Ohlala Qatar September 2017

THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

Alice Temperley and the

art of romantic chic

Secrets To Younger Skin + The Best of AW17 Beauty

THE BIG FASHION EDIT Our runway report + trends + what to buy now www.ohlala-magazine.com

www.ohlala-magazine.com September 2017 | Issue 75 QATAR | QR20

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Spectacular Sri Lanka: An Intimate & Stylish Escape

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Contents Ohlala

Ben anun

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The show Designer Talk: Alice Temperley Lookbook: Michael Cinco Beauty Guide: AW17

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Opening Number Our Favourite Issue Editor’s Letter: Fresh Faced Style Focus: Report

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The Exit Travel Escapes: Sri Lanka Ohlala Spa & Wellness Nominees Miss Ohlala

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September 2017 issue 75

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 Craig Ferriman Victoria

Production Manager Neil Mahmood Distribution Manager

Paula Leal Graphic Designer Jyoti Rawat

Website Designer & Developer Ammar Ali

Photography Contributors

Website

Abshar Kader

Melek Yildirimtekin

Faras Ghani

Ajit Kumar

Accountants

COVER Image Michael Cinco

Credits image Delpozo

Distribution Team

Printing Press Al Anan Printing Press LLC

Jayapragash Ganesan

Hussein Zreik

Gigimon Thankachen Praveen Alexander

Distribution 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.

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E d i t o r ’ s L e t t e r

Temperley london

D

esigners create fashion moments and then models make those moments happen. I remember being transfixed by Temperley London’s autumn/ winter 17 show, full of meaning, movement and high-volume elegance. Each intricate and charmingly detailed piece elicited a crowd of comments in their own right and by the end, you felt energised by the journey. I was so thrilled to have a chat with Alice Temperley, the searingly beautiful

designer behind the revered brand, for our designer focus this month. You’ll find her to be the best kind of boss woman with cinematic vision, grace and an unstoppable talent that has had a 15-year life so far and is set to continue for decades to come.

As always, the September issue is a celebration of style. We’ve got our new season runway report exploring a multitude of possibilities from doing denim differently to putting pretty pink ensembles together to wearing your hair in a rigid, slicked back pony tail. Beauty-wise we offer our thoughts and reviews on the latest must-have products that will replenish tired techniques and inject life into your skin-care routine.

When it comes to living a truly luxury lifestyle, we have our regular travel escapes which I was lucky enough to partake in a couple of months back across the gorgeous landscapes of Sri Lanka, going from a boutique cottage in the country’s answer to the Highlands to the wind-swept coastlines in the south. The images if anything will inspire you to take your own sophisticated sojourn.

Elsewhere in the issue, we do what we do best and review the chicest eateries, spotlight the latest happenings and indulge in the finer things in life while we’re at it. Happy reading!

Georgie Bradley 24

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Editor in Chief

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Get your daily dose of Ohlala online now THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

SMART TA L K S DESERT MANNEQUIN CHATS SPIRITUALITY AND STYLE

HOW TO FIND YOUR

INNER PEACE

DECADENT DAYS & N I G H T S

WAYS TO A WINNING RAMADAN WARDROBE WWW.OHLALA-MAGAZINE.COM JUNE 2017 | ISSUE 72 QATAR | QR20

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marni capsule 2017

It’s our favourite time of year when we while away hours of indulgent style sifting and salivating. We scope out the best trends, compile the best buys and talk to alice Temperley while we’re at it.

New Season New Rules

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Wish List

06 Rosantica

04 Pleats Please; Symphony

02 Marni

Diane Von Furstenberg

01 Simona Rocha

03 Anine Bing; Stylebop

05 Balmain

Jasper Conran

08

10

Peter Petrov; Stylebop

Rosetta Getty

09 07

Roksanda

Salvatore Ferragamo

Get ahead of the AW17 game with these uber chic pieces.

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11 Marni

Marni

Wa n t. N e e d. N o w.

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Bags of Style

These handy items will see you through every day of the week.

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A lice T h r o u gh T he

L oo k ing G lass

The charming designer behind the brand, Temperley London, is as dreamy and as romantic as her heavenly pieces. Georgie Bradley talks to Alice Temperley about escapism, what kind of boss she is and how she creates a work/life balance. www.ohlala-magazine.com

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A

lice Temperley’s head is full right now.

Her thoughts are flitting between the anticipation of spring/summer 18 and the vortex of fashion weeks ahead; she’s trying to make time for notes, sketching and fittings while consciously balancing home life too.

It seems designers are either in the future or in the past – we were set to speak about autumn/winter 17 and although timely, the crest of that wave has been and gone as far as fashion chronology is concerned.

Fashion moves fast, it’s never still. Alice wishes it was slower – but she’s taking time for some “peace and quiet” by shunning London’s notorious Notting Hill carnival and going away to Ibiza.

A typical week for Alice will see her in the studio 42

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three times, creating the narratives of her pieces (20 stories or so), working on the silhouettes, sketching, doing fittings once a week “where the creativity comes alive in 3D” and then the rest of the week involves working alongside the sales team and taking care of logistics. It’s full-on and she’s hands-on but she’s got “a brilliant team,” says Alice, who have a varied and strong skill set. What kind of boss is she? “I’m a nice boss. I like to hang out with the people I work with and have a good laugh. I really strive for a work/life balance - at the beginning I worked around the clock learning everything from scratch. It’s never just about being able to design a collection, it’s about barcodes, shipping and sales. But I don’t do laziness or attitude.

This industry is hard work, there’s no place for that,” she adds.

For the past 15 years, Temperley London has thrived in the fashion industry, weathered the financial storm and remains one of the most celebrated British labels around the world. The characteristic folklore fantasy of the brand has caught the imaginations of dreamy romantics and has made women feel their

Designer

Focus

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“I don’t do laziness or attitude. This industry is really hard work, there’s no place for that.” whimsical best wearing beautifully embroidered pieces that have oodles of elegant movement. This season, the escapism motif so true to the Temperely London story was carried throughout, but there were some cleaner, more structured pieces that came to the fore too.

“We’ve always done really strong tailoring, the quilted skirts and coats with the high-waisted trousers from this season is showing that we’re not just about pretty dresses. We’re really pushing the day-wear category forward because as it stands 60% of the brand is everyday pieces, whereas if you looked at the business just four years ago, it was predominantly evening wear, so there’s been a big shift,” explains Alice. What we see on the runway are the showpieces – ones that bedazzle the critics but beyond the catwalk are the more tonal but still detailed numbers. The trousers for example; they aren’t run of the mill, they’re identifiably Temperley trousers with that bohemian ruffle and flow, giving it a folklore stamp.

“I wear my own creations 95% of the time but I wish I had more occasions to wear all the beautiful pieces I have in my wardrobe!” she says. Ibiza is the opportune destination to catch up on all outfits lost to time. If you were to catch Alice on a regular day though, you’d probably find her in her self-proclaimed uniform. “If I’m being functional, I wear high-waisted trousers and a white shirt.” She understands why most designers wear head-to-toe black when working on their collections because it skirts any clash between seasons and serves as a blank canvas to think clearly about design.

Our region loves to peacock, so to speak. The emphasis is on showing and being larger-than-life, stereotypically at least. For a distinctly British brand, why has this market been so receptive to Temperley London? “I think they can see it’s additional work that has gone into each piece. Everything is hand-done and has a place – there is something that makes it more unique. Our Italian jacquards are doing particularly well in the region and it’s really refined fabric with beautiful print, with a feminine shape. The fabrics are becoming even more luxurious – you see it on a table and you just want to touch it. It’s tastefully elegant where a woman looks the best she is,” says Alice.

Fundamentally, Temperley London is countryside romantic with splashes of sequins and jazz. Alice’s 44

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Designer

Focus

Starter For Ten What should every woman try a t least once in her life?

Try and be solitary for two weeks a year. Take yourself out of today’s rat race. No gadgets. It’s food for the soul.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Listen to yourself and just get on with it.

Don’t be distracted by other people’s noise and opinions.

What’s on your bookshelf?

I just read ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett and for my trip to Ibiza I’ve got ‘Headstrong’ by Dave Asprey. When I’m not reading children’s books I balance it out with novels and intelligent reads.

What item in your closet do you wear the most?

White shirts.

Who is on your guest list for a dinner party?

People who make me laugh is the best tonic.

What’s your greatest indulgence?

Impractical things for the home and impractical cars!

What’s your beauty secret?

I just wear red lipstick, I don’t generally wear a lot of makeup.

affinity with the country-side stems from childhood and is a present place of refuge too. When I ask her if she internalises that romantic aesthetic, she instantly nods in agreement. She lives out the stories behind each piece she creates as it “takes away any monotony”.

There is something other-worldly about Alice. She carries herself with a feathery lightness, her tresses cascade with a pre-Raphaelite quality and she has a soothing disposition. Even if she didn’t live out that narrative, she certainly looks like she does.

What is the one thing you wish you knew when you were younger?

Don’t overthink or overcomplicate things, keep it simple. Live in the moment.

What is on your bucket list?

Next thing is building myself a big studio outside of London. And I want to create things that aren’t as fast as fashion, like photography.

What brings you the greatest joy?

My son. www.ohlala-magazine.com

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The Dark Ages If any designer could be credited for creating beautifully feminist armour for women, it would be Michael Cinco.

This collection speaks to the strength and power of a woman and how fashion can stamp a statement where words are not needed. We salute this breathtaking feat.

Photographer : TINA PATNI | Creative Director and Styling: MICHAEL CINCO | Hair and Make-Up: JOJO DANTESPADUA, BRIAN ONG ACALLAR, KERWIN SOLO | Set and Props: ANDREW DEL ROSARIO | ModelS: LINA and VICTORIA of MMG Models, LIGA and FRANCESCA of WILHELMINA Dubai 46

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uit of s r

out beauty is attainable.

We bring you a definitive guide on the latest trends and breakthroughs to achieve it.

on

e f ct r e P Stand i

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Dolce & Gabbana

In P u

Beauty Buzz

Chanel AW17 Tient Cushion collection, YSL

Lip Comfort Oil, Clarins Glow Shot, N°2, YSL

Dolce&

bbana AW 1

From imperfect lips, over-lined eyes and the return of pink, here are looks you’ll be wearing for AW17.

Laura Mercier Clay Smudge brush

Touche Eclat White, YSL

Cushion foundation, Guerlain

Lipstick, Chanel

Lingerie, Aqua Nude, Guerlain

Rose Quartz & Rose Comforting Body Balm, Prismologie

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Dolce&Ga

Winter Chic

Gabban

a AW17

7

Eye pencil, Laura Mercier

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YSL

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Beauty Talk

Editor’s picks

A n g e l a B e i t z r o u n ds u p t h is m o n t h ’ s e ss e n t i a l s .

Super Scents Diptyque has expanded its range of Fragrance Gestures which combine the intensity of scents with unexpected textures.

L’Ombre dans l’Eau, Do Son, Philosykos and Eau Rose are expressed in balms, gels, oils and foams whose surprising and unprecedented textures reveal a fragrance just as strong as an eau de toilette – a scent that lasts for hours.

1

4

G e t G l o wi n g Soak up the sun with Tom Ford’s sensuous series of bronzers, highlighters, and lip colours designed to illuminate the skin throughout the year. Innovative formulas glide onto eyes, lips, and cheeks infused with hydrating, nourishing, and anti-aging benefits.

We love.

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Pretty in Pink Pink by Lancôme celebrates this joie de vivre by showering pink over everyone’s lips and nails through its dual expertise in colour and make-up artistry. You’ll love this collection of glosses, lip pencils, and nail varnishes infused with pink and designed for fun, creativity and boldness.

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5 Pa l e t t e P e r f e c t i o n Chanel’s autumn/winter 17 makeup collection is inspired by a CalifornianroadtriptakenbyChanel’sGlobalCreativeMakeupandColour Designer, Lucia Pica, captured on her trip around Cali. If your budget will only stretch to one product, make it the Palette Essentielle. It’s a 3-in1 face saver that combines a balm-like concealer, a light-reflecting highlighter and a creamy blush into one handy compact.

All Smiles Aesop’s first toothpaste has been developed with the same attention to detail as the Skin Care formulations for which the company is renowned. It is a distinctively flavoured toothpaste that effectively cleans teeth and gums, and offers a unique alternative to a conventional peppermint base, combining the freshness of spearmint with subtle notes of anise.

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Urban, Sophisticated, Edgy The famous black glitter Black Opium bottle from YSL is an icon in its own right and now comes in a new limited-edition bottle destined to be a collector’s item. The black glitter sparkles brightly in stripes that emblazon the bottle in a criss-cross shape.

Interspersed with a crystalline rose, the luminous pink colour of the eau de parfum is the perfect fragrance for a special night out.

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Beauty Insight

The Essence of La Prairie We sit down with Greg Prodromides, Chief Marketing Officer, La Prairie to talk about the luxury of La Prairie and how it all began.

How was the brand founded?

The brand began in 1978 under Dr. Paul Neihans.

Dr Niehans was a Swiss doctor and the founder of Clinique La Prairie. He believed in rejuvenation- his specialisation- that was not simply about prolonging life or adding years to life but about improving the quality of a life lived. His research detailed about adding life to years. After over 20 years of research, he found a way to restore and prolong health and vitality with revolutionary cellular therapy that slowed the effects of aging. His ideas were revolutionary and unconventional, yet so effective that they became a cult secret, whispered about in the circles on nobility, royalty and celebrity. Located on the ancient shores of Lake Leman became home to the Clinique La Prairie. It became known as a place for extraordinary rejuvenating treatments.

How has the brand stayed popular and reputable?

They’ve consistently been the first to market with extraordinary ingredients and formulas establishing La Prairie as pioneers and leaders in the industry with a key position on anti-aging. They’ve led the luxury skincare market in both innovation and performance. They’ve never wavered from their brand pillars of luxury, innovation and commitment to excellence. Just recently, they are celebrating 30 years since their Skin Caviar collection first launched.

Tell us about the development of the Cellular Complex?

The exclusive Cellular Complex is La Prairie’s age-defying, life-infusing science signature. A closely held secret for decades, this proprietary complex has been at the heart of every La Prairie skincare formula since the beginning.

The history of Cellular Complex goes back to the 1930’s, when professor Paul Niehans, founder of Clinique La Prairie in Montreux Switzerland, developed a revolutionary cellular therapy to minimize the effects of aging.

The complex is something of a mystery, which is in keeping with La Prairie.

It is produced in three separate laboratories, ensuring that the full formula 60

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remains a secret and no single technician or chemist knows the exact recipe.

Could you tell us more about Skin Caviar Collection and how it changed the premium skincare industry?

Launched in 1987, Skin Caviar collection was a revolution in the skincare industry going beyond ordinary skincare to offer women infinite luxury and eternal beauty. La Prairie journeyed to the depths of the sea to capture precious caviar beads and harness their rate restorative powers. Using caviar in skincare back in 1987 was already a revolution in itself in the beauty industry and marked La Prairie’s commitment to source the most unique, precious and active ingredients to offer women an unparalleled skincare experience. This commitment to exceptional science and continuous quest for the most unique and precious ingredients has never ceased since. The legend was born.

Who is the La Prairie customer?

She is a woman of sophistication. She enjoys pure refinement and understated elegance. La Prairie offers a unique and intimate skincare experience.

Through our exclusive and innovative products, she seeks perfection and authentic luxury. Her beauty is ageless, timeless and eternal.

What are the La Prairie codes and values?

Pure. Rare. Eternal.

How important is Swiss science to the brand?

It all began in Montreux, Switzerland, beneath the majestic summits of the Alps. Ever since, La Prairie has led a constant quest to the very best of the Swiss science with innovative formulas and some of the world’s most coveted ingredients. Today, the La Prairie scientists have researched the most innovative and luxurious way to feature caviar in a formula featuring powerful ingredients. Our heritage but also our present (our headquarters and our scientists) are in Switzerland. It is one of the leading country for innovation and precision that you can find at the very core of our products.

Rare Ingredients

out for its pure beauty, platinum has been worked into the finest, most exquisite jewels, displaying at once a delicate elegance and an unparalleled strength. Scientists have also recognized it as a singular element with extraordinarily potent properties.

La Prairie has harnessed platinum’s splendor, developing a unique symbiosis in which this ultra-pure metal helps increase the effectiveness of a rejuvenating peptide.The proprietary Platinum Science supports cellular functions and the integrity of the skin’s underlying structure, providing the ultimate rejuvenation experience to reduce all visible signs of aging.

From the magnificent heights of the Swiss Alps to the deepest reaches of the sea, from far below the Earth’s crust to the banks of mountain streams, La Prairie travels to find the most extraordinary, beneficial ingredients to fulfill its quest for timeless beauty.

Caviar Collection

Cellular eye essence platinum

Caviar A mainstay of refined celebrations, caviar has served as a symbol of decadence and pleasure since the time of the Tsars. Encased in small, delicate, glistening black beads is an opulence that speaks to deeply held notions about extravagance, luxury and fine living. La Prairie has taken inspiration from this delicacy and interpreted it into a privileged indulgence for the skin. La Prairie’s caviar-based active ingredients, including Caviar Extract, Caviar Water and Caviar Absolute, offer unparalleled lifting and firming benefits, helping to improve the structure and functional quality of the skin’s extracellular matrix. They help to strengthen the skin barrier and encourage cells to better interact with each other, all of which contribute to youngerlooking skin. La Prairie’s Caviar Science is the essence of potent anti-aging indulgence.

Platinum Brought to Earth millennia ago by a fallen star, platinum is the rarest and most precious metal on the planet. The paragon of resilience and refinement, it transcends all expectations. Sought

Cellular Radiance perfecting fluide pure gold

Gold Long believed to be an elixir of longevity, gold has been used in skincare for centuries. It is said Cleopatra, famed for her beauty, used gold masks to preserve her youthful appearance. Empresses from ancient Chinese dynasties would apply crushed gold directly onto their skin to enhance their complexions. In Japan, Geisha have long relied on gold to give their beauty an incandescent glow. Throughout the centuries, women around the world have recognised gold’s ability to bring a touch of opulence and luminosity to their beauty ritual. Acting as a luminous filter, gold imbues skin with a natural glow. La Prairie has drawn on gold’s ability to revitalize and perfect the look of skin with a scientific breakthrough that binds pure gold particles to an anti-wrinkle peptide to enhance its effectiveness. The proprietary Gold Science Complex includes pure gold powder and gold pigments that light up the skin for unparalleled radiance and perfection. www.ohlala-magazine.com

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Beauty Focus

Staying Power If you’re an avid and loyal reader of Ohlala, you’ll know that we swear by serum. That’s why we were in seventh heaven when Guerlain announced its latest beauty magic.

Abeille Royale is an instant-action youth-boosting serum that has the richness of an oil and the freshness of a lotion. Formulated using unique and exclusive bee ingredients and Myrrh oil, the result is plump, highly nourished and hydrated skin. What more could you ask for?

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QR BREAKFAST BUFFET

EVERYDAY from 7:00 to 11:30 am

Start the day with a rich and balanced breakfast with a wide variety of international and local breakfast specialties.

4433 6666

Souq Waqif, P.O. Box 3496, Doha, Qatar.

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Beauty Column

In With The New Winter beauty calls for dramatic looks and it’s the perfect time to try something new. From statement manicures to imperfect lips, Angela Beitz rounds up key beauty and hair trends for AW17.

Messy hair

Just-got-out-of bed, cool-girl hair can be seen regularly on the catwalks, but this season it makes a big impact thanks to texturising spritzes and sea salt sprays. This look was seen at Fendi, Dries Van Noten and Vivienne Westwood. This will be the perfect look this winter paired with leather or lots of black. Just blow dry, spritz and you are ready to rock.

Loads of liner

Black eyeliner made its mark on catwalks at all four fashion weeks, but the Prada show in Milan is where it went bold. Beauty guru Pat McGrath topped the smudgy black eyes with a flash of blue and at Versace it was applied in great swoops from the inner corners of the eyes to the temples. Get your kohl at the ready.

Bleached brows

Bold natural brows are still most popular, but their bleached-out counterparts are making a statement this season. Proenza Schouler saw a monochrome look with barely-there brows, whilst unsaturated brows were paired with pastel eyeshadow at Mary Katrantzou.

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Statement Manis

The statement manicure is back and we couldn’t be happier. Checkerboard nails at House of Holland were uber cool, along with crystal-studded talons at Gucci and pressed flower designs at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi.

Get ready for some super fun and Insta-worthy nails.

Gorgeously groomed

Natural-looking beauty with a focus on glowing skin has been trending for many seasons but this time the look has evolved into something more sophisticated. Look to Lanvin, Max Mara and Isabel Marant for the best examples of the supermodel-esque glow, curled lashes and impeccably groomed brows. We love.

Perfectly Imperfect Lips

Probably our favourite new trend, imperfect lips take away the need for constant reapplying. Several shows showcased this look with “justsnogged” lips as the inspiration for the smeared, messed-up pouts, whilst subtly worn-in lips and diffused edges were on show at Temperley London and Topshop Unique. Use a lip stain or creamy lippy with lots of pigment to achieve this lip.

Medina Centrale, Marbella Street, Building B14 | T: +974 4456 8374 | Mall of Qatar, Ground Floor | T: +974 4028 5600 DebsWRemman debs_w_remman Debswremman info@debswremman.com | www.debswremman.com

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Ohlala Boutiques

The Beauty of Basics

Alexa Chung’s collection gives us so much life. No need to be OTT with your staple pieces – but these separates speak for themselves.

Lady of the Manor

There are royal airs and graces about Emilia Wickstead’s autumn-winter collection. Billowy statement sleeves and cinched waists – our favourites.

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Lovely Trinkets

A lovely, charming and sparkling affair is offered with Pandora’s collection this season. There’s a simple yet stunning glamour about each piece.

The Chic Utilitarian

Slouchy trousers check. Oversized cuts check. Outrageously sophisticated style, check, check. Shape and colour reign this season at Delpozo.

All brands are available at Fifty One East www.ohlala-magazine.com

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Ohlala Boutiques

The Super Shirt

If you’ve got a wardrobe full of staple shirts, make room for Palmer Harding’s autumn/winter 2017 collection of superb pieces. The British brand (created by friends and Central Saint Martins trained Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding) are known for their extravagant designs, wonderful volumes and unconventional panelling, angles and mixed fabrics – but principally, their shirts. This season sees extra experimentation and kooky constructions; a perfect collection to take your style up a few notches.

Palmer Harding’s new collection is now available at Per Lei Couture.

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Chopard’s Renovated Boutique

Chopard and long-time partner Al Fardan Jewellery have re-opened the Chopard boutique located in the VIP area of Villagio Mall. It has a warm atmosphere, light-toned white oak wood, opulent leathers, silk and precious velvet, perfect for a luxury shopping experience. www.ohlala-magazine.com

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High Street ... .Hero

Pernilla Wohlfahrt

If we could single out one high street brand that has provided us with the most reliably chic and statement making pieces season upon season, we’d crown H&M. We chat with Pernilla Wohlfahrt, H&M’s Head of Design and Creative Director about the new studio collection.

“Within all these contrasts, there’s a constant energy and tension that’s really exciting.”

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What can we expect from H&M’s AW17 collection?

For A/W 2017, the Studio Collection looked especially to the creativity and energy of New York City. It’s about how street-meets-sophistication, with a blending of graffiti prints with menswear checks, for example. Or the merging of different technical and traditional fabrics in a garment that expresses a fearless attitude. We were trying to capture the city’s vibrancy, strength and universal style, and apply that to a modern wardrobe.

What artistic direction have you taken for this season?

The H&M Studio collection is always about presenting to our customers the most important trends and key looks of the season. They are statement pieces from a limited edition collection that complements anything else from the main line. With the Studio Collection, however, we want to be especially forward-thinking and contemporary in our designs. So for this season, the urban sophistication inspired mainly by New York City is our own interpretation of what is “now”.

This season, we focused a lot on tailoring, but for a woman’s silhouette. And this applies not only to trouser suits, but also dresses, shirting, knits and more. There’s a neatness to all the pieces plus ultra-feminine details to balance it out, along with street or punk references to add in the mix. The result is hard-edged yet sophisticated.

What is it about New York that appeals to fashionistas so much?

I think New York appeals to everyone because it has that mix of downtown and uptown, street style and socialite, gritty and pretty, etc. Within all these contrasts, there’s a constant energy and tension that’s really exciting, and, of course, yields great style. It’s very much about modern dressing – the way in which people mix and match their pieces and how their love for a garment really shines through.

What are the hero pieces?

It’s always hard to choose, but the oversized hooded parka-poncho hybrid in the checked print and faux fur trim is key. It’s so tough yet cosy and you can literally throw it over anything and still look cool. The dresses are also important pieces. They follow the curves of the female body, but also might have a graffiti print or strong, structural elements. Nothing is too precious, which I think comes with the punk attitude we were channeling.

If you could collaborate with a dream designer, who would it be?

If it could be any designer that ever lived, I would have to say Coco Chanel. She is one of the pioneers of casual chic for women, using jersey fabrics or thinking about ease of movement, both of which were unheard of in her day. I would love to see what she would make of modern dressing today. She had that instinct of knowing what women wanted while also creating true, lasting classics. Plus, from all the famous quotes attributed to Coco Chanel, she would be good company!

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‫للخــياطة الرجالــية‬

‫كـالسيـك‬

Classic Man for Tailoring

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Tel. 4421 9357

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

e f i L h g i H e h T

iott Marquis City Centre Doha arr M into d cke che n ma rri Fe aig Cr of high-flying pampering. and had an unapologetic weekend

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LOcal Escapes

The Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha

should come as no great revelation if you live in Qatar. The two twin towers that stand at one end of the City Centre mall and tower over West Bay are a prominent feature of the capital’s skyline. I stepped inside to find what lies within one of the most popular and prominent hotel addresses for a weekend staycation.

The Marriott is vast. The lobby is longer and wider than a subway platform. You’re immediately greeted by a half a dozen staff tending to your every need from taking your luggage, to handing you water to assisting you with checking in. Their watchword is speed.

I stayed in the north tower on the thirty-fifth floor and you won’t be surprised to read that my view was not obscured by anything. I woke up to the sea view as the sun rose over the Persian Gulf. I could look down at the bustling streets below and the chaotic city centre mall and feel shrouded in an oasis of peace and simplicity, Whether doing business in the city or just treating yourself to some five-star pampering, this hotel will serve you well. It boasts an Olympic sized outdoor pool that is popular at the weekend with families but largely your own the rest of the time to either lie flat in the temperature controlled water or perfect your one minute mile!

The crisp cool water was the perfect antidote to the searing summer temperatures.

Their spa is modern and very elegantly designed. On the same level as the pool area but discretely hidden away, you can while away a couple of hours away being pampered with a relaxing body scrub or give those tense muscles some attention with a deep tissue massage.

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My masseur tailored everything to my needs, easing the pressure when it got too much and applied my choice or oil, a soothing and healthy chamomile. There is a hammam and sauna as well as a relaxium where you can sip tea and unwind leaving the world’s stresses and strains with the kindly receptionist who can return them to you afterwards if you want them back!

Location is always important, is it not? Here you can have that sense of getting away but if you want to dive back in to real life you can. The hotel has its own back door access to the City Centre mall so you can actually enter the shopping complex without ever leaving the hotel. It’s useful if like me, you forgot your toothbrush or want to make a few purchases without driving all the way out to a high maintenance mall. The cinema and food court is just inside the Marriott’s side door so you haven’t got far if you’re on the hunt for entertainment.

Saying that, I would avoid the food court because you’ve got more than enough options inside the hotel. You’ll not get hungry staying here as I quickly learned. I had dinner at Ipanema which is their answer to a Brazilian churrascaria (or barbecue). While a few portraits of Copacabana beach may not instantly make you feel like you’re at carnival in Brazil, the food fortunately does transport you there. To add some fun, there is a place mat which is red one side and green the other. If you’re mat is red-side up it means you want a break or you’ve had enough but if you leave it green-side up, it means, bring it on, I want some more. I tucked into their buffet of healthy salads and a vast range of seafood to start off before the fun got going

and a raft of waiters hurriedly ran riot with different cuts of meat on skewers ready to carve some slivers for me. I most certainly got my fill. All meat is freshly imported, the chef told me and it’s sourced far and wide for the best possible quality.

Breakfast is taken care of in Crossroads which is their mainstay restaurant which is a large and impressive buffet with international options from Europe, America, India and the Middle East plus the staff will cook items to order like their mean ‘omelette of the day’ which they managed to fit a little of everything possible into!

The award-winning New York Steakhouse is located at this property as is the Italian restaurant, Cucina, both of which I’ve tried and highly recommend. Quickbites on the lobby level is ideally suited to grabbing a quick snack and coffee if you’re having a snappy business meeting.

And sports lovers will easily veer to Champions, a bar that aims to show every sport being aired on television at any given moment, or at least it feels that way!

For more information or reservations call: 4419 5000 www.ohlala-magazine.com

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For the Modern Middle-Eastern Woman

THE ESSENCE OF STYLE

Alice temperleY and the

art Of rOmantic chic

SecretS to Younger Skin + the best Of aw17 beauty

THE BIG FASHION EDIT Our runway repOrt + trends + what tO buy nOw www.Ohlala-magazine.cOm september 2017 | issue 75 Qatar | Qr20

Ohlala Cover September Qatar.indd 1

SpectAculAr Sri lAnkA: An intimAte & StYliSh eScApe 27/08/17 15:14

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A Sri Lankan Sojourn If there were any mystical landscapes to include in a luxury bucket list, Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Tea Trails and Cape Weligama would come on top. Georgie Bradley experiences colonial and beach splendour in equal measure.

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Travel Escapes Massey

“By nightfall, the surroundings are opaque black – not even the contours of the hills can be seen but in the opposite and nearby bungalows, ambient lighting seep the windows.”

If I were to pen a book,

I’d want to spend an indefinite amount of time at the Ceylon Tea Trails. I knew this from the second we left dust bowl Colombo and our four by four starting to snake up and around the rows of tea buds and leaves into a green paradise. It was barely past seven in the morning, the pale mist was rising and curling over the hills towards the high blue sky. Despite the unpaved and at times, stomach churning drive, the vistas were so beguiling, I indulged in the sluggish pace and took it all in.

I arrived at the Summerville Bungalow at midday, one of the bungalows part of the Dunkeld Estate in Hatton founded by Merrill J Fernando in 2005. A perfectly craggy pathway led to the twee, pale yellow front door where my warm-faced butler was waiting for me, ready to scoop up my luggage with hearty haste and give me a personalised tour.

Picture if you will, a remote cottage overlooking the still, moody blue Castlereagh lake surrounded by vast swathes of green hills and thick manes of trees, speckled with polychrome flowers and lowlying broccoli shaped clouds where thin slices of sun occasionally

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spill through. Although you’re in the depths of Hatton, Sri Lanka, there are close echoes of the Scottish Highlands courtesy of the all-encompassing rich and broody nature. Wonderfully, the wild outnumber the humans. Quiet is your companion at the Summerville Bungalow and back to my initial reaction, it’s the stuff of dreams for a wordsmith.

The bedroom features a glorious four poster bed. The furnishings are wooden and tastefully colonial. The bathroom calls for oo-ing and aa-ing in its own right. A stand-alone bathtub over Victorian black and white tiling, complete with gorgeously scented accoutrements adds to the luxury of the stay. It has an overall upmarket B&B feel to it; it’s personal and quaint. The patio doors open up to a set of deck chairs and another vision to behold. I communed with the wilderness for hours on end, read appropriately slow and romantic literature, closed my eyes and let the booms of nature ripple through me without feeling the slightest itch of boredom. Despite sharing the bungalow with other guests, they were nowhere to be found or heard. Bliss.

Sebastian Posingis

Sansoni

Sebastian Posingis DUNKELD

Golec

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Massey

Massey

“Wonderfully, the wild outnumber the humans.”

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Sebastian Posingis

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Massey

Nothing is spoiled by 21st century gadgetry at the Summerville Bungalow. With the exception of the iPod dock in the living room area crooning out a rolling playlist of Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra as well as a small and discreet flat screen TV, the space is devoid of modern interruptions. The living room ought to be Pinterest’s poster for ‘décor goals’ – there are throws, there are ornate lampshades with dainty detailing, there are coffee table books, there are second hand library books and there’s a well-stocked bar with gentry-approved tipples next to a roaring fire – being over 4000ft above sea level here means the temperatures are refreshingly cooler and invites a cosy up on the sofa.

The veranda overlooking the infinity pool has five tables set up (five suites, five tables) – you see the tea plantations ahead of you, which never ceases to tire the eyes. As the Summerville Bungalow is in a remote location, your food and beverage is included in the stay. Each meal is elegantly plated and inspired by the local land. You eliminate any sinful diet sabotaging despite eating three course meals, three times a day because the portions are delicate and the ingredients come in their purest form and cooked with expert freshness. A standout soup had to be the pumpkin as well as the leek and potato bisque while the baked yoghurt with clumps of blackberries in the middle can only be described as special. You can also feast on a Sri Lankan spread which includes a courgette curry, fish curry, rice with fried (but still lean tasting) cashews and onions and Vattalappam for dessert, a type of custard finishing.

While you could effectively spend your entire time holed up in the bungalow, there’s an impressive roster of activities on offer. You can take to the hills and hike, you can bird watch, visit Kandy, brace white water rafting or even go fishing in the Castlereagh lake. I stayed put for 48 hours and embraced the pause the experience offered.

By nightfall, the surroundings are opaque black – not even the contours of the hills can be seen but in the opposite and nearby bungalows, ambient lighting seep the windows and the magic of the Ceylon Tea Trail experience is sealed off beautifully.

Travel Escapes “The villa follows the rules of colour pop minimalism offset against antique wooden cabinets.”

To get to Cape Weligama

Tom Parker

Sebastian Posingis

from the Tea Trails, you need to factor in a six-hour drive or a seaplane option that shaves off over three-quarters of the aforementioned time frame. However, in the interest of seeing the changing landscapes from the high hills to the southern headland where Cape Weligama is positioned, the drive suited my adventurous sensibilities. What could have been a thumb twirling, exhaustive ride, turned out to be six hours gone in a poof.

Plugged into a series of podcasts, I leaned against a constant picture window of rich foliage interspersed with gentle smiles and frantic waves from locals as we threaded between dusty villages.

As we came back down to sea level, the steamy streets widened my eyes. The pace and cacophony built up to a rush hour crescendo.

But there’s something so glorious about being a spectator to this madness, where you don’t move an inch but the outside world spins around you and that grating noise is but a murmur from the inside.

After wading through traffic, we approached the barely-there entrance to Cape Weligama, as if it were a hushed secret. The tone was set for my beach escape. With just another 50-meter drive to the reception, the property is properly secluded. After an aromatic welcome drink, I was whisked off in a buggy to my villa.

The 18 hectares, sumptuous property is atop a vast cliffside on an Indian Ocean headland near Galle with 39 villas and suites. I was staying in an ocean villa that had the privacy level of a manor and a shared garden pool (although I monopolised the pool as the next-door villa wasn’t occupied). You don’t get the tidal wave of tourists here. The villa follows the rules of colour pop minimalism offset against antique wooden cabinets and a broad desk that can fit an entire office of stationary. The bathroom offers private vantage points for views of the ocean below. I almost asked for a floor plan of the villa for it’s larger than most apartments you’d find in any city. It felt like I had come to my holiday home where I’d spend an entire two months basking in the uninterrupted views of the shimmering ocean, eat buckets of prawns swimming in garlic, watch my limbs turn brown and my hair change a shade lighter. www.ohlala-magazine.com

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Tom Parker

Sebastian Posingis

Sebastian Posingis

Tom Parker

Tom Parker

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Sebastian Posingis

Travel Escapes

For more information or to book a stay visit: www.resplendentceylon.com Tom Parker

“The waves bounced and frothed against the biscuit-coloured cliffs – I dodged the incoming waves with child-like squeals.”

was on the edge of the infinity pool with its glassy waters, overlooking the ocean. Lots of likes on Instagram. My aim of cultivating greeneyed envy worked. Even I was jealous of that post and I was immersed, full-body, in it!

Luxury exists in every part of Cape Weligama. For such a sprawling property, not one blade of grass is left to wither. I spent a few hours scoping out the grounds, bumped into the general manager, Dirk, who was on his maintenance rounds, spoke with roaming members of staff who were always generous with their time and resources and finally settled on a lush tropical patch of garden outside my villa with some complimentary snacks – which make all the difference for a detailoriented traveller like yours truly.

Although I could have indulged in a lavish breakfast-in-bed scenario, I awoke each morning at the break of dawn to the rustle of palm trees and birdsong and made the short but pleasant walk to the all-day dining restaurant, Ocean Terrace, where I picked between a Sri Lankan breakfast and a few Continental comforts. Having exotic wild fruits with a fluffy buttered croissant while transfixed by the ludicrously beautiful views of the rugged coastline ahead, is like a dream you don’t want to wake up from. Normally I’m a breakfast on-the-go girl but here, the reverse transpired. I whiled away two unplanned hours. Everything was peachy and warm. Other culinary offerings include the Ocean Grill restaurant. There, I got my fill of chicken teriyaki with avocado (tastes miles better in Sri Lanka) as well as a pungent ceviche followed by a row of splendid sorbets.

As I retreated to my villa on the last night, I sat out on the patio on one of the cushioned (so comfortable it was like a mattress) sofas. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t need to. Just being was fulfilling enough. The atmosphere was whisper-quiet, only broken by the midnight waves. As I contemplated my lamentably looming departure, my thoughts turned to a quote from the works of Ibn Battuta: “Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”

I stepped onto the patio, continuing this mental fantasy and breathed in the salt of the air. Ahead of me were the slow, crashing waves which were as soothing as they were stirring. It drew me in; I walked towards the ocean, went down the many steps to get to the bottom and enjoyed the stretch of sand that went into the far distance. The waves bounced and frothed against the biscuit-coloured cliffs – I dodged the incoming waves with child-like squeals. I never felt so dwarfed by nature, so insignificant yet so alive. The wild waters can test the strongest of swimmers (I kept to a quick foot paddle) but the default experience is to just watch.

Up at the property again, I took a postcard of the resort from my villa and snapped a meta photo of me holding up the card against the exact image, in the exact spot in real life and time. ‘Postcards from the edge’ I called it. The moment simply called for it. Quite literally, I www.ohlala-magazine.com

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Chic Eats

Pan Asian Passions

Craig Ferriman indulges in a swirl of flavours as he tucks into an Asian feast like no other at InterContinental Doha The City’s Hwang restaurant.

I

t’s hard to sum Hwang up. A friend I took for dinner there thought we were going for Chinese which is not entirely false as they cook cracking Chinese dishes but I was sure I’d emphasised the great Indonesian items they have after I went to the highly successful Indonesian festival there earlier this year. It’s not actually an Indonesian themed restaurant either. Or Thai. Or Vietnamese. It is a much more holistic celebration of south east Asian cooking and it is not elite. Yes it’s located in a five star restaurant, the service and the staff are utterly superb and the decor and quality is five star but the design of their menu is actually inspired by good old fashioned street food so you can actually tuck into the grub of the people.

My mission on my visit to Hwang was to sample their greatest hits if you will. I tried a couple of their appealing appetisers but they taste even better than they sound. The Lumpia Medan was served to us and the easiest way I can describe them are like Indonesian spring rolls, though that doesn’t quite do them justice. Deceptively small but oozing with flavour, they consist of minced chicken, bamboo shoots, spring onions and tonnes of other healthy stuff. The other starter of note are the Wasabi Prawns which are very good.

There are lots of enticing excuses to Hwang these days. Tuesday is the dedicated curry night and you can tuck into a rage of curries all for QR128! I tried their Malaysian Chicken Kapitan Curry and their hot and spicy Chicken Gulai but the real winner, and for that matter, Hwang’s most popular curry is the Beef Rendang which is pretty darn hot but rich in flavour and the meat is so tender and succulent.

Another hot new promotion filling the place with punters now is the Soul in a Bowl deal. I tried their steamed dumplings which tickle you in the mouth.

The Mongolian Stir Fried Chicken is the stand out bowl with a lot of soul for me but the gimmicky dish that is worth a go is the Chow Mein fried noodles.

I say gimmicky but not unkindly because they use dry noodles and have a great sauce at the bottom so we were shown how to mix the noodles in with the soy sauce. They do good stuff with fish too as the Fried Hammour in Thai Chilli sauce excellently exemplified.

Desserts are authentically Asian and decently varied. Hwang is great for groups because it offers intimate little partitioned areas for half a dozen or so people to have a get together in semi-privacy while still getting waited on by extremely friendly and attentive waitresses. I sat in the heart of the restaurant and saw plenty of people around me from families to couples and the vibe was relaxed and it was not too noisy. It seems word is spreading that Hwang is the place to hang!

For more information or to make a reservation call: 4015 8888

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Luxury Spa & Wellness Awards We couldn’t be more excited to lift this off the ground. In what is our first (of many more to come) annual awards recognising the best in luxury spas and wellness in Doha, we are very excited to see this event come into fruition. After years of trying and testing lavish treatments across the city from plush hotel spas to fabulous independent venues, Ohlala has become the luxury authority in Doha. We want to celebrate the leaders of the industry and continue to indulge in the finer things in life. As we prepare for our divine ceremony next month, we present the nominees in our well thought out categories. Enjoy and get pampering.

How It Works

Online Voting Beging

Online Voting Closes

The Awards Ceremony

Through a mix of Print, Social, Web & Direct media channels, we will announce nominees and drive traffic to the Online voting page. Check it out on: www.ohlala-magazine.com

Voting decides the Favourite winners in their categories. A panel of bloggers, influencers and our editorial team decide the Best winners in their categories.

All participants are invited to the luxury day-time soiree at the grounds of The St. Regis Doha.

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Best New Spa InterContinental Doha Mondrian Doha Divas Lounge – The Pearl Airada Spa Millenium Plaza Doha Katara Beach Club by LivNordic Spa & Wellness

Banana Island Resort Doha

by Anantara

Best Hotel Spa The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa The St. Regis Doha Marsa Malaz Kempinski – The Pearl Doha Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Shangri-La Hotel Doha Four Seasons Hotel Doha Best Resort Spa InterContinental Doha Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara Marsa Malaz Kempinski – The Pearl Doha Four Seasons Hotel Doha The St. Regis Doha

Four Seasons Hotel Doha

Best City Spa Marriott Marquis City Center Doha W Doha Hotel & Residences Luxury Spa & Fitness The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa Shangri-La Hotel Doha Hilton Doha Melia Doha Best Day Spas Airada Spa Diva Lounge Guerlain Alfardan Spa Al Mashata Beauty Center & Spa B/Attitude Katara Beach Club

Best Hammam Treatment Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels Marsa Malaz Kempinski – The Pearl Doha Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel The St. Regis Doha

Best Female Spa Airada Spa Diva Lounge Guerlain Alfardan Spa Al Mashata Beauty Center & Spa B/Attitude Katara Beach Club Maison de Joelle

Best Spa Signature Treatment Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Shangri-La Hotel Doha Grand Hyatt Doha The St. Regis Doha Four Seasons Hotel Doha InterContinental Doha Katara Beach Club by LivNordic Spa & Wellness

Best Male Spa Royal Thai Men Spa Body Glaze, Gents Spa Luxury Spa & Fitness Shangri-La Doha W Doha Hotel & Residences

Best Couples Treatment Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara

Four Seasons Hotel Doha Grand Hyatt Doha Sharq Village and Spa, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel The St. Regis Doha Marsa Malaz Kempinskin, The Pearl Doha Best Spa Brand Bliss Spa by Clarins Guerlain Alfardan Spa Eforea Spa Katara Beach Club by LivNordic Spa & Wellness Remede Spa CHI Best Spa Products Guerlain Spa Alfardan Shangri-La Hotel Doha Four Seasons Hotel Doha The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl Doha www.ohlala-magazine.com

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Ohlala Awards

Best Spa Design InterContinental Doha Shangri-La Hotel Doha Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Four Seasons Hotel Doha Katara Beach Club by LivNordic Spa & Wellness Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl Doha Best Health Club Katara Beach Club by LivNordic Spa & Wellness Four Seasons Hotel Doha Balance Wellness by Anantara B/Attitude Yama Yoga OxFitness Lab Jaula Spa & Club Best Fitness Center OxFitness Lab Gymmito Anytime Fitness Jaula Spa & Club Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel Ritz-Carlton Fitness Centre

Intercontinental Doha

Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl Doha

Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Best Medical Spa Ni YU Leaders Skin Group & Clinic Silkor The Pearl Dermatology and Laser Center Best Beauty Salon Chic & Posh LPG Endermo Spa Dot Beauty Glow American Salon Roots Beauty Box Best Hair Salon Franck Provost Blue Brush Skin and Soul Snips Glow American Salon Beauty Box 88

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Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl Doha

Best Dental Spa British Dental Clinic Smile Dental Care Al Dana Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry Center Dr. Sarah’s Specialist Dental Centre Doha Dental Weight Loss Program VLCC Balance Wellness by Anantara Diet Delights Crunch Doha Slim’n Lite Health and Diet Food Center Best Hospital Al Ahli Hospital Women’s Hospital Rumailah Hospital Aster Medical Centre Al Khor General Hospital Special Contribution to the Wellness Industry Ghanim Al Sulaiti & Jawaher Al Fardan

Ohlala Spotlight

SelfPortrait In an age where image is everything, stumbling across JKF Indulgence made our hearts beat a little faster.We chat with the founder of the image consultant company, Janet Litchfield, about personalities, style and why Doha is all about appearances.

What does an image consultant do?

A qualified image consultant guides clients in identifying missing links in their presentation and self-projection. They assist in the management of their lifestyles and provide direction on how to enhance their image both within life-roles and also aligned with their aspirations. They help the client to walk the talk. We offer services to assist clients understand how to dress their body type, and how to match colours with their personal features, declutter wardrobes for efficiency, shopping smart, makeup and general personal grooming. We become informal personal mentors by developing creative partnerships with our clients.

Are there any misconceptions about image consulting that you wish to

debunk and set the record straight?

The main misconception is that most people assume this service belongs to the rich and famous. We believe everyone is a diamond in their own circumstances and we can help them shine. We achieve this by reaching beyond the superficial and discovering the client’s personal uniqueness. We then focus on these elements by polishing them.

How did you get into this line of work?

I have been in the fashion industry from an early age through catwalk competitions, fashion showcases and magazine modeling. I’m a keen observer of what’s around me and a person’s presentation has always intrigued me.

We all silently communicate by how we present and project ourselves.

I am passionate for the great styles and fashions of every new season. I developed my styling interests into a professional expertise over many years, and complimented this knowledge by obtaining a professional certification in image consultation. I am a member of AISC which keeps us informed of the latest trends and developments in the world of personal styling.

What’s your personal style and image?

I have a hybrid image between romantic classic and natural style. Heavy makeup does not suit my complexion so I mostly apply a tone, if any at all.

I’m attracted to feminine concepts by choosing fine delicate fabrics, cute curls and drapes, eye catching colors and curvy shape attires. For example I have a preference for silk pants, tailor cut dresses and pencil skirts.

I promote my image as friendly and tough, but not dangerous. Self-confident yet approachable. I suitably adapt these themes for each occasion or activity.

How do you get to know your clients to help with their image, what’s the process?

It’s always an individualistic approach. Most clients require just 3 to 4 initial steps instead of an all-encompassing assessment. Consultation is fundamental to understanding what the client wants to achieve and how committed they are to the processes. In this initial stage we evaluate possibilities and the next steps we need to take. We perform a skin color analysis and a draping to identify suitable colors for the seasons, take body measurements for body size and body type, we may also draw a wardrobe cleanse together with replenishment concepts. It can be an ongoing cycle, but the consultation process ultimately empowers the client to manage their own image going forward.

What do you find the hardest to work on: The style or the personality?

It’s interesting that great personalities often get away with a mishap in style and not the vice versa. Through style and physical presentation people give you a peek of their personality. I find that personality is the hardest to work with because of the many restrictions and boundaries that client’s sometimes place upon themselves.

Why do you think image is so important, especially in a city like Doha?

I find most residents use the climate and culture of the GCC as an excuse to be dull. Yes, there are cultural codes but there’s also a great acceptance of decency and smartness. Many residents have hectic lives without enough time to attend to themselves with a higher priority. We offer our services to deliver and teach efficiency, and to show clients how to look amazing at all times. What we offer is part of a self-development and personal growth curve, be it in a career, marriage, socializing, or motherhood. Plus it’s a fun and exciting journey for our clients as they learn the things about themselves that they have taken for granted, yet it’s very important - life changing.

Visit: www.jkfindulgence.com www.ohlala-magazine.com

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Ohlala Spotlight

The Perfect Day

Dream weddings don’t just happen, they’re planned.

Take note of Doha Marriott Hotel’s superb venue offerings.

F ive-star luxur y is yours to enjoy here in Qatar at the Doha Marriott Hotel. Perfectly situated on the private Gulf Bay beach, and just a short drive from Hamad International Airport, the hotel provides a wonderful destination for both work and play. Apart from a luxurious spa and a selection of award-winning restaurants, the hotel also offers a stunning ballroom perfect for a wedding celebration. The hotel opened as the first fivestar hotel in Qatar in 1972 as a Gulf Hotel and joined the Marriott International Lodging Portfolio in 1999 and since then it has hosted hundreds of weddings. It is part of the histor y of the hotel and all of the associates are extremely proud to work in such an iconic property. In some cases some couples wish to get married where their parents did and it is a truly wonderful tradition. W ith a private entrance and foyer together paired with impeccable ser vice and mouth-watering food and beverage offerings, the Al Fayrouz Ballroom definitely stands out among other venues in Doha. W hat makes the planning less stressful is that all the associates that are involved in the wedding planning are trained to help the couple in any way possible. After completing demanding coursework, each Marriott Certified Wedding Planner is qualified to coordinate weddings of all types and sizes. Relying on experience, training, tradition and old-fashioned intuition, Marriott Certified Wedding Planners can help you determine an overall vision for your wedding and help you execute each detail. That includes setting an event budget, deciding on a menu, arranging table settings, and finding florists, photographers, a band and other entertainment for the big day. At the Doha Marriott Hotel qualified chefs from various corners of the world can help to prepare an impeccable menu that will fit the occasion. After the date is set the couple is given an exclusive voucher for a special discount for the next social event whether it is a birthday, engagement or henna party and a choice of enjoying a romantic meal or a spa treatment for two. Make your dreams come true and plan your wedding at the Doha Marriott Hotel.

For more information please contact our wedding expert Mohammad Al Ramahi: 3316 5376 or e-mail: mohammad.alramahi@marriott.com 90

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Ohlala Spotlight

Next Level Luxury

As the Mondrian Doha Hotel opens its lavish doors next month, we explore the best of its decadent wedding offerings.

A 2,000sqm ballroom, a 24k gold private elevator leading to the most decadent VIP bridal suite in the world and a grand staircase entrance that makes for a showstopping arrival – these are just a few elements of what it would be like to have a wedding at the Mondrian Doha.

The Moonstone Ballroom, designed by world-celebrated Dutch designer, Marcel Wanders, features ornate plaster ceiling domes with crystal chandeliers that create a sense of occasion and opulence, floorto-ceiling draped curtains, and state-ofthe-art technology which includes a fully functional technical room, drop down screens and projections. The ballroom can be transformed into different settings with distinct atmospheres, suitable for any size or wedding style, and can also be divided into two separate rooms.

The Opal Bridal Suite is 600sqm of extravagance and located on the same floor as the ESPA spa. With an entranceway filled with crystallised mirrors and crystal chandeliers, the Opal Suite has four rooms; master bedroom; a formal dressing room and make-up room; a bridesmaid’s bedroom; hot sauna; soaking tub and a spacious living room. Brides are also able to watch their wedding preparations from the privacy of their suite via live projections onto the in-room screens. Inside the suite, a 24k gold Swarovski encrusted private elevator transports the bride directly into the spectacular Moonstone Ballroom, providing the ultimate grand entrance.

The lavish property’s wedding offering encompasses the finest food and drinks menus designed by international chefs and featuring both regional and international cuisine.

Mondrian Doha offers its own florist and chocolatier as well as a hair and beauty salon, ensuring that the bride’s dreams for her big day transcend imagination and become a reality.

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Chic Eats

September Dining

All the finest fare in the city.

Oryx Rotana Doha Every Friday & Saturday, make the most of your weekend and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the Cellar to the fullest with the new Lazy Lunch special. Tuck into their 3-course set menu for QR95 anytime from 12.30 pm to 7.00 pm, with an option to top it up with their 3-hour beverage package for QR90 only! It’s the only way to spend a weekend!

Call: 4402 3333

Westin Doha Hotel & Spa Stay up late with an extended happy hour in Sabai Thai. Enjoy refreshing drinks at only QR 25 from 9pm – 12.30am daily. Got late night cravings? Try a delicious bite from the exotic Thai Snacks Menu. Enjoy a complimentary drink at mix bar when you spend over QR150 for late happy hours and get 1 free drink at mix bar. Call: 33598514

Four Seasons Hotel Doha Start the weekend on a leisurely note in Elements, Il Teatro and Arabica for Friday brunch. 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 our Chocolate Cellar – matched by an all new setting of action stations that serve up an unforgettable backdrop for flavourful cuisine. It’s QR340 for a regular package and QR450 for a sparkling brunch, from 12:30pm to 4:30pm.

Call: 4494 8600

Grand Hyatt Doha We all deserve a cheat day once in a while, but what about a cheat month? Get your hands dirty at Santa Monica Breakfast Club as they bring you an eclectic mix of American, Korean, Chinese and Indian style ribs to ignite your taste buds. Their carefully mastered recipes are sure to leave you craving more, so relax, unwind and 94

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get stuck in. Everyday 12:00pm till late.

Call: 4448 1240

InterContinental Doha The City Enjoy some of the tastiest food the cities of the world have to offer right here at The Square with their fantastic new interactive Thursday Evening dining experience. Every Thursday, immerse yourself in the flavours from 5 of the world’s cities – with a different roundup of cities every week. Would you like us to feature a particular city of your choice? Just leave us a note on our City Suggestion board! It’s from 6:00pm till 11:00pm and is QR215 for food only.

Call: 7021 8765

Banana Island Resort Doha

by Anantara Discover the true taste of India in an evening of flavour and spice you will never forget. Authentic Tandoor cuisine is prepared and served to perfection at live cooking stations, filling the buffet with an endless array of seafood, meat and vegetarian selections. Every Thursday at Azraq Restaurant, from 7:00pm till 11:00pm for a deliciously satisfying experience – QR225 for in-house guests and QR275 for visiting guests.

Call: 4040 5050

Shangri-La Hotel Doha Gather family and friends for a brunch with a

Chinese twist. For QR238 choose unlimited servings of signature and traditional dim sum, you’ll also enjoy soup and noodles and more.

And because it’s still the weekend, indulge in unlimited flowing beverage at an additional supplement while admiring the view from 43 floors up.

Call: 4429 5295

Marsa Malaz Kempinski The Pearl Doha With the warmth of Latin American hospitality and lively family-style dining, Toro Toro brunch offers a selection of Pan Latin favourites as well as Toro Toro’s signature mouth-watering churrasco grill at the heart of every meal, while you enjoy a lively Bossa Nova band. It’s QR350 with soft beverages and QR390 for a full package. Every Friday from 12:30pm till 4:00pm. Call: 4035 5101

Jwala Opening Soon A new contemporary Indian restaurant located in Megapolis, Medina Centrale, The Pearl Doha will be opening soon. Jwala represents a culinary combination of classic and contemporary Indian Street food.

Its menu reflects the cultural diversity of the Subcontinents cuisine, influenced by a contemporary take on traditional Indian favourites.

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Health Files

The Transition The scorching heat has gone, time to say hello to some crisp weather says Pallavi Patil.

Falling leaves, apple ciders, pumpkin patches, hoodies, hot cocoa, we call it happiness.

With the changes

weather

comes an adjustment time for the body. The outward energetic becomes inward. The skin that celebrated sunshine must now protect from wind and cold. It takes the body a moment to understand that everything has changed. In that time we are vulnerable to “the wind that carries a thousand diseases.”

The good news is that we evolved on this planet alongside many of the natural cures to keep us healthy. The foods that are abundant in the fall seasons- root vegetables, squash, members of the alum family (garlic and onions), pears and apples, nuts and seeds, pungent herbs and spices. These are the things that can keep us healthy through the seasonal transition. In the summer we tend to crave cold foods and beverages. These are fine when the temperatures around and inside us are high, but as the shift into cooler, shorter days comes upon us, it is important to also shift our eating habits.

The transition from hot to cooler weather, however, can be very drying to the skin. As the weather becomes cooler it’s also drier. There is less humidity and drier air can strip the skin of moisture. Two important things to do for your skin during the fall is to repair any damage and to keep skin hydrated.

Repair

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causes uneven skin tone, discoloration and dark spots. Look for products that contain vitamin A and other products that even out skin tone and diminish pigmentation problems.

Hydrate

Add moisture rich products to your routine. With moisturestripping temperatures and air, you’ll need products with hydrating formulas. Swap lighter lotions for rich moisturizers and creams. Skin produces less oil in the cooler months so even those with normal and oily skin need a more hydrating formula than usual. If you have mature, photo-sensitive, or dry skin from conditions like eczema and psoriasis, you need products that protect and replenish the skin barrier.

Sunscreen

Don’t retire the sunscreen. We tend to forget sunscreen because its cooler out and the rays of the sun don’t feel as strong, but they are and can continue to cause damage. Be sure to continue using sunscreen or a moisturiser with adequate broad spectrum protection.

Not only does the new season bring changes in the climate but also some much-awaited festivities. Get ready to look topnotch glamourous by following the correct diet and skin care. Let all eyes be set upon your beauty!

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

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Miss Ohlala

Sorry, NO... ok, maybe Miss Ohlala considers our struggle with the ability to say “no” for fear of disappointing someone else.

Alexi Lubomirski

I understand the arguments for just saying no to something that you don’t want to do, but it can be harder to implement in practice. We are social animals and I believe it is human nature to be socially obliging and to have a strong desire to be liked. The word ‘no’ can be particularly challenging in a family context for fear of damaging family bonds. I think there is a social expectation that makes us feel pressured to live up to the saying “blood is thicker than water”.

I don’t see myself as under-assertive or overly empathetic, but nevertheless I often find it hard to say no to friends and family in particular. There are some friends that I would do almost anything for, short of murder. But we all have at least one friend who asks you to do a small favour which turns into a mammoth task and keeps you occupied for evenings on end, precluding you from watching your favourite Netflix series. It’s so irritating when the hubby gets ahead on a series and you’re compelled to play catch up or guess what ground has been covered in the last few episodes... but I digress.

I was the kind of child that felt obliged to compete for the school in the 3000m or 1500m run category, even though I had no particular skill at running long distance, just because no one else wanted to.

At university I was known by my friends as “Miss Can Do” as I was always keen to try a new activity, join a club or go out. With a “to do” list a mile long and a calendar that was bursting at the seams with extra-curricular activities, I realised by my final year that I was over-committed in terms of time, energy and finances and needed to rein myself in.

I spent years burning the candle at both ends and eventually came to the conclusion that you can’t do everything and you can’t please everyone all of the time. As I’ve grown older I cherish time spent with family and close friends. I think having a young family finally made me realise how important time is and therefore if I don’t really want to do something I 98

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won’t prioritise it over spending time with my husband or children.

Reaching the conclusion that I need to put myself and my immediate family first has been a game changer in my life. Being selfish of your time enables you to be dedicated to helping those you truly care about. I also enjoy my own company, and if I want to stay at home to watch another episode of Ru Paul, The Crown or another generic vampire series, rather than going out with friends, there should be nothing to stop me.

At this point in my life I feel less guilty if I say no to others. I only have regrets when I say yes when in fact I should have said no. It is true that saying no” is liberating. Now I just need to review my agenda for this week and strike out everything that doesn’t help me achieve my personal goals or support my close family and friends... easier said than done!

YOU BELONG HERE Membership at our Spa and Wellness Centre gives you a complete waterfront lifestyle in the heart of Doha. Enjoy exclusive access to our private beach and pools, extensive Spa and fitness facilities and many other benefits.

Short-term and long-term memberships available.

For more information, please contact the Spa on 44948802 fourseasons.com/doha

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