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4UZMF 7BVMU %VCBJ Publishers • Zainab Imichi Alhassan (Reine Michi Media & Publishing) • Natasha D’Souza Editorial • Editor-in- Chief: Zainab Imichi Alhassan • Editor: Natasha D’Souza • Online Editor: Behzad Sandila • Assistant Editor: Halimah Murtala • Contributing Editor: Juan Ochoa • Designer/Art Director: Gbemisola Giwa Contributing Writer • Naina Aidasani • Saima Yousufzai Photography • Svetlana Kniazeva Advertising & Sponsorship • info@stylevaultdubai.com • Contact +971508875879 The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions, however accused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or trans- mitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing.
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It’s fashion season all over the world, and everyone is focused on the clothes. While we love clothes more than ice cream and holidays. We decided to shift the attention in our editorial away from the clothes and to the most important part of our daily beauty routine, Lipsticks! Some like it subtle some like it bold…. Lipstick Boudoir shows you the different shades of the most popular lip colors this season. While we are still on the topic of beauty, we put our fashionable lens on the beautiful lawyer and Fashion Editor Natalia Shustova, who is gracing our cover for this issue and telling us her story. We also have a few goodies in our beauty vault from Interviews with make-up artist Afiya to beautician Kay Joosub of Glow Salon. We chose emerging designers in Paris as our focus this season and we did not leave out all the fashion razzmatazz like fashion forward out of the game either. Our interview with Scandinavian jewellery designer Louise Kragh also makes for an interesting read. Happy reading! xoxo Zainab Imichi Alhassan Editor-in-Chief
$0/5&/5 Beauty Editorial- Lipstick Boudoir
Cover Story - Natalia Shustova
Fashion Insider - Louise Kragh Fashion News The Beverly Hills Aesthetic & Medical Centre Blogger Spotlight - Mika Ashraf Event - Lane Crawford X Philip Lim Beauty Vault - All your beauty goodies in one issue
“I get an idea, and 14 days later I design and see how it looks – it helps me see what works and doesn’t” she says about how the process works. The clay deeply captivated her crea- tivity, to which she adds her love for color and texture.
Fashion Insider- Louise Kragh Scandanavian jewelry designer Written by Naina Aidasani
Sitting in the corner of Riva beach club, Louise Kragh looks effortlessly beautiful. With the sun just gently hitting her eyes, and dressed in all black, I can tell that she’s so lady like with the way she moves her hands while talking about her jewelry and her inspirations. Louise’s first time here in Dubai was not only to launch her work here, but also seek inspiration from the Arab world. What intrigued her most during her short stay here were the abayas local women were seen wearing – surprisingly not very different from the long dresses and skirts that have recently been seen in Denmark. Louise Kragh, whose career started from humble beginnings, personifies elegance just like her subtle delicate jewelry items. She has a background in fashion designing and yet decided to take up jewelry designing because she was passionately drawn towards the ceramics. What sets her work apart from others you may ask? She is the leading porcelain designer in Denmark, and also designs the pieces herself.
Louise enjoys looking at other jewelry from big fashion brands, only to see el- ements that make that particular piece unique on its won. A true lover of aesthetics and design, she aspires to make people drawn to her collec- tion because of its beauty. When asked about how different the fashion industry is in Denmark when com- pared to the one here in Dubai, Louise informed us that back home the small brands are the ones that do wonder. Backyard sales and pieces that stand out on their own and pro- voke curiosity are what a Danish woman really wants. “I found it very difficult to be a boss and have employees. It took me a lot of time to get used to it,” she said when I asked her the challenges she had faced with her brand. Because Louise herself makes each piece, the personal element to her work never ceases and “your brand really is you – maybe sometimes that is hard,” she also said. Her favorite part about the job however is making color. Molding ceramics can be very unpredictable because the oven influences the color and shape greatly. There is a lot of math and science involved in con- structing the pieces to how she would like them, but even though the excite- ment to open the oven and witness the end result is a thrill.
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Her personal favorite in her jewelry collection is a pair of earring she designed which she also had on during our meeting. Her clothes were minimalistic, yet her jewelry pieces seem to accentuate her grace. In a profession like jewelry making, Louise often sports on jeans and a casual look because time in the studio means getting dirty and messy; and that’s the way she loves it – being casual, riding her bike through the town. When she does dress up, she swears by a pair of heels because it makes her feel more woman-like. “Everyday woman is who I want to see my jewelry, because it looks different each time. Every individual makes it their own and I love seeing how women put my pieces together,” Louise said. Her inspiration comes from the thirst to satisfy this everyday woman. She hopes that people do not buy her products because they are famous, but to fall in love with it and make it memorable. “Jewelry is always cher- ished, and most likely is given by someone special or marks an occasion,” and Louise wants this happiness to be reflected in her customers. We at Style Vault are absolutely bowled over by her collection and wish her all the best!
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Angelina Dubai Angelina Dubai is a chic and luxurious patisserie located in Dubai Mall. Style Vault stopped by for dinner at the French tearoom and we weren’t disappointed. Even the Angelina in Paris where I have dined several times is not this nice and pretty. We started with the mango avocado tartare, which I was a bit hesitant to try, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. We then continued unto the crusted veal, which was delicious and finished off with the most amazing mousse I’ve ever had, the Choc Africain. It was amazing to taste the sweetness of Paris again.
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Nais Italian Kitchen I am very fussy about my pasta, I like it well cooked but not soggy hence my excitement after having my first taste of Penne Arrabiata at Nais Italian Kitchen. Every Italian restaurant has Penne Arrabiata on its menu, but Nais takes you a culinary journey that is reminiscent of your mum’s home cooking. The food was obviously delicious, but my favorite part was the bread, it’s weird but the quality of bread can affect my decision to visit a restaurant again or not. It’s safe to assume that I’ll be returning to Nais again.
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Style Vault Dubai chats with the founder of Glow Salon & Spa Kay Joosub 1) What is it about Glow’s service that sets it apart from other spas? ANS: At Glow Salon & Spa our philosophy is beauty inside and out. We are a bou- tique spa that focuses on beauty and wellness while encouraging healthy life- style. Our objective is to provide service with a smile and our team of staff are trained to ensure our clients comfort. We use high quality products in all our treat- ments. I personally try and test every single treatment before we finalize the pack- age, this allows me to understand the product further and monitor the results. 2) Of course people come to your spa to get pampered, but what simple every- day treatments do you recommend to people to look after themselves on a daily basis? ANS: Drinking plenty of water is a must to cleanse out your system and detox. Mild exercise is a must to prevent sluggish blood flow. I also have a rule of thumb, 5 vegetables and/ or fruits daily to help with sparkling eyes and great skin 3) How does your psychology/hypnotherapy background help you in how you operate Glow? ANS: Actually it is hypnotherapy and alternative healing that I practice and I use the knowledge on keeping beautiful inside as well as outside as well as inner peace which actually shows on the face and outer body. We release negative emotions and feelings that are getting us stuck. So I have incorporated all of these energy practices into various massages and treatments, using several es- sential oils that activate happy hormones. 4) What should a customer expect when they come to your salon or spa? ANS: Being pampered is total escapism and at Glow Spa & Salon, our customers can expect professional service by a team of well-trained staff and a range of treatments for beauty and wellness. We want them to leave feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
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5) Whose hairstyle do you find admirable? And who can use some of your help? ANS: I totally love Maya Diab, she has beautiful lush hair that is gorgeous con- stantly. I adore Julia Roberts, who is in her early forties and she looks amazing and good even in a ponytail. Many people are in comfort zone and feel there’s nothing more that can be done to them. I would love to work with people who are looking for a little change and don't know how to go about beautifying themselves. We are really excited to work with those types of people. 6) Anyone famous you would like to meet for a spa date? Can be more than one person. ANS: I would like to dine with Louise Hay, she is of Hay House Publications, these type of people intrigue me. It would be interesting to get her perspective on life and beauty and nature 7) If you could expand Glow into another avenue in addition to salon and spa, what would it be and why? ANS: I would actually have a retreat and call it Glow Retreat and have it some- where off Dubai. Because I’m passionate about seeing people evolve emotion- ally. There’s just too much negativity and unhappiness around that people are feeding off each other. The universe has answers to all our questions and I would be glad to see people evolve, 8) How confident are you in Glow’s success in Dubai? Do you think other similar places might make for tough competition? ANS: I am 100% confident of Glow success, I believe there’s enough for everyone in. Competition is healthy. Clients continue to look for what works for them and what they need and we have certain services that are similar to other spa but our energy treatments are uniquely our own.
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9) You were working on a book right now, care to elaborate on that? What is it about? ANS: I’m currently working on two books ; ones for children and the other for adults. I can’t talk much about them at the moment but they are both about leading joyful life and helping people in their journey to find their own joy 10) What advice would you have for any budding entrepreneurs? Particularly female ones. ANS: I always say follow your passion and if you fall pick yourself up, dust yourself and move on. In business like in life, there are always hurdles to overcome and it is those who continue to push the boundaries that emerge victorious. For women the responsibilities are further challenged by family responsibilities, this is not an excuse. It is your determination to achieve success that will allow you to disci- pline yourself towards that goal. 11) Who are your biggest supporters? ANS: In my life my greatest support has always been my family and friends; a sup- port system that has allowed me to push and maintain my focus throughout. At Glow I have a great team staff that delivers 200% every day and I’m grateful to my clients who continue to inspire me to do better again and again. 12) Where in Dubai do you like to go to relax and have a good time? ANS: I love nature so I’m usually drawn to places that are green – I enjoy long walks so I tend to go to the beach or parks for fresh air. I love good food and Dubai has amazing restaurants – I take advantage of that and pick a place on the weekends.
#FBVUZ #ZUF Huda Kattan- Huda Beauty Huda Beauty is a successful brand consisting of a world-renowned beauty blog and a selection of record- breaking beauty products. It is the brainchild of a Hollywood trained, celebrity makeup artist Huda Kattan. With such an amount of vast experience of doing makeup for women from all different backgrounds, this has helped her create products that appeal to a wide audience of females. After starting her blog – www.hudabeauty.com - in April 2010 she quickly became the number one most influential English site in the Middle East. Now with an average of 2 million views per month on her blog, not to mention an Instagram following of over 1.3 million Huda is on track to building her beauty empire! Huda’s popularity and experience has also led to celebrities requesting her to do their makeup on their visits to the UAE, this including the likes of Eva Longoria, Chiara Ferragni and Kimora Lee Simmons.
HudaBeauty Samatha @Sephora_95AED
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#FBVUZ #ZUF My Montagne Jeunesse Beauty Experience By Zainab Imichi Alhassan I am a sucker for beauty products; especially face masks and exfoliators so natural- ly I was super excited to try out Montagne Jeunesse face masks. I was skeptical at first because I am wary of colorful packaging; the saying “never judge a book by its cover” is the most apt way of explaining my surprise. I tried the Dead Sea mud mask and it was amazing, it felt cool and comfortable .I could immediately feel the difference between using a natural based beauty product and a more processed one. I left it on for 4 minutes and the changes were immediately visible. My face and neck felt softer and the little pimple from my breakout dried up 10 minutes later. By the end of the day, my breakout had cleared and I had my old smooth face back. I hardly recommend beauty products but Montagne Jeunesse face masks work miracles. Style Vault Dubai is giving away some masks from Montagne Jeunesse with this issue. All you have to do to enter the giveaway is like our facebook page, Mon- tagne Jeunesse facebook page (links below) and post the below on your page and tag both pages. ‘I just entered the @ Montagne Jeunesse UAE giveaway on @ Style Vault Dubai’ https://www.facebook.com/MontagneJeunesseUAE http://www.facebook.com/Stylevaultdubai
"'*:" Afiya Khalid is a Dubai-based make-up and hair mobile styling with expertise in henna designs as well. Her passion for creative beauty started as early as 16 when her obsession with colours and cosmetics started. Working on family and friends to experiment first and then to enhance her skills later, Afiya’s artistic flair encouraged her to pursue her passion to new heights. The art of henna design was also a creative outlet for Afiya who has over the years mastered the art of henna designs. In 2008, Afiya graduated from Makeup For Ever Academy with distinction and appreciation and has since worked with socialites, brides and local celebrities. She is fast carving her niche to become one of the most recognized faces in the beauty industry, both in the UAE and regionally. Afiya specializes in the art of transformation, her services range from make-up, hair styling to henna. For booking contact Afiya on: Email: info@afiyakhalid.com Or afiyakhalid15@hotmail.com Tel: 050 544 2428 http://www.afiyakhalid.com/ www.facebook.com/afiyakhalid Twitter: @afiyakhalid Instagram: @afiyaKhalid
#3&"45 $"/$&3 "8"3&/&44 Pinktober Mania
These brands are raising awareness for breast cancer in their own fashion.
Sauce ‘Sparkle for a good cause bracelet”
Papparoti celebrates 5th anniversary by going pink for breast cancer with gourmet bake-off
Ciate Breast Cancer Awareness Duo 2014
Tweezerman BCA Tweezers
'"4)*0/ "/% #&"65: /&84 Blitz Lane Crawford and 3.1 Phillip Lim Present ‘Exotic City’ Handbags Philip Lim and Lane Crawford launched a limited collection of exotic skin bags during Paris fashion week. The collection will be sold exclusively online and shipped globally via lanecrawford.com
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Lady Fozaza Debuts Youtube Show Alanoud Badr, popularly known as Lady Fozaza has teamed up with YouTube to offer the first online ‘reality fashion’ channel of its kind in the region. The Designer and It Girl will be sharing behind the scene deets with her vast followers.
'"4)*0/ "/% #&"65: /&84 Fashion week Middle East turned out to be a mess The much hyped fashion week Middle East did not live up to the press surround- ing it. From media requests to last minute schedule changes and pissed off de- signers, it is safe to say FWME was a train wreck. To add fuel to the already burn- ing fire Cameron Silver of Decades gave a detailed account of disorganized event on his blog http://candid.cameronsilver.com Essa Walla pulls out of fashion forward There was a lot of speculating going on when designer Essa Walla and fashion for- ward regular disappeared from the updated line-up. He later revealed that it was because he sold his entire collection before the show. John Galliano returns to his fashion throne The disgraced designer has been joined Maison Martin Margiela as the creative director and will be showing his first couture collection with the fashion house in January 2016. We are highly anticipating his debut. Lulu Guinness celebrates 25th anniversary The British accessories designer celebrates with a limited edition capsule collection of predominantly silver accessories in keeping with the 25th anniversary tradition.
Christian Louboutin and Elisa Sednaoui team up with MyGoodness Actress, Elisa Sednaoui, has teamed up with innovative celebrity fundraising plat- form www.MyGoodness.com to raise money and awareness for The Elisa Sed- naoui Foundation. Those who donate to the Foundation via MyGoodness.com will be given the chance of winning an exclusive weekend in Paris where they will meet Elisa herself as well as her iconic godfather, Christian Louboutin. Dubai Cosmetic Surgery Clinic introduces Ultherapy Gulf’s leading Cosmetic surgery clinic has expanded its non-invasive aesthetic portfolio to include Ultherapy, which is Hollywood’s hottest beauty secret, and an alternative to facelift without surgery. Ultherapy works through the power of ultra- sound energy to tighten, lift and tone the skin, hence the name “uplift” instead of facelift.
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(SJOLP Grinko steps out of the ordinary and stirs up a riot, a Synthetic Riot, as he calls his collection. This season, Grinko went with a little more artistic and naturalistic look that was motivated by politics. Exactly what pol- itics or whose politics does he refer to? Not sure but it must be fashion politics he came up with unusual combinations of fabrics, colors and things that could riot in fashion. For the Spring/Summer 2015 collection, his influences come mostly from street culture inspired by Mexican Cholas, braided hair and the accessible street sports wear culture which was accomplished through lay- ering. The collection was also influenced by artists as Kandinsky, Malevich and Matisse. During the presentation of his collection, seeing how the fabrics moved was difficult as the models were used as mannequins and not moving human beings. The presentation took place at the grand opening of the Flagship Store de la Maison Grinko. Being able to maneuver through the store with the large crowd was difficult especially when it came to viewing the collection. Though, all was made up with the Champagne and after party at the exclu- sive Grinko after party at the Titty Twister.
$BDIBSFM Fashion shouldn’t just be about the latest fashion trends. It should also consists of being frugal, natural and going back to ones own roots. Cacharel has taken a step back in time of the sixties to rediscover itself to the contemporary young girl for the Spring/Sum- mer 2015. In this season, Cacharel revisits the iconic swiss crepe while maintaining the flowers and birds which has been iconic to the brand. The new collection was inspired by the Bagatelle Gardens where nature meets nurture through its flowers and pastel colors. While young women appreciate the light- ness of the linen and cotton veils of the thin viscose knitted dresses or the romanticism of lace and British embroideries, inspiration also arrived from the softness and warmth of summer. One of the collections major pieces was the somewhat apron/skirt dress with the straps crossed at the back. And for the sunny sum- mers, a line of flower inspired sunglasses and leather shoes help complete the perfect summer look. Being an affordable ready-to-wear collec- tion was also taken in mind. A t-shirt has a starting price of 45 euros to a 160 euro crepe shirt, 295 euros for printed cotton dresses and less than 400 euros for a silk dress.
"WFMPO Breaking into the fashion industry as a designer comes with many obstacles. To be successful, you have to be creative, relevant, and different from the rest. For the Sum- mer/Spring 2015 Avelon collection, making a dramatic en- trance was important. Dramatic was exactly what Avelon accomplished the evening the brand’s first show hit the run- ways. The show took place in the courtyard of the Hôtel d’Ava- ray. The cobble stone path leading to the main entrance was watered to give an extra shine as the models walked. Once the dramatic, almost 007 music began, the main doors were opened and the show began. This collection was inspired by the beautiful images of Jimmy Nelsons recently released book: Before they pass away; a tribute to the many tribal cultures around the world and their distinctive identity, art and traditions. As seen, the designs encrusted on the clothing have a tribal ornamentation. Such as new materials like raffia and embossed leather were created to resemble grass, moss and pleaded fabrics found in some tribal cultures. On top of the inspired tribal ornamentation, luxury fabrics as sand washed crepe de chine and smocked georgette were used to give the collection depth and texture. The muted pastels like ivory, terra and pale pink combined with the raw reds and sophisticated grays present a down- graded modern look. Acid blues, and greens are also mixed with crisp pastel green and ash blue for hints of futur- ism. A type of reinterpretation of tribal authenticity and cul- tural identity per say, giving the collection the perfect har- monious composite.
*TTFZ .JZBLF As with Avelon, Issey Miyake had a sensation of ‘tribal- ism’ in the figurative and cultural sense. By this I am con- sidering the music and the collection as well. Issey Miyake is insanely creative as any artist can be. Out of all the shows seen for the Spring/Summer 2015, Issey blew the minds of many with its “3D steam stretch.” Taking into consideration how technologically advance the Japanese are, Issey was no exception. From the moment the invitation for the show was received, you could see the intricate design that resembled an origa- mi. This feature on the invitation was a sample of what was to follow. The incredibly innovative “3D steam stretch” was an ori- gami masterpiece introduced in Autumn Winter 2104. This is a technology developed by Issey Miyake, born from the tradition of PLEATS and A-POC. The way this works is by applying steam to a single piece of cloth into which “creases” have been incorporated in advance in a finely detailed design process. In this season, the simple application of steam transforms a flat piece of cloth into a 3D piece that is neither knit- wear nor pleats. A material evoking the image of the saying light as-a cloud. With the live performance of Ei Wada’s song “flying re- cords,” the artists helps space the models as they walk the runway, somewhat resembling the balloons on the records that release and pull back down throughout his performance. This once again reaffirms the light as-a cloud like feature of Issey Miyake’s collection.
$PSSJF /JFMTFO “The single Girl; the 1960’s woman was freed from the constraints of previous fashions that controlled the feminine body through external means.” —Corrie Nielsen In Corrie Nielsen’s S/S 2015 pieces showcased what she describes the transformation and growth of a woman’s physical, social, emotional and economi- cal strength. The designs illustrate much for which was center to the designers’s passion for form. The construction of the pieces help define a wom- an's body outside of the traditional shapes. The shapes, curvatures and designs align with the sculp- tural like, free flowing forms of the 1960’s furniture and wallpaper designs. Once again, the colors and fabrics used to make this collection are uncountably connected to the 1960’s girl. Fabrics and colors such as dark brown satin, latex pants, beige duchess satin, white tulle and beadwork. For this collection, Corrie used the inherent physi- cal, emotional presence and strength from icons like Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot. In terms of the consistent appreciation for form, she was inspired by the futuristic curves and twists taken from the cartoons The Jetsons and fluid perspex furniture of the 1960’s. Being the 1960’s a major influence for the collec- tion, the venue did not seem to fit in. The location was modern, punk like which consisted of a dark color palette . In terms of music which helped set the mood, you did have the classy sound of the piano with a modern Jetson like twist. With the recent passing of her mother Mary Elaine Craner, Corrie has dedicated this collection to her. In loving memory of my mother Mary Elaine Craner 29/08/1948-02/08/2014
$ISJTUJOF 1IVOH “It’s about a girl who rides her bike on a volcano…” Quotes the designer Christine Phung. The collection is about a girl, a bike and volcanos. To set the premise of the story, she is adventurous, powerful, un- predictable and a natural girl. She likes to ride her bike at full speed on volcanic rock. Pʆhoehoe that is. For those who may not know, Pʆhoehoe is Hawaiian and it is a type of lava flow that means “smooth, unbroken lava.” This type of lava flow is billowy, undulating, or ropy which comes to Phung’s collection. Without the Pʆhoe- hoe feature, it would have been impossible for her to ride her bike. Most of line billowed on the runway, if not, you see where the ropy and straight lines come is as in the neck- line for the first few pieces. As for most, when we think about lava, the first colors that might come to mind are red, orange, black and gray. Volcanic sites usually have these colors at some point. These colors range from the moment a volcano is erupting, releasing hot gases and ashes; to the time it cools turning black. All of these colors are seen throughout the collection. You see the reds, oranges, blacks, grays and a dash of white and beige. Though, most importantly is how all theses colors and shapes come together. Remember, Pʆhoehoe flows, billows and has a ropy surface. Without this obvious feature, it would be impossible for her to ride her bike with such finesse.
$ISJTUJOF 1IVOH The music played an important role during the show. The different sounds or changes in beats accentuated the in- troduction of a new theme per say. At the beginning, the music has an almost Hawaiian, calming, soothing and godly rhyme. Slowly as the collection starts to bring the blacks, polka-dotted and later lava colored pieces, it becomes more upbeat. When the cutoff shoulder minidress is introduced, the am- biance becomes a modern upbeat godly rhyme. Keep- ing this in mind, the show took place at the 8th floor of the Arab Institute. Not only bringing in concept of a vol- canos height, but demonstrating the complexities of the building tied to the complexities of volcanos. In between the window glass. You have a metallic screen that unfolds and closes creating geometric motifs. The motifs are actually motor controlled aper- tures or shutters which automatically opens and closest control the amount of light and heat entering the build- ing from the sun. If this lava flow was to be A Nj, which is Hawaiian for “stony rough lava,” then being able to glide and ride through the cooled lava would have been impossible at full speed. Yes, a stone here and there might of come in contact with the tire as seen through the spots on some of pieces, but it was nothing major preventing her to be successful.
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“Music, sun, and high heels,” she says are three things she can’t live without. The first two make immediate sense, but it’s the third one that you know she’s serious about, it’s also her claim to fame. You might know her simply as Natalia Shustova, a property lawyer who’s been in Dubai for about 8 years, or you might know her online avatar ShoesTova, an authority on style, particularly shoes. It’s a clever play on her own name, but she’s turned it into a legitimate brand of her own. The result isn’t just a massive social media following, but a whole new career that’s taking her places. It‘s like living a double life. In her own Bruce Wayne/Batman situation, Natalia is a legal director at Busit Advocates and Legal Consultants by day who moonlights as a fashion consultant and socialite. The straight-laced former profession is still her main breadwinner, but the intrepid latter has made her a brand ambassador to select designers as well as the fashion editor of The Art of Living magazine. A love for stylish shoes has always manifested in her, pointed-toe stilettos being a personal favorite, but what started out as a way to just casually share her style expertise has people calling her Dubai’s answer to Ulyana Sergeenko, a comparison that she welcomes. “I’m delighted to hear that every time. She is a diva, a fashion icon with a very unique style. I love puffy skirts, fur, and romantic lace blouses. Plus I always keep my hairstyle and makeup quite simple. So I think the comparison has a good base behind it.”
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hough originally from Belarus, it’s safe to call Natalia a homegrown talent, it is here that she transformed passion into profes- sion. She came to Dubai initially on a holi- day visit to her brother's family, who had settled here two years prior to her. As many a resident story goes, she liked it enough to move here full-time. “Dubai is my favorite city and when I travel with my husband, we try to think if we will be able to live in this new country or city and so far, we didn't find a place where we will be comfortable and secure,” says Natalia who now admires Essa and Reemami just as much as Stella Jean and Rosie Assoulin. She maintains though that Belarus is still beautiful, but what she craved was an ev- er-changing cosmopolitan atmosphere which she finds in Dubai. “I am enjoying every single day of my Dubai life and am very grateful to this country and this city for all the opportunities,” she says. In a city where having contacts is the dif- ference between make or break, Natalia admits that having her brother around eased her transition, as he introduced her to his circle of friends. But beyond that, she had to rely on herself. Self-starters face innumerable challenges when build- ing their brands; it was no different for Na- talia and it helped her understand the value of networking. “The lesson I have learned is to meet as many new people as possible and learn through their life stories and experience. I am very curious and even after 8 years of being here I try to find more things to expe- rience and places around UAE to ex- plore,” she says about what keeps her going. “Also I am very social and after every event attended I am coming back home with a good collection of business cards from interesting people I just met and later those contacts return with interesting opportunities.”
As a fashion advisor to many different people, Natalia knows how to cater to many personalities, but there is an important tip that applies to her clientele: “Stay classy but very unique in your day-to-day style. Small accent on shoes or an accessory can change an entire look. Be bold, play with colors and mix and match your prints and patterns. Follow trends but keep your own style.” And how does the woman helping others in both her careers help herself? “I plan my out- fits in a way where I will look good all day - from 9 to 6 in my office and social events later,” she explains. Describing her personal look as “Classy with a twist”, she always in- volves a peculiar accessory to compliment her ensemble and give it an edge. Her com- pilation of headgear includes everything from vintage hats to bunny ears. One would think that a mother of three work- ing two jobs would have her hands full al- ready, but Natalia doesn’t want to rest on her ShoeStova laurels. “I spend hours every day by watching, reading, exploring latest fashion news / trends / collection. I also follow all leading fashion houses and top styl- ists. I shop a lot sometimes just to learn how new fabric or cut was designed. As a fashion editor of a magazine I’m also getting enough information and continuing my fash- ion education for a few hours every day,” she explains. Moreover, she is planning to expand her label, currently working on her own fashion line under Natasha Morcos . “My first collec- tion will release very soon but even now when I wear one of my creations to Dubai events - I am overwhelmed by attention and feedback it gets from people.” A ‘fashionista’ for Natalia is someone who coins trends more than following them, and she clearly seems to be heading in the same direction. Not content with being just InstaFa- mous, she is finally taking her longtime love for fashion and expanding her horizons. Her journey only seems to be beginning, but to chronicle every turn, follow Natalia on her social media pages: https://www.facebook.com/ShoesTova http://instagram.com/shoestovainstyle
&7&/54 #-*5; BLITZ, the creative arm of Hong Kong luxury retailer, Lane Crawford presents a
limited-Âedition global exclusive collaboration with 3.1 Phillip Lim: The designer’s ď€ ďŹ rst collection of exotic skin handbags. Launching ď€ ďŹ rst at Paris Fashion Week, BLITZ created a special oral installation to exhibit the exclusive handbag collection at Galerie d’Art Joyce, Palais-ÂRoyal on September 30, 2014. Later that evening, a select group of guests including Angel- ica Cheung, BryanBoy, Caroline Issa, Edgardo Osorio, Hilary Tsui, Leaf Greener, Yazbukey, Tiffany Godoy and Tommy Ton joined Phillip Lim to celebrate at the exhibition launch at a cocktail event held at the gallery, featuring a guest DJ set by Hannah Bronfman. Guests at the event had the opportunity to be the ď€ ďŹ rst to shop/order the bags via tablets. The collection is sold exclusively online via lanecrawford.com for one week commencing September 30, before an in-Âstore release at Lane Crawford lfc mall and Lane Crawford Canton Road in Hong Kong on October 7. Angelica Cheung and Phillip Lim
Barom Bhicharnchitr, Wannie Suen, Hilary Tsui, Kevin Poon, Dorothy Hui
Bryanboy
Elie Top and Catherine Baba
Caroline Issa
Faye Tsui and Stephen Lee Dorothy Hui
Leaf Green, Kim Kollar, Calvin Wang and Irene Yu
Fed Tan Ramdan
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Hannah Bronfman and Brendan Fallis
Hannah Bronfman Maggie Kim
Melvin Chau
Phillip Lim
I-ÂD team and Phillip Lim Phil Oh and Guest
Leaf Greener
Tiffany Godoy and Penny Martin
Phillip Lim and Hannah Bronfman
Tommy Ton
Yazbukey
Riccardo Figueiredo and Edgardo Osorio
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&7&/5 -6."4 "35 ("--&3: -"6/$) LUMAS art gallery is all about limited edition art at affordable prices, has announced its arrival into the GCC with a launch at the Cuadro Gallery in DIFC. The company’s founder’s Marc Ullrich and Stefanie Harig, together with Tariq Al Jaidah and Bashar Al Shroogi their GCC partners intro- duced the Berlin based retail gallery for the ď€ ďŹ rst time in the region. Gallery Location Lumas is next to the Cuadro Gallery, Building 10, DIFC Gate Viallge. Open Sunday – Saturday, 10.00am till 8.00pm Tel: +971 4 425 0400
DALIA AND DANA
&7&/5 -6."4 "35 ("--&3: -"6/$) Maria and Alkawthar Darwish
John Harris Francois and Alexandra de Montaudouin
Azee and Sarvy
'"4)*0/ '038"3% Fashion Forward, Dubai’s most credible fashion platform took place between the 4-6th of October just as fashion weeks ended in all the major fashion capi- tals of the world. This season the designers came out in full force, and there was the good, the bad and the ugly. Here are our picks from our favorite collections. Images- Credited to Getty Images.
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$&-&#4 41055&% */ 3"8 '03 5)& 0$&"/4 ‘RAW for the Oceans’ Pharrell Williams collaboration with innovative denim brand G-Star RAW, Parley and bionic yarn has been the talk of the fashion and sustain- able industry for months now. Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker and the man himself Pharrell Williams have been spotted supporting the worth cause in a fashionable way.
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4IBEFT BOE 1SBEB For this issue we chat with Fashion Vlogger and photographer Mika Ashraf of The Prada Shades about fellow bloggers, style and creativity. The outspoken student didn’t hold back and gave us an entertaining insight into what it’s like to be unique in a saturated industry while referring to colleagues with their instagram names. Check out our conversation on the next page.
#MPHHFS 'FBUVSF
Your trademark greeting on your blog is “Hey there dolls”. Where does that originate? What inspired it? Well first of all, Hey there dolls of Style Vault Dubai!! Basically I take pride in being a very open minded person, I don’t know the gender of any reader reading my blog at a specific time, so I call my people "Dolls" you never know the gender of a doll, even it has makeup on, or nothing at all, you will still never be sure of the gender, it's like a mannequin, yet the difference is that my "Dolls" can share emotions with me, it's basically my fun-house where I can spend time talking, yet getting feedback, and believe it or not, sometimes great help, and advice like that time I was dealing with a very bad stalker/breakup and every one was right next to me, or my big- gest achievement to this day with my body image! It is incredibly amazing how my "Dolls" help me through my day!
Anyone with a DSLR dares to call his or herself a photographer today. What do you think makes an authen- tic, good photographer? Honestly speaking I grew up in a house where I was surrounded by di- rectors (both of my parents) people who live, breathe and create art and are huge in the creative industry. Some held degrees to their craft, some were self- taught, and some were learning how to do it while being placed in this incredible posi- tion by luck. This might come as a shock since a lot of people don’t know about it, but I do study visual arts, which mean photography and graphic design, I decided to study my craft intensively, not because a degree is what makes a photogra- pher, it is just basically me wanting to learn everything about it. While having created the opportunity for myself to work with amazing industry people through my blog. So to give you a clear answer, truly it is all about the talent, but if you don’t work on grasping all the information and build- ing it up, you won’t be called a pho- tographer. Photographers, fashion bloggers, style icons that you admire most are? Oh my! The list is so long, it would take me years to write it! I admire anyone who is not afraid to show themselves in their work, and am not talking about showing every detail about their personal life in their work! I mean those late night thoughts translated into magnificent work. One of the photographers I truly love is Mr Said Khalifa, his work is amazing, such a talent that went from being a local talent, to an international one with features in Vogue, and all around the world! He gives me so much hope! When it comes to fashion bloggers, I feel like we are all friends somehow so I really feel bad picking who is on the top of my list, but the first one that pops to my head is the ever fabulous bestie and Egyptian fashion blogger
#MPHHFS 'FBUVSF and style icon Hadia Ghaleb (insta: @Hadiaghaleb) Her style is just the right combination of class, youth, and tribal everything! I swear on Chanel, Fendi, and our favorite Prada, she is the one who always takes us by a storm with such elegance. You dove into fashion blogging at a time when Dubai seems saturated with wannabes who know nothing about fashion but crave publicity. Who here do you think is a contender or a Pre- tender? Well first of all am not a fashion blog- ger, I am a person who just happens to have loved fashion since a very young age, but wasn't able to wear any because of my former body image, and it just happens that when I started blogging about my life, and my daily shanangins from music I dance to, to fashion editorials I was asked to work on or model in, everyone was just starting to do the same, with dare I say more "A** kissing". First of all anyone that has a streetstyle account in the middle east and doesn’t take the actual pictures themselves with actual photography background and keep on asking to repost stuff that me, and other bloggers, and fashion personali- ties post is a complete pretender! Don’t get me wrong, I do love those accounts, at least they give our work publicity, but lets be real, I wont be following any, simply because I wont support crappy craft! Those people need to understand that by them reposting our pictures they are only giving us a shout-out, and it's totally not about fashion, or individuality again, it is just about the number of followers. I hate to say that I was in direct contact with one of the Dubai based street-style-reposters, and she kept on saying how different she wants to have her account be, and suddenly
she started having this PR mode on, and forgot about the fashion, and wore a mask, and reposted everything, even when it was bad.so just that the "big names" would follow- er her back, and get her invites to things she did not deserve. Good person, yet a very manipulative per- sonality. When it comes to the contenders, I would say anyone who is really pas- sionate about their work! trust me it shows, and shines through the noise of others, and no matter how big or small they are, I will be their number one fan, and I wont be scared of saying it!
#MPHHFS 'FBUVSF What do you look for in a person or product that you want to feature on your blog? Someone who speaks to me, and my readers age group, something that screams art, and creativity, and something that makes me feel like I took a trip to another world, or dimension. Be different, unique, and fun! How would you describe your signature style? One of my all time favorite people in Dubai, Natasha D'souza (the Co-founder of this amazing magazine) met me at the splash fashion show #Exit21 last weekend and said to me, 'every time I see you, you are like a different person' and that’s truly what I try to do. I never stick to one style, I am young, and I take advantage of that in the best way possible, yes sometimes I have fashion epic fails, and that doesn’t scare me, but most of the time I never leave the house without looking like the person I want to show case that day! I study theater, and I have been an actor since I was 3 so I know the power of a costume, and how much difference it makes. One day you will find me totally masculine, the other nothing but an- drogynous, but you will never find me sporting sweat pants, or the ugly scandals trend! Which brands do you love right now? You know when you keep on saving for your must have item, but things keep coming up, and you decide that it will be the item that got away because reasons sadly! There is this magical backpack at The Cartel Dubai that is designed by Solid Gray a Dutch de- signer, now that Is what am in love with these days! The bag is not just a bag, that bag is design, love, and passion all in one! Truly anything from the Cartel boutique is what I am in love with! I remember trying on the unisex coat by Rad Hourani and falling in love with it, to the point where I asked my best friend Mo to pull me away imme- diately. What are your favorite online reads? Check out these amazing people, and trust me you will never regret it, I will provide their instagram accounts instead because that is the world we live in now. @Jamtheglam, @Moerz, @Loft965, @Nisa_Tiwana, @Queenofcapes @KEE_IKS
%"3 /"4&&. "-"/%"-04 )"65& $06563& 413*/( 46..&3 $0--&$5*0/ The Bahrain based fashion brand Dar Naseem AlAndalos presents their Haute Couture Spring Summer 2014 collection.Morocco is a very popular inspiration destination this season, and just like their international counterparts, the designers were in- spired by the historical Majorelle Garden in Mar- rakech city in Morocco. The color blue that is now known as “Majorelle Blue” plays a major part in the color palette of the collection. The designers experimented with luxurious fabrics that they felt reflected the ambiance of the garden like silk organza and gazar. They also used pure silk chiffons, French laces and brocades. “The collection had a French feel to it so we wanted to use French lavish materials” says Design Director, Nabila AlAissaoui “We designed our Moroccan embroideries and added a lot of intricate details and embellishments. It was a challenge and we are extremely satisfied with the results”. The said collection is now exclusively sold at Dar Naseem AlAndalos’s showroom in West Riffa in Kingdom of Bahrain. Contact info@naseemalandalos.com for more information.
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'"4)*0/ #:5& Marks & Spencer presents Autumn Winter’14 Collection Marks & Spencer previewed its stunning Autumn Winter 2014 collection at a grand thematic fashion show ‘London Calling’, attended by style savvy customers and media at Waldorf Astoria, Palm Jumeirah Dubai. The beauty and contemporary sophistication of one of the world’s most celebrat- ed cities, London was recreated in a glamorous runway setting to present the luxurious simplicity and modern minimalism of the new collection. The crowd witnessed fashionable trends, chic designs and luxurious silhouettes in warm colours across Womenswear and Menswear.
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