people together.” A view seconded by themodist.com founder Ghizlan Guenez: “This goes way beyond fashion... it is all-inclusive to any woman from any faith, background or age.”

The title of the issue therefore is The Sisterhood in homage to female relationships in all their forms, whether they be personal, business or otherwise. I hope you enjoy it.

THE MOJEH EDIT Ignore your style inhibitions for the month of February, and embrace a darker side with tough leathers and fiery shades of scarlet.

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1. VICTORIA BECKHAM at STYLEBOP | 2. EDIE PARKER at THE MODIST | 3. NARS | 4. PHILOSOPHY DI LORENZO SERAFINI at STYLEBOP | 5. SAINT LAURENT | 6. BALENCIAGA | 7. PACO RABANNE at STYLEBOP | 8. MICHAEL LO SORDO at NET-A-PORTER | 9. MATICEVSKI

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5 8 7

Compiled by Sophie Pasztor

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STYLE NOTES

CHAIN REACTION Wear your heart on your sleeve and rediscover your rock ‘n’ roll roots with Saint Laurent’s sweet but sexy Love bag.

Photography: Elena Lukyanchuk at The Factory ME. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor

Clockwise from top: NEOUS at LEVEL SHOES | LOEFFLER RANDALL at LEVEL SHOES | DORATEYMUR at LEVEL SHOES

MODERN MUSINGS Put your best foot forward in the season’s elegant artisanal footwear. Classic styles are revisited with contemporary twists resulting in a new wardrobe staple.

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GOOD TIMING Update your wristwear with La D de Dior. Sleek in design, contemporary in feel and finished with a striking splash of colour.

La D de Dior watch in stainless steel and pink gold with diamonds and red ceramic lacquer, DIOR TIMEPIECES

Left to right: MILLY at SHOPBOP | JIMMY CHOO at OUNASS

TALK TO ME Let your style do the talking through playful accessories emblazoned with flirty slogans. Say it loud and proud this Valentine’s Day.

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BAD ROMANCE In an alchemy of romanticism and seduction, Bulgari celebrates Valentine’s Day with its Serpenti in Love collection, evoking affection through its bold red and black colouring and heart-shaped clasp.

Photography: Julia Chernih at The Factory ME

STYLE EDIT

HEADCASE The turban has played a part in Alessandro Michele’s Gucci story since the start, a truly eccentric accessory... if you can, do.

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STYLE NEWS

FASHION, FREEDOM, FEMINISM

It seems appropriate that at the time of going to print, She has said that her Dior is for the women of today, not Christian Dior haute couture spring/summer18 had the women of 50 years ago, and questioning the place of just shown in Paris, vying for attention against media women in society is therefore a natural starting point. As reports focused on the success of the Women’s Marches is questioning the relevance of the signature skirt suits that took place during the two days prior, where over one and Bar jackets of the Dior of the past, to today’s customer. million women around the world turned up to protest. For spring/summer18, Maria Grazia has turned to the As Maria Grazia Chiuri’s girls strode the runway with essay by American feminist historian Linda Nochlin tattooed slogans along their collarbones, the sentences entitled Why Have There Been No Great Women borrowed from André Breton, founder of the surrealist Artists? published in the Artnews journal in 1971. movement and author of the Surrealist Manifesto, The author posed the question to highlight the lack we were reminded again of her insistence to deliver of women documented throughout the history of art, a message through her collections season-on-season: coming to the conclusion: because it was written by more than just great fashion, she has something to say. men. The essay title provides the slogan for this season’s A lot has unfolded since the ‘We coveted T-shirt, appearing on Should All Be Feminists’ slogan model Sasha Pivovarova for the T-shirts of spring/summer17 opening show look.

“My objective, as I see inspired by the Chimamanda During her research in the it, is to give women Ngozi Adichie TED Talk of the Dior archives, Maria Grazia confidence. Women same name, which made their came across photographs debut in September 2016, prefrom 1965 of the artist Niki de today are full of freedom Saint Phalle with Marc Bohan, empting the first Women’s March – wear whatever they the following January, the downfall the then creative director of want and be whoever Dior. She became intrigued of Hollywood’s powerhouse by the artist, once a fashion producer Harvey Weinstein, they want to be.” model, and her sculptures of and the subsequent #metoo Maria Grazia Chiuri extraordinary women, the and Time’s Up campaigns. The Nanas, and the iconography T-shirts have become symbolic of the beginning of what has been in her Tarot Garden, a 14-acre a very important time for modern women’s empowerment sculpture park in the Italian village of Capalbio in the and a vehicle for the feminist message.

Tuscan countryside.

More than a designer, as the first female artistic director “I knew Niki de Saint Phalle through her artwork, of Dior since it was founded in 1947, Maria Grazia has especially the Nanas, these impressive ‘wobbly’ female made it her business as an artist-activist to deliver figures, because they don’t correspond to an abstract idea collections with purpose. Artfully choreographed around of femininity. She is an example of wild and free creativity, creating beautiful clothes that remain complementary constantly questioning life in the art world. Her message to the style codes of one of Paris’ oldest houses, but with retains a timeless force, because it relates not only to a healthy dose of intellect and public dialogue designed emotion, but also to intellect,” offers Maria Grazia. to provoke thought.

The colourful iconography seen on chiffon dresses,

Photography: Sophie Carre for Dior. Words: Natascha Hawke

THE COLLECTION

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s S/S18 collection for Dior once again explores the importance of women in society, only this time her focus is on art

Maria Grazia Chiuri puts the finishing touches to her S/S18 collection for Christian Dior

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Milliner Stephen Jones during fittings in the Paris headquarters for the Christian Dior S/S18 collection

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“Niki de Saint Phalle believed that her clothes were also part of her creation as a sculpture.

Quite famously her signature hat was a little beret.”

Stephen Jones

Breton-striped sweaters and tulle skirts are borrowed from the artist’s Tarot Garden. The broken mirror mosaic that provided the backdrop to the runway show and the mirrored embellishment on dresses, also appears on her sculptures.

The ’70s-style denim, too, is a direct influence of Niki de Saint Phalle’s personal style, often pictured in wide-leg jeans in her heyday, as are the chic berets designed by Dior’s long-time collaborator, the milliner Stephen Jones, who has created the hats for the house for the last two decades. “Niki de Saint Phalle believed that her clothes were also part of her creation as a sculpture, that she actually was a living sculpture and quite famously her signature hat was a little beret with a signature veil,” Stephen tells MOJEH. “The Frenchness is really embodied by the use of veiling and that feeling of Left Bank chic, which is so Parisian.”

Other narratives found in the collection are seen in the references to Marc Bohan’s designs for Dior in the Sixties. Little dresses and jumpsuits, occasionally worn with full skirts that open at the front, large polka dots, black and white checks, belted safari jackets and masculine shirts all make appearances for spring/ summer18, inspired by previous Dior collections under his direction, adding to the distinctly retro-modern vibe.

It is Maria Grazia’s ability to borrow from intellectual sources, the Dior archives and from her own cultivated experience, without confusing her personal message, that creates the appeal in her collections. Commercially, she understands the importance of house codes to loyal customers, while at the same time appealing to a newer, younger, future generation with her Instagram-friendly logo bags, J’Adior bracelets and slogan T-shirts.

Her message for women this year? “Dior used to say that women wanted him to make them not just more beautiful but also happier. My objective, as I see it, is to give women confidence. Women today are full of freedom – wear whatever they want, and be whoever they want to be.”

Artist Niki de Saint Phalle posing in front of one of her Nanas, wearing her signature beret.

Below: Details on Dior S/S18 dresses, inspired by the iconography found at the artist’s Tarot Garden in Tuscany

32 “Tommy has been an amazing design mentor and we’ve had a lot of fun creating all our capsules.”

THE COLLAB

Gigi Hadid

YOU SAW IT HERE FIRST Gigi Hadid talks exclusively to MOJEH about her latest collection for Tommy Hilfiger, ahead of its runway debut during Milan Fashion Week this month

Gigi Hadid loves sport. She is a regular at Manhattan’s Dogpound gym, often seen being put through her paces in the boxing ring, and is more often than not photographed off-duty wearing sneakers and sweatpants, styled with the signature Hadid-twist.

It makes sense then that her latest collection for Tommy Hilfiger is sport-focused.

One of the most successful designer-model collaborations to date, now in its fourth season, Gigi says, “We’ve combined Tommy’s love of motor sports with my personal twist on athleisure style. The strong, confident and modern Tommy Girl inspired us throughout the design process.” Far from bored of the collaboration, she feels she’s evolving every season and has really found her feet in the design studio thanks to the guidance of the designer himself. “Tommy has been an amazing design mentor and we’ve had a lot of fun creating all our capsules. I’ve learned so much about the importance of executing a design correctly for what I want from each look, and finding inspiration in everything around me.”

Due to make its debut this month at the See Now, Buy Now runway show at Milan Fashion Week on February 25, Gigi says she still gets a buzz out of all the attention the collection gets, finding the whole experience of presenting a runway show in her name “amazing and extremely surreal.”

Inspired by speed, the collection takes cues from Tommy’s love of racing and her fast-paced lifestyle. Oversized outerwear, tailored jeans, sporty activewear, and feminine dresses are reimagined in edgy leather, luxe silks and distressed denim. Turbocharged colour blocking in red, white and blue is enhanced with a signature Gigi racing stripe print, graphic badges and embroidered speed logos. “I personally love the way the windbreaker jackets turned out. I’m happy with the shapes and their ability to be worn as a fashion statement that is functional.” Tommy X Gigi spring/summer18 will be available at Tommy Hilfiger stores from February 25

FOR THE MODEST MISS Moda Operandi’s exclusive kaftan collection offers the modest dresser some elegant new looks

THE LABEL

LEAL DACCARETT

Words: Sophie Pasztor

LUISA BECCARIA

Its relaxed sophistication has made the kaftan not just an important staple in a modest woman’s wardrobe but an internationally recognised symbol of elegance. Identifying this movement, luxury online boutique Moda Operandi established an annual tradition to spotlight its importance, by enlisting 10 of their favourite eveningwear designers, including Sandra Mansour, Rebecca de Ravenel, Esme Vie, Cucculelli Shaheen, Marchesa, Christian Siriano and Elizabeth Kennedy, to reimagine the classic silhouette for the modern woman. Each design is as unique as the other, with attention given to every facet of the ensemble. From exquisite embroidery to feather fringing and sumptuous satins to delicate lace, there is a kaftan to satisfy even the most particular of tastes. Modaoperandi.com

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THE DRESS OF THE SEASON When Anthony Vaccarello was named creative director of Saint Laurent in 2016, it came as no surprise that he would recruit his longtime model muse, Anja Rubik, to become a face of the luxury fashion label. His first creations for the brand’s spring/summer17 collection were worn by Anja in a characteristically salacious campaign, and when it came time to present the spring/summer18 collection one year later, the Polish model was selected to tromp down the catwalk in one of the season’s most show-stopping dresses.

Influenced by iconic pieces from the Saint Laurent archive, Vaccarello’s spring/summer18 collection traced the storied history of the house. The presentation took place outdoors, with the sparkling Eiffel Tower providing a suiting background to the runway, which was set ablaze with leggy models donning the rock ‘n’ roll glamour that the house is known for. The show opened with a parade of free-spirited, bohemian looks – a nod to Saint Laurent’s Marrakech influences, and ended with a celebratory concoction of leathers, feathers, gleaming satins and exaggerated silhouettes.

About two thirds of the way through the show, Anja made her appearance, standing out from the sea of blacks and whites on the catwalk, in a blood-red bubble dress with matching heels and lips. Given her muse status, naturally, preferential treatment is to be expected. Daring, provocative and entirely on-brand, the outfit was reminiscent of the red leather number she wore from Anthony’s own eponymous label, back at the 2013 MET Gala.

Created to reveal rather than conceal, Anja’s red Saint Laurent studded leather dress highlights the collarbones and thighs, and was followed by designs of similar risqué cuts, adorned with sequins, ostrich feathers, peek-a-boo lace panels and oversized lapels. Thigh-high, feather-lined boots were the finishing touches to some of the looks.

The Saint Laurent woman has an undeniably “complex personality,” according to Anthony. “She is a dark angel with a sensual allure and drapes herself in black-sequined dressess, shining like the asphalt after the rain,” he says.

Though only inspired by the brand’s archives, and not directly obtained from them, these dresses, with their dangerously short hemlines and painstakingly embellished exteriors, are nonetheless works of art, and are transported in their own protective containers. Recently, they were brought out of their cases for the brand’s spring/summer18 campaign video, where Anja performs frenzied, trance-like dance moves on a smoky rooftop, while decked out in the new-season dresses, neon nails and glow-in-the-dark shoes.

Photography: Courtesy of Saint Laurent. Words: Hafsa Lodi

THE PIECE

With the help of his favourite muse, Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello makes a case for bearing skin

Anja Rubik walks the Saint Laurent S/S18 runway in the dress of the season

THE ONE TO WATCH

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ASHTIANI The London-based brand making organza desirable again through contemporary style codes and a feminine utility edge

Organza is a fabric usually reserved for the likes of clear penchant for structure and layering at the core of its couture salons, frothy red carpet gowns and anything DNA. Her philosophy is to focus on storytelling through bridal, but one up-and-coming London-based label is meaningful design, keeping in mind the Ashtiani woman, putting the cool back into the ultra-feminine fabric. who Golnaz describes as “that urban-cool girl who is Ashtiani, founded in 2011 by Iranian-Canadian designer confident and conscious about her style choices.”

Golnaz Ashtiani, is challenging The line includes lightweight the norm by creating utilityjackets, tennis dresses, wide-leg inspired silhouettes in the trousers and pleated skirts, all “I admire Middle Eastern lighter-than-light fabric. with a feminine utility feel that women for staying true For spring/summer18 Ashtiani’s lends itself to daywear or as delicate to their culture, yet not pastel palette of silk organza layers eveningwear. is unsurprisingly inspired by This year she will launch Project being afraid to take risks butterflies. The collection, called Le Papillon, an online platform with their style choices.” where clients can create their Papillon, “Takes inspiration from Golnaz Ashtiani own personalised silk organza, the balance of life and the surprising beauty and darkness of butterflies. integrating colour psychology and By mimicking nature in its ability current trends. “I want all women to to merge, [the collection] juxtaposes the strength of bold create their own story and personalised style by wearing a silhouettes in structured jackets with the delicacy of silk Papillon jacket in the colours that reflect their uniqueness,” and the fluidity and transparency of organza,” says Golnaz. Golnaz tells MOJEH. Spring/summer18 looks set to be the The Ashtiani label has evolved season on season, with a label’s strongest season yet.

A TORTURED AFFAIR

Words: Hafsa Lodi

NABIL NAYAL S/S18

Many fashion designers claim to successfully juxtapose the old with the new, but SyrianBritish Nabil Nayal is one who has mastered the art, largely due to the fact that Elizabethan craftsmanship has been a constant influence on his aesthetic. Trained at the Royal College of Art and the School of Historical Dress, Nabil takes a markedly studied approach to design.

His collections are thoroughly researched, and he continuously experiments with textiles to produce historically-inspired garments for the modern woman with a taste for theatrics.

Nabil’s designs are arresting and at times androgynous. For spring/summer18, his mood is dark, but beneath the layers of fabrics lie hints of an eccentric romance. A purely monochrome palette can easily become dreary, however Nabil’s manipulation of textiles give a striking energy to the black, white and grey garments. The classic white button-down shirt is deconstructed to an entirely new level, lined with rows of ruffles and dangling appendages.

Structured capes feature draconian collars, and spliced bell-sleeves are formed from angular knife pleats. “Pleating is such a strong principle of Elizabethan dress and so it features in every collection I do,” says Nabil. “Where the Elizabethans would have used a traditional starching method to form the pleating, which was very time consuming and would need to be redone to keep the pleats nice and crisp, I innovated a bonded pleating technique, which means the pleats never drop out and always remain in pristine condition.”

At first, Nabil’s conceptual creations may seem suited to a certain grey area that sits between ready-to-wear and avant-garde. But the young designer’s pieces are modular: collars are removable and organdie ruffles are detachable. It’s this attention to detail and thrill for innovation that make his garments appealing to clients of both extremes – experimental performers like Lady Gaga, and classic minimalists like Victoria Beckham, for instance. He has even sold a piece to Karl Lagerfeld – a career high for the young designer.

THE LABEL

Pioneering his own design techniques, Syrian-British designer Nabil Nayal crafts pleats and ruffles that pay homage to the Elizabethan era

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Actress Alma Jodorowsky talks to MOJEH backstage at Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2018 show in Hamburg

GIRL ON FILM

Photo: Courtesy of Chanel. Words: Hafsa Lodi

Parisian fashion houses are very selective with their muses. And if you’re lucky enough to get cast by a prestigious name like Chanel, along with seasonal tickets to the label’s runway shows, your It girl status is immediately cemented. A Jodorowsky of all trades, 26-year-old Alma, with her natural beauty and distinctive Parisian-chic demeanor, fits in seamlessly with the fashion brand’s star-studded posse. She’s not only a model, but an actress and singer too, and comes from a lineage of famous talents. Her Chilean-French grandfather Alejandro Jodorowsky is an avant-garde filmmaker and writer, and her father Brontis Jodorowsky is an actor and director.

Her own film career began in French cinema when she was just 14, and in 2016, she landed a lead role in the British film Kids in Love, which also starred another friend of the French fashion house – Cara Delevingne.

Alma was shot by Karl Lagerfeld for his collaborative book with Carine Roitfeld, The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited, and since then, her relationship with the house has remained closeknit. “It started almost six years ago,” she tells MOJEH at Chanel’s “I think it’s really recent Métiers d’Art show in Hamburg. “They asked me to do The important now not Little Black Jacket photoshoot, and actually the first trip I ever did to be in your own with them was for the exhibition of those pictures in Dubai.”

It’s no less than an honour to share ties with Chanel – a label that world, and to be has long partnered with creatives, actresses and singers. “I think open-minded about it’s logical; fashion is an art and it communicates and inspires. You all the different can be inspired by something which in turn can lead you to create people who can enter something,” says Alma.

In 2013, she starred in a high jewellery campaign for Chaumet, and into your life.” in 2014, she became a brand ambassador for French beauty brand Alma Jodorowsky Lancôme. Modelling however, is not something she wants to get pigeonholed into – rather, she uses it as a medium to express and promote her work. She is the lead singer and songwriter in the Paris-based pop band Burning Peacocks, but tells us she’s now turning her focus towards films. “I feel more attached to the acting side as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” says Alma. Right now, she’s working on promoting her upcoming movie, The Starry Sky Above My Head, set to come out in March.

A hallmark of this generation of creatives is their collaborative spirit and thirst for work, and Alma has both, topped off with an immaculate sense of style.

Pursuing her acting career and networking with others in the field, she says, are among her hopes for 2018: “I think it’s really important now to not be in your own world, and to be open-minded about all the different people who can enter into your life and do good things together with you.”

THE FACE

With film-makers and fashion brands flocking to work with her, upcoming It girl Alma Jodorowsky proves she’s more than just a pretty face, writes Hafsa Lodi

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FASHION IN FOCUS

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2 SHOW YOUR SPOTS Whether it’s a return to overt femininity or just a welcomed resurgence of a much-loved archived print, polka dots are here in full force. The season offers multiple ways to don the print, from Sportmax’s shirt dress and oversized Fendi shades to CH Carolina Herrera’s asymmetrical one shoulder top and Blumarine’s spotted clutch.

1. CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN | 2. MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS | 3. CHANEL | 4. BLUMARINE | 5. FENDI | 6. OSCAR DE LA RENTA | 7. SPORTMAX | 8. CH CAROLINA HERRERA

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Compiled by Sophie Pasztor

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2 CHECK IT OUT Designers are inarguably mad about plaid, adopting the print on everything from boots to blazers. Look towards sharp tailoring that is both masculine and powerful and pair with edgy accessories such as asymmetrical earrings or Nineties shades.

1. CÉLINE | 2. CHLOÉ at NET-A-PORTER | 3. NADA G | 4. MIU MIU at NET-A-PORTER | 5. ALBERTA FERRETTI | 6. DONNA HOURANI | 7. MONSE at NET-A-PORTER | 8. VERONICA BEARD at NET-A-PORTER

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2 PRETTY IN PASTELS Satisfy your sweet tooth with sherbet hues in marshmallow-pinks and candy-blues. The soft feminine colours will add an element of whimsy to your look, and is best donned in sheer, delicate fabrics. Look to labels such as Madiyah Al Sharqi and Chanel who are spearheading the trend.

1. YUUL YIE | 2. PRADA at NET-A-PORTER | 3. SHASHI at SHOPBOP | 4. CHANEL | 5. GLASSING | 6. SAINT LAURENT | 7. SPORTMAX | 8. ALBERTA FERRETTI

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7 CRAYOLA BRIGHTS Awaken your soul with an intoxicating splash of vibrancy. Made up of a predominantly primary colour palette, this new wave of tones is a celebration of confidence. Go bold by colour-blocking your look with loud hues in

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1. TIBI | 2. SPORTMAX | 3. TABITHA SIMMONS at SHOPBOP | 4. L’AFSHAR | 5. CÉLINE | 6. OSCAR DE LA RENTA | 7. PETAR PETROV at STYLEBOP | 8. VERSACE

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MOJEH FEATURE

Dana (left) wears blazer, shirt and trousers from Lama Jouni with gold choker and black choker from Donna Hourani Lama (right) wears blazer and trousers from Lama Jouni

TWO’S COMPANY For as long as there have been fashion designers, there have been talented muses who drive them. We meet three Middle Eastern creatives along with the sources of their inspiration

LAMA JOUNI

Photography: Borna Ahadi. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor. Words: Annie Darling. Location: Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai

29, Lebanese, designer of Lama Jouni, and muse Dana Hourani

Lama Jouni and Dana Hourani, both Lebanese, sit at an oversized and worn wooden table in Dubai, reminiscing about times past. From where they’re sat, the soft thunder-crack of waves can just about be heard from the sand-scattered beach outside. From the outset, Dana, 31, is the most playful, especially when talking about the first time they met around a year ago. “Lama is a very private kind of person,” she smiles, “she’s doesn’t like to talk much.” Lama lets out a repressed giggle. “She doesn’t like to oversell herself,” furthers Dana. “That’s what I love about her the most.”

Their friendship has been particularly significant for Lama, who admits finding the move from Paris to Dubai three years ago challenging. “It was very difficult for me to get into the fashion scene here,” she says. “It was a bit of a struggle.”

“A culture shock,” corrects Dana, while the fashion designer nods in agreement. The pair got to know each other at a dinner Lama hosted to celebrate her namesake luxury label’s autumn/ winter17 collection launch. As people began to leave, Dana stayed and, as Lama explains, “we just hit it off.” Ever since, content creator and digital influencer Dana has had an incredible impact upon the fashion designer’s high-end creations, but even prior to their friendship, she admits to being a great admirer of the brand. “I love how her pieces are very structured,” explains Dana.

“I love how she reflects the classical woman in her designs, but there’s also a real edge. It’s classic and timeless, but at the same time there’s something modern about Lama Jouni, and that really reflects my own style.”

“We reflect on each other in different ways,” interjects Lama. As she leans forward, her dark tresses tumble over her soft-shouldered blazer. It’s truly stunning. “I like to use women that I can relate to. I don’t want my brand to be seen on just any influencer.” She instead prefers that the “clothes speak for themselves,” which is only possible when worn by the right person. “She’s so versatile,” she says about Dana, who smiles modestly. “She can mix a pair of jeans from Topshop with a Balenciaga or Céline jacket.”

It’s clearly important for Lama that her chosen muse has personality, and a somewhat rebellious attitude. Her eyelids dramatically smeared with fuschia-pink shadow, throughout our photoshoot, it’s clear Dana’s had practice when it comes to having her picture taken. Lama laughs lightheartedly as Dana guides her on where to stand and how to pose. And boy, do they both look amazing. “If you don’t care about personality, you have no identity,” explains Lama. “Having no identity is worthless, especially if you’re a startup brand.” They needn’t worry; one thing’s for certain, these two definitely have plenty of personality.

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Lubna (right) wears pink abaya from Endemage Naja (left) wears tulle dress from Endemage

LUBNA AL ZAKWANI

Photography: Artem Gilman at The Factory ME. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor. Words: Annie Darling. Location: Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai

31, Omani, designer of Endemage, and muse Naja Nira

Lubna Al Zakwani remembers the first time she met Naja Nira, 36, with excitement and fondness.

“I first met Naja when I was introduced to her by a friend,” she recalls, smiling at the memory.

“She had just moved to Dubai, and was looking for abayas. She became a customer and I started to see a lot of the qualities in her that I envision for the kind of woman I design for. It just kind of developed from there.” Lubna runs Dubai-based fashion label Endemage alongside her sister Nadia, and the two of them have quickly risen to the highest heights of the Middle East’s luxury sector. The two sisters were introduced to the fashion world at a very young age by their mother and aunt, who owned and ran a small boutique in Muscat. Their childhood was largely spent playing and experimenting with fabrics, and was therefore almost inevitable that the sisters would pursue fashion studies when it came for them to go to pursue their higher education. By the time both had graduated, their fashion brand, Endemage, was born.

“Endemage has always been inspired by the Emirati culture,” explains Lubna, who enjoys getting to know the women who ultimately wear her designs. Well-known for her unique and strong sense of style, it’s important to the creative that the region’s history and long-established traditions are honoured in each beautiful creation. “We try to incorporate that into our embroidery,” she tells MOJEH, before explaining that the brand’s spring/summer18 collection is heavily inspired by the kaleidoscopic sea life that’s found in her home country. The latest line also offers a selection of glamorous evening gowns in various shades of blue, cream and pink; and does so for the very first time. “Oh they’re just beautiful,” gushes Naja about the beautifully embroidered dresses.

“I love the colour that Lubna and Nadia played around with.” Originally from Malaysia, Naja is delighted to have influenced Endemage’s sophisticated aesthetic, and has previously found that other brands don’t cater to her kind of high-pressured lifestyle.

“I have to be honest with you,” she whispers, almost guiltily. “I’m a very picky shopper. I’m a businesswoman and as someone who always has to be out and about, with people looking at me, I always have to wear something that speaks for me. Endemage is that brand.” Lubna’s bespoke service and one-of-a-kind pieces, says Naja, are pivotal to the brand’s success. “They’re not just another fashion brand,” she insists. “They are very different. I really am over the moon because Endemage is something really special.” She laughs upon hearing herself. “I’m not trying to be bias!” Lubna tries her best to suppress laughter. “But the designs are so powerful,” insists Naja.

“They’re made for powerful women, for women with lots of confidence.”

In which case it makes sense that Naja has been described by Lubna as her muse. Rich with juxtapositions, each piece of clothing merges the feminine with the masculine, and the ornamental with the functional. Thus, for women of sophistication such as Naja, it would almost seem that they were born to wear such fine creations.

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Romy (left) wears The Mariana dress from Romy Collection, jewellery from Donna Hourani and boots from Off White. Donna (right) wears The Billie jacket, The Bardot bandeau and The Racquel trousers from Romy Collection, jewellery from Donna Hourani and boots from CĂŠline

ROMY HOURANI

Photography: Borna Ahadi. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor. Words: Annie Darling. Location: Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai

38, American, designer of Romy Collection, and muse Donna Hourani

“I just love it,” exclaims Donna Hourani, 38, upon seeing Romy Hourani’s newly-cut tresses. The latter swirls soft chunks around her fingers. “You’re sure you like it?” she asks, nervously. “Shall I wear it down or keep it up?” Donna, a jewellery designer, runs her hands through Romy’s locks.

“You should keep it down.” The two designers have been close for the past four years, ever since Romy moved to Dubai with her husband, who Donna has known for years and is distantly related to. “Her husband’s brother, I grew up with him basically,” she nods. “We were in the same class at school. We have the same family name, but we’re not close relatives.” After just a few moments, it’s clear that Donna and Romy’s friendship goes deeper than words: their families are intertwined, their young children are growing up together, and they both share a passion for eachother, as well as design.

Born in New York and raised in Italy, Romy first launched her eponymous fashion label, named Romy Collection, in Dubai over three years ago. Without Donna’s support, she insists, she’d never have done it. “One morning, we were having coffee in the Gold and Diamond Park,” says Donna, “and I had just started my own business.” The Lebanese-native had used her degree in Interior Architecture and certificate from the Gemology Institute of America to launch her own jewellery line, which offers polished and uncomplicated silhouettes, each of which are set with beautifully coloured gemstones.

“I was so excited and telling her about it, and then she started talking about how she loves fashion so much.” Romy listens to Donna’s story, as if in anticipation. “It took a bit of time, but I pushed her and I said, ‘Do what you really want to do!’ Which was designing, so I told her to just do it!”

“I just started dreaming,” furthers Romy, her eyes lighting up at the very thought. “I didn’t think it was actually going to happen, but it did! It’s so true what they say about when you put something out there. You don’t think it’ll happen but then it just does. It really does. And look at us now!”

The duo go on to explain that despite their closeness, they’re saddened to see how many women work against each other in the fashion and jewellery industry here in the Middle East. “It’s a good thing we’re different,” laughs Romy, referring to her interest in fashion and Donna’s interest in jewellery. “Because if we were competing, she’d win!” Donna playfully pushes her friend’s shoulder, and shoots her a sarcastic look. “I think we have the same way of thinking, in that we’re supportive to others even if they’re in the same industry,” she says, as Romy regains her composure. “I will 100 per cent support designers in the region and she’s the same. We’re very supportive of each other.”

“We’re very, very close,” affirms Romy. “We share everything together. If one of us is in a bad mood, or we’re upset, we call each other. She’s the first person I call. It’s automatic.” And with a friendship as strong as theirs, it can only be concluded that the limit of their success is endless.

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MOJEH FASHION

Generation

M The modesty movement is not only sweeping the fashion scene, it’s bringing together women from all walks of life, as Kate Wills reports

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n December, hundreds of people gathered into Burj Park in Downtown Dubai for a fashion event unlike any other. The influencers on the ‘frow’ took selfies in shimmering tunics and silk turbans, some accessorised hijabs with septum piercings and others wore jumpsuits, palazzo pants and kimonos which trailed the floor. Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi delivered a talk on the evolution of the abaya to an enraptured audience, and when two of the most-buzzed about models in the world – Halima Aden and Tülin Şahin – strode down the open-air catwalk, the heavens opened. But as rare an occurrence as rain might be in Dubai, the event itself was even more noteworthy. This was Dubai’s first-ever Modest Fashion Week.

In many ways Dubai Modest Fashion Week (DMFW) was the tipping point for a movement which has been bubbling away in wardrobes and on street-stylers for years. But when a looser, more-covered-up silhouette started to dominate the catwalks of Milan, London, Paris and New York, it was clear that modest fashion was here to stay. Think of Roksanda and Victoria Beckham embracing high necklines and sweeping hemlines, Sonia Rykiel and Erdem offering ankle-skimming dresses, and ruffled necklines dominating at Valentino, Gucci and Preen. But at the Modest Fashion Week in Dubai, both established and emerging designers were brought together from more than 20 countries, all showcasing clothes which specifically weave culture and religious identity into their very fabric.

“We spoke to many people and realised there is so much talent, but no central platform to bring everyone together with the media,” explains DMFW founder Özlem Sahin, who has already organised successful Modest Fashion Weeks in Istanbul and London before Dubai. “It is no good if a designer is shining [in one place], but no one hears about it. We said: ‘Why don’t we gather everyone at one event, create a platform and ask the community for support?’ For example, before us, a designer from Sweden was only known in Scandinavia, so we thought this one is very interesting, let’s have her in our show, and she became famous. Or the designer in Germany who was struggling for five years, so we had an exhibition, the media saw it, and now she is one of the German faces of modest fashion and is always on TV. This just proves that when you [bring the right people together] and they know about each other, a new star is born.”

It’s this ethos of collectivity and connectivity which is at the heart of the modest fashion movement, a revolution which has been propelled in no small part by social media. “Today, individuality is celebrated and again social media has been a key platform for people to express their individuality,” says Altaf Alim, the co-founder commercial director of Aab, a modest fashion brand that launched in 2007. More than half a million people have tagged #modestfashion on Instagram and modest influencers - or ‘hijabsters’ and ‘mipsters’ (Muslim hipsters) as they’ve been dubbed - are demonstrating that dressing conservatively doesn’t have to mean compromising on style. As Romanna Bint Abu

Above: Mariah Idrissi was the first hijab-wearing woman to be involved in a major campaign for H&M. Below: The success of Somali-American model Halima Aden has led to an increased inclusiveness in women’s style

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Top to bottom: Fashion designer Ascia Al Faraj (@ascia); influencer Maria Alia (@mariaalia); Dubai-based personality Saufeeya Goodson (@feeeeya); hijabi blogger Dina Tokio (@dinatokio)

Bakr, the founder and CEO of modest e-commerce platform Haute Elan, points out: “A lot of young people use social media, and that has been the cause of the push for this fashion revolution, just like we saw with the Arab Spring.

Now we’re seeing that change in fashion.”

Saufeeya Goodson, Dian Pelangi, Ascia Al Faraj, Maria Alia and Dina Torkia have all become modest social media icons, with millions of followers between them. “I think of dressing smartly as a way to represent myself and my religion,” says the blogger and designer Dina Torkia, who recently co-designed a range of scarves with the British department store Liberty. “I don’t understand why you can’t be interested in fashion and be a Muslim. It’s about how you dress to fit your personality. That’s how simple it is – it’s a choice.” The British-born model and activist Mariah Idrissi was labelled ‘the face of Modest Fashion’ in 2015 when she became the first hijab-wearing model to appear in any mainstream western fashion campaign, donning a chequered Palestinian shemagh hijab and round Jackie O sunglasses for H&M. “When I was a teenager growing up in London it was hard to find fashionable clothes that were also modest,” says Mariah. “So in that sense I’m delighted about the whole modesty movement – it’s become a lot easier to shop and look stylish now.”

It’s a change in the zeitgeist that is clearly long overdue.

“A quarter of the world’s population are going to be Muslim by 2030,” says Romanna. “60 per cent of that population will be under 30 by 2030, so it’s really about time for retailers to take notice that they exist.” Indeed, from the high-end to the high-street, the fashion world is now playing catch-up to meet the needs of this previously underserved segment of society. The global spend for the Muslim fashion set is predicted to be Dhs1,777 billion by 2019, which explains in no small part why Dolce & Gabbana designed a range of bejewelled, embroidered hijabs and abayas in 2016, with Mango and Uniqlo quickly following suit.

As with any sartorial shift, it’s a trend that has been borne out on both the red carpet – gone are the strapless, plunging revealing gowns of awards seasons past, replaced by highnecked, long-sleeved, floor-length elegance - and also the runway. Hijabs dominated the headlines at New York Fashion Week S/S17 when the Somali-American model Halima Aden, the first hijab-wearer to be signed to IMG models, made her runway debut during Kanye West’s Yeezy show, as well as those of Alberta Ferretti and Max Mara. Meanwhile, Indonesian designer Anniesa Hasibuan received international acclaim for being the first designer to present a collection which featured models wearing hijabs with every outfit.

“We live in an age of reality TV and transparency, where everything is out there,” says Lucie Greene, trend-forecaster and worldwide director of the innovation group at J. Walter Thompson. “In many ways this wave of modest dressing is a reaction to that – almost the anti-Kardashianisation.” Amid fourth wave feminism and in the wake of the #MeToo movement, modest dressing

But as great as events such as DMFW are for networking, Idrissi hopes that they will soon be a thing of the past.

“I predict that soon modest fashion won’t even need its own special week,” she says. “It’s already started happening that mainstream designers are catering for modest dressers and I hope that in a few years’ time it won’t be news when a modelling agency signs up another hijab-wearing model. I think the future of the modest fashion movement won’t be about creating capsule collections specifically for modest-dressers or for shoppers from certain regions, it will just be so integrated into their main lines that we won’t even notice.”

Although fashion is notoriously cyclical, the ‘new modesty’ is more than just a flash-in-the-pan seasonal trend. Instead it is being hailed as the defining look of the 2010s as minskirts were in the 1960s, or shoulderpads in the 1980s.

“It’s a macro trend,” agrees Ghizlan Guenez. “This goes way beyond fashion. The modest movement is about attitude, it is all-inclusive to any woman from any faith, background or age who chooses to take a stand in how they present themselves. Seeing that there is a strength and respect in dressing this way is changing the perceptions surrounding modesty, and a modest woman in general.”

What’s clear is that the entrepreneurial and creative vision of the vibrant, social media-savvy Generation M, as well as the universal appeal of modest fashion, will ensure this movement’s longevity – not as a trend but as a permanent fixture. Modest fashion is officially out of the closet.

PRADA S/S18

DOLCE & GABBANA S/S18

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN S/S18

EMILIO PUCCI S/S18

is also a way for women to feel empowered and take back control. “These clothes reject the strictures of the male gaze,” adds Lucie. “They are not about what men want anymore, but about what women want.”

In March 2016, during the midst of the movement - former private equity director Ghizlan Guenez set up luxury e-commerce platform The Modist, frustrated by the lack of stylish and modest designer options that were available in stores, even in Dubai. “From a socio-political perspective there’s been an embracing of diversity,” says Ghizlan, who is based between London and Dubai. “I see us as sort of being that bridge between the designers and a huge customer segment that they haven’t necessarily spoken to in a very focused and personalised manner before.”

For Mariah Idrissi the modesty movement has built bridges of a different sort by fostering a sense of community between women from Saudi Arabia to Stockholm. “The best thing about the modest movement for me is that it has really brought people together,” says Mariah, who has just landed an international celebrity beauty campaign which she tells me has to remain top secret. “The girls who are blogging about modest fashion or designing modest fashion have been doing it for years but didn’t necessarily know each other, but with all these events happening now we’ve formed this close-knit unit and can support each other. Unlike the rest of the fashion scene which has a reputation for being bitchy, I’ve found it to be a very nurturing space.”

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THE ART OF COLLABORATION With the recent flurry of high profile collaborations fast becoming one of fashion’s most influential trends, MOJEH discovers why creative duos work so well

Words by Lauren Cochrane

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he phrase two heads are better than one might be overplayed but, increasingly, it rings true throughout fashion. Collaborations – projects or alliances between brands – are now a fixture in the landscape, one that plays to consumers’ desire for the unique and special, and bring with them an element of surprise.

Right now, it’s the unlikely that cause the biggest ripples.

See Supreme, the New York skatewear label, collaborating with Louis Vuitton, a house it once bootlegged, last year.

Such was the popularity of these pieces, fans queued overnight outside stores and pieces are now on eBay for up to Dhs87,200.

Bringing a different voice into an established brand can transform it, or provide a different point of view. Gosha Rubchinskiy, the Russian streetwear designer, worked with Burberry this season. Thanks in part to him, the once much-maligned check is now the height of cool. Gucci, meanwhile, are working with Dapper Dan, the Harlem tailor who used their monogram on bootlegged pieces in the Eighties, to create an entirely bespoke collection. It comes complete with a Harlem atelier for the Italian house.

This new perspective can also work when a cool designer brings their stardust to a forgotten or taken-for-granted name. For the S/S17 Vetements show, the Parisian label worked with no fewer than 18 different brands, including the deeply unfashionable – until then anyway – Juicy Couture. The result? Velour suddenly looks alluring once again. Virgil Abloh, the designer behind even cooler Off

White, has gone one better. This year he will collaborate with Swedish cut-price furniture company, IKEA. When it was announced, Virgil described the collaboration as “allowing me to put my opinion on a classic.”

Koché, the brand by Christelle Kocher, has been favoured by the cooler end of the Parisian fashion crowd since launching in 2014. Kocher surprised them this season by a different view of Paris - through a collaboration with globally famous football team Paris St-Germain on a series of recycled football shirts. “I love the idea of mixing different worlds,” she says. “It is in Koché’s DNA to play with codes and to dare to express a new point of view.”

If the unlikely and the unexpected is part of the appeal of the collaboration in fashion, there is also the factor of the limited edition. Collaborations are often one-timeonly and are made in smaller runs than a brand’s main collection. Emily Gordon-Smith, head of fashion at the forecasting agency Stylus, believes this hits the sweet spot for modern consumers. “We generally shop in the same generic global brands but at the same time we want that exclusive piece that is difficult to get hold of,” she says.

“These collaborations appeal to the luxury hunter.” Sev Halit, designer studio buyer at UK-based department store Selfridges, agrees. “Our customers are always looking for exclusive products, and collaborations are a great way for us to provide that,” she says.

Fashion collaborations are not new. The most globally recognised one is H&M’s which began in 2004, and counts Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Versace, Balmain and

Photography: Borna Ahadi. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor. Location: Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai. Nour wears Baron Von Fancy shoes, THE NOU PROJECT; Basma wears Nika Fontaine shoes, THE NOU PROJECT at LEVEL SHOES

MOJEH FEATURE

Founders of The Nou Project, Nour Al Tamimi (right) and Basma Chidiac (left) collaborate with artists when they design various footwear. “We’re not focused on following trends too much,” Nour tells MOJEH. “We like to think of artists as the new designers for this generation.”

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French fashion label Koché launched a collaboration with European football team Paris-St. Germain for its S/S18 collection

Marni on its alumni list – with the most recent designer being London Fashion Week favourite Erdem. These regularly cause the internet to break but, actually, collabs can be traced back to a pre-digital world - through Louis Vuitton’s collaborations with Stephen Sprouse in 2001, Halston’s hook up with American department store JCPenney back in 1983 and Elsa Schiaparelli’s work with Salvador Dalí in the Thirties. By now, we are well-versed in the idea that something wonderful can come from an alliance.

The challenge of working within the constructs and codes of a different business appeals to a creative. Jewellery designer Rachel Entwistle is on her second collaboration with Paul Smith, creating bold, modernist jewellery for the brand’s catwalk shows and in-store. “There was lots of print in the first season and I immediately knew the jewellery had to be quite strong,” she says. “Those parametres allowed me to be creative with how I make and how I communicate

that.” Lorenzo Serafini, the designer behind Philosophy, felt the same when working with sneaker label Superga. “It is an iconic lifestyle brand,” he says, “one which has always represented the Italian way of relaxing and staying cool.”

He responded with designs that are joyfully irreverent. See the classic sneakers with ‘Philosophy’ daubed along the sole.

A new context to get creative juices flowing chimes with The Nou Project. Set up at the start of 2016 by Nour Al Tamimi and her partner Basma Chidiac, the duo have built their business on collaborating with artists, after Al Tamimi studied her Master’s at Sotheby’s in New York.

But, rather than these artists painting on canvas or even on walls, they create artwork to be used on sneakers.

“I was really inspired by the sneaker culture of New York,” says Nour, who is originally from Saudi Arabia. “I wanted to make shoes that were like a moving canvas.”

The duo have collaborated with eight artists so far,

Clockwise from left: Jeremy Scott x Longchamp Viva Avant Garde travel bag; Rachel Entwistle Jewellery’s creations were featured in Paul Smith’s A/W17 Men’s Paris Fashion Week show; Gucci has recently joined forces for legendary Harlem designer Dapper Dan

including rising Saudi star RexChouk and American Eric Yahnker, who produced a portrait of Barack Obama on his sneaker. Their work has been seen in all the right arty places, so much so that the blurring of lines between fashion and art has been something of an issue. “We just worked on a project in Art Basel and sold the shoes there,” says Nour. “A lot of people thought they were an installation which was funny.”

Nour sees her sneakers as something to wear but she isn’t concerned with fashion per se. “We’re not focused on following trends too much,” she says. “We like to think of artists as the new designers for this generation.” Indeed, as the collaboration game develops, it’s moving beyond the now familiar territory of hook ups between two designers.

Any alliance is effectively fair game - between brands and celebrities (Reebok x Victoria Beckham, Puma x Selena Gomez, Burberry x Adwoa Aboah, Tommy Hilfiger x Gigi Hadid), brands and influencers – H&M’s new line Nyden is entirely based around ranges designed by Internet personalities – and, as with The Nou Project, brands and artists.

Selfridges’ Sev says there is now competition between retailers to surprise and delight their consumers.

“Collaborations are an effective tool when it comes to positioning yourself within the market,” she says. “We are always looking for the unexpected, we would love to launch something no one would ever think possible.” The latest one to find at the store? A collection designed by Off White’s Virgil and his protégé Heron Preston. “Both Virgil and Heron have common ground in finding joy in the unexpected, pushing boundaries and radicalising ‘fashion’ as we know it,” says Sev. “This is the perfect representation of these two creative masterminds.”

The reach is doubled in a collaboration, and puts both of those involved in new territory. Christelle says this has been the case with her PSG collaboration. “It enabled them [the team] to make their voice heard by a new audience,” she says. Working with an internationally known football team – a brand in itself – brought new eyes to her label.

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This page, clockwise from top: Danish influencer Pernille TeisbÌk’s worked with Neta-Porter on a limited edition range; Adwoa Aboah and Montell Martin photographed

by Juergen Teller for Burberry; Valentina Ferragni wears Superga x Philosophy

Clockwise from left: Aigner’s first collaboration in the Middle East is with Kuwaiti fashion designer Ascia Al Faraj; The Nou Project’s trainers made in collaboration with James Rawson at LEVEL SHOES

“Collaborations permit also to touch people who are not in your core ecosystem,” she says. “It is a way to open yourself to other worlds and new ideas.”

Stylus’ Emily sees this broadening out as the way collaborations are going in the future. In fact, the more established collaborations – those between high street brands and designers – are running out of steam. According to analytics firm Brandwatch, the interest in collaborations like those at H&M or Target is waning. If the Alexander Wang project in 2014 created 266 million impressions on social media, by the time Erdem came around three years later, it was at 53.7million.

With this in mind, the industry is thinking differently about collaborations and taking their cue from streetwear, an arena where collaborations are an integral part of the landscape with an anything-goes attitude key. Take

Supreme – which has over 35 collaborations over their 20-year history – ranging from one with preppy label Brooks Brothers to artist Robert Crumb. “There’s an evolution for collaborations to be more creative and opensourced,” says Emily. “Brands need to be quite subtle and creative with their thinking.”

The smart brands are looking for a collaboration that feels authentic – an essential factor when appealing to the millennial generation. By Malene Birger, the Danish contemporary brand, have worked with Danish influencer Pernille Teisbæk on a limited edition range for Net-a-Porter this season. The results form a series of desirable classic shirts that play into both the workwear reputation of the brand and the street style cool of Teisbæk. As the first collaboration ever for By Malene Birger, CEO Morten Linnet says it had to feel like an easy, and - crucially - modern fit.

“Pernille Teisbæk has been a friend of the house and longterm brand advocate for so long now, so it was a natural next step,” he says. “We wanted someone who knew By Malene Birger really well, someone who resonated with the brand but also someone who had a voice of her own.”

Morten is a straight talker and is frank about the cultural currency that Teisbæk - a blue tick Instagrammer with over 500,000 followers and her own media agency - can bring to an established brand that may have fallen off the radar of younger consumers. “Influencers like Pernille can engage with their audience – and bring in new customers - in ways that we as a brand are unable to,” he says.

Rachel, meanwhile, points to another way that the collaboration game is evolving: to something more permanent.

She will continue working with Paul Smith beyond this season.

“Their idea is that they want to create a project that gets better,” she explains. “Perhaps people don’t just do a seasonal thing and then it’s the next thing and the next thing and the next thing. It is about developing quality over time.” If fashion collaborations were once all about the one-time-only, now we may see a new longevity. Limited editions in perpetuity? It’s a new concept, but one we can get behind.

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SEASONAL STYLE

ROBERTO CAVALLI

Staging a ubiquitous catwalk takeover, lavender has emerged as an essential colour for spring.

Whether embraced in a tailored suit, a statement coat or used as a pop of colour through key accessories, Pantone purple is strongly having its say for spring/summer18.

Compiled by Sophie Pasztor

LONGING FOR LAVENDER

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1. DORATEYMUR at THE MODIST | 2. MATICEVSKI | 3. MICHAEL KORS | 4. MADIYAH AL SHARQI | 5. TIBI | 6. M2MALLETIER | 7. BOTTEGA VENETA | 8. CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

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BLUMARINE

INTO THE EAST Indulge in Far East fantasies by bringing exotic opulence to the forefront. Adopt a demure modern geisha aesthetic with Japanese-inspired prints and luxurious satin fabrics, kimono belts tie at the waist to define the season’s silhouette. Look to unique accessories that showcase artisanal vision.

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1. NATHALIE TRAD | 2. BY MALENE BIRGER at HARVEY NICHOLS - DUBAI | 3. BY MALENE BIRGER at HARVEY NICHOLS - DUBAI | 4. TIBI | 5. GUCCI | 6. OSCAR DE LA RENTA | 7. DAVID YURMAN at OUNASS | 8. SAINT LAURENT

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THE TRUE ROMANTICS An inner penchant for hyperfemininity is unleashed thanks to soft silhouettes and sensual evening dresses, which are strengthened with structured shapes and formidable footwear

Photographed by Wendy Bevan Styled by Kim Howells

Vita wears: Dress, NATASHA ZINKO | Shoes, A.F. VANDEVORST Lucinda wears: Dress, LANVIN | Shoes, A.F. VANDEVORST

Dress, ERIKA CAVALLINI

Dress, ELIE SAAB | Shoes, GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI

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All clothes, SAINT LAURENT

Lucinda wears: Dress, A.F. VANDEVORST Vita wears: Shirt, EQUIPMENT | Jacket, EMMA CHARLES

Vita wears: Dress, ISA ARFEN Lucinda wears: Dress, YOHJI YAMAMOTO

Vita wears: Dress, ALBERTA FERRETTI Lucinda wears: Skirt and jacket, ERIKA CAVALLINI | Shoes, JIMMY CHOO

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Models: Vita Mir at Premier Lucinda Schaefers at Storm Make-up artist: Yin Lee Hair stylist: Mark Francome Painter at CLM Photography assistant: John Cronin Styling assistant: Femi Hurley-Scott Digital operations: Timothy Wheeler Casting director: Nick Forbes Watson

Vita wears: all clothes, JAMIE WEI HUANG Lucinda wears: Dress, DAMIR DOMA | Shoes, JAMIE WEI HUANG

Worlds in Collision Intense and contradictory, impassioned personalities merge in a delicate union of brilliant colour that retools vintage with a restless energy

Photographed by Aurelia Le Styled by Ina Lekiewicz

Barbara wears: silk pearl dress, SONIA RYKIEL Mica wears: Blouse, MALENE BIRGER at Net-a-Porter | Belt, GUCCI | Dress, RACIL at Matches Fashion

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All clothes, MARNI

Luca wears: all clothes, PRADA Barbara wears: all clothes, MIU MIU

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Silk dress, ROCHAS at Matches Fashion | Check jacket, ISA ARFEN | Necklace, GUCCI at My Theresa

Barbara wears: Dress, PREEN | Jacket, MIU MIU Luca wears: Dress, PREEN | Jacket, ISABEL MARANT

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Barbara wears: Skirt, top and shoes, GUCCI | Socks, BURBERRY Luca wears: Dress, PRADA | Necklace, MIU MIU | Jacket, ELLERY | Socks, BURBERRY | Shoes, AWAKE

All clothes, PRADA

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Luca wears: silk dress, CECILIE BAHNSEN at Matches Fashion Barbara wears: crepe dress, ZIMMERMANN at Browns Fashion | Necklace, GUCCI

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Luca wears: Dress, BURBERRY | Shoes, PRADA Barbara wears: Dress and shoes, BURBERRY

All clothes, BURBERRY

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Luca wears: Dress, REJINA PYO Barbara wears: Dress, DODO BAR OR

Top, CHLOÉ

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All clothes, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

Models: Barbara at Premier Luca at PRM Make-up artist: Iris Grob Hair stylist: Pablo Kuemin Photography assistant: Jan Grochowski Styling assistant: Paulina Gzik Casting director: Nicolas Bianciotto

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Left: white embroidered rendigote coat. White crop top with ruffles. Sandy pink silk shorts. Middle: black short floral jacquard sleeveless gilet. Blue printed blouse with neck tie. Hard blue jersey shorts. Right: green tea embroidered rendigote coat. Blue oversize watch print T-shirt. Black bimaterial skinny pant with knee detail, LOUIS VUITTON | Opposite page: sleeveless embroidered dress with feathers. Middle: white embroidered rendigote coat. White crop top with ruffles. Light blue jersey shorts Right: optical white embroidered long sleeveless dress, LOUIS VUITTON

P A S T T E N S E Contemporary style codes allow for unexpected pairings of past and present influences, including brocade coats with running shorts and ruffled shirts with high-top sneakers. This season, expect the unexpected Photographed by Collier Schorr Styled by Rae Boxer

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Black short floral jacquard sleeveless gilet. Blue printed blouse with neck tie, LOUIS VUITTON

Optical white embroidered long sleeveless dress. LV archlight sneakers, LOUIS VUITTON

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Left: green tea embroidered rendigote coat. Blue oversize watch print T-shirt.

Black bi-material skinny pants with knee detail. Middle: sleeveless embroidered dress with feathers. Right: white embroidered rendigote coat. White crop top with ruffles.

Light blue jersey shorts, LOUIS VUITTON

Grey embroidered sleeveless dress with bubble skirt.

Beige striped round neck pullover. LV archlight sneakers, LOUIS VUITTON

MOJEH.COM Our carefully curated digital platform delivers engaging, inspiring and timely content with exclusive access to the industry’s most influential players.

JEWELLERY EDIT Aymeline Valade wears Chopard’s Ice Cube collection

“

I love experimenting with my own style and I think it is an interesting nonverbal communication tool.

What you wear says a lot about you.

Aymeline Valade

Photography: Zachary Handley

WINTER WONDERS Delicately draped in Chopard’s Ice Cube collection’s various

The French beauty first fronted the Swiss brand’s campaign

jewellery styles – all of which are based on the humble cube

for the Ice Cube’s solid torque bracelets and slender bar

– Aymeline Valade returns for the camera to give her own

pendants last year, after realising the creations perfectly

stylish interpretation of the maison’s frost-infused signature

complemented her own minimalist style. For 2018, she

range. The model and actress has gained a far-reaching

joins forces with her photographer friend Zachary Handley,

reputation for championing street-style fashion, and explains

who captures Aymeline stacking numerous rings in various

why choosing the right jewellery is key to completing her

polished and diamond-set versions. “I love experimenting

overall appearance. “The most important reason is to bring

with my own style and I think it is an interesting nonverbal

a touch of sophistication,” she says, “as well as greater chic

communication tool. What you wear says a lot about you.” She

and femininity to whatever ‘look’ I am trying to create.”

admits: “Yellow gold is the best on me, but I prefer white gold.”

98 LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER With a family background closely connected to the jewellery business, it would seem that Patile Kalan’s career was predestined for greatness. The Los Angeles-based fine jewellery designer’s mother, Suzanne Kalan, is renowned for her own eye-catching creations; most notably her firework-set baguette stones that are best worn stacked on top of one another in an ambitious display of glitter and sparkle.

And with each new year bringing new opportunities, Patile has unveiled her fifth equally iconic Bloom collection, which follows the success of her late-2017 range, Amalfi. “I’ve been working on new styles and different collections for the last couple of months,” she tells MOJEH. “My mum really inspired me when I started designing the [Bloom] collection. They’re colourful pieces.

They’re just so light and easy, fun and young.”

Having contributed to her mother’s KALAN by Suzanne Kalan collection since 2012, Patile is setting herself apart with vibrant hand-selected jewels, that are accented by dazzling diamonds and sapphires. “Unusual shapes are incorporated into the [Bloom] collection,” she reveals, “including hexagon-cut gemstones.”

Patile Kalan’s latest collection, entitled Bloom, was recently unveiled at S*uce Rocks

Patile Kalan’s Bloom collection is exclusive to S*uce Rocks, while KALAN by Suzanne Kalan is available online at Liberty London, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue

CIRCLE OF LOVE Specially crafted to suit every woman’s unique personality, Roberto Coin celebrates Valentine’s Day with the Pois Moi collection of three sets of necklaces, each with a matching bracelet and ring. “I like proportions,” the designer tells MOJEH about his collections. “I like classical designs.” Available in gold, white gold, and rose gold, the Pois Mois range combines strength with soft sensuality, and the resulting aesthetic is surprisingly unusual for the maison. “It’s difficult for a brand to be so different that it’s hard to recognise the jewellery,” explains Roberto, but that’s exactly what he hopes to achieve with his namesake brand.

“

It’s difficult for a brand to be so different that it’s hard to recognise the jewellery.

Roberto Coin

Roberto Coin celebrates Valentine’s Day with the Pois Moi collection

Bulgari’s B.zero1 Labyrinth has been redesigned by the late-architect Zaha Hadid

COMBINED CREATIVITY Bulgari’s reimagined B.zero1 ring and pendant has been modelled on the Colosseum, Roman Emperor Vespasian’s grandiose architectural statement of power. The bold curve-infused design was spearheaded by the late-architect Zaha Hadid, who worked closely with the maison’s talents to deconstruct the accessory’s original central band with intersecting spirals that resemble rose and white gold diamond-studded waves. Yet another successful attempt by Bulgari to further push the boundaries of the threedimensional B.zero1, which was first created in 1999.

Monica Vinader’s new Fiji collection includes friendship bracelets

TIES THAT BIND Full-bodied ‘buds’, which are iconic to Monica Vinader’s beloved chain bracelets, as well as its matching rings and cuffs, add a contemporary edge to the clean design that dominates the brand’s new Fiji collection. Monica Vinader’s best-selling friendship bracelet has been reimagined with a curved bar and, alongside other creations, features ethicallysourced pavé diamonds and a practical fastening system, making the collection ideal for everyday use.

Available at Boutique 1

“

We saw a huge niche in the market for jewellery that could be worn everyday.

Natasha Jethwani DUBAI-BASED DESIGNS Vik and Natasha Jethwani, the dynamic husband-and-wife duo behind Vik Jethwani Fine Jewellery, recently unveiled their latest collection at Harvey Nichols - Dubai. “I grew up not enjoying jewellery at all,” laughs Natasha, who conceptualises every collection. “But I ended up marrying into a jeweller’s family.”

Vik laughs. “We put her to work,” he jokes, with lighthearted irony.

The Star collection’s contemporary lines and vibrant colours make each piece as comfortable as it is striking. “We saw a huge niche in the market for jewellery that could be worn everyday,” explains Natasha. “That could be fashion-forward, that follows trends, that follows colours and that follows style.”

Available at Harvey Nichols - Dubai Vik Jethwani Fine Jewellery recently showcased its spring/summer Star collection at Harvey Nichols - Dubai

Ring, GILORO at S*UCE ROCKS

Photography: Julia Chernih at The Factory ME. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor

100 HIGH NOTES

Unconventional

Practice

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Jewellery takes on a nonconformist approach with edgy designs that challenge traditional feminine styles

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JACQUEMUS

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1. GINETTE NY at OUNASS | 2. MESSIKA JOAILLERIE | 3. REPOSSI at ISTANA JEWELLERS | 4. DAVID YURMAN at OUNASS | 5. SHEEN at S*UCE ROCKS | 6. DELFINA DELETTREZ | 7. MARLI at OUNASS

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ADLER at ISTANA JEWELLERS

Photography: Julia Chernih at The Factory ME. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor

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EACH X OTHER

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Effect

Be dazzled by diamonds that shimmer with every move, while multihued stones work to captivate the eye

1. TIFFANY & CO. | 2. DIOR | 3. CHANEL | 4. MARLI at HARVEY NICHOLS - DUBAI | 5. GIAMPIERO BODINO | 6. CHAUMET | 7. FABERGÉ

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Earrings, MAGERIT at DAMAS JEWELLERY | Ring, DE GRISOGONO

Photography: Julia Chernih at The Factory ME. Stylist: Sophie Pasztor

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High

Tide

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Let tranquil oceanic blues and pristine metals pave the way for a new movement in stylish simplicity

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DIOR

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1. DE GRISOGONO | 2. PIAGET | 3. ROBERTO COIN | 4. CHANEL | 5. LA MARQUISE | 6. VIK JETHWANI at HARVEY NICHOLS - DUBAI | 7. BOUCHERON

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Ultra

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Violet

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Pantone’s colour of the year and our haute hue of the season, we look to striking ultraviolet shades as on-point accents

ATLEIN

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4 1. POMELLATO | 2. FERNANDO JORGE at NET-A-PORTER | 3. NAMES BY NOUSH | 4. POMELLATO | 5. DIOR | 6. MELISSA JOY MANNING at NET-A-PORTER | 7. ROBERTO COIN

Compiled by Sophie Pasztor

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Make-up: Kate Synnott. Hair: Ben Skervin. Manucurist: Ama Quashie. Stylist: Gillian Wilkins

BEAUTY EDIT

CAPTURING CARA Cara Delevingne unveils Dior’s new skincare line, Capture Youth, and speaks to MOJEH about the importance of taking risks when it comes to self-image Photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino for Parfums Christian Dior

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A self-described “young spirit�, Cara Delevingne has long been associated with audacity when it comes to beauty

Cara wears: Capture Youth Age-Delay Advanced Creme, Capture Youth Glow Booster Serum, Capture Youth Lift Sculptor Serum on skin; Diorskin Forever Perfect Mousse 020, Diorskin Forever Undercover 020, Diorskin Forever & Ever Control Loose Powder 001, Diorblush Sculpt 001 Pink Shape on face; Diorshow Bold Brow 002 Dark, Diorshow Pump ‘n’ volume 090, 5 Couleurs 537 Touch on eyes; Dior Addict Lip Glow 001 on lips; Dior Vernis 108 Muguet on nails

“I don’t like to stay in one place for too long, so I’m constantly looking for the next challenge and to constantly better myself.”

Cara Delevingne

At just 25 years old, Cara Delevingne is a role model. She’s a beauty icon and an advocate, famous for her extraordinary honesty and inspirational self-assurance. The British supermodel-turned-actress is well-known for disregarding convention and fighting against stereotypes, and speaks openly about issues that not only affect her, but others as well, such as mental health, self-harm, and body image.

In defiance of her well-publicised insecurities, there’s an indisputable confidence behind Cara’s temperament, and an underlying calmness that puts one at ease.

“I try to really live in every moment,” she says thoughtfully, which is evident when looking at her roster of past successes. Sometime between stalking catwalks, launching a movie-star career, and flitting between A-lister parties, she’s also found the time to co-write her first young adult novel, Mirror, Mirror.

“Live every moment to the fullest,” she advises, “and take nothing for granted.

Youth isn’t just about looking young; it’s about feeling young.” At times it’s difficult to comprehend that such wise words are coming from someone who is in her mid-twenties, but then again, Cara’s not your average woman, having recently been named the face of Dior’s new anti-aging skincare line, Capture Youth.

Although younger than Dior’s target audience, Cara’s appointment has been carefully chosen to entice budding beauty connoisseurs. Unlike the brand’s previous anti-aging lines, which have typically appealed to women around the age of 50, Capture Youth is intended for a younger generation; women who haven’t yet given much thought to wrinklepreventing regimes. While it’s important to delay signs of ageing before they appear, Cara admits that she’s “not too concerned with getting older.” For her, it signifies a change for the better. “I associate it with becoming wiser and more experienced. Age is a beautiful thing and should be appreciated… People tell me I have a young spirit and I think that allows me to not be afraid of getting older.”

There’s a warm realness about Cara that’s intoxicating, and hearing her speak so sincerely about herself is a breath of fresh air. But it’s also surprising. After all, Cara first rose to fame because of her looks, and largely because of her beautifully bushy eyebrows, but things have changed now that she’s more established. “I think taking risks and pushing the envelope have been a huge part of my life so far,” she reflects. “I don’t like to stay in one place for too long, so I’m constantly looking for the next challenge and to constantly better myself.”

Delicate and fine-boned, Cara’s image has been distinctive and different. In the past year alone she’s shaved her head, painted it silver, dyed her hair pink, and suddenly become a brunette. At the moment, she looks like a warrior, with her hair trimmed short. “I have never felt so strong and so liberated for doing something that seemed so scary to me,” she remembers about shaving her head, which she did for her role as a cancer patient in the upcoming film, Life in a Year. And despite being primarily known as a model, Cara reveals that when she uploads photographs for her 40 million-strong Instagram following, she doesn’t “put too much thought into everything I post.”

It’s clear that Cara is very comfortable in her own skin, which (despite her inarguable beauty) is remarkable for a woman who has spent so much of her young life scutinised in the public eye. A geniune inspiration, she’s a true icon, indeed.

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MY BEAUTY JOURNEY Two successful beauty entrepreneurs share the memories, insecurities and inspiration that led to the start of their make-up empires

TONI MALT

German, 40, make-up artist and author of Transform: 60 Make-up Looks

THE BEGINNING: I grew up in Germany, where no-one wore make-up. My first experience ever using it was in the early Nineties when it was really popular to be very tanned. I remember taking a huge brush, almost half the size of my face, swirling it through a random bronzer and applying it over my whole face, which looked ridiculous. But, the first time I really experienced the power of make-up was when I first moved to the Middle East about a decade ago. I was almost 30 and it was the first time I had seen women with colour on their faces; eyes, lips, blushers, everything. Women all wore Khaleeji make-up, as they still do in some ways, but I didn’t find it ugly, I found it mesmerising. It made me feel like I didn’t fit in, like I was a grey mouse, like I was invisible, so I enrolled in a make-up course because I felt so out of place.

BEAUTY ICONS: I have a sister who is six years older, and when I was ten years old she was everything to me. She was so beautiful and popular. Around the same time, Claudia Schiffer was discovered in my hometown in a club and I was mesmerised by her because she looked like my sister, so she became my first beauty icon. Nowadays, I think I have a lot of beauty icons, and the one thing they all have in common is amazing, beautiful, big, genuine smiles. Everyone looks beautiful when they smile and when they’re happy, so my beauty icons now are women that surround me, whether my family or my friends. Names have disappeared, it’s more about the essence of a person that I am fascinated with. That has become iconic for me.

BEAUTY INSECURITIES: My skin has been so damaged by the sun since I’ve been in Dubai.

I was not very good at putting sunscreen on for the first eight years, so I have so much hyperpigmentation, which I have become increasingly insecure about. I have tried everything to fix it.

Sometimes it gets better, and then I go out in the sun on a shoot and come home at night and my whole face is enflamed. It’s one of my greatest insecurities and it’s shaped my personal relationship with beauty in that I am obsessed with creating beautiful skin.

THE POWER AND PRESSURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: Social media has spread beauty. Make-up has never been as popular as it is now, which is amazing because it’s my work and people appreciate it much more than they used to because they’re so familiar with beauty.

On the negative side, I feel it’s become so superficial. It’s purely the way you put your make-up on that’s considered beautiful on social media, the character is lost because it’s only a picture. It’s also put a lot of pressure on young girls to acquire the craft of make-up and make it work for them, and to be beautiful. How much pressure is that if you’re not within the realm of the ‘standards of beauty’? If you’re a special kind of beauty, or you’re just different? It’s so much pressure to just look like everyone else. In that way, I feel it’s quite sad what’s happening.

THE BEAUTY ESSENTIALS: My focus is my skin because, like I said before, I have trouble with hyperpigmentation. Recently a model told me about some face masks she was using so I found them on the Internet. They’re called Tony Moly from Korea, I use one every night (which is probably too much), and I’m obsessed with them. Make-up wise I can’t live without a wonderful foundation to cover the imperfections of my own skin.

At the moment, I use Huda Beauty Full Filter, I really love it because it covers my imperfections and I don’t need to powder on top.

THE FUTURE: I walked away from make-up school feeling very disappointed because I felt my teacher had withheld a lot of information, maybe scared that she was teaching her own competition. So, when I graduated I reached out to make-up artists to learn from them, but most weren’t willing to share their product or technical secrets.

I always said that I was going to fix this, which is why I wrote my book Transform: 60 Make-up Looks. The book is the honest truth about all my techniques. The products that I name in the book are the products I use. The make-up school I am opening is a continuation of the book, with the same value, a no secrets approach to teaching, and this is what I am so passionate about because of my own negative experience.

Toni Malt’s beauty school opens at the end of February and is located in Al Quoz, Dubai. Tonimaltacademy.com

112 “My first few years in the industry were during the iconic supermodel era with Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford – it was an incredible time to start out.”

Charlotte Tilbury

CHARLOTTE TILBURY

British, 45, make-up artist and founder of Charlotte Tilbury

THE BEGINNING: My ambition and journey as a make-up artist started back when I was growing up in Ibiza. It is such a magical, bohemian place.

I was constantly surrounded by a melting pot of creatives and visionaries who sparked my own creativity, and I was therefore always walking a path towards make-up artistry – my talented father, Lance, as a painter in Ibiza, gave me an amazing root in colours, tonality and contrasts.

I discovered make-up and became fascinated by its power. When I was 13 it changed my life. I started wearing mascara and overnight, everyone from seven to 70 reacted to me in a very different way. I was instantly more empowered, magnetic and mesmerising – I felt enriched with confidence. I always knew I wanted to create my own brand. I started dreaming it up at school as a young girl. I would always give my friends makeovers, advise them on what clothes to wear, the colours that suited their hair colour, and eye colour… How to make themselves the most beautiful versions of themselves.

I trained at the Glauca Rossi Make-up School and then assisted my mentor, Mary Greenwell, who was a family friend from Ibiza.

I started out in the early Nineties – the era of ultimate glamour and excess. I have such incredible memories of being towered over by these Amazonian models, looking fabulous and incredible. They understood the power of make-up to completely enhance their assets and morph into character. My first few years in the industry were during the iconic supermodel era with Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford – it was an incredible time to start out! Then throughout my 26 years as a make-up artist, I pioneered creative product development for many high-end brands, from Helena Rubenstein, MAC, Armani, Chanel, MyFace and Tom Ford, which led me to finally create my own limitless make-up revolution!

THE PHILOSOPHY: I always say: ‘Give a woman the right make-up and she can conquer the world!’ I believe make-up can change your life. It has this incredible power to transform and boost every woman’s confidence.

I call it the psychology of make-up – if you look good, you feel good, and the whole world responds to you in a more positive way.

THE BEAUTY ESSENTIALS: My award-winning, miracle-working Magic Cream is my everyday go-to, I couldn’t be without it. Magic Cream was how this brand came to life. Supermodels and celebrities became totally obsessed with it, so I decided to share it with everyone. It’s like an instant miracle working cream for the skin, and has become a cult

favourite around the world. I carry it with me at all times. The cream actually got its name because I used to mix and use it backstage to turnaround tired skin of supermodels and celebrities, and they soon became obsessed with it and would ask for my ‘magic’ cream. It contains camelia oil, rosehip oil, bio-nymph peptides and hyaluronic acid – instantly flooding the skin with moisture. I never apply make-up without it; it gives me the perfect glowing base. It has really become a worldwide favourite, a little pot of magic dew of youth and luminosity.

THE GAME-CHANGER: My Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask – I call it the mask of the future. It is literally bursting with genius ingredients and gives you the most youthful, brighter, hydrated finish. I ’m always pushing to innovate and disrupt the beauty world, and I wanted to launch a revolutionary mask that was unlike anything else. By creating a dry textile mask, the genius ingredients – including vitamin B3, crocus bulb extract, peptides, oils and butters – are able to penetrate deep into the skin, feeding the complexion only where it needs it most, thanks to the revolutionary biomimetic delivery system. After just 15-minutes skin looks brighter, smoother and wrinkles appear reduced. These transformative effects last up to eight hours, giving you glowing, radiant skin throughout the day.

And, due to its dry finish, you can use it anywhere, anytime, and multi-task while the magic happens.

Charlotte Tilbury’s latest boutique will open in The Dubai Mall extension this spring

Left to right: Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Face Mask; Full Fat Lashes; Charlotte’s Magic Cream, CHARLOTTE TILBURY

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BEAUTY NEWS

ALL ABOUT THAT BASE It may seem like an impossible task, however finding your perfect foundation is set to get a whole lot easier. From Giorgio Armani’s skin-perfecting Face Fabric foundation, to Diorskin Forever Undercover, a high coverage foundation that offers maximum complexion control for 24 hours, this season’s choices are endless, so there’s really no need to go without that youthful springtime glow.

Left to right: Le Teint Ultra Flawless Foundation, CHANEL | Double Wear Nude, ESTÉE LAUDER | Face Fabric, GIORGIO ARMANI | Diorskin Forever Undercover, DIOR

Beauty News

BRANDON MAXWELL

Red lips, flawless skin, all you need for February

POWERFUL POUT Coat your lips in a defiant shade of red. This hue, which is designed for risk-takers and admired for its boldness, has been scarlet, crimson and vermilion, and look to brands such as Chanel, Guerlain and Christian Louboutin for a statement shade.

Left to right: Loubibelle Lip Beauty Oil, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN | Rouge Allure Incantevole, CHANEL | La Petite Robe Noire Lip Colour, GUERLAIN | Rouge Dior Double Rouge, DIOR

BLUMARINE

Words: Sophie Pasztor

made a seasonal favourite. Strike red-hot with a palette of

THE FINER THINGS Encouraging every woman to get lost in the moment, Lancôme’s Absolue L’Extrait has been specially designed to savour its luxurious fragrance. French artists Alex and Marine make the cream even more special with a limited-edition coffret and jar, reinterpreting the maison’s iconic rose in a delicate and abstract fusion.

At Bloomingdale’s Dubai

ON THE SCENT Splendida Magnolia Sensuel is the latest addition to the Bulgari Splendida family. The fresh scent joins its familiar counterparts, Splendida Rose Rose, Splendida Iris D’Or, and Splendida Jasmin Noir. The scent opens with fresh citrus notes of orange and tangerine, that work together to embrace the floral heart of the fragrance, the magnolia flower, and is anchored by aromatic notes of vanilla and musk.

“The best protection you can give to yourself is to apply day cream, as well as a good-quality foundation. That’s a must.”

Denise Barthe-Marti SKINCARE BY CLARINS Beauty connoisseurs have long appreciated the wonders of Clarins’ firming creams, exfoliators and targeted anti-aging treatments, and can now enjoy a unique skincare experience in the UAE, thanks to new boutique openings in Dubai Mall and Mirdif City Centre. “The best protection you can give to yourself is to apply day cream, as well as a good-quality foundation. That’s a must, as is knowing how to properly remove it,” says Denise Barthe-Marti, skincare expert and Clarins’ training manager, when advising how to protect skin against Dubai’s climate.

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BEAUTY IN FOCUS

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BLUE VALENTINE An array of mystical blues engulf new beauty collections, with azure and deep navy shades proving to be the most notable.

Added drama is achieved through the inclusion of a graphic eyeliner, making the look ideal for an evening setting.

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MARNI

FENDI

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1. Orchidée Impériale, GUERLAIN | 2. Les 9 Ombres Multi-Effects Eyeshadow Palette, CHANEL | 3. Double Wear Nude, ESTÉE LAUDER | 4. Conditioning Drama Mascara in Black, LASHFOOD at NET-A-PORTER | 5. Perfect Mono Eyeshadow in Royal Blue, DOLCE & GABBANA | 6. Liquid Eyeliner, VICTORIA BECKHAM X ESTÉE LAUDER at NET-A-PORTER

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Compiled by Sophie Pasztor

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REGAL RED A classic remains a classic for a reason, and this season nothing speaks glamour like a vibrant red lip. Accompanying beauty should be kept clean and minimal with focus given to perfecting a flawless base and lengthening lashes with a healthy coat of mascara.

BLUMARINE

3 MAX MARA

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1. Brow Sculpt in Indian Chocolate, BBROWBAR at NET-A-PORTER | 2. The Nail Lacquer Red 635, DOLCE & GABBANA | 3. Forever Undercover 24-Hour Full Coverage, DIOR | 4. Everlasting Foundation’s Instant Light Lip Perfector, CLARINS | 5. Eyelash Extensions In A Bottle, LASHFOOD at NET-A-PORTER | 6. Lip Color Cherry Lush, TOM FORD

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TALKING POINT

AGE

OF ENTITLEMENT Are millennials the most narcissistic and self-absorbed generation in history, or have we finally recognised our self-worth?

Photography: Jennifer Livingston/Trunk Archive

Words by Annie Darling

It can be difficult to distinguish the differences between emotions, including anger and fear. But as we become more self-absorbed vanity and high self-esteem, especially ambitious, more demanding, and much more self-involved, when living in a culture crazed by celebrity and digital are we also picking up personality and behavioural traits exhibitionism. Kim Kardashian-West, for example, readily that are commonly associated with narcissism? admits that she has no particular talent. “Now is the one time “First, to clarify, when we talk about narcissism, what in my life I can be 100 per cent selfish,” she said pompously, we’re usually talking about is something in psychology during an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians in which we call ‘grandiose narcissism’,” explains W. Keith 2010. “I’m not married; I don’t have kids; I can focus on my Campbell, a professor at the University of Georgia, who career.” Her sentiment is one that’s expressed by many. After has written three books about generational increases in all, we’re the children of baby boomers, who are also known narcissism. The personality disorder, which is largely as the Me Generation which, in turn, makes us the Me Me defined by self-centredness and exaggerated feelings Me Generation. of self-importance, has become At least, that seems to be the a catchphrase of sorts over the years, “Has our obsession with in a similar way to how people will prevailing perspective of the modern social media, a need for woman. She’s more likely than her describe themselves as obsessiveparents to claim she’s above average compulsive, just because they’re instant gratification, in just about every way, and evaluates orderly and detail-oriented. and the changing It would seem that narcissism has her popularity based on how many nature of the job Instagram likes she’s racked up by become the go-to diagnosis for noon. She interacts constantly, but people that we don’t like. It’s been market encouraged an almost entirely through a phone or used to explain the behaviour of bad egocentric streak?” computer screen, and she grew up boyfriends, and justify egotistical watching reality television – shows tweets by the likes of Justin Bieber that are basically documentaries about narcissists. While and Donald Trump; the latter, of course, enjoys boasting many of us look calm and collected, we’re profoundly about his wealth, portfolio of luxury golf resorts, and anxious. According to Deloitte, we check our phones soaring poll numbers, to say the least.

46 times per day, and many of us experience phantom A buzzword often used to describe Instagram celebrities pocket-vibration syndrome. who are preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited power, Has our obsession with social media, a need for instant beauty and brilliance, the term ‘narcissism’ has been gratification, and the changing nature of the job market rendered meaningless. “They [narcissists] are extroverted encouraged an egocentric streak? In 1890, philosopher and attention seeking,” educates Dr. Campbell, “and William James first identified self-esteem as a fundamental they have a sort of inflated positive view of themselves.” human need, no less essential for survival than other The psychologist furthers that the similarities between

120 self-confidence and narcissism aren’t as significant Jenner and Rihanna. The undisputed queen of selfie-taking, as people might suggest. “It’s actually pretty modest,” Kim Kardashian-West even published a coffee table book he reveals, before confirming that they’re “completely of annotated self-taken photos, titled Selfish, in an ode to different things.” Self-esteem and tenacity is largely life- the people around her. Newsfeeds brimming with images enhancing, whereas narcissism is an unhealthy obsession of gym bunnies and extravagant Mediterranean holidays that ultimately results in unhappiness. “The main can set unrealistic expectations, and create feelings of difference has to do with this interpersonal callousness,” inadequacy as well as low self-esteem. explains Dr. Campbell. “People who are narcissistic tend “People who are narcissistic get their own self-esteem to think that they’re better than other people. They tend to by being better than other people,” Dr. Campbell tells think that they’re smarter, more important, and they tend to MOJEH, which means that they’re likely to exploit other see other people as beneath them.” people’s insecurities, and it’s easily Those with the condition have done. Research commissioned “People who are little or, in some instances, no

by Mattress Firm found that the desire for intimate or meaningful narcissistic tend to think average millennial spends just over relationships, yet they constantly four hours each day worrying, while that they’re... smarter, crave and seek admiration from 71 per cent wake up in the middle more important, and others. They are also thin-skinned, of the night thinking about current they tend to see other and react angrily when challenged stressors up to three times during or ignored. “People who have high people as beneath them.” a typical week. With more and more self-esteem are a little different,” of us suffering from depression W. Keith Campbell argues Dr. Campbell. “They may and anxiety, thanks to lives that are riddled with isolation and think that they’re more attractive than others, for example, but they also tend to be, on overexposure, it’s easy for narcissists to target victims, average, better people. They’re more morally-focused.” But both in person and online. while few women knowingly blind themselves to empathy, “Narcissists will often use people to look and feel good,” it can be challenging to prioritise others when surrounded says Dr. Campbell. “That’s why you see these celebrities by a society that places importance on trivial achievements hanging out with all their friends – their entourage. They gather groups of people that will hang out with them and and superficial success.

After all, we’re regularly fired upon with bee-stung pouts tell them how great they are.” One can’t help but think about and slender selfies, many of which are posted online by Taylor Swift’s famous inner circle, which popularised the superstars and role models such as Gigi Hadid, Kendall hashtag #SQUAD, and includes a bevy of Victoria’s Secret

@kendalljenner Kendall Jenner takes to social media to show off her physique

@badgalriri Rihanna’s photos showcase her signature style

@kimkardashian Kim Kardashian West’s book, Selfish, contains numerous selfies

Photography: Instagram

@gigihadid Gigi Hadid has an impressive 37.9 million following on Instagram

@karliekloss Karlie Kloss regularly takes group pictures for social media

@selenagomez Selena Gomez enjoys taking group photographs with fans

@winnieharlow Winnie Harlow poses with friends for an Instagram post

@justineskye Justine Skye often posts bikini selfies for her 1.2 million followers

models and high-profile actresses, from Karlie Kloss and self-reflection, combined with a wider culture that places Cara Delevingne to Gigi Hadid and Selena Gomez. greater emphasis on the importance of self-esteem. We’re Considering the above, it’s no wonder that our own self- also dreamers. Dreamers who witnessed the election of the worth is frequently downsized into a perpetual pursuit of first African-American president. A man whose slogan was the perfect body, résumé or dating profile. “What I’m talking distilled into one, pivotal word: Hope. Dreamers who have about is a trait,” comforts Dr. Campbell, upon hearing the seen more women than ever before secure top-earning slight panic in my tone of questioning. “The idea is that all jobs in male-dominated industries (66 per cent of all of us have it [narcissism] in some way or another. It’s just public sector positions and 30 per cent of all decisionthat most people are sort of average, while others are high making roles within the UAE’s government sector are and some are low.” There is, however, a correlation between held by Emirati women). Rather than nosediving into social media and narcissism, he a bottomless pit of selfishness and says. Evidence suggests self-centred self-entitlement, maybe the modern “The modern woman is, individuals spend more time using woman is, instead, spearheading instead, spearheading these platforms and tend to post a revolutionary break from previous more often than others, favouring generations that were suppressed a revolutionary provocative material. and constrained. break from previous “What I’ve found is that people who And with over one million women generations that are narcissistic use social media recently storming the streets of to promote themselves,” reveals numerous capital cities on behalf were suppressed and Dr. Campbell, but he rejects the of Women’s March, #MeToo and constrained.” argument that social media is Time’s Up, both in protest against turning users into narcissists. harassment and the gender pay Instead, it simply attracts them. “Social media doesn’t gap, it’s worth considering the possibility that rather than seem to be turning everybody into narcissists just by becoming more narcissistic, millennial women are actually using it, which is something that 10 years ago I would becoming more confident about their own abilities and selfhave expected.” So why, then, did the National Institutes worth, thanks to an ever-expanding world that’s humming of Health find that people in their 20s are nearly three with the excitement of opportunity. times more likely to have narcissistic personality disorder Is it possible that our well-earned self-confidence is being in comparison to those who are now 65 or older? mistakenly dismissed as narcissistic? I believe so. And These findings could be attributed to the millennial I live in hope that we’ll surprise them all by becoming generation’s endless opportunity for self-promotion and the greatest generation of optimistic winners on record.

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MOJEH TRAVEL

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Quad biking, canoeing, hiking - a safari in Botswana offers a lot more than a traditional game drive, as writer Kate Wills discovers

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’m gliding silently through the reeds of the Okavango Delta in Botswana in a mokoro (traditional dugout canoe). This vast watery wilderness of channels, lagoons and islands is filled with an abundance of wildlife, but at the moment the only sounds are the chirrup of insects and the faraway grunts of hippos. Suddenly there’s a gurgling like an aeroplane toilet, and out the corner of my eye a troop of elephants amble into view, drinking, snorting and playing in the same water we’re cruising on.

My ‘poler’ skilfully navigates the boat around the waterlilies with a ngashi (pole) for a better view, like a gondolier in Venice. When our pachyderm pals have passed, he points out the tiny white frog clinging to the papyrus, and a family of giraffe blinking at us sedately from the bank. As the sun sets we ‘chance’ upon a chilled bottle with glasses in a floating ice bucket. Forget spending hours on bumpy, dusty jeep rides – a mokoro tour of the Delta is a superior kind of safari.

Of course there’s plenty of the traditional game drives to enjoy in Botswana too, and the country is regularly credited with the best animal-spotting in Africa. This is partly down to its commitment to conservation – 38 per cent of the land is officially protected and it’s home to more than 200,000 elephants, the largest of any African state. Unlike

more popular tourist destinations like Kenya or South Africa, Botswana feels raw and uncultivated.

As one of the most sparsely-populated countries in the world, at times it feels like you might not see another soul. This is no doubt why A-listers including Angelina Jolie, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Taylor have all fallen for its charms over the decades. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took several trips here before getting engaged – and the diamond in her ring is from Botswana.

Just the drive from the airstrip to Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge feels like I’ve somehow stumbled upon a live-action version of The Jungle Book. Troops of baboons swing through witch-like sycamore fig trees, a shoal of white butterflies flits through the open-top jeep and a crocodile slithers back into the water just as we pass by. Arriving at the lodge to the sounds of staff singing traditional songs and proffering chilled rooibos tea feels equally magical.

Unlike traditional camp-style safaris, the split-level suites at Xudum are more like New York-styled loft apartments, with bare wooden floors, chic minimal colour schemes and private plunge pools with views of the Delta. My bathroom has a huge tub and outdoor shower – although as the water comes from the Delta it’s a brownish colour – which isn’t quite so Insta-friendly. That night we eat under the stars,

TRAVEL EDIT

Photography: Courtesy of andBeyond

Clockwise from top: Known to have the highest elephant population in Africa, here one crosses Botswana’s Okavango Delta; Jack’s Camp offers guests dramatic old-world safari glamour; Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge’s opulent bathrooms overlook the region’s landscape

124 a candlelit dinner of roasted kudu (like a very lean steak) before my guide escorts me back to my suite with a torch – the lodge is entirely open to animals and it’s not uncommon to encounter elephants on the path.

The next morning I take the short flight in a tiny light aircraft nicknamed a ‘mosquito’ to Camp Savuti in the Linyanti Concession. Seeing the Delta from above is a thrill in itself – tiny capillaries snaking through green swampland – and a good distraction from the bumpy flight. Once we’ve touched down, we’re picked up by our guide from Savuti, and before we’ve even reached the camp I’ve seen a male lion snoozing under a tree. Things only get better when I check in and find that my thatched cottage has a wraparound balcony which looks out over a family of baby warthogs snuffling below.

I spend an inordinate amount of time filming them before I drag myself away for a game drive.

In the course of one two-hour drive we’ve chanced upon leopards, elephants, zebras, hippos, a whole

“

pride of lions and – rarest of all – a pack of wild dogs munching an impala. It’s bone-jangling chasing the dogs through the bush, our guide shouting at us to ‘Get Down!’ as we veer wildly off the tracks and crunch over trees and branches in our Land Rover, catching a flash of the dogs and their paintlike markings through the foliage. It’s hands (and heads) down the best safari drive I’ve ever experienced in all of Africa.

My big game bucket-list well and truly ticked, it’s time for another sumptuous dinner (expect to eat at least five meals a day on safari), and the next morning I take another light aircraft down to the Kalahari Desert and the Makgadikgadi Pan – one of the world’s largest salt flats. Compared to the lushness of the Okavango Delta this feels like a different planet – miles and miles of shimmering white, almost-lunar landscape. Although the climate across Botswana is dry and hot, the Kalahari takes it to parched new levels – I’m applying lip-balm hourly and my hair has turned to straw. So arriving at Jack’s Camp and being

It’s hands (and heads) down the best safari drive I’ve ever experienced in all of Africa.

Kate Wills

greeted with ice-cold drinks feels like stumbling across a desert mirage. Unpacking my ‘trunk’ (well, OK, suitcase) in these traditional, stylish canvas tents make me feel like a 1940s explorer, with Persian rugs, carved wooden furniture, and cabinets of curios like ostrich eggs and hippo skulls. It’s no surprise to find out that Taylor Swift loved the old-school glamour of Jack’s Camp so much she chose it as one of the settings for her Wildest Dreams video.

Once I’ve cooled off in the oasis-like pool at Jack’s, it’s time to wrap a kikoi (traditional woven sarong) around my head to protect myself from the salty breeze and the sun, jump on a quad bike and zoom across the immense nothingness of the Makgadikgadi.

This harsh, stark environment is home to aardvarks, springbucks, brown hyenas and – best of all – wild meerkats, who scrabble in the dry earth for scorpions to snack on and are so inquisitive they think nothing of using my head as a human lookout post. My guide tells me that when the rains come, clouds of flamingo come to feed here and vast herds of zebra and wildebeest make the migration, but even in the arid season it’s still stunning in its barrenness.

After rinsing off the salt back at Jack’s in my outdoor shower, we venture back into the bush for a special meeting. The San tribe were the first people of the Kalahari and today many cling to their traditional customs. Communicating in a language of clicks, and wearing leather thongs and beads, they lead us on a hike through the bush, showing us how they can survive in arid climates for days by extracting water from a particular tree root, smoking leaves for their medicinal powers and hunting animals with poison sap.

They set up a large campfire, which they light by rubbing sticks together, and begin to perform a ‘trance dance’. Part religious ceremony, part party, part doctor’s clinic, the San believe that during this ritual one member of the tribe will enter the spirit realm and can then touch each member of the group to heal diseases. The clapping, chanting and stamping starts just before dusk and will go on well into the night. It’s a mesmerising experience even as a spectator.

Just before the sun disappears, we take our leave and hike back to... well, yet more nothingness… to lie on the desert floor, watching the earth’s shadow grow as the sun sets and then scanning the sky for shooting stars. It occurs to me that it’s one of the few times in my life I’ve ever experienced absolute silence and it feels weirdly emotional.

Although spotting animals in their natural habitat has been exciting, and spending time with the San people has been fascinating, just lying here might be the most memorable moment of the trip for me.

And I can’t even capture a photo of it. But maybe that’s the point.

Clockwise from top: Relax in one of Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge’s wooded suites; Camp Savuti is one of Africa’s best known game areas; the vast inland Okavango Delta

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MOJEH TRAVEL

THE DESTINATION Fashion-inspired escapes, exclusive shopping trips, Shanghai city breaks and beautiful beaches. Travel far this February

YVES SAINT LAURENT’S MARRAKECH

Above: Villa Oasis, Saint Laurent’s home in Marrakech Below: The designer outside Villa Oasis

One of the most anticipated museum openings of the last year was the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech. Housing 200 of the celebrated designer’s haute couture pieces, it is an homage to his exceptional talent, but also his love affair with the Moroccan city.

To mark the occasion, Four Seasons Resort Marrakech has introduced The Inspirations guests of the hotel that little bit more during their stay. To really get inside the head and the heart of the French designer, a private tour of Villa Oasis, his Moroccan second home (pictured above), can be arranged. Wander through rooms piled with books and dotted with objets d’art that inspired him, and view the unique collection of paintings still hung on the walls as if he were still alive. The Majorelle Garden is a spectacle in itself, filled with plants that pop against the vivid blue and yellow hues that saturate the villa’s walls, painted by its original owner Jacques Majorelle. The visit is followed by a private view of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, after which guests will return to the resort for a spectacular dinner inspired by the colours, textures and shapes of Saint Laurent’s designs. Fourseasons.com

Photographed by Horst P. Horst at Getty Images

of Yves Saint Laurent to their ever-growing list of Extraordinary Experiences to give

SHOPPING IN HONG KONG Fashion enthusiasts looking for a city break should check in to The Landmark Oriental in Hong Kong to experience the Voyage in Style package with Vestiaire Collective.

Each stay in the hotel’s luxurious Entertainment Suite will come with exclusive access to the contents of a Globe-Trotter trunk filled with 12 handpicked accessories, from a 1970s Dior minaudière to a goldleather Hermès Kelly, for playing dress up about town.Also included is a Dhs950 Vestiaire Collective gift card and chic travel kit. Mandarinoriental.com

FLORENCE’S GUCCI GARDEN Nestled in Florence’s ancient Palazzo della Mercanzia, which dates back to 1337, and designed by creative director Alessandro Michele himself, the newly opened Gucci Garden is dedicated to the eclectic creativity that’s long defined the historic fashion house. Merging Gucci’s decadent past with its innovative present, contemporary separates are juxtaposed alongside vintage pieces in the space’s bazaar-like boutique, which shares a floor with Michelin-starred chef Massimo Battura’s intimate restaurant, Gucci Osteria. Expect exclusive packaging, silk bomber jackets and scrumptious Italian cuisine.

A MAKEOVER IN PARIS Couples who are looking to indulge in a romantic getaway needn’t look any further than Paris’s Mandarin Oriental which, for the month of February, is offering a luxurious holiday package in collaboration with one of France’s most admired designers. Upon arrival at the opulent hotel, Be My Parisian Valentine By Christian Louboutin guests will receive an extravagant hamper filled with beauty products and spa treatment offers, as well as other rejuvenating experiences that can be redeemed at the nearby Christian Louboutin Paris Beauté Boutique, located just a few moments away. Mandarinoriental.com

128 NEW EXPERIENCES... and mys SHANGHAI’S BULGARI HOTEL Few cities in the world evoke as much exotic history and mystery as Shanghai. Scheduled to open in mid-March, Bulgari’s latest hotel sleepily sits alongside the bustling city’s tranquil riverside and is set to feature sleek and contemporary rooms boasting the most exceptional guest amenities, which include Maserati transportation.

A stone’s throw away from Shanghai’s most exciting tourist attractions, including the iconic Bund and the museums at People’s Square, privileged guests staying in the upscale hotel will enjoy breathtaking views of the city’s dramatic skyline. Bulgarihotels.com

HEAD TO THE PHILIPPINES Designed by acclaimed Philippino architect Francisco Manosa, Amanpulo on Palawan Island in the Sulu Sea, 360km southwest of Manila, is the stuff of which dreams are made. Accessible only by private plane, the resort’s 6.5km powder-white sand beach has become a favourite among travellers. Now celebrating 25 years since its inception, the resort has launched a series of events to commemorate, from BBQs every 25th day of the month, to 25-minute activities that will make an already incredible stay that little bit more adventurous... or just pull up a hammock like the rest of us. Aman.com

PARTYING IN KHO PHANGAN The ultimate luxury escape for party people, Anantara Rasananda’s Party in Style package is a complete lust list of tempting treats from start to finish. Staying in an Ocean Pool Villa for four days, guests will experience private boat tours, unlimited beverages, glow-in-thedark body paint for the famous Full Moon party on Koh Phangan along with transfers, and personal butler service. To aid recovery post-Full Moon revelry, a day of rejuvenation at the spa is factored in. If you need to blow off steam, this is luxury partying personified, topped with first-class Thai hospitality. Anantara.com

CULTURE EDIT

Above: POWERMASK: The Power of Masks book cover | Viktor & Rolf haute couture 2016

BEHIND THE MASK Walter Van Beirendonck’s new release Powermask: The Power of Masks is a visually stunning publication that merges the past with the present. Complemented by texts penned by American fashion historian Valerie Steele, museum director Kaat Debo and art curator Chris Dercon, the glossy tome explores the common threads and distinct differences in Photography: POWERMASK: The Power of Masks

mask traditions.

Described by Belgian fashion designer Jurgi Persoons as “a truly engaged visionary and a passionate designer, artist and teacher,” Van Beirendonck’s fascination with the artistic use of masks is inescapable and irresistible. A wide range of artwork handcrafted by dozens of creatives, including James Ensor, Keith Haring, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, and Louise Bourgeois are thoroughly explored and ruthlessly compared in a riproaring explosion of colour, vibrancy and imagination.

Lannoopublishers.com

130 A PERSONAL TOUCH Peter Lindbergh’s latest coffee table book, named Shadows on the Wall, offers a stunning curation of intimate images and naturalistic portraits, each of which depict numerous Hollywood starlets, from Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore, to Alicia Vikander and Kate Winslet. Taschen.com

Untitled, Shape of Time series, 2015, matte enamel on aluminium, 120 x 120cm, image courtesy of the artist

Sliman Mansour, The Martyr, 1993, mud on wood, 60 x 45cm, image courtesy of the artist

Van Gogh Alive: The Experience at Abu Dhabi National Theatre

GALLERY SPOTLIGHT Almost 130 years after his death, Vincent van Gogh’s artwork, which was largely influenced by his struggles with mental health, is being showcased at the Abu Dhabi National Theatre. Ayyam Gallery presents Rashid Al Khalifa’s breathtaking wallmounted installations in Hybrids, while Tabari Artspace welcomes a collective of Palestinian artists for El Beit, each of whom reflect upon their homeland’s hardship.

El Beit, February 6 - March 8; Van Gogh Alive: The Experience, until February 26; Hybrids, until March 10

NEW OPENING

EVITA COMES TO DUBAI OPERA

Alberta Ferretti’s newest boutique is now open

Following extraordinary success in London, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Evita is set

in The Dubai Mall.

to thrill UAE-based theatre-goers with the famous story of Argentine first lady, Eva Peron.

Evita at Dubai Opera, until February 3

Best for dinner: Ninive in Emirates Towers

Best for coffee: Cova in Dubai Mall

Best for lunch: SLAB in La Mer

Best for brunch: Nineteen in Address Montgomerie

RESTAURANTS TO TRY Inspired by the Arab world’s heritage, Ninive replicates the verdant tranquility of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Brass is merged with wood and leather, unlike SLAB which boasts contemporary tones of grey and white. A home-grown concept, this eatery serves delicious dishes from around the world, while Address Montgomerie’s newly renovated restaurant Nineteen cooks up some of the finest Italian delicacies in Dubai. Meanwhile, Cova, one of Milan’s most historic cafés, makes for a great pit stop after an afternoon spent shopping in Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue.

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MOJEH INTERVIEW

SONAM KAPOOR Sonam Kapoor’s latest movie is an exploration of female opression in one of the world’s poorest countries, she tells MOJEH why it moved her

Photography: Courtesy of IWC. Sonam wears dress by ASHI STUDIO. Watch, IWC. Stylist: Rhea Kapoor. Hair and make-up: Namrata Soni

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his month, Sonam Kapoor’s latest movie PadMan opens at cinemas. Based on the book by bestselling author, film producer and woman’s rights activist, Twinkle Khanna, the film follows the true story of Indian male entrepreneur and activist Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a machine to make low-cost sanitary pads, becoming a hero of the country’s modern history.

Starring alongside Akshay Kumar, the script appealed to Sonam, herself a woman’s rights activist, because of its underlying message about equality. “In India we have a huge tax on sanitary napkins and the majority of women don’t understand that having a period is not a bad thing – there’s a lot of stigma attached to it. It’s a very important film as it’s about a man who made sanitary napkins cheaper and more accessible to women because he believed in giving them the best in terms of healthcare and sanitation,” she told MOJEH during the Dubai International Film Festival where she was attending the IWC Filmmaker Award celebrations.

The outspoken actress uses her fame to campaign for women’s rights in India, often posting motivational messages of support on her Instagram to 11.9 million followers. Growing up with a feminist father cultivated her strength of character and ambition as an actress in what she says is not an equal society. “I guess the whole idea of giving the same opportunity and the same kind of respect to men and women is something that is lacking in India,” she offers, “and I’ve been brought up believing that whatever my brother gets is something that I deserve as well, whether it has to do with sanitation, whether it has to do with jobs, or the way we are being treated. It’s something that I endorse and I believe in so it’s important to do films that have the same kind of language.”

PadMan is in cinemas from February 9

LIFE & STYLE

London socialite Caroline Stanbury opens the doors to her glamorous home in Dubai's Al Barari

Photography: Julia Chernih at The Factory ME. Words: Natascha Hawke

A

s one of London’s most notorious socialites, you’d expect Caroline Stanbury’s diary to be an endless list of parties, red carpet events and regular appearances on all the right society pages, but you’d be wrong. She has set aside her party girl ways – in Dubai at least – for a far more laidback approach to life, swapping the high-maintenance drama of reality TV for a more modest, albeit glamorous, role as a self-proclaimed “housewife”, while other projects are in the pipeline.

Moving to Dubai in 2016 with her Turkish financier husband Cem, 43, and their three children, Yasmine, 11, and twin boys Zack and Aaron, seven, Caroline, 41, has made it her mission to create a beautiful Los Angeles-inspired home for which she is happy to swap high society soirées for Friday movie nights in with the kids.

Her home is nothing if not immaculate.

Nowhere are there signs of a young family, except the framed photographs lining the dresser in the dining room alongside snaps of Caroline in her heyday with fellow London It girls Yasmin LeBon and Tamara Beckwith, and perhaps the gold inflatable swan bobbing around in the pool. “I’ve got three children and it looks like a hotel.

Everything needs to be perfect,” she laughs ironically. “It’s a need in me, I can’t help it.

I used to make my parents sit on the floor in my first flat because I didn’t want my

sofa to be sat on! For the first house party I threw with my husband, I covered the sofa in plastic. I’m so ashamed to say it.”

While she admits to being a bit on the obsessive-compulsive side when it comes to tidiness, it’s clear that her family – messy or not – are her pride and joy. The most frequent words to pepper her sentences signal the things she holds most dear to her: fun, friends, family and love are mentioned often, and she has created a home to house it all.

“My whole thing about coming here was to have time for my children, time for myself, time for my husband,” she explains, but that hasn’t stopped a constant flow of guests descending on Dubai to stay.

“I don’t think my guest bedroom has been empty. People go home and post saying ‘it’s the best guest room ever’ and I reply,

Above: Caroline wears dress by David Koma, her own Below: The artwork by Tracey Emin Caroline bought for her husband, Cem, for Valentine’s Day hangs in the hallway

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‘no, it’s not. It’s the worst. It’s closed’… all my friends come.”

She worked with luxury interior stylists Earlcrown, based in London, to transform the seven-bedroom property from bad to her taste before the family moved in, designing the furniture herself so it was practical and pretty in equal measure – the chairs around the family dining table are wipeable suede. “I did everything because I didn’t want the kids to feel it was that foreign. I wanted it to feel like LA living.

I really love it. I feel very at home here.”

Throughout the house there are plenty of clues as to who she is as a person, stacks of coffee table books by her favourite fashion designers act as plinths to vases, ornaments and the odd piece of

modern art. "I collected the art all from London," she shares. "It actually works really well in this house." Tracey Emin's neon Just Love Me hangs in the entrance hall, a gift for Cem on Valentine's Day. Everything has its place and it all has a certain Instagrammable quality, acting as an aesthetically-pleasing backdrop to her daily posts, much to the joy of her 396,000-plus followers.

Her wardrobe, she says, is half the size of the one in London, so she stores her winter clothes downstairs, making way for lighter, more summery pieces that suit her move to warmer weather. “I’m in swimsuits and jeans shorts all day long with bare feet.

If I’m going out I’ll put a great jean on, big heels and one of those long duster

Opposite page: All Caroline’s art has been collected over the years from London. “I’ve always been a bit of a magpie, I love beautiful things,” she says. Caroline wears top, Fendi; jumpsuit, Sea; shoes, Gianvito Rossi, all her own

This page: All furniture was designed by Caroline for her collection with Earlcrown from London. “I didn’t want to spend huge amounts of money as we didn’t know if we’d be here a year or six years, but I didn’t want to live in Ikea.”

“

I wanted it to feel like LA living. I really love it. I feel very at home here.

Caroline Stanbury

136 Right: With her French bulldog, Buster. “Whether walking the dog or at home, I want to look glamorous. My hair is always done, my nails are always done. I always wear make-up,” she says.

Caroline wears Roland Mouret at Symphony Below: Collectible artworks are found throughout the house

Opposite page (clockwise from top left): Caroline’s collection of shoes. Her wardrobe showcases a summery fashion edit of go-to brands, including Alexander Wang, Gucci, Isabel Marant and Zimmermann; She has a colourful collection of Hermès Birkin bags, the only day bag she ever carries

cardigans… so easy.” Her go-to labels for the day are Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, NSF, Nike and Puma trainers, and she is “obsessed with Zimmermann.” She also has a weakness for Chanel shoes and thinks everyone should own a pair of Dior boots.

For the nights she does go out, she wears Chloé, Gucci, Sergio Rossi, and has all her event gowns created by Greek couturier Celia Kritharioti. For bags, it’s always been the iconic Hermès Birkin, which she has carried for as long as she can remember.

“I’ve collected them for years. I don’t buy anything else. As a day bag I’ve always had Birkins, they just work for me.”

When it comes to shopping, Caroline prefers the convenience of online, but if she feels the urge to hit the shops she

“

I am genuinely obsessed with shopping, but I really hate trying on in the stores now. I want everything delivered.

Caroline Stanbury

“

I am very spoilt here. I look outside and I see a palm tree and a gold inflatable swan – who could want more than that?

Caroline Stanbury

heads to The Dubai Mall. “I love Level Shoes.

I just bought some Chanel boots in the sale, which are amazing. I am genuinely obsessed with shopping, but I really hate trying on in the stores now. I want everything delivered.”

Being born privileged, Caroline is used to things being done for her, but says the move to the Middle East has come with a lifestyle upgrade. "Dubai is catered to make life easy. I can’t imagine doing it on my own again" – she corrects herself – "I didn’t do it on my own, but I wasn’t staffedup like this," she gestures at her chef, who is quietly preparing her lunch in the background.

"I am very spoilt here. I look outside and I see a palm tree and a gold inflatable swan – who could want anything else?" For now, Dubai seems to suit this particular Lady of London.

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FINAL NOTE Crash Radieuse, CARTIER

CRASH TAKE TWO

Cartier reveals a new Libre line, focusing on contemporary versions of the classic oval shape.

Here, the Crash Radieuse takes centre stage

“The Cartier Libre range is very special for us and is heavily influenced by the house’s heritage,” explains Pierre Rainero, style and heritage director at Cartier, when we meet during Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Genève (SIHH), the annual gathering for watchmaking professionals. “There are five different models and each is inspired by the curved, oval shape which has been very eminent throughout our history.” Baignoire Infinie is among the latest pieces. Inspired by the original Allongée, a stretched out case contorts the mother-of-pearl, baguette-cut diamond-studded face. Baignoire Interdite, meanwhile, features a seemingly black enamel ribbon, which creates a trompe l’oeil illusion. These adventures in extravagance are beautifully feminine and minimalist in design, yet complex in their historical references.

None more so than Crash Radieuse (pictured), which is perhaps the most recognisable. Its Roman numerals are distorted to the point of hallucination, as if a shockwave has travelled through the face. “It’s a very interesting shape at Cartier [the oval]. Among our first watches there was this shape, which was rare when classic watches were always round. The oval is really a way of being very feminine, very small, but still with a different geometrical shape than the round,” says Pierre. Limited to just 50 pieces, each yellow gold creation comes with a manual movement and decadent black alligator strap.

Crash Radieuse is somehow simultaneously masculine in its structure and feminine in its sentiment, and unlike other, more extravagant, pieces found in Libre, it’s the perfect piece for daytime dressing.

“It’s not a question of age or generation, it’s a question of spirit,” offers Pierre when defining the collection’s collectors. “You can have mature people with the spirit of today demanding to be of the time and you can also have younger people who are very conservative. Each object talks to a part of many different men and women at one time.”

And with such history, from the original first revealed decades ago, to the re-invented version of 2016, this year’s release cements its ability to connect generations in a single timepiece – it’s as though a century of design is locked within the yellow gold frame, while memories ripple through its dark shadows.

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