Ohlala Qatar April 2017

THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

Power Wardrobe Looks That Will Make You Stand Out

Radiant Beauty

Capital Luxury

Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition, St. Regis Doha, Marsa Malaz Kempinski

New Feel Good Products

Smart, Strong & Intelligent

Women Celebrating Female Empowerment

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com April 2017 | Issue 70 QATAR | QR20

1

2

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

3

4

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

5

6

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

7

8

www.ohlala-magazine.com

LAGOONA MALL, FIRST FLOOR, DOHA, QATAR TEL: +974 4432 9946

www.ohlala-magazine.com

9

10

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

11

blugirl.it

LAGOONA MALL, 1st Floor, DOHA, QATAR tel. +974 4432 9946 12

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

13

14

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

15

16

www.ohlala-magazine.com

HAPPY SPORT

G. Hamad St.: 44408408 Landmark: 44861400 City Center: 44830100 Al Sadd: 44131452 Villagio: 44519900 The Pearl: 44881194 Chopard Boutiques: Hamad International Airport: 40101673, Marsa Malaz Kempinski: 40355293 www.ohlala-magazine.com

17

Contents Ohlala

24

Here’s To Women Welcome To The Issue A Note: May We Be Them Style Icon: Good As Gold

36

Movers & Shakers Power Wardrobe: Hot Looks Designer Focus: Max Mara Moving Up: Raha Moharrak

marc jacobs

68

BeaUTY Files Moodboard: Spring Clean Beauty Focus: Shake It Up New Love: Le Labo

79

Luxury Lifestyle Travel Escapes: South Africa Pampering: The Spa by Clarins Society: Shot-On-Site

18

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

19

Tod’s Boutique • Doha:Villaggio Mall

April 2017 issue 70

Chairman Khalifa Bin Mubarak Al Khalifa Chief Executive Officer Greg Hughes

Publishing Director Edward Smith

General Manager

Georgie Bradley

Contributors

Creative DIrector

sales director Samar Kallas

Editor-in-Chief

Angela Beitz Sofia Graniello Craig Ferriman Victoria

Production Manager Neil Mahmood Distribution Manager

Paula Leal Graphic Designers Jyoti Rawat Rashed Bindaina

Website Designer & Developer Ammar Ali

Photography Contributors

Website

Abshar Kader

Melek Yildirimtekin

Faras Ghani

Ajit Kumar COVER Image Krikor Jabotian

Hussein Zreik

Accountants Credits image Stella McCartney

Gigimon Thankachen Praveen Alexander

Distribution Team

Printing Press

Distribution

Jayapragash Ganesan

United Printing Press

Bahrain – Al Hilal Qatar – Dar Al Sharq

Rajesh Abdul Kadar

UAE – GLS, Tawseel Distribution & Logistics

Enquiries Editorial: sofia@ohlala-magazine.com: georgie@ohlala-magazine.com | Advertising: edward@ohlala-magazine.com | General: admin@ohlala-magazine.com Telephone: Qatar +974 4441 8415/+974 4421 3089, Bahrain +973 1721 6099, Postal Address: Ohlala Magazine, The Nans Group, P O BOX 30378, Budaiya, Kingdom of Bahrain. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All Rights Reserved. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, Ohlala Publishing and all of its publications cannot accept legal responsibility for any error, content or omissions.

20

www.ohlala-magazine.com

BLOOM Show the world what you’re made of in beautifully crafted, hand-finished sterling silver. pandora.net

DO explore the new Spring collection from PANDORA. PANDORA STORE Lagoona Mall Ground floor Tel: 4433 5515

POP-UP STORE Landmark Mall Ground floor Tel: 4433 5517

Pandora@darwishholding.com

MODERNA The Centre Ground floor Tel: 4425 7785 www.ohlala-magazine.com

21

22

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

23

itor’s L Ed

e

er t t

Megan Hess

“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”

N

ever has putting an issue of Ohlala together excited me more than this one. I love nothing more than talking to a woman with a story to tell, because it’s usually one which I can relate to as a fellow woman. Here at Ohlala, we are so fortunate to be surrounded by fantastic women who support and activate each other’s inner strengths by nurturing one another’s skills, working relentlessly hard together and having a good laugh in between. And as part of our job, we interview incredible women on a regular basis. From fashion designers to entrepreneurs to incredible everyday women, we are so privileged to speak with the movers and shakers of the region.

There is a special place in my heart for women like Raha Moharrak. Women who have defied calcified stereotypes, who never took no for an answer and gave themselves permission to be who they wanted to be. Raha is the first Saudi Arabian woman and youngest Arab to summit Mount Everest when she was 25 in 2013. When you meet her, she’s got a striking girl-next-door vibe; she’s interested in fashion, graphic design, sports and living life to the fullest – oh, and she’s stood on the highest points in the world, too. What I love about someone like Raha, is that she has changed the way we look, think, live, connect and fight for what we believe in. Coming from a society which has historically put women in a corner, Raha has defined a new benchmark for what Arab women are capable of achieving – whether that is through adventure sports or business, women in our region can scale all kinds of heights. Raha has also walked her talk. She didn’t just say she was going to do great things, she got up and did them. Now, she is a voice for her generation and for all women by giving talks on her story, gender equality and women and sports. She has paved the way for wonderful women not just here in the region, but everywhere.

Georgie Bradley 24

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Editor in Chief

Fifty One East, Lagoona Mall, Al Maha Center | Hadaya, Gulf Mall | +974 44361111 www.ohlala-magazine.com

25

Style Icon

GOO www.ohlala-magazine.com

G LD

26

S A

O

D

Can we just point out the obvious: this is the statement of statement necklaces and we know you’ll look and feel fabulous wearing it. This Oscar de la Renta gold-plated necklace comprises of an ornate, filigree-detailed pendant strung from two thick chains. It’s punctuated with colourful Swarovski crystals in emerald and tonal-blue hues, faceted to glisten in the light – and how!

www.ohlala-magazine.com

27

28

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

29

A

M y e Su r

n sh ine

Yo u

Style Icon

~A

symbol of happiness and cheer, Dolce & Gabbana’s brooch is sculpted into the shape of a sunflower, cast from gold-tone brass. This playful piece is encrusted with yellow crystals and finished with green enamel leaves. Wear it with your lovely smile and spread the warmth.

30

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

31

11th Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition

Sandra Mansour

April 28 May 2, 2017

32

www.ohlala-magazine.com

P o w e r w o m e n

Let these pages be a fashion masterclass in understanding the ways you can channel your inner strength as a woman through exquisite style.

www.ohlala-magazine.com

33

wish List

What’s Hot Now Dries van Noten

Ann demeulemeester

Our edit of the chicest ready-to-wear pieces.

03

Tome @ Net-A-Porter.com

01

Max Mara

02

04

IAM by Ileana Makri

Janessa Leone @ Net-A-Porter.com

05

house of holland

sachin & Babi

Carolina Herrera

Zimmermann @ Net-A-Porter.com

07

08

Gianvito Rossi

34

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Alice & Olivia

06

Altuzarra

www.ohlala-magazine.com

35

Style

Victoria Beckham

Diane Von

Lanvin

Poca & Poca

Delpozo

Furstenber

g

By Malene

Poca & Poca

Birger; Styl

ebop

Mary Katrantzou

Focus

Gianvito Rossi

Marni

Loeffler Randall NET-A-PORTER

Retrosuperfuture at NET-A-PORTER

Emilio Pucci

Colour Confidence

Paul Smith

These rainbow hued pieces are absolute wardrobe winners. Power pinks, electric

blues and super citrus shades will lift your soul and add a spring to your step. Forget subtle, fashion favours the bold here –

36

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Anya Hindmarch

Ballin

Alexandre Birman

Paul Smith

head to tone, too.

BRUNCH AT

Every Friday

12:30 to 4pm

MAKE LIFE A PICNIC

Experience a Friday feast like no other, and make the most of the great outdoors with our Picnic Brunch. Enjoy grilled favourites, refreshing cocktails and delicious desserts, all served family-style at your table, along with fun and entertainment for all the family.

QAR 349 Adult, QAR 249 Adult (soft beverage), QAR 99 Children.

Join us every last Friday of the month for your family’s favorite Superhero Picnic Brunch.

For reservations please call +974 4484 8000 or visit ritzcarlton.com/doha

www.ohlala-magazine.com

37

e oint lap sally

Alexander wang

Focus

yeezy; stylebop

Style

o rter.c -a-po @ net love pamela

bottega veneta

Utility Boom

m

closed; stylebop

isabel marant

monica vinader @ net-a-porter.com

We love the look of form and function. The laid-back tailoring and neutral tones need not be boring, but effective in being practical and perfect. Take inspiration from urban post-war looks that have stood the test of time.

38

www.ohlala-magazine.com

valentino

boyy; harvey nichols

jil sander

Shine Divine

| Duration: 90 mins

This valuable deal offers a Tension eliminating Back Relief Massage, followed by a Clarins Clear Skin Refiner facial to prepare your skin for the climate change whilst cleansing off the grime and infusing the goodness of plants.

This treatment includes full access to all spa and wellness facilities

www.ohlala-magazine.com

39

Larson & jennings

valextra; stylebop

Focus

Chloé

Diesel

j.w.anderson

versace

Style

hilfiger collection

Sports Luxe

Not the type to embrace the treadmill? No ction

matter, but you can still look like you’re a paul smith

r colle

trendy gym-goer without venturing near

hilfige

one. Pair some trainers with relaxed fitted trousers and a chic blouse and you’ve got the athleisure look down.

.com

orter

esign

aur D

Dinos

p et-as@n

nike

Marni

moncler gamme rouge

carven

40

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Are you looking for something different to do on an evening?

A night out with friends? A work ice-breaker? A date night with a twist?

Have you always wanted to learn how to make sushi but never had the chance?

Our Sushi Master Tarana will guide you and up to 10 people through a sushi-making masterclass, after which you will all sit down to enjoy a delicious meal, starting with your own sushi creations.

Our brand new Sushi Dojo will be held every 2 weeks, starting on the 26th of March, for a maximum of 10 people. QAR330 per person will include the masterclass, the full meal, water and soft drinks.

Advance booking is mandatory.

For more information or to book, please contact us on 4035 5089 or email us at info@nozomidoha.com NOZOMI Marsa Malaz Kempinski Hotel, Marsa Malaz Island The Pearl, Doha, Qatar P.O Box 24892 +974 40355089

www.nozomi-doha.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

41

info@nozomidoha.com

Style

monse maison Fendi

victoria Beckham

Aquilano rimondi

victoria by victoria Beckham

Focus

dolce & Gabbana

percossi papi @ net-a-porter.com

goen J @ net-a-porter.com

adam lippes @ net-a-porter.com

Joshua sanders

Lucky// Stripes

Horizontal, vertical or diagonal, stripes should be a depth of style to any outfit. Experiment with asymmetric cuts and proportions for added volume and play.

Fendi

alice & Olivia

ISabel marant

42

www.ohlala-magazine.com

gareth pugh

permanent feature in your closet. It’s so versatile and brings

www.ohlala-magazine.com

43

Hillier Bartley

Roberto Cavalli

Oscar de la Renta

Diane Von Furstenberg

Etro

Roland Mouret

Elie Saab

Chanel Haute Couture

Focus

Marchesa Jonathan Simkhai; Stylebop

Style

Galvan; Stylebop

Marcia Moran; Harvey Nichols

Roger Vivier

Marchesa

Evening Glamour

Ralph Russo

Kenneth Jay Lane

Be part of the moonlight flash

pack with shine and shimmer with

embellished and fabulous. These are all decidedly statement-making.

44

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Lanvin

can be simple and classic or

Giorgio Armani

numbers. The best evening dresses

Nathalie Trad

any of these gorgeous evening

www.ohlala-magazine.com

45

46

www.ohlala-magazine.com

M The

ax ara isson

Maria Giulia Maramotti dresses the part. She acts

the part too. She is one of the heiresses to the Max Mara throne and is killing it at the moment. We talk to her about how fashion empowers women, her involvement with the Women in Film awards and what she would change if she were Queen for a day.

www.ohlala-magazine.com

47

A

s an heiress to the Max Mara throne, what is it like being part of this classic Italian brand as a global ambassador?

I guess for me it’s a lot about trying to deliver to the public the message of what Max Mara is as a brand, its DNA, the history and development and how we have evolved during the years. It is obviously an honour to be so heavily invested into a brand which I love and respect so much beyond it being part of my family heritage.

Are you surrounded by strong, intelligent and supportive women in your life?

Absolutely - I believe that part of my success as an entrepreneur has been to have a mother as an inspiration who has taught me the value of work, and strength. I believe all the women I have had the honour and pleasure to work with, are and have been an incredible support. Also outside my own work, I am lucky as I am surrounded by these beautiful women who are a constant inspiration.

What do you think is fundamentally wrong with the 48

www.ohlala-magazine.com

fashion industry at the moment?

I believe that quality comes through research and inspiration comes from studying. I believe that fashion has very many layers which sometimes are getting lost in translation because part of the industry has lost the knowledge of actual quality and craftsmanship over marketing. This though, is a value which I foresee coming back soon.

Does Max Mara support size, ethnic and racial diversity?

We always have done. It is part of our DNA. My grandfather was probably one of the first who envisioned the idea of plus sizes, as well as diversity, which for us has been a status quo, but not only

“My grandfather was probably one of the first who envisioned the idea of plus sizes, as well as diversity, which for us has been a status quo, but not only within the public, but with the people that work with us.”

Designer

Focus

“I don’t think if a woman wants to make a statement about her power she should dress like a man.”

www.ohlala-magazine.com

49

“As a brand that empowers women - for us it has always been incredibly important to be present in the art world.” within the public, but with the people that work with us - coming from all over the places. Just recently in our MMFW17 SHOW in Milan we had a model walking in a chador.

How do you think fashion empowers women?

I think that women empower themselves. I think that fashion has the role of enhancing such power.

Do you think certain clothing reinforces negative stereotypes about women? How can we reverse perceptions?

I’ve never thought about pieces reinforcing stereotypes, it is always about the way you want to wear things. I don’t think that if a woman wanted to make a statement about her power she should dress like a man. On the contraryI think that today being a woman means having the freedom to wear what you feel comfortable with and really be comfortable in your own skin.

Does Max Mara support women in the third world in the production, textiles and garment sectors by 50

www.ohlala-magazine.com

giving job opportunities?

We support women worldwide, whether it is through art support via creating jobs and investing in creativity and in craftsmanship.

The Women in Film awards - what is that all about and why is it important for Max Mara to sponsor this kind of event?

As a brand that empowers women - for us it has always been incredibly important to be present in the art world. Performing arts in this case.

What are your favorite films that have a strong female lead?

I have always loved Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth. I am and will always be a huge fan of Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca.

Who do you call your female idol?

Besides my mother, I think that there are too many women I admire to really go back to only one.

Who is your style icon?

I always thought Queen Elizabeth the 2nd was one of the greatest dressed women in the world because of her consistency. Other than her, I am a fan of Audrey Hepburn.

If you were Queen for a day, what three things would you change in the world?

I would cancel reality shows, increase the number of women in politics, and require chivalry to be mandatory.

Designer

Focus

POWER PIECES The wardrobe essentials that will win you points in the statement department.

Max Mara SS17

Passion and The Tropics define the key looks for the season.

Sportmax SS17

Taking urban cool to whole new chic heights.

www.ohlala-magazine.com

51

Higher Calling Talking to the first Saudi Arabian woman to scale and summit Mount Everest is enough to make your hairs stand on end.

Georgie Bradley speaks with Raha Moharrak about gender equality, women and sports and why she loves high heeled boots as much as mountain boots.

R

aha Moharrak is a one-woman blizzard of strength right now. She’s fresh off a plane from Miami (after giving 10 talks in four days in Denver about her story), slightly frayed from the constant movement and jet lag, but is still an energy drink of enthusiasm as we dive into the extraordinary life she’s had and is still having.

The Saudi Arabian born, Dubai dwelling Raha, was always different and the “odd one” but she “never tried to hide it,” she says. “I was blatantly curious as a child. I was always the one who climbed trees, fell down but never feared getting hurt; I played lots of sport and was overall very rebellious” she says. For her conservative hometown Jeddah, this boldness was met with raised eyebrows from the watchful gaze of society who couldn’t understand why “I just couldn’t be a girl”. Raha never fitted the cultural stereotype (her parents loved her above and beyond those set standards but still voiced concerns) but luckily, as a wayward but determined young girl, she was able to dismiss this criticism and possessed a blissful inability to understand why everyone was telling her to be a certain way – she unapologetically carried on doing what she wanted to do, which was to “be me”. None of her peers from the all-girls state school she attended attacked life with the same level of “spunk and pizzazz” despite going through their own ‘coming of age’ journeys, Raha was on a whole other level.

There are striking echoes between Raha’s story and the critically acclaimed film Wajda where the young Saudi protagonist relentlessly goes against the grain of social and gender expectations by wanting to get a bicycle and ride

52

www.ohlala-magazine.com

it in public with her male best friend. Like Wadja, Raha courted controversy but never strayed from her passion.

After school, Raha moved to Dubai and worked her way up at Leo Burnett, an advertising agency, as an art director, picked up new sports to participate in and was finally able to enjoy a new kind of freedom. But convention got in the way again as her father wanted her to come back to Saudi to settle down, which she wasn’t opposed to, but was intent on continuing her sports and not conforming to a gendered role.

Mountains came about randomly. A friend of Raha’s was due to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in 2012 which tickled her fancy despite not having any mountain or even climbing credentials. But it sparked her curiosity enough to see her climb the mountain, friend in tow, with gasping effort she admits. “I had a strange sense of belonging and familiarity when I reached the top. I don’t know how you can feel at home when it’s a place you’ve

“Until we stop raising girls to believe that they are less than boys, we will never reach that sense of gender equality.”

Power

Woman

www.ohlala-magazine.com

53

Power

Woman never been before,” she notes. It just felt right for her. And this spawned an upward spiral that eventually concluded at the top of Mount Everest.

Between Kilimanjaro and Everest, Raha endured an overwhelming and exhausting year-long schedule of ascents to gear her up for the ultimate summit. It was when she (alongside the first ever Saudi team) reached Everest Base Camp where she craned her head up, followed the route to the top with her eye and knew that she would be back to climb it in full.

As for her parents, they always knew she was a gogetter, to put it mildly, but never did they anticipate a career in mountain climbing. At this point, they feared for both her physical and social safety. “Whether it was an injury or being ostracised, they were very concerned. My mother very bluntly said ‘“you’re committing social suicide, are you OK with this?”’ to which Raha, in a knee jerk reaction said: “Well, if it allows me to be who am I, yes I’m fine with it.”

During that year, she climbed mountains to prepare for the cold, to get used to technical gear and to acclimatise to extreme altitudes. “I became very good at climbing, very quickly,” she says. But Everest is an entirely different beast altogether – the most hostile, inhospitable environment on earth where no living thing exists except a small crop of super humans who make the ascent each year around May time. The two-month expedition up at Everest in 2013 was a game for Raha. “I was always challenging myself to beat my record as I went up and down the mountain” – what took her 10 hours at the beginning of the climb, took her four hours before the summit push.

At the age of 25, she was the first Saudi Arabian woman and youngest Arab to climb Everest. She went up and down the mountain in 11 hours and was “very good at managing my strength and reserves. I’ve seen people crawl up to the top which is dangerous as you need energy to get down.”

For someone who was simply into recreational sports, to achieve all these ascents is astonishing, but Raha always had it in her. It was only a matter of time and overcoming many obstacles until it was finally realised. She didn’t just talk (or advocate this extreme lifestyle through some haphazard social media posts) she walked that talk and showed results. Raha has not only seen the world from the top but also, from the bottom – between Everest and Vinson Massif in Antarctica.

After the noise surrounding her feat calmed, she turned her experience into something very productive.

She’s now a voice for Arab girls and women and anyone who stands to embrace female empowerment. “I am a living example that nothing is impossible. I have used the fact that I am a public figure to advocate gender equality and sports. If I can do it, what makes your dreams and aspirations too far to reach? I come from the desert but I’ve stood on the top of the highest mountains 54

www.ohlala-magazine.com

“I am a living example that nothing is impossible. I have used the fact that I am a public figure to advocate equality.”

AV E N I DA L I B E R DA D E L I S B OA H OT E L

HAMMAM INDULGENCE RITUAL

40 min Moroccan Hammam 40 min Balinese Massage QR499 per person QR898 per couple Indulge in a luxurious special package that will rejuvenate your spirit. Soak up centuries of Moroccan secrets in our luxurious Hammam to relieve your tension and open pores for your skin to be cleansed with the ancients exfoliating technique using the kessa glove and Eucalyptus black soap.

Bespoke ritual blended with a relaxing 40min of Balinese massage, influenced by ageless traditions where therapists use warm Essential Oil together with palm pressure combined with purpose designed movements to stimulates and improve the blood circulation.

Reservations:

4433 6878 spa.vswq@minor.com swbh.com

/SWBHDoha @SWBHDoha @souqwaqifboutiquehotels

Souq Waqif, P.O. Box 3496, Doha, Qatar T: +974 4433 6666 | F:www.ohlala-magazine.com +974 4433 6660 55 res.vswq@minor.com | swbh.com

in the world. No one can take that away from me and no one can tell my daughters in the future that they are incapable of doing something like that,” she asserts.

To reverse dormant and long-held gender ideals in the region, it’s time we “stop raising girls to believe that they are less than boys, as we will never reach that sense of gender equality – whether in sports or other aspects of life. We are responsible for making that change. If there was a boy or a girl on the desert island somewhere who have not been exposed to any kind of cultural barriers, both the girl and the boy would be fighters and hunters, doing what they need to do, to survive. It’s our mentality that structures these gendered boxes we’re held within.”

Of course, Raha’s voice, as powerful and as reverberating as it is, is just one voice. This lofty subject needs strength in numbers to action any kind of change because Raha is still just “an individual, not an entity” but we’re getting there, one empowering story at a time. If her public talks are anything to go by, she’s making waves in all corners of the globe.

What makes her a bona fide feminist even more so, is that she has never made a conscious decision to fit into only one box. Historically, society has polarised women to 56

www.ohlala-magazine.com

believe that they can either be very girly or very boyish but Raha has a comfortable and natural flair for both worlds. If you go on her Instagram account (@rahamoharrak) you’ll see she wears mountain boots and Vogue approved kneehigh boots in equal measure. And it’s because she can. “I do it intentionally because I want to prove a point. You don’t have to be one or the other, you don’t have to choose just one side,” she asserts.

When Raha spends more time at sea level than she cares to, she becomes visibly “melancholy”. But this summer, Raha is back to scaling the heights and this time it’s Denali, the highest peak in Alaska which is notorious for its technical difficulty. Raha attempted it two years ago “and nearly died. It’s a none-assist climb so you have to carry all your gear and it’s a very steep and moody mountain. Although I am a strong climber, I have a very small waist which is great in dresses but not so on the mountain!”

The sky’s the limit for Raha; but having already reached the roof of the earth, she’s off to a promising start.

Raha is also currently in the throes of writing a book about her Everest experience and beyond. It’s set for a late 2017 release. We cannot wait.

Scene One: A chance encounter on Abbey Road, London Starring: Nathalie Emmanuel #aloveaairwith...

UAE | Kuwait | Qatar | Bahrain | KSA

www.ohlala-magazine.com

57

58

www.ohlala-magazine.com

She’s A Doll From the feather trim to the embroidering on tulle, Krikor Jabotian has revisited six looks from his collection archives for SS17. Shot against the work of Gustave Courbet, the jungle mood brings about a wild feeling of romance.

www.ohlala-magazine.com

59

60

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

61

62

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

63

64

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

65

‫للخــياطة الرجالــية‬

‫كـالسيـك‬

Classic Man for Tailoring

66

Tel. 4421 9357

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Mob. 3377 2735 P.O. Box: 7346 Doha - Qatar

Victoria Beckham x Estee Lauder

Beauty Heroes All the perfect pick-me-ups for long-lasting results.

Plus: We discover Le Labo and we’re hooked.

www.ohlala-magazine.com

67

Beauty Bulletin

flushed palette, naked

clarins spring 2017 makeup collection

Tory burch

BB perfect, Filorga

prada

brilliant lipshine, dior

Becca

Moodboard:

Spring clean April is all about subtle colours that will transition into summer along with skincare that nourishes and conditions. Make the

BECCA

most of your natural beauty, rather than trying to hide flaws or cover up.

palette contour visage, clarins

pro glow highlight, conto

mon guerlain, guerlain

West coast face bronsing S shimmering skin perfector liquid, becca

ombre iridescent, clarins

68

www.ohlala-magazine.com

the shock mascara, Yves saint laurent

couture colour gel shine, dior

Ohlala Arabia Bringing style across The Middle East

Follow us www.issuu.com www.ohlala-magazine.com

69

Beauty Talk Anita Buys, Event Anchor and Fouz Al Fahad (left to right)

01

02

Joanne Marshall, Anita Buys, Fouz Al Fahad (Left to Right)

Green Light So Spray Away!

Our favourite dry shampoo, Batiste, has officially launched in the Middle East and we’ve got all the feels.

Baptiste - stylists swear by this product. They call it

their trusted secret weapon making its stay a necessary one for the beauty industry. Not only has Batiste been part of legendary catwalks bringing and transforming enviable looks, but since 1970 the brand has been a kitbag-must amongst professional stylists, not to mention every model on the British catwalks is sporting a spritz of it. And now sold in over 50 countries worldwide, the world’s #1 dry shampoo is making its marks in sandy oils.

70

www.ohlala-magazine.com

01. Fouz Al Fahad, Celebrity Beauty Blogger Demonstrates How to Use Batiste 02. Group Marketing Manager, Batiste, Church Dwight, Co. Inc.

Ohlala visited Dubai for Batiste’s magical launch at the renowned Soh Art + Beauty at Galleria Mall for a fun and feminine morning. Also known for its range of delicious fragrances leaving hair smelling fresh and sumptuous, the gathering was epic filled with great scents we’re dying to get our hands on. But that’s not all, the chic brand also flew in celebrity beauty blogger Fouz Al Fahad where she gave us her 101 beauty tricks and tips, and why it never fails to be at the forefront of her makeup bag.

So, while we patiently wait for our favourite drugstores to stock up, you can rest assure that five unique products are now available in a 50ml such as: Blush, Original, Floral, Cherry and Oriental.

In Qatar Baptiste is available at: Carrefour, Doha Drug Store, Lulu, Family Centre and Monorpix

“Baptiste is known for its range of delicious fragrances leaving hair smelling fresh and sumptuous”

www.ohlala-magazine.com

71

fas t-d ryi We ng are fac La tor for ncô eve to me ou r lo ’s M r ok po fun att ing ut. eS str an for A h eng dv nd ak wa i t e n b h r ys ow ran the L l i p to i w p y’r tc s tic sti e’v ad olo e li c k dt e ks. sa urs ke g he o r T t sup e wit ad ou lon hes no dt ha er r g-w to e a o s a n n spo we do the sw ear l y e r er ng cut tv ab ing ap t ec l i eb ha pea eh , ush ntag n u igh l as ks t th ec ion to we ey per ockt ll a ha ail fec ve s th sha t fo sta ep ker ra a cka ying ccu s. T po gin rat he we g ea s r. T eve – pp he nn lica ew tio sha n. des com e

i t up

S hak e Beauty Focus

72

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

73

Beauty Insight

74

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Uber-Niche Fragrance

The avant-garde, strikingly modern fragrances of Le Labo are created by many of the world’s top perfumers. Angela Beitz sits with co-founder Eddie Roshchi in their brand new store in Yas Mall Abu Dhabi which is their first stand-alone store in The Middle East.

Tell us about Le Labo and your inspiration for the brand?

Le Labo is the most selective perfume brand in the world (35 boutiques and less than 50 corners) based on a unique freshly handmade concept. Le Labo was born in Grasse, the capital of perfumery located in the French Riviera.

It was raised in New York city where my business partner Fabrice Penot, and I opened the first Le Labo boutique in February 2006. We work with a community of craftswomen and craftsmen who contribute to and shape our world: the perfumer, the lab technician, the candle pourer, the rose harvester etc. The Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi (the art of imperfection) is our main inspiration.

What is uber-niche perfume?

If you are new to uber-niche perfumery, Le Labo fragrances are known for blending the essential oils with alcohol and water at the time of purchase and providing customised labels for the bottles.

What would you say are the points of difference for Le Labo?

Each location is designed as a fragrance lab open to the public where we offer the possibility to smell and touch raw materials to awake the olfactory system. The core of our collection is our 15 unisex perfumes and 10 soybased wax candles created by some of the world’s best noses and using the most qualitative ingredients. Le Labo perfumes are hand blended by a lab technician in one of the labs and then sent to the boutiques in small quantities to be stocked in fridges, waiting to be personalised with the client’s name on the label. We also offer personalised labels as I mentioned before which makes our creations the perfect gift.

Which are your biggest sellers? Why do you believe they have such an appeal?

Rose 31 and Santal 33 are our two pillars but the others sell really well also.

Rose 31 and Santal 33 happen to reach this very special character where it’s a special type of scent not really experienced before but then they have this power to be intimately familiar to many people anywhere in the world. There is a cult behind them that is hard to explain really, as we put the same love in the creation of each of our perfumes. I think that the more moody and dark ones like Patouchi 24 and Oud 27 will do well in the Middle East.

How do you compete in such a competitive market?

Le Labo does not respond to anything, we just keep on doing what we know best, contributing to the well-being of our clients through our craft, fine perfumery, through true and honest humane connections with them. We just keep loving what we do, not settling for the next trend and staying focused on our vision of what the brand will be in 10 years from now.

Fragrance is a very personal choice and I am not here to convince anyone. If

you don’t know Le Labo and you are tempted to discover our style, just smell our collection in our stores or online through our sampling program and if you happen to feel moved wearing at least one of them, if one of them makes your life more wonderful, then Le Labo might be for you.

Describe the process behind the perfume collection and the ingredient component?

We have 15 genderless fragrances and the name of each scent is a hint to the formula (main note plus the number of additional ingredients) formulated with the highest quality of ingredients. Each fragrance was created in collaboration with some of the greatest noses of our time - on average Le Labo takes about two years to create a new scent. The simplicity of the bottles is there on purpose so that it draws the attention to the actual fragrance.

Perfume making is a craft. You need a lot of patience, a lot of letting go to leave the space for the creativity to happen and most of the time, it does not. This is why we rarely launch a new perfume even though we are always working on formulas. It has to be perfect.

Le Labo is now open in Yas Mall Abu Dhabi, +971 2492 6730, www.lelabofragrances.com

“The simplicity of the bottles is there on purpose so that it draws the attention to the actual fragrance.” www.ohlala-magazine.com

75

Beauty Column Carine Roitfeld

Boost Your Bacteria While that might not sound overly attractive, research suggests that some bacteria are good for the skin, including bifidobacterium and lactobacillus, and this idea will be popping up in 2017 skin care trends. Probiotics are set to become even bigger than they were last year thanks to their ability to repair damage and leave you with a healthier and brighter complexion. Traditional skin care and cleansing routines are being rethought (in order to reduce dry and chapped skin) and biological innovations in products will continue throughout the year.

Superfood Skincare Just like we treat our bodies with vitamins and antioxidants to stay healthy, this year will see us doing the same with our skin. As we become more aware of what kind of food and chemicals we put in our bodies, it only makes sense for the beauty industry to do the same. You will start to see ingredients such as parsley seed, kale, broccoli, flax seed, moringa, and algae in skin care products. Other products will have vitamins, such as Vitamin C, and minerals to be used alone or added to lotions for an extra boost.

Hydration Is Key This is the perfect trend to get on board with here in The Gulf due to dry environmental conditions and constant exposure to air-conditioning. In order to gain a moisturised, dewy look we will see more products with gel-like textures and more water based ingredients. Skin looks more radiant and firm the more hydrated it is and with the bare-faced beauty look becoming popular this season it makes perfect sense. For extra dry skin, several serums can be mixed with your foundation for added hydration that will protect and last all day.

Brushing Your Face

The New Skincare The world of beauty of skincare can be a confusing one, with so many products and trends available to us. Angela Beitz shares all the new trends you need to know to look your best this year.

76

www.ohlala-magazine.com

We’ve long been aware of the benefits of dry brushing our bodies, in order to reduce the appearance of cellulite, to exfoliate skin, and boost circulation, so it may come as no surprise that it has been widely used in Asia to improve the texture of the skin on their faces as well. This action can be a little abrasive but it improves circulation and it will give your complexion an incredible glow. In addition, Asian women use facial soap rather than liquid cleansers so we will see cleansing bars making a comeback.

Make The Most Of Masks Everyone went crazy for sheet masks last year and they are here to stay for 2017. This year will see new sheet masks that are easier to use than ever before and include some new ones such as colourful clay-based masks, dry-textured masks, coconut-gel sheet masks, as well as lift-and-plump masks can now be used not only on the face but all over the body. For a super glowing complexion, apply your serum to your face before applying the sheet mask as it will help to penetrate the products deeper.

www.ohlala-magazine.com

77

78

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Out of Africa

Set in the rare and beautiful sand forest, Phinda Forest Lodge offer a sweeping view of one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. Angela Beitz visits this magical place north of Richards Bay, South Africa.

www.ohlala-magazine.com

79

Travel Escapes

A lone bull giraffe slowly saunters across the dirt road in

front of me. I haven’t even arrived at the lodge yet and am already gobsmacked to have seen this beautiful animal who then stops to look at us for a few moments and then slowly walks off casting the occasional glance back in our direction.

I arrive at the Phinda Forest lodge, which is one of four properties that Phinda is made up of. Phinda, meaning ‘the return’ in Zulu, is a series of eco lodges from the andBeyond group. Their focus is on preserving wildlife and they have worked to return the land to a thriving state after years of agricultural management and misuse.

Phinda Forest, which is one of the series of lodges, is a luxury lodge with 16 suites. As it’s in the bush there is one main rule: no walking around the property by yourself at night. The wildlife, including lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos and more can wander around the property as it is not fenced off.

The luxurious 16 air-conditioned glass suites at the Forest Lodge are on stilts and appear to float between the rare Sand Forest floor and the great Torchwood trees. Floor to ceiling windows invite the forest in but the dense canopy provides privacy. The dainty forms of dwarf forest antelope dart among and below the suites, raised on stilts to float between the sandy forest floor and the leafy canopy above.

Waking up to rustling forest sounds and bird song, surrounded by delicate leaf-filtered light, a pervading sense of peace and calm will set the tone for your entire day. The room boasts a beautiful king sized bed and opposite to this, is a couch and table plus a writing desk.

There is a huge separate bathroom with loads of big glass windows (but don’t worry it’s been designed so no one can see it and a large free standing bath. We love the Phinda body lotion, liquid soap and other amenities (all in gorgeous bottles) with the silhouettes of African animals on them. The suite is so beautiful, decorated in an exquisite combination of glass, timbers and neutral fabric and everything feels super luxe. There is a large deck perfect for sipping an afternoon beverage that you can make yourself with their well-stocked mini bar that is kept locked so that the cheeky monkeys don’t get their hands on what’s inside.

Game drives, as they call them, rather than safaris, are really a must when you are here after all this is what it’s all about. These are best had early in the morning as the 5:30am wakeup call rouses up and calls us to the main building at 6am for coffee, tea and biscuits which is such a great touch and something I feel I could really get used to. Africa has the ‘big 5’ which are the five most difficult creatures to find on foot. These are: lion, African elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. Phinda is also well known for having 436 bird species.

Phinda has no shortage of these and they are noted for their black rhinos and leopards. Apart from game drives, there is a list of 10 included activities including a Zulu village tour, black rhino tracking on foot, swimming with whale sharks and seasonal whale watching. There is one rule of game drives: never break the silhouette of the Land Rover which means not standing up in the vehicle. The animals see the vehicle as one large entity

80

www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

81

Travel Escapes

82

www.ohlala-magazine.com

that is larger than them so they do not take the vehicle on. Also, standing up makes it appear like you are towering over them with threatens them. I board the open Land Rover and head out on a fifteen minute drive where we spot various wildlife from all set against the world’s only remaining sand forest. We start looking for fresh tracks and they spot some tracks for a lion and leopard.

The guides and spotters are excellent here at Phinda, they have such an amazing passion as it’s really not hard to see why, working in a setting like this. One of the other guides lets us know that he’s spotted four cheetahs, so we head over to check them out.

These graceful animals are just breathtaking and we sit in awe of them for a while until we notice they are on edge and start looking around quite agitated. We then see in the distance, a very large female lioness, heading towards us. We drive towards her but she looks ahead in one direction, on a clear mission, and our guide explains that’s she got two cubs so that she must be off to get them from where she left them. The whole experience is just amazing and this is only a small snippet of what we experienced. Every game drive brings so much excitement and it’s just so great to not know what you will see each time. The afternoon game drives are great as well and they end with a cold beverage watching the sunset which in this setting is pretty hard to beat.

For more information or reservations visit: www.andbeyond.com/phinda-forest-lodge

www.ohlala-magazine.com

83

Majestic moments There isn’t a hotel quite as grand or as eye popping as the St. Regis Doha. We check in for a quick but long-lasting stay.

84

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Local Escapes A tour of the St. Regis Doha leaves you in awe.

The sweeping marble floors and the sheer depths of the ceilings hark back to the hotel’s swanky New York origins of decadent glamour and unrestrained charm. There isn’t a chandelier that hasn’t been polished, there isn’t an opulent vase out of place and there isn’t one member of staff who hasn’t got the giving warmth and hospitality intact. Everyone knows our name. For a hotel with 336 rooms and suites, this is a remarkable feat of coordination.

We stay during the run up to the five-year anniversary – aptly named, the five years of excellence. At the airport, a butler waits for us – dressed to the nines, looking every inch the part. In under 30 minutes, sitting in a plush leather Jaguar, we arrive at the hotel and go from one brisk and breezy transfer to another – until we find ourselves in a room of Middle Eastern prestige and timeless style.

It’s both a highly seductive and calming blend, perfect to call home for the night. The deep soaking tub in the bathroom comes in handy after back-to-back meetings and the St. Regis king sized bed is unsurpassed on all levels of comfort. It must be noted that the butler service extends to your room. You want something ironed or pressed?

Done. You need your suitcase unpacked but would rather watch someone else do it for you? Done and done.

Among the culinary offerings of the hotel (and there are so many to choose from) we indulge in Opal by Gordon Ramsey on a Monday night for a London Twist theme where you have quintessentially British fare cooked for you in a live cooking set up. Choosing from either burgers, fish and chips or hot dogs, we stick to a firm favourite of Wagyu Beef Burger with a fun mash up of condiments including Mint Mushy Peas (very enjoyable) alongside a neat portion of French fries. We also throw in a few starters for extra measure: Braised Short Ribs (with a stunning coconut puree and fresh pomegranate for that sweet and savoury extreme) and the Salt and Szechwan Pepper Soft Shell Crab which has a fresh mesh of cilantro and spring onion with ponzu dressing. Dessert sees a lovingly loaded and reliably traditional sticky toffee pudding with ice cream as well as a selection of sorbets including mango and a superbly tangy basil variation – it is like sweetened and icy pesto sauce, a brilliant feature on the menu.

A trip to Remède Spa is yet another sumptuous experience. We enjoy (to put it mildly) a Himalayan Sound Therapy treatment which incorporates vibrations and positive vibes through singing bowls. It may sound a tad wishy washy but trust us when we say this treatment leaves you with a spring in your step. Our therapist takes a singing bowl and gongs it around our body, where we feel the vibrations and energy surging through us – she then progressively adds more singing bowls and places them at various points on our body, so we have direct contact with these oscillating tremors which awaken and calm the nervous system. This benefits both your physical and emotional wellbeing simply by having this intimate and musical experience.

Moreover, the singing bowls create a spiritual sound wall around you and transforms the space into a shrine of tranquillity. We’ve never had a spa treatment like this before but the result proves to be more beneficial than your run-of-the-mill massage.

Beyond the spa and the hotel’s food and beverage offerings, St. Regis Doha is a perfect property. It’s a thick slice of five-star luxury that manages to tick the boxes for both business and leisure travellers.

“The St. Regis king sized bed is unsurpassed on all levels of comfort.”

For more information or reservations call: 4446 0000 www.ohlala-magazine.com

85

Local Escapes

City Slicker

Just when you thought Doha’s hotel circuit was well and truly saturated, in comes the likes of Oryx Rotana Doha. We have a proper urban yet luxury experience between back-to-back meetings.

As you might have noticed, we are partial to experiencing the best in luxury hotels from Doha to worldwide destinations. You would think by now we would have gotten a bit jaded and fed up of sleeping in the plushest beds, eating Michelin star food and dipping into infinity pools. Well, we can tell you that it is always a privilege to stay in any hotel – especially in Doha. There’s no such thing as a subpar hotel in this city (not the ones we stay at anyway) and one of the hotels we delighted in last month was Oryx Rotana Doha.

Known for its reliable comfort and fantastic food (the Rotana’s in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi set the bar extremely high), we started off the stay with a dinner at Choices where the night revolved around steaks.

In a traditional yet fun and visually appealing set up, the buffets were stocked up with everything you can imagine outside 86

www.ohlala-magazine.com

the surplus of steaks – which included wagyu, tenderloin and rib eye meat. From simple to complex sushi rolls to avocado salad to impressive cheeseboards, there’s plenty of non-meat options.

We settled for plates brimming with all of the above plus a perfectly cooked medium-rare tenderloin with a side of crispy onion rings and dollops of colourful condiments. The chefs and staff were quick to take our order and even quicker to bring it to our table. As far as the main buffet goes, there’s everything you could possibly imagine – lasagne, steamed fish, burgers, curry and a variety of roasts. Although it was the ‘Butcher’s’ night when we went, it wasn’t restrictive at all. The atmosphere is very lively at Choices – we definitely felt the good vibes here and we ended up staying for many more hours than we anticipated.

The hotel overall, has a business meets pleasure aura. The main lobby is airy and spacious without being cold. Our room was bright, warm in tone and had (besides the big King-size bed) a decent size sofa, perfect for unwinding and relaxing. Although we didn’t spend all our time in the room, we definitely felt happy to come back to it each night.

As soon as we walked into the room, we felt like we were at home – and that’s always a nice feeling to have.

After a full day of meetings, we were given an indulgent evening at Bodylines, the spa. We were booked in for a 30-minute scrub, followed by a sleep-inducing massage. Normally, scrubs don’t make you relax, they are rough on the skin and jolt your system but our therapist massaged the scrub on us which made it so much more tranquil. As she removed the scrub with a luke warm towel, our skin was butter-soft and smooth.

The oil-based massage that followed, was the cherry on top of a fantastic treatment that sealed off the day perfectly.

One of the main highlights of staying at Oryx Rotana was being able to experience The Cellar. We were booked in for a Spanish express lunch where we had a three-course meal. For starters, we had a Spring Fresh Salad made up of grilled cheese on toasty and crunchy garlic bread, berries dressing and dukkah. This was hands-down the best salad we had tried in a while. It was tangy, sprightly in flavour and filling enough to get us going onto the main course.

The heart of the lunch saw a fiesta arrive at the table in the form of a Piquillos Gratin with Codfish – this was chunks of codfish stuffed in red peppers, swimming in thick and creamy red béchamel. We died and went to heaven with this dish – it was stunning in presentation and in taste. As for desserts, we went for a crowd-pleasing (very big) portion of Chocolate Churros with pastry cream. This dessert was faultless.

Oryx Rotana Doha is a fine option for anyone visiting the city.

From the staff to the homely rooms, we’re sure you’ll find some solace during your stay here.

For more information or reservations call: 4402 3333 www.ohlala-magazine.com

87

Ohlala Spotlight

A Watchful

Eye

Panerai watches are the perfect mix between Italian design and Swiss technology and a passion for the sea. We speak with the brand at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition last month.

Tell us about the highlights about exhibiting at the DJWE? It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to come here and exhibit our novelties of 2017.

Every year we showcase and launch our novelties in Geneva and we invite top dealers and VIPs with the press. With DJWE happening in February, it gives us the chance to bring the novelties to Doha – it’s the first market in the world to receive the novelties – this signifies the importance of the market. We have a huge following for the brand in Doha. Qataris really appreciate the brand.

What makes Panerai stand out?

When the brand remains true and original to its early beginnings and its mission (to provide military standard watches that would stand the toughest environmental conditions) this builds up a loyalty. In 1936 we made our first prototype and then in 1938, we started to supply the entire navy. From 19381993 we made 300 watches exclusively for the navy.

Are they handmade?

Yes they are. But we also believe in innovation so we use the technology we have at hand to make sure we have the finest product. Today it’s important to use machines but we are not so heavy on it. It’s more about the innovation.

Tell us about the mechanics of the watches?

We have watches that are mechanical and hand-wound, which collectors enjoy a lot. We have automatic watches; we have watches that have eight day’s power reserve and 10 days automatic among others.

Are the watches targeted to active people?

They are more for connoisseurs and collectors who are obsessed with time and watches overall. Because of the strong reputation that we have, it was a natural evolution for the brand to head in the direction its going in today.

Some brands do go into an area of producing sophisticated calibres and movements and don’t succeed but for us, there was demand for us to go into this area and it’s a big success.

How long does it take to create one piece?

With our recent LAB-ID watch, it was a project we’ve been working on for the past 45 years. It came to life in Geneva and we are producing only 50 watches with a 50-year warranty!

For more information visit: www.panerai.com

88

www.ohlala-magazine.com

regular regular regular

250QR QR 250 250 QR

bubbly bubbly bubbly 390 390QR QR 390 QR

www.ohlala-magazine.com

89

Ohlala Spotlight

Sophisticated Times

You don’t get more luxury and prestigious as Vacheron - the oldest manufacturers of fine Swiss watches. We talk with the brand as they showcased at last month’s Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition.

How have you exhibition your collected compared to last year’s DJWE? We had the SIHH (Salon de la Haute Horlogerie) in Geneva last month and we worked hard to bring the same set up as there with all the key novelties that we wanted to expose outside of Switzerland. We even brought the same decorations with us!

What makes Vacheron stand out next to other brands?

What first comes to mind with Vacheron is that it’s the oldest Swiss watch brand with uninterrupted history of 261 years. We are very proud of this.

90

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Our heritage is very important and what makes us stand out. In order to understand your present, you need to understand your past. The tradition of today was the innovation of the past. It’s always about reinventing yourself but maintaining the past too. We have strong ties with the region - we sold our first watch to the Middle East in 1847! We also have a strong relationship with our partners, Al Fardan, for more than 50 years.

How do you reinvent yourself as a brand?

Part of our heritage is focused on astronomical and striking complications.

From the early 1800s we have been developing striking complications as well as astronomical complications. We combine innovation, elegance and tradition at the same time as we move forward.

How long does it take to make each piece?

Different watches command different levels of attention – it can take five years sometimes. If we are making select complications for VIP clients, we make sure to spend as much time as needed.

For readers who don’t understand complications, what would you say that is?

In watch making a complication is a good thing! A complication describes anything that is more than simple time display. It can range from a small complication like a moon face or full calendar to something really complex like a grand complication.

What has Vacheron got in the pipeline for the year ahead?

We are working on two main themes this year: one is around astronomy (where we are bringing that theme via high complications down to our regular lines) and the other is on the theme of striking watches.

For more information visit: www.vacheron-constantin.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

91

Ohlala Spotlight

modest beauty

High-end luxury abayas are a thing now.

Debaj is dedicated to presenting highend Islamic clothing to all fashion lovers.

Participating in the Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition next month, we speak to the brand about abayas as cultural statements and the influence they have over mainstream fashion.

92

www.ohlala-magazine.com

How far has the abaya come in terms of being a fashion rather than a cultural statement?

The abaya has come a long way! The evolution of the abaya is outstanding and unstoppable. It’s wonderful to see how a cultural statement has taken many forms and shapes but is still keeping the essence in the majority of cases. Specially referring to Debaj, our abayas follow cultural traditions adapted to those changes and offer options to suit every women’s preference.

What is the key to a cutting-edge, unique and versatile abaya?

The key is to respect body differences. Creating as many patterns as possible to come up with a versatile unique abaya is the ultimate goal.

Which country has influenced your most successful collection of abayas?

That’s a very difficult question as our collections have all been very successful but if I had no choice but to name one, I would probably go with Paris. Our Parisian collection was breathtaking.

We’ve seen your New York shoot with Jessica Minh Anh wearing very creative and eye-catching pieces. How did New York respond to your collection?

New York was an unbelievable experience; it was really about thinking outside of the box with many options for travelling that suits every woman regardless of cultural or religious beliefs.

We were asked on numerous occasions how much the pieces were and how they could buy them, which is what a successful collection is all about.

Finally, what do you make of the modest fashion revolution?

Fashion comes in cycles and modesty was here before now it’s coming again. I believe these cycles have to exist or else we would all grow bored.

On a private note, I believe modesty is directly linked with elegance - just observe Audrey Hepburn’s modest, classy, timeless and elegant style – it’s still reigning, regardless of trends.

ONE DAY IN PARADISE. Get to Banana Island Resort Doha to recharge your body and mind in one of our spa/wellness & recreation packages.

Unwind into the tranquil rhythm of our island paradise. Renowned for luxurious retreats with personalized therapies, our spa & wellness is designed to help release mental stress & physical fatigue.

Finest sandy beach, blue turquoise water, great food and fantastic weather awaits you.

One day in paradise spa & recreation package includes: 60 minutes full body relaxing massage Wet facilities including, steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi & ice fountain Pool and beach access Credit of QAR 200 per person to enjoy any of our restaurants Luxury boat transfers.

Price: QAR 650 per person Terms and conditions Apply

LIFE IS A JOURNEY. anantara.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com

93

Ohlala Boutiques

A Girl’s Best Friend

Chopard exhibited, along with long lasting partner Al Fardan Jewellery, Qatar’s leading luxury watch and jewellery retailer, an array of exquisite high jewellery, jewellery and exceptional timepieces at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition. From must-have pendants to sparkling rings, these are definitely the investment pieces we want to show off.

94

www.ohlala-magazine.com

At Mall of Qatar

www.ohlala-magazine.com

95

Ohlala Boutiques

Delicate & Dreamy Elegance and timeless style is what springs to mind when we salivate over these dazzling numbers. These pieces, from Boucheron are an ode to beloved nature: the generous and untamed nature so richly expressed in its collections since the very beginning. The 26 Vendôme collection is as luminous as its address in Paris.

All brands are available at 51 East

Ring Leader We’re major crushing on the new Coco Crush (as elegantly embodied

by Keira Knightley) collection by our ultimate spirit animal, CHANEL. The collection is entirely dedicated to the ‘Matelasse’ or quilted pattern giving the pieces generous and feminine lines.

96

www.ohlala-magazine.com

Women’s Hour

Rolex has introduced the new generation of its Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust in either yellow or everose rolesor versions, a combination of 904L steel and either 18ct yellow or everose gold. It’s your classic feminine watch that isn’t bulky but is definitely bold.

Get your daily dose of Ohlala online now

THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

Roland MouRet a Portrait of Parisian Greatness

Black Beauty the all new Black Badge Rolls-Royce

ode to lonGchaMP

Sophie delafontaine on elegance

FABULOUS FASHION Style NoteS For INStaNt Glamour www.ohlala-magazine.com December 2016 | issue 66 QaTar | Qr20

Cover_Ohlala Qatar December 2016 Final_.indd 1

11/28/16 2:04 PM

Check Out Our New Website www.ohlala-magazine.com www.ohlala-magazine.com

97

THE FASHION CLASSICS From boxy suits to romantic necklaces, these go-to brands have us up and ready for spring.

The Kooples is available at Lagoona Mall and Maje and Sandro are available at Doha Festival City Mall

MAJE

The Kooples

We’re loving the casual meets edge for the sport and SS17 collections. Update your paired back look with some starry embellishments or add some blossoms into the mix.

sandro

Think breezy and relaxed fits with lots of lovely strokes of style. This season it’s all about functional comfort but also technical workmanship with dreamy silhouettes.

98

www.ohlala-magazine.com

You’ve got a variety of patchwork pieces that bring together natural hues with punchy bold shades and some 70s fringe effect. Take note of the stunning golden brass, Swarovski stone jewellery, too.

ON YOUR WEDDING DAY, IMAGINE HAVING MORE TO SPEND ON THE THINGS YOU LOVE. Book your wedding event before 31 May 2017, and you’ll get a full 15% discount.

At Crowne Plaza Doha - The Business Park, we can help you to get so much more from your wedding budget. That’s because our limited-time MyWedding package gives you a 15% discount on your wedding event, which means more flexibility to spend on all the things that make your day special. If you’re planning a wedding, contact us now to find out how we can enhance the occasion.

Discount applicable for weddings booked for 2017 and 2018 on selected months.* Bookings are subject to availability *Terms and conditions apply.

IHG.COM/MYWEDDING

T. +974 4408 7777 www.ohlala-magazine.com

99

Ohlala Boutiques

Casual Chic

Gap’s SS17 collection breathes new life into relaxed yet perfectly on point day wear. You’ll definitely see us with waist knots this season, so easy and so sophisticated.

GAP is available at Landmark Mall and Villaggio Mall

The secret garden As far as rich and heady scents go, you can’t go wrong with international luxury brand, Amouage. The brand has introduced Blossom Love, the most recent addition to its floral themed The Secret Garden Collection in which thoughts, feelings and experiences are freely explored without the complications of the contemporary world. It’s the perfect addition for that spring scent.

Amouage is available at Lagoona Mall 100 www.ohlala-magazine.com

Image by Bambah bambah.com

Never miss an issue

Follow us Facebook: OhlalaQatar

www.ohlala-magazine.com 101

CHIC Eats

Curried Away We love any excuse to indulge in some curry. Luckily for us, Crowne Plaza Doha – The Business Park have a night dedicated to a ‘World of Curries’. Our contributor Craig Ferriman has a spicy treat…

O

n a Monday night, where the weekend may seem like a distant memory and the next weekend too far away to contemplate, you can have a fun and indulgent night at Aramede at the Crowne Plaza Doha which provides an affordable and worthwhile reason to gather friends or a loved one to enjoy some damn good food. Head Chef, Dominique Morin, has made it his mission to showcase the best of his diverse chef ’s talents in the kitchen and translate them into tasty treats on the plate.

Monday night is now officially ‘World of Curries’ night.

Chef Morin told us that the genesis of this hit night was to bring his shy and retiring chefs out of their shells and out of kitchen. Rather than cook what they are told to, he told them to cook what they wanted to. They were encouraged to cook the dishes that speak to who they are and where they come from and to cook such personal dishes with love. You can taste the passion in the cooking and sense the commitment to the dishes in this place.

Aramade boasts chefs from Thailand, India and Malaysia all cooking up personal favourite recipes from their region to share with customers a world of curries for all to enjoy.

The restaurant is built in the round with a circular serving area allowing guests to literally circumnavigate the globe on ‘world of curries’ night.

Breadth is what stands out here. A range of savoury breads to start the evening from parathas to poppadoms and some super salads celebrating the best of Malaysia to Mongolia. The appetisers are seemingly endless. The extremely appetising chicken wings are a favourite for many. They are not too hot 102 www.ohlala-magazine.com

nor too saucy. Besides the wildly tasty chicken samosas, the chicken wings will leave you wanting more.

When you finally get to the curries there is almost too much to choose from. The Cambodian Khmer beef is particularly delicious as is the vegetarian Thai green curry and the lamb curry too. Despite the wealth of choice, guests are advised to leave room for dessert as there is plenty of that to be had. The peanut chocolate cake is a headline act that is hard to be beaten. Rich, gooey and the perfect way to end the evening.

For those not in a hurry to dash off to bed on a Monday night, the restaurant is wonderfully complimented by a shisha lounge outside where guests can relax and digest that calorific chocolate cake!

World of Curries is on every Monday night from 6:00-11:00pm for QR145. For more information or reservations call: 4408 7777

www.ohlala-magazine.com 103

Chic Eats

Intercontinental Doha The City Gather your family and friends and don’t miss the Family Squared Saturday Lunch. Relish in some various live cooking corners and have a relaxed start to your week with all of your favourite comfort food. It’s QR145 or QR245 inclusive of selected house beverages from 12:30-4:00pm on Saturdays.

Call: 4015 8888

Four Seasons Doha Hotel Celebrate Easter at Elements, Il Teatro and Arabica. Savour a wide array of offerings – from fresh seafood to sushi, Asian food favourites.

Arabic and Western selection, Peking Duck station and sumptuous desserts including Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies – matched by an all new setting of action stations that serve up an unforgettable backdrop for flavourful cuisine.

It’s on 14 April from 12:30-4:30pm for QR340 or QR440 for a sparkling package.

Call: 4494 8600

April Dining

by enjoying unlimited Indian specialties offer for only QR100. This new promotion is happening every Wednesday night from 6:30-11:30pm.

Call: 4429 8499

Hop on over and celebrate Easter with family and friends at the special picnic brunch at Lagoon Restaurant and Garden, served familystyle to share at this fine property. Exciting kid’s activities, entertainment and live stations awaits the whole family to enjoy. It’s on 14 April from 12:30-4:00pm for QR99 for kids 5-12 and QR249 with soft beverage or QR349 with selected house beverages.

Call: 4484 8512

Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel

Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara

With Easter this month, lift up your spirits and rejoice with the hotel’s Easter celebration at La Veranda as they bring you not only Easter specialties but more reason to celebrate with your entire family. Join them for egg hunting at the garden on 16 April. It’s QR250 including soft beverages or QR330 with a “Top-up” package including selected beverages or QR 145 Champagne package. There’s a 50% discount for kids aged 6-12 years and kids below 6 dine for free.

Call: 4485 3000

The island resort has re-launched its brunch at Azraq restaurant, inviting guests to eat their way through some of the world’s most delicious cuisines from around the world. The island brunch is served every Friday and Saturday from 1:00-4:00pm and is QR250 for in-house guests, QR300 for visiting guests, and QR175 for children aged 5 to 11 years old, all including luxury boat transfers. Children under the age of 5 eat for free.

Call: 4040 5116

We’ll be making our rounds this month, to these fantastic venues Oryx Rotana Choices restaurant has just reopened where you can enjoy the exquisite Butcher’s Night! Choose your cut, your style and enjoy all you can meat! The master butcher will make sure you’ll get different cuts to choose from where the chefs will expertly grill them to your liking.

Butcher’s Night is every Tuesday for QR 235 food only or QR325 with unlimited selected house beverages or try the premium package for QR370.

Call::4402 3333

Doha Marriott Enhance your culinary experience with the hotel’s special promotion at Taj Rasoi restaurant.

Receive an exclusive opportunity to try the authentic tastes of Indian gastronomic heritage 104 www.ohlala-magazine.com

The Ritz-Carlton, Doha

, DON T MISS THE

THIS 2017

‫ﻻول ﻣﺮة ﰲ ﻗﻄﺮ‬

‫ﺳﺎرع و ﻛﻦ ﺟﺰء ﻣﻦ ﻫﺬه اﻟﻔﺎﻋﻠﻴﺔ‬ 2017 ‫ اﺑﺮﻳﻞ‬24 -19 ‫ﻣﻦ‬ (‫ﰲ ﻗﺎﻋﺔ ﻛﺘﺎرا ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻲ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ )ﻛﺘﺎرا‬

19 - 24 April 2017 Katara Hall, Doha, Qatar

Organizer

Media Agency

Hospitality Sponsor

Fashion Cosultant

Hair & Make Up Partner

Media Partners

MBConline

WorldAnaqaShow

WorldAnaqaShow

WorldAnaqaShow

WorldAnaqaShow

+ 974 6654 1356 | info@artofeventsqatar.com | sales@artofeventsqatar.com www.ohlala-magazine.com 105

Health Files

perfect Pampering

With work all day, stuffed social schedules and the everproblematic traffic situation in Doha, we like to be good to ourselves in between. We restore our calm with a treatment at the Spa by Clarins at the shiny and bright Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl – Doha.

You enter a parallel universe of serenity when you step into the Spa by Clarins at Marsa Malaz Kempinski.

From sleek and modern dark wood panelling to gorgeous marbled floors, the spa takes wellness very seriously. The heady aromas wafting the spa entrance are Insta-relaxing and the more than graceful staff make you feel unequivocally welcome.

After a brief consultation before our Rebalancing Massage, we are guided through a labyrinth of calming corridors which are flanked by mood setting lights and pitter patter music.

The treatment room is ample in size – there’s enough real estate for it to be a full-fledged studio. It comes as no surprise as the Spa by Clarins occupies a stunning 3000sqm with 23 treatment rooms. The private changing room/bathroom in our room is a touch we always appreciate for that added extra privacy – not that we are against communal spaces but for the purpose of being at one with ourselves during a spa day, this feature sits well.

The Rebalancing Massage starts off with a tall volume of special water: infused with lemon and apple (with slices of said fruit floating around) and it’s saccharine in some sips, zesty in other sips. It’s one of those welcome drinks that you don’t want to end because it’s a concoction that you’ve never tried before but now want buckets of.

106 www.ohlala-magazine.com

Slipping under the towel as we get on the bed, our therapist creates a highly personal and soothing atmosphere by guiding us through the steps of the treatment. It starts off with long and languid circular strokes on the back and continues up and down until we properly descend into an otherworldly trance. This massage also uses enveloping movements for an incomparable feeling of well-being. Tonic Oil is used to stimulate the body and mind or Relax Oil for a feeling of complete relaxation. The heady oil is sublime and smells every bit the quintessential spa.

The music, we must say, makes the experience that much more unqiue. Your usual Asian inspired sounds are interspersed with Jazz-like piano numbers that aren’t out of place at all, in fact, it’s a lovely novelty.

After an hour of kneading away (with great commitment we must say) at our knots, we feel jelly-like but also, strong.

We complete the treatment by making use of the steam room to really renew our skin and remove all toxins and impurities within our body. If you’re ever at a loss on how to regain a sense of self, the way to achieve it is to set aside a few hours of perfect pampering because we can guarantee you that a treatment like the Rebalancing Massage is THE antidote to a better you.

The Rebalancing Massage is 60/90 minutes for QR650/850.

For more information or reservations call: 4035 5555 www.ohlala-magazine.com 107

Health Files

Ultimate Wellness

There’s no better way to unwind than having a full day at a spa. Luckily for us, there are plenty of luxury spa spots in Doha. And now, you’ve got one more to add to your list: Ozone Spa & Wellness at La Cigale Hotel.

108 www.ohlala-magazine.com

You’re never at a loss of spa treatments on our shores. From West Bay to The Pearl to Al Waab you can drop in to any salon or spa (because you’ll find one every 50 meters) and the likelihood of getting a treatment right there and then is high. So, let’s be honest here lovely readers, we are super spoilt because the access and availability allows us to be.

But beyond your run-of-the-mill spa treatments in Doha, you do get the exceptional variety too, ones where you should block out your entire day because doing anything but relaxing is non-negotiable. How can you possibly do any form of menial work when you’re in a total state of zen? One such example of heavenly spa experiences exists at La Cigale Hotel’s newly opened Ozone spa.

It’s the perfect destination to enjoy five-star recreational amenities that inspires exquisite relaxation and renewal through a diverse range of health and wellness facilities.

You can relax in an environment that delights all your senses. With the perfect ambience and legendary service, using the spa’s signature products made up of natural ingredients, free of parabens and radicals, they offer guests a completely luxurious spa experience.

Ozone Spa is the perfect haven to get away from the stress of urban life. Offering a wide range of rejuvenating body treatments to ease tension, stimulate relaxation, burn fat, hydrate skin and improve blood circulation. Five types of body

“Ozone Spa is the perfect haven to get away from the stress of urban life” massages vary according to the pressure degree, available to revitalise your entire body with heavenly treatment and pleasant oil fragrances (detox & antiaging oil) that will enhance your emotional wellbeing.

If there’s anything you should experience, it’s the ultimate Arabic Hammam with the finest and most exclusive traditional Moroccan products which will give you new skin in no time.

On top of that, we highly recommend a facial treatment (suited according to any skin type) where you’ll get high benefits from the removal of impurities and dead cells which then reveal a fresh and a healthy glow.

“Our aim is to pamper our guests in a very relaxing environment, offering a wide variety of services done by our professional therapists” says Rabih Lala, Ozone Gym & Spa Manager. “We recommend everyone to have a spa treatment once a week, because it is necessary to escape into another world due to our busy work schedule,” he adds.

Also, it must be noted that Ozone Spa offers an attractive loyalty program to its regular customers which they can avail plenty of benefits and discounts from. The spa receptionist will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding their services.

Ozone Spa is open every day from 9:00am to 10:00pm. For more information or to book a treatment call: 4428 8888 www.ohlala-magazine.com 109

Eforea Spa

Health Files

Doha’s Private Havens We are always looking for ways to unwind. Find your peace at these choice spas.

Six Senses Spa at Sharq Village & Spa Get pampered in a 110-minute treatment as spring is in the air. Start it off with a 50-minute signature of your choice, followed by a 25-minute mini facial of 2 and end it with a 25-minute scalp massage. It’s all about feeling brand new. Call: 4425 6999

Spa by Clarins at Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl-Doha Renew your spirits with a 120-minute treatment. Your journey begins with a holistic foot ritual while you sip on a home-made fruit water. The spa’s skilled healing experts will perform a back massage with basalt stones to melt away the tension. Detoxify and let your skin glow with a fruit rich wrap. The treatment is QR1100 including full access to all spa and wellness facilities.

Call: 40355555

The Ritz-Carlton Spa Relax and unwind with their world-class treatment therapy. Enjoy 50% savings for any 110 www.ohlala-magazine.com

massage treatments and 25% savings for any facial treatments.

Call: 4448 8000 Bodylines at Oryx Rotana Doha Relax your body at the hands of the hotel’s professional therapists. Bodylines offer a choice of Swedish Massage, Thai Massage (female only) or Balinese or Deep Tissue, Aroma and Reflexology, Back & Shoulder Massage and Indian Head massage. Get a package of four with a 60-minute massage QR900 (members) or QR1,000 (non-members).

Call: 4402 3333

Spa & Wellness Center, Four Seasons Hotel Doha Try the new Seconde Peau by Biologique Recherche treatment, which accelerates cell renewal and optimises the regeneration for a visible and immediate tightening effect. It increases the cohesion, firmness and density of the skin while reshaping the facial contour. This treatment is offered as a cosmetic alternative to injections and targets all mature skin instants damaged by the signs of ageing. It’s QR2200 for 120 minutes. Call: 4494 8801

Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel Pamper yourself with one of the hotel’s five soothing massages. Their therapists have been trained to help you relax your body, mind and soul leaving you refreshed and rejuvenated.Try out either a Swedish, Combination, Foot Reflexology, Deep Tissue Sports or Anti-Stress Neck and Shoulder massage. It’s QR200 for 30 minutes, QR300 for 60 minutes and QR400 for 90 minutes.

Call: 4485 4600

Eforea Spa at Hilton Working on yourself has never been easier with these great promotions at Eforea spa. Receive QR100 retail credit with the purchase of any 90 minute treatment, get 25% off of the total price upon booking any couple treatment or purchase any 6 month or 1 year membership and get 10 personal training classes for free. Wide range of oriental treatments will allow you to have a one-of-a-kind royal experience. It’s time to get royally pampered!

Hilton Hotel, Diplomatic Street, West Bay Area.

For reservations, please call 44233441 or email: eforeaspa.doha@hilton.com

The Ideal Weekend Getaway Destination A weekend to remember, our incredible room and brunch package includes everything you need for the ultimate getaway. Stay in one of our beautiful sea view rooms and enjoy our award winning Friday brunch inclusive, plus an amazing 20% discount in the Bodylines Spa and other benefits.

For bookings and inquiries, please call +973 16000111 or email res.art@rotana.com P. O. Box 50949, Amwaj Islands, Bahrain, T: +973 16000111, art.hotel@rotana.com www.ohlala-magazine.com 111

Health Column Some women dream of pregnancy

Beautiful Mum-To-Be

“A pregnant woman carries within her the finest piece of jade.

She should enjoy all things, look at fine pictures and be attended by handsome servants” -

The Chinese Classic - Admonitions to the Ladies c.500BC. Our health columnist, Pallavi Patil offers some pearls on embracing pregnancy and motherhood.

112 www.ohlala-magazine.com

as a time of miraculous wonder and awe, while others dread the burden they must endure to bear children. Being pregnant is the most wonderful time in your life but it can sometimes be tiring.

Spending nine months developing a human being can really put a strain on your muscles, bones, skin and mental well-being. Taking good care of yourself and staying calm is an essential part of the process. While there are some spa treatments you will need to avoid when pregnant, there are many other treatments which are ideal for soothing tired muscles, swollen feet and all the other general aches which may come along with pregnancy!

Safe indulgence into spa therapies is the best in the second trimester. During this time your body is going through so many changes and adjustments to make way for your growing baby. A pregnancy massage is the best option for you to relax and de-stress while sending happy vibes to your little one. Massages can ease the additional and prepare your body for the labour to come. By increasing blood and lymph circulation within your body, a pregnancy massage is also believed to help keep your baby healthy. In other words when carried out by a skilled professional, pregnancy massages can be a fabulous experience.

Whichever pregnancy spa treatment you opt for, follow our Do’s and Don’ts to make sure you get the most out of your experience.

Do ensure that you tell at the time of booking that you are pregnant with all the right details.

Don’t assume you can’t have any spa treatments during your pregnancy. If you fancy some pampering, enquire which treatments you can safely have during your pregnancy. Although you cannot have body wraps; facials and massages are a great way to be pampered. Spas take into consideration the changes in your skin due to hormonal imbalances, with a thorough skin expert analysing your skin for sensitivity and extra needs.

Do check if your treatment uses any essential oils that are suitable for use during pregnancy. It is suggested that pregnant women use essential oils derived from flowers rather than herbs. ‘Calming’ oils such as lavender are preferable to ‘stimulating’ oils such as Camphor during pregnancy.

Don’t have any spa treatments which involve heat such as steam, saunas, and spa baths. This also includes body wraps which constrict movement and elevate body temperature.

Do tell your therapist if you are uncomfortable, feeling ill or in pain at any point during your treatment. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or speak up! It is important to keep in mind that the visit is all about you! Every woman’s experience is different. If you are experiencing a normal pregnancy, the best guideline is to listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel comfortable, don’t do it, otherwise make the most of it and enjoy!

Pallavi Patil is the Manager at the Spa by Clarins at Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl Doha. For more information on the spa, call 4035 5555

www.ohlala-magazine.com 113

Ohlala Spotlight

Turkish Glory

Turkish fare is never hard to find in Doha, but fantastic Turkish fare with an elegant five-star setting is harder to come by. We sit with the newly opened Nişantaşı Başköşe’s owners, Ahmed Demet and Funda Seydi to talk authenticity and high-quality ingredients.

What does Nişantaşı translate to in English?

It’s actually a district in Turkey’s capital, Istanbul. It’s a very upscale area with lots of top brand names around as well as fivestar hotels.

Everyone loves Turkish food around the world. Why do you think it’s so popular?

I think it’s because of the variety and the recipes that date back to hundreds of years which have always improved over time.

Sometimes you get influences from other cuisines as well but mainly, Turkish food has always remained its authenticity.

Turkish cuisine thrives on maintaining the freshest ingredients, which gives it, its originality. There are no replicas in Turkish cuisine.

What makes Nişantaşı different from any other Turkish restaurant in Doha?

For starters, we use only Turkish produce – all our meat is sourced from our farm which is in Kirklareli near the Bulgarian border, where a special breed of lamb is raised. We have been raising this lamb for nine years now, so among each other, it became a real thoroughbred, which we only serve in our restaurants in Istanbul [the owners have a history of restaurants but this is the first time they have ventured outside of Turkey]. Our chefs and most of our staff are from our other restaurants in Istanbul.

Do you source anything locally?

Yes we go to bazaars and the souq to get spices. We try to find whatever is fresh and available. Our chefs will use and serve it on the day they receive it.

What is the most unique dish off the menu?

In our restaurant we serve top quality meals including fine dining options like carpaccio. Even our doner kebab is something special – ours is a lamb doner. You can’t find lamb doners anywhere else in Doha.

114 www.ohlala-magazine.com

Why did you choose the Melia Doha to situated Nişantaşı?

We initially approached three or four other hotels but Melia responded faster than everybody and we came in and saw the place and loved the location above all. For us, location is number one.

Will you be introducing any entertainment element to the dining experience?

We are bringing in special Bosporus entertainment nights where we are bringing out DJs from Istanbul for a two-nights a week special on Thursday and Friday nights. There will be singing and dancing later on in the night and it will see a fusion of European and Turkish sounds. There will also be some Arabic touches, too.

For more information or reservations call: 4019 8876

BUY 2 GET 1 Unwind and embrace total relaxation as you enjoy one complimentary 60-minute massage when two 60-minute massages are purchased.

Let your mind and body escape reality with our signature massages using aromatherapy blends and warm paraffin to achieve ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation.

End the massage savoring the legendary St. Regis afternoon in the relaxation room or Sarab Lounge.

Offer available until June 30, 2017 The St. Regis Doha | Mezzanine Level Open from 9am to 10pm To make a booking, please contact +974 4446 0300 or email remedespa.doha@stregis.com www.remedespadoha.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com 115

Ohlala Spotlight

Culinary tour of Italy Fancy eating your way through Italy? Warwick Doha’s Carisma restaurant is all about taking us on a food journey like no other…

Italian Restaurant, Carisma, has launched the Giro d ‘Italia,

culinary Tour around Italy at Warwick Doha. It was conceptualised from Warwick Doha’s desire to let the guests taste and feel what Italian food is.

The Italian food mainly is a synergy between the fresh local product and the tradition of each region.

The culinary art of Italy can be summarised with the concept of “KM 0”, which means, whatever is grown near to a place, will be the main source of a dish.

Every Wednesday, the restaurant will tackle a different journey, as it features the real touch of the original recipe from each Italian region or city. A variety of regions will be selected for their popular and most original dishes – from Campania to Napoli, which will include dishes such as: Italian crepes stuffed with ricotta and buffalo mozzarella cheese and Folded pizza stuffed with broccoli leaves, buffalo mozzarella and beef sausage. Or you can look forward to delicious dishes from Lazio to Rome which involves: Soup with rice and Fava beans and Rigatoni pasta with 116 www.ohlala-magazine.com

beef bacon, eggs, pecorino cheese and black pepper. Lombardy to Milan is all about rice and turnip greens soup with grana cheese and traditional veal prepared with tomato sauce. Piedmont to Torino involves baby carrots with sweet and sour sauce and Slow cooked rabbit with onion and cinnamon and with Venice to Veneto you can look forward to borlotti beans and pasta bits soup with parmigiano cheese and regional black squid ink risotto with tentacles, green peas and parsley.

It will be served during dinner time by a starter-main course-dessert and priced at QR90 per person. As a prominent Italian saying goes: “A tavola non si invecchia” which means, “At the table with good friends and family, you do not become old”.

Carisma Restaurant is open daily from 6:30-11:30pm, located at the ground floor of Warwick Doha. For more information or reservations call: 4456 3333 or email: info.warwickdohahotel@ warwickhotels.com

Mall of Qatar Tel. 4021 4777 • Villaggio Mall Tel. 44959060 • Landmark Mall Tel. 44565340 virginmena virginmegastore.qa virginmena virginmegastoreme www.ohlala-magazine.com

117

Pari Gallery Opening Qatar’s top luxury retailer Pari Gallery inaugurated its 5th new generation showroom with a grand opening event at the Mall of Qatar last month.

Select VIPs and guests were in attendance to witness the opening led by General Manager Mr. Salman Abdul Rahim. Pari Gallery is now positioned to offer more lifestyle and luxury products to the growing number of mallgoers at the Mall of Qatar.

118 www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com 119

Shape & Style We were invited to the grand opening of Spa InterContinental and Shape & Style Saloon hosted by Afkar at InterContinental Doha last month in the West Bay lagoon. Dressed to impress, we were very much inspired by the modern, cutting-edge decor and serene atmosphere. This is the new go-to place for pampering, we say.

120 www.ohlala-magazine.com

BRINGING YOU THE TASTE OF THE SOUTH WITH OUR

COMING SOON 10 La Croisette, Porto Arabia, The Pearl-Qatar /urbanjazzkitchen

/urbanjazzkitchenqatar

w w w. h d c - g l o bwww.ohlala-magazine.com al.com

121

Fanajeen CafĂŠ Opening This lovely new cafe located in The Gate Mall opened last month to a beautiful reception of media and VIP guests. As part of the entertainment for the event there was an illusionist and magician who wowed the audience. You can enjoy a delicious selection of Mediterranean cuisine, with the influence of south France and north of Italy at Fanajeen CafĂŠ.

122 www.ohlala-magazine.com

For the Modern Middle-Eastern Woman THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

BRIDE

NEW

FAIRY

LOOK

TALE FASHION

STARTS HERE

BEAUTIFUL

THE BEAUTY FIXES FOR AUTUMN

A-LIST

HONEYMOON

LANVIN’S

THE SEASON’S MOST WHIMISCAL TRENDS

BOLD &

WORE...

THE MUST-HAVE WEDDING ISSUE

BRIDAL BEAUTY SECRETS

YOUR

ESCAPES

WEDDING BELLES

EXCLUSIVE

Marsuma Designs

Fall’s new Mood 1

AND THE

KISS & MAKE UP

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ART & FASHION

OHLALA! DECEMBER 2013

www.ohlala-magazine.com

WWW.OHLALA-MAGAZINE.COM

SEPTEMBER 2014 | ISSUE 39

TRUE ROMANCE 1

OHLALA! DECEMBER 2013

QATAR QR20

www.ohlala-magazine.com

WWW.OHLALA-MAGAZINE.COM

JUNE 2014 | ISSUE 36

QATAR QR20

Available in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain & Qatar THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

EXCLUSIVE

Dana Al-Fardan

GO ALL

NATURAL

CHARMS US WITH HER LATEST PROJECT

WEDDING GUIDE

EMMA

BIG-DAY PLANS MADE EASY

STEVENS

THE ENCHANTED ONE

WITH

BOURJOIS

BEAUTY TIPS + PRODUCTS

DISCOVER THE MAGIC

DISCOVER

IN LARNACA, CYPRUS

CELEBS

MUST-HAVE PRODUCTS FOR 2015!

COOL

Cruisin’

Fall romance 1

SEPTEMBER 2014 | ISSUE 118

Businesswoman BEHIND JO LA MODE

OHLALA! DECEMBER 2013

WWW.OHLALA-MAGAZINE.COM

MEET THE

THE ALL-NEW BENTLEY

www.ohlala-magazine.com

BAHRAIN BD2 | KSA SR20

1

OHLALA! DECEMBER 2013

www.ohlala-magazine.com

WWW.OHLALA-MAGAZINE.COM JANUARY 2015 | ISSUE 43 QATAR QR20

Follow us Facebook: OhlalaQatar | Twitter: @ohlalaqatar | Instagram: ohlalamagazine www.ohlala-magazine.com 123

Belgium Chocolate Festival We definitely don’t hold back when it comes to chocolate, so lucky for us, the Belgium Chocolate Festival was held last month. The Torch Doha and the Embassy of Belgium in Qatar organised the event with the participation of Belgian celebrity chef chocolatier Laurent Gerbaud. He is one of the best chocolate makers in Brussels whose creations are a must-try - from praline to ballotin, this was one sweet festival.

124 www.ohlala-magazine.com

For the Modern Middle-Eastern Woman

THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

pOwEr wardrObE Looks ThaT WiLL Make You sTand ouT

radiaNT bEauTY

CapiTaL LuxurY

heYa arabian Fashion exhibiTion, sT. reGis doha, Marsa MaLaz keMPinski

neW FeeL Good ProducTs

SmarT, STrONg & iNTELLigENT

Women CELEbraTiNg FEmaLE EmpOwErmENT

www.ohlala-magazine.com april 2017 | issue 70 QaTar | Qr20

Ohlala Qatar Cover.indd 1

23/03/17 14:28

April Edition available now on issuu.com www.ohlala-magazine.com 125

LC Waikiki Opening LC Waikiki, a Turkish fashion brand that offers affordable and fashion clothing opened at the Hyatt Plaza last month where media influencers, fashion bloggers and members of the public were in attendance. Throughout the event there were refreshments from Tim Horton, entertainment and a fashion show, showcasing the latest collections for men, women and kids.

126 www.ohlala-magazine.com

APRIL 2017 VOL 3. ISSUE 11 QR10

For the culture-savvy in Qatar

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

DOHA’S BEST FIVE-STAR EATS & DINING DEALS

August Edition AvAilAblE now on issuu.com/factmagazine fact magazine

5

www.ohlala-magazine.com 127

Indonesian Food Festival

128 www.ohlala-magazine.com

Last month the tantalising and vibrant flavours of Indonesia came to our shores for the Indonesia Food Festival at Intercontinental Doha The City in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy. Located at Pan Asian restaurant, Hwang, celebrity chef Haryo Pramoe came to take us on an exciting culinary adventure where we sampled wild and brilliant flavours.

Get your daily dose of FACt online now

MARCH 2017 VOL 10. ISSUE 7 QR10

FA C T D I N I N G A WA R D S 2 0 1 7 . . .

ED! NOMINEES REVEAL

CheCk out our new website www.fact-magazine.com www.ohlala-magazine.com 129

Miss Ohlala

Do Not Disturb Craving a weekend away?

Miss Ohlala provides her thoughts on what makes the perfect boutique hotel getaway.

As the weather starts to turn stifling hot in the region, we all have that “get me out of here” moment so it is always good to have a mini-break on the horizon to look forward to. The choice of hotels can be overwhelming however, so here are my thoughts on how to shortlist the best available hotels.

If you’re going for a long weekend, limit your flight time to between three and five hours. Ideal getaways include Oman, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and the Seychelles.

Look for a hotel which has the perfect balance between a secluded spot and convenience for travel to and from the airport. It is always worth asking the hotel if they can arrange private transfers to the hotel for your convenience.

I’m not a princess, but if a hotel can provide a helicopter transfer that would be a very tempting (and time-saving) start to the holiday!

I’m a big fan of boutique hotels with less than twenty rooms. The service you receive is generally more personalised and relaxed.

Alternatively a bigger hotel with a prompt golf-buggy service works well when you have small children in tow.

Food is of huge importance to me and Mr Ohlala. Whilst a breakfast buffet can be appealing, nothing compares to an à la carte breakfast with perfectly poached eggs and a view to die for. I always try to book hotel rooms that have breakfast and sundries included, as it can be very tedious to be signing hotel chits all day long.

Mr Ohlala and I need our morning coffee before we like to speak to anyone else, so a Nespresso machine in the room, with plenty of refill capsules, is a must. And I like a hotel that provides you with an 130 www.ohlala-magazine.com

adequate free supply of water. There is nothing more irritating than having to break into the mini bar in the middle of the night when thirsty, to drink extortionate bottles of carbonated water.

I can’t bring myself to book a hotel room if it doesn’t have a lovely bathtub. Being on holiday is one time I allow myself to spend hours reading a book in a luxurious bath with bath oils and I’m just as particular with the swimming pool which I prefer to be heated and enticing. Rooms with private plunge pools or Jacuzzis also get my vote. And if you’re going somewhere warm, a room with a private terrace is a necessity.

A view from your hotel room which is Insta-worthy is always a big plus, but don’t share too many snaps of your holiday on social media, however, otherwise you will drive your friends crazy.

Before you book, read some of the hotel reviews on the likes of Tripadvisor.com, but don’t get overly obsessed with them. And my final tip? Rather than booking the cheapest room at the crème de la crème of hotels, I would generally advise to book a high end room or suite at a less expensive boutique hotel.

www.ohlala-magazine.com 131

132 www.ohlala-magazine.com

VILLAGGIO MALL VIP AREA GATE 6 T 44831027

TOMFORD.COM