and out p

Previous pages: Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland; Below: GOCO Spa at Daios Cove, Crete, Greece; Right: Anne Semonin Spa, Tbilisi, Georgia; Espa Life at The Corinthia London, UK

Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland Clinique La Prairie is located on the impressive shoreline of Lake Geneva. The awardwinning spa-clinic champions beauty from the inside out, an approach they have driven since 1931. With the clinic being led by 50 medical specialists alongside a team of holistic experts, Clinique La Prairie uses innovative science and technology to create one-of-a-kind treatments which revitalize and rejuvenate clients. THE HERO TREATMENT

The Cellular Perfecting Li , using exclusively Swiss Perfection products, provides a natural and visible li that improves the skin’s firmness. It also promotes cellular renewal, which smooths out wrinkles and fine lines, giving the skin an overall new lease of life. For more information visit cliniquelaprairie.com/en

Shiseido Spa Milan at the Excelsior Hotel Gallia, Milan, Italy The Shiseido Spa Milan combines Western and Eastern traditions with the Shiseido experience, in a luxurious union of modern techniques and advanced treatments. THE HERO TREATMENT

The Hydro-Perfecting Facial focuses on hydration and prevention. The treatment will breathe new life into your skin with an intensive hydrating facial which helps to nurture and protect against environmental damage. For more information visit marriott.com

Anne Semonin Spa, Tbilisi, Georgia Luxury French beauty brand Anne Semonin has championed beauty care for over 30 years and the brandʼs eponymous spa in Tbilisi, Georgia ensures all of their treatments give optimum results. Combining aromatic essential oils, trace elements, and marine ingredients with a French touch, treatments are tailormade to individuals which ensure to give outstanding results in a luxurious setting. THE HERO TREATMENT

One of the spa’s signature treatments is Experience Anne Semonin Face, Eyes and Décolleté Treatment which plumps and rejuvenates the skin in 90 minutes using an array for hero products from the brand. For more information visit annesemoninspa.ge/en

IMAGES: SUPPLIED GOCO Spa at Daios Cove, Crete, Greece This five-star resort in Agios Nikolaos, Crete houses the luxury GOCO Spa where guests can immerse themselves in a world of pure relaxation. THE HERO TREATMENT

GOCO Spa’s signature treatment is the Dramatic Healing Skin Care treatment by renowned brand 111SKIN. Designed to provide full-body skin healing and rejuvenation, the treatment features a customized body massage to rebalance the skin, followed by a facial with 111SKIN’s clinicalgrade Dramatic Healing Serum. For more information visit daioscovecrete.com/spa-wellness

Guerlain Spa One&Only The Palm, Dubai Arabian rituals are infused with French beauty at this spa – the only Guerlain Spa in the UAE. THE HERO TREATMENT

Available exclusively in the region, opt for the Désert D’Orient treatment which involves a Silk Indulgence Milk Scrub, Guerlain body wrap and steam room for skin purification and detoxification. Finally enjoy a massage which uses one of the four Guerlain scented Massage Elixirs. For more information visit oneandonlyresorts.com/the-palm

Espa Life at The Corinthia London, UK Exclusively reap the benefits of Dr. Barbara Sturm’s groundbreaking non-surgical anti-ageing treatments at the Corinthia London. THE HERO TREATMENT

The Brightening Facial decreases hyperpigmentation and gently brightens the skin using natural brightening ingredients while combatting the oxidative stresses that cause premature ageing and dark spots. For more information visit espalifeatcorinthia.com

The Beauty of Opulence

Monther Darwish, Managing Director at Palazzo Versace Dubai and Founder of Palazzo Hospitality discusses the Neoclassic references that drive clients to return

WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? I don’t have an exact morning routine as each day is so different. On a typical day, however, I usually wake up to reading the property’s morning reports before having a quick catch up with the management team. The Versace DNA is felt throughout the hotel- how long did this process take to build? Palazzo Versace Dubai is a detailed property that thoroughly embodies the brand’s DNA. Each corner of the hotel reflects the true essence of the Versace brand, from the dining venues that are tributes to Versace’s signature works, to the property’s interiors adorned with Versace fashion sketches and emblematic designs, the property is a testament to the brand’s storied heritage. The hotel group’s utmost priority was that the property reflect the Versace lifestyle which is bold, one-of-a-kind, and luxurious. ENSHAA is the development firm for the hotel, and the board’s goal was to have guests feeling like they’ve landed on a fashion runway straight out of Milan. Luxury was to be integrated in every part of the experience, be it while lounging by the pool or while dining at the restaurants. Every aspect of the hotel was created with minute attention to detail, from the architecture and interior design to the overall guest experience. For the property to be experienced in the best way possible, a top-notch team of hospitality experts were required to ensure guests have an unforgettable stay. Everything including the china and furnishings is printed, how do you ensure everything stays on brand on a daily basis? Each team member is a guardian of the brand, from housekeeping to marketing or front office, Palazzo Versace Dubai is helmed by a team of experts. All team members are briefed on the many brand standards that we follow, reinforced by detailed trainings and team development to ensure that these parameters are met and respected at all times.

IMAGE: SUPPLIED Do you have a high client retention rate and do you see a trend in clients visiting from specific corners of the globe? Despite the pandemic, we are proud to say that our returning guest rate has only grown over time. Over the past few years, we have managed to build a great community of guests who love Dubai and love staying at Palazzo Versace thanks to the tailor-made experience, attention to detail and top-notch service that we pride ourselves in. There are a plethora of reasons why people return to Palazzo Versace Dubai, the warmth of the team, the quality of service and the experience overall is unmatched. What key aspects make the Palazzo Versace a truly unique experience? Although Dubai is one of the most diverse cities in the world in terms of hotel offerings and tourism experiences, Palazzo Versace Dubai remains unlike any other property. The hotel’s strong identity, its opulence, luxury offering, and super adaptable team provides guests with a lifetime of memories. In Dubai, the property remains unique thanks to its strong ties with the fashion brand, providing a location that leaves guests feeling like they’ve flown to Milan for the latest fashion week. The food, the amenities and everything immerses guests in an unparalleled bubble of the finest luxury. How has the hotel industry had to adapt over the last year and what changes have you implemented? Needless to say, the hospitality industry was among the hardest hit by the pandemic. While February 2020 announced a promising year, March 2020 hit us like a hard wake up call to reality. It was challenging to keep our doors open with only 5 per cent occupancy. Yet during this down time, as a team we worked together to improve sanitation protocols at all levels and to communicate continuously with guests through social platforms. We never let our guests down and ensured they stayed informed on how we were preparing to welcome them back when the time permitted. Since we worked overtime to remain on top, we experienced an amazing turnaround once restrictions were lifted – occupancy was at an all-time high and the summer months were highlighted by a rise in local travel and numerous staycation offerings that worked better than ever. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve received? The best piece of business advice I’ve ever received is to turn challenges into opportunities. This advice has become even more relevant in light of the pandemic, a time when hoteliers have been forced to adapt and transition in the safest ways possible. Maintaining a hotel business in times like these, faced with industry-wide restrictions, was very difficult. However, as a team we managed to turn these challenges into business opportunities, allowing us to reach targets, surpass goals and maintain our budgets. What advice would you give to your younger self? I’d tell myself to never let a day pass without having an achievement. Achievements can change depending on the day – on a bad day, an achievement could be just getting out of bed, other days it’s rewarding a hard-working member of the team or achieving a personal goal. Every day we should strive for something to look forward to. Tell us about the spa and the signature treatments you offer? The SPA at Palazzo Versace Dubai offers all kinds of body and face treatments complemented by luxury wellness brands. One of our newest additions to The SPA includes the Amber Essence massage, which happens to be one of my personal favourites. The treatment is a super relaxing massage using an Amber-scented candle by Moroccan brand marocMaroc that hydrates and comforts the skin instantaneously. This is ‘The Beauty Issue’ – what does beauty mean to you? Beauty to me is all about selfcare and balance. We feel the most beautiful when we take care of ourselves, be it internally or externally. Balance is also key, the beauty of life comes by knowing how to keep ourselves balanced, to best serve ourselves and our community.

Natural Beauty

Founder of GO FLOWER, Benn Davey discusses the beauty of simplicity

IMAGES: SUPPLIED What do the first 30 mins of the day look like, your morning routine? For me these precious minutes can make or break the day. I’m lucky enough to wake up next to fresh flowers most mornings and currently it is Peonies. On a good day I’ll have a glass of water and a co ee, followed by a brisk walk with my dogs Hugo and Cooper. A morning stroll before the sun rises, sets the tone for the day and helps to focus on priorities for GO FLOWER. This can include preparing for events for one of the beautiful brands we work with or planning our next collection. We drop a new collection every month and May has welcomed THE NUDE, JUNGLE FEVER and DESERT ROSE.

On a bad day I’ll reach for my phone as soon as I open my eyes, and a “quick scroll” can eat up those 30 minutes. How did you initially enter floristry? I could see the industry needed to be disrupted and felt there was room to o er a new kind of elegance in flowers. I found premium single variety flowers o ered more elegance and sophistication than a traditional mixed flower bouquet, and o en purchasing single variety flowers from a florist was either not possible or very expensive. Tell us about GO FLOWER’s DNA and how you launched the business? GO FLOWER was started to disrupt a traditional flower industry. We are proud to say that our flowers are days fresher than those which can be purchased in a shop or supermarket. Our flowers are delivered within hours of landing in the UAE and our customers get to enjoy the flowers from bud to bloom over a much longer period of time than what is usually possible. What have been the biggest challenges to date since launching and how did you overcome them? Being focused on the longevity of fresh flowers whilst needing to deliver perishable goods comes with its challenges as you may expect. When we started the business, it was challenging to balance wasting flowers that were past our days fresher guarantee. We overcame this by gi ing our regular customers thank you flowers when we had any surplus. We try to focus on zero waste so this was a great way to make our customers happy and reduce any waste. Have you had any mentors in business? The UAE has a very supportive and inspirational community of entrepreneurs with great values that have really inspired me, I’m amazed at how generous people are in the UAE with sharing their journeys, lessons and values. So, although, I don’t have a mentor my business is certainly influenced by those around me whether that be people I follow on Instagram or friends and clients. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve received? I think it’s important to have an idea of what you are trying to achieve personally when starting a business. Are you looking for a lifestyle business that pays you a salary or are you looking to build a global brand for example. If it is the latter you need to be prepared to make sacrifices on your personal time and be happy in doing so to benefit your business. Where do you take inspiration from and how do you select flowers? My inspiration is led by Interiors and what will look beautiful in any home. I’ve always wanted GO FLOWER florals to integrate into the home environment unlike a bouquet that is a lovely surprise at the door but then looks out of place in the home. So, if it does not look simply perfect and elegant in an interior setting we will not select it for one of our collections. Which flowers are the hardiest in this environment of heat and air-conditioning? Flowers are hardier then you think and a flower that may look wilted actually just needs a little love and care. Caring for your flowers is so important for long life in any conditions and will allow you to enjoy them for as long as possible. Protea, Celusia, Anthurium, Lisianthus are some of the hardiest flowers we sell on go flower.ae currently and will last you at least ten days. Have you created any bespoke pieces for clients or events to date? Wow, where do I start. We’ve been so lucky to be embraced by the fashion and lifestyle community. I think this has come from the need of better quality and elegance at an a ordable price. A recent event saw GO FLOWER create an Italian garden at Concrete in Alserkal Avenue for a Luxury Italian Brand. We craned in 300-year-old 7 metre Olive trees and created beautiful wild flower arrangements. The team worked so hard and we reached new heights with what was possible with event flowers. What’s the best bouquet to send that suits everyone? The seasons best will always bring you the best quality and beauty. Currently Peonies are the seasons best and are an absolute show stopper, we have four colours; Flamant, Fraise, Frambois and Blanche with next month bringing Hydrangeas from Holland. Which accounts do you follow on Instagram for inspiration? @SteveCordony an Australian Interior Designer who uses single variety flowers grown in his garden. So many incredible women; @rimazahran @Miriamabadi @roseminsworld @omairao cial @raniaelkhatib @ruthbradley to name only a few but wow there are some incredible women in the UAE with some incredible life lessons so lean in and follow. This is ‘The Beauty Issue’ – what does beauty mean to you? I see beauty in love. When someone is loving, is loved, or loves something. That is what beauty means to me.

THE DIRECTORY

All Brandon Maxwell SS21

A

Accessorize (04) 3399098 Adidas (04) 2325690 Aerin (04) 4098888 Aesop (04) 3293030 Agnès b. (04) 3520391 Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons (04) 3398881 Aigner (04) 4341333 Alberta Ferretti (04) 3398957 Aldo (04) 2328162 Alex Perry +44(0) 2039622362 Alexander McQueen (04) 3398760 Alexander Wang +44(0) 2039622362 Alexandra Rich (04) 4098888 Alexandre Vauthier (04) 409 8888 Alexandre Birman (04) 3951200 Alighieri +44(0) 2039622362 Altuzarra Online at Farfetch Anita Ko +44(0) 2039622362 Amina Muaddi (800) 5383573 Antik Batik (04) 4343080 Areej (04) 3405223 Armani Exchange (04) 3399472 Assouline (04) 4384546 Aquazzura (04) 3882367 Ayesha Depala (04) 5136415

B

Banana Republic (04) 3398462 Balenciaga (04) 3951769 Bally (04) 3231643 Balmain (056) 1883796 Bambah (055) 224 1538 Baruni (050) 4579249 Ba&sh (04) 3854557 BCBG Max Azria (04) 4340627 Benefit Cosmetics (04) 3951978 Blaze Milano (800) 044 5703 Bloomingdale’s Dubai (04) 3505333 Bottega Veneta (04) 3951201 Boucheron (04) 3410039 Boutique1.com (04) 3951200 Burberry (04) 3998243 Bulgari (04) 3308834 Byredo (800) 74676277 BySymphony (04) 3106900

C

Cartier (04) 3951000 Carolina Herrera (04) 3398132 Catherine Malandrino (04) 3398102 Céline (04) 3410585 Chanel (04) 3818400 Chantecaille (04) 4098888 Charles & Keith (04) 3398713 Charlotte Olympia (04) 3994122 Charlotte Tilbury (04) 4190100 Chaumet (04) 3398758 Chloé (04) 3300700 Chopard (04) 3414545 Christian Dior (04) 3235322 Christian Louboutin (04) 3990998 Church’s (800) 5383573 City Walk 800 637227 Claudie Pierlot (04) 3253798 Coach (04) 3398670 Cos (04) 4190858 CVC Stones (800) 044 5703

D

Damas (04) 4459468 De Beers (04) 3412121 Deira City Centre (04) 2093105 Diesel (04) 3398615 Dermalogica (04) 3398250 Diane von Furstenberg (04) 3232257 Dior (04) 3308739 Diane Cordas (800) 74676277 Dione Lee Online at Farfetch, Ounass DKNY (04) 3414343 Dolce & Gabbana (04) 3308566 Dune (055) 2136194 Dubai Mall (800) 382246255 Dr Sebagh Online at noon

E

Elie Saab (04) 3951600 Ellery (800) 74676277 Emilia Wickstead (04) 3106900 Emilio Pucci (04) 3398525 Emporio Armani (04) 3951373 Escada (04) 3279191 Estee Lauder (04) 2995600 Etoile ‘La boutique’ (04) 3414166 Etro (04) 3411014 Eugenia Kim (800) 74676277

F

Fendi (04) 3399782 Farfetch (800) 0320327 Forever 21 (04) 3277488 Fornasetti (800) 74676277 Francesco Russo (800) 5383573 French Connection (04) 2273848 Furla (04) 3410285

G

Galeries Lafayette (04) 3399933 Galleria Mall (04) 3444434 Gap (04) 3850988 Gérard Darel (04) 3399780 Giambattista Valli +44 (0) 2039848044 Gianvitto Rossi (800) 5383573 Giorgio Armani (04) 3951373 Giuseppe Zanotti (04) 3413117 Givenchy (04) 4227073 Globe Trotter Online at matchesfashion Golden Goose (04) 3355218 Gucci (04) 3398576

H

H&M (04) 4190346 Harry Winston (04) 3398972 Harvey Nichols – Dubai (04) 4098888 Hermès (04) 8181390 Hervé Léger 800 382246255 Holland & Barrett (04) 3882401

I & J

Ibn Battuta Mall (04) 3621900 Inglot (04) 2228344 Jacquemus (04) 3951200 Jaeger (04) 2840840 Jaeger-LeCoultre (04) 3398769 JetSet (04) 3995005 Jimmy Choo (04) 3398925 Jo Malone (04) 4190287 Joseph (04) 8803433 Juicy Couture (04) 3475591

K

Karen Millen (04) 3398608 Kate Spade (058) 1030866 Kenneth Cole (04) 3555872 Kenzo (04) 3308455 Khalil Al Sayegh (04) 2276555 Kiehl’s (04) 2886376 Kristina Fidelskaya (04) 3627500 Kurt Geiger (04) 3413883

L

Lacoste (04) 3410575 Lanvin (04) 3555310 Le Labo (04) 4190953 Level Shoes (800) 5383573 Loewe (04) 3253754 Loquet Online at thelabelhunter Louis Vuitton (04) 3950431 Lucas Hugh+44 (0) 2039622362

M

MAC Cosmetics (04) 4190856 Maje (04) 8815988 Maison Des Fleurs (04) 2765886 Maison Michel +44 (0) 2039622362 Mall of the Emirates (04) 4099000 Mango (04) 3414663 Manolo Blahnik (04) 3398122 Marc Jacobs (04) 3951281 Mark Cross +1 8885509675 Marks & Spencer (800) 62637 Maria Tash (04) 8817885 Marni (04) 3549417 Marysia (04) 3951200 Massimo Dutti (04) 3399070 Max Mara (04) 3882070 Messika (04) 4255575 Michael Kors (04) 3253491 Missoni (04) 3951400 Miss Selfridge (04) 3398016 Miu Miu (04) 3249276 All Things Mochi (04) 4433451 Moncler (04) 3300280 Moschino (04) 3398079 Montblanc (04) 3304810 Monica Vinader (04) 3951700

N

Namshi.com (800) 626744 NARS (04) 4227531 Natura Bisse (04) 2993090 New Look (04) 4340740 Next (04) 4190522 Nike (04) 4342683 Nina Ricci (04) 3308789 Nine West (04) 3410244

O

O Concept (04) 3455557 Off White (054) 4541546 Oscar de la Renta (04) 3399005 Ounass 800 686277

P

Paris Gallery (04) 3308289 Pandora (04) 3235607 Pastels Salon (04) 3883534 Parfois (04) 4343167 Paul Smith (04) 3951742 Paule Ka (04) 3882384 PE Nation (04) 3951200 Piaget (04) 3398222 Pomellato (04) 3882036 Prada (04) 3049700 Proenza Schouler (04) 448344

R

Ralph & Russo (04) 874 8593 Ralph Lauren (04) 3308347 Rami Al Ali (04) 3945607 Reiss (04) 3410515 Rene Caovilla (04) 3253677 Repossi (04) 2771392 River Island (04) 3399415 Rivoli (04) 3413121 Roger Vivier (04) 3475695 Roland Mouret (04) 5519356 Rolex (04) 3627500

S

Saint Laurent (04) 3410113 Salvatore Ferragamo (04) 3411022 Sandro (04) 3951281 Samsonite (04) 3398690 See by Chloé (04) 3951880 Sephora (04) 3951978 Sergio Rossi (04) 3324829 111 Skin (04) 4068800 Smythson (800) 589 Sonia Rykiel (04) 3308464 S*uce (055) 3447270 Stella McCartney (04) 3399179 Sunglass Hut (04) 3995824 Swarovski (04) 3685573

T

Tabitha Simmons Online at Farfetch Tata Harper (04) 5245555 Ted Baker (04) 3997377 Temperley (04) 3398169 Temperley London (04) 3339943 The Attico (04) 4483444 The Body Shop (04) 3410551 The Nail Pavillion (04) 4229791 The Nail Spa (600) 544001 The Dubai Mall (800) 382246255 The Outlet (04) 4264900 The Row (04) 3951200 Tiffany & Co. (04) 3398350 Tips & Toes (04) 3412020 Tod’s (04) 3413033 Tommy Hilfiger (04) 3410260 Toni&Guy (04) 3303345 Topshop (04) 3399802 Tom Ford (04) 3400347 Tory Burch (04) 3253670

V

Vacheron Constantin (04) 2406323 Valentino (04) 3471890 Van Cleef & Arpels (04) 3398001 Valextra (04) 3308030 Veja (800) 74676277 Versace (04) 3398285 Versace Jewellery (04) 4341570 Victoria Beckham (04) 3951200

W

Wafi Mall (04) 3244555 Whistles (04) 3410951 Wolford (04) 4232832

X, Y & Z

Yves Salomon (04) 5245555 Zadig & Voltaire (04) 3399186 Zara (04) 3308567 Zayan The Label (04) 3440104 Zimmermann (800) 74676277

THE PIONEER

Augustinus Bader is leading innovative skincare through stem cell research to support regenerative medicine and the body’s natural renewal process

The Rich Cream, 30ml Dhs560; The Rich Cream, 15ml Dhs337 Augustinus Bader

WORDS: AMY SESSIONS