Issue 88 / November 2016
May Motawi
A timeless soul through picturesque movements
T H E AV E N U E S
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PRESTIGE
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T E L . 00965 22200992
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PRESTIGE, THE AVENUES. Tel: 222 005 69 MAXMARA.COM
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content/ 24. Très Chic
fashion/
28. Extra Long Sleeves 30. L’Arche de Noé 34. Max&Co. 36. A Cloth to Shelter Your Bones
health & beauty/
64. Kiss Curls 66. Anti-Brows 68. Chanel Rouge Allure Ink 70. Are You Getting the Best out of Your Food?
74. Ms. May Motawi
art & design/
82. Noura Al Ebraheem & Shoug Alghunaim 88. Through CHNDY’S Lens 92. Christiane Spangsberg 96. Flocabulary Passionate
102. Mariam Al Qatami
lifestyle/
108. Yourself, Your Soul, Your Home 110. Table Otto 114. JetSmarter
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the team/ Editor-in-Chief Nouf Al-Ha jri Publisher Zeina Mokaddam General Manager Chimene Ibrahim Creative Director Yousif Abdulsaid Editor Saad Tayee Contributors Zeina Al Ayoub
Faisal Alshawa
Farah Bishara
Senior Graphic Designer Chadi Moufied Head of Photography Maher Al-Nouri
Managing Editor Simon Balsom Production Manager Nidal Al-Shaker
Legal Consultant Khaled Al-Kandari
Circulation: 10,000 Copies
Interview - Viva Press (Uk) Images - Gallo-Getty
BPA Audited from 2011 to 2013 Readership: 40,000+ as per PARC 2012 Studies
Distribution Company: International Media Group Printed In Four Films
Press Agencies - Afp
Published by : Tel: (965) 2572 0810 Fax: (965) 2572 0860 email: thetalk@ph7-kw.com www.ph7-kw.com WWW.THETALK-ONLINE.COM
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Reproduction in whole or part of any matter appearing in TheTalk is prohibited by law without prior written approval of the publishers. Opinions expressed in TheTalk do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers and editorial staff of the magazine. The publishers do not hold out any guarantee as to its accuracy, neither do they indemnify any loss arising through use of the information.
Second Avenue, The AvenueS
letter/ In life we tend to take things we love the most and mold them, we infuse them with our own identity, and create from them something so breathless and so divine. The process becomes a timeless representation where the numbers on a clock and the months on a calendar have no meaning. For these things all the hard work we put in from sunrise to sunset is for one and only one purpose; for me - The Talk. This is what this publication means to me. When I first joined PH7 GROUP it was for one specific and simple purpose: ‘changing layouts’. As it turned out, it was to be the beginning of a wonderful journey. Eight years ago The Talk was launched as a celebrity and fashion magazine, but as my voyage began, I slowly began transforming it into the style of publication I have always believed in and always aspired to. Today, a year later, everything has changed. Today, The Talk is truly a game-changing experience. From here, there is no looking back. When you adopt a project so close to your heart, the concept of perfection disappears from your vocabulary - because you’ll always find a way to improve something that is, essentially, already flawless. This is how I felt when I first started working on The Talk magazine. Throughout this year I have created an unbreakable bond with the images and texts between its two hard covers. I have introduced hidden talents of our youthful generation to the people who want to feel connected. I have formed unity with the people that want to have a voice, and promised to be that for them through the pages of The Talk magazine. Today, The Talk is a community of people who are determining their own paths. Self-exploration is limitless, so are you, so is The Talk, and so is my identity. Yousef Abdulsaid
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t r e n d s i n t e r v i e w s e d i t o r i a l s w a t c h e s
fashion - trend
Très Chic
The Parisian Woman The Parisian woman has always been every girl’s role model and every man’s desire. They have always been fascinated by the world of fashion but have always been their own trend-setters and that is why we praise Parisian women. Admiring their effortless style and theirclassicism viewed as essential pillar of their taste, making everything look unforced and elegant isn’t always as easy as it seems. Clean-cut details from head to toe, examined closely.
Text by Zeina Al Ayoub the talk - page 24
Christy Turlington in Ralph Lauren Collection Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier for Harper’s Bazaar September issue, 1992.
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Emporio Armani Fall/Winter 2003 - Eyewear campaign featuring Milla Jovovich
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Instead of focusing on one trendy item or movement, how about we emphasis on the items you need to toss out your closet according to the Parisian women, so here it goes. 1. Three inch heels are a big no no, because why live life half way when you can live to the fullest, get rid of anything that has a logo on it. 2. Logos, any piece of clothing you have labeled with a logo must be thrown out, it’s a distraction. 3. Sweatpants, because it is forbidden, as simple as that. 4. Blingy jeans, this is not a hippie rally, and you’re not attending a Jefferson Airplane concert. 5. And most definitely throw away those dreadful Ugg boots, and I’ll be damned if I had to explain why. A Parisian woman teaches us that simplicity is divine, one piece of item can change an entire outfit. Whether it was a pair of high heels, a timeless trench coat, or a leather bag, it doesn’t matter what the price or the brand is, what matters is that you wear that piece with vanity and grace.
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fashion - trend
Extra Long Sleeves It has been known in the circle of fashion that “what goes around comes back around”. History tends to repeat itself in life and especially in fashion, but have you ever heard of extra long sleeves? Neither have we. Extra long sleeves are 2016’s firsthand craze, and our jaws dropped when we saw this trend on the runway of one of our favorite brands, Vetements. Extra long sleeves aren’t necessarily plain fabric dripping down beyond your hands, for instance Dior has created an exquisite piece of a sheer material diving down past the finger tips with polished insect embroidery. Uprising brands have been on the watch with this new look and are coming up with innovative ideas on how they could hop on the bandwagon and create their own unique styles of the long sleeves trend, and we are confident enough to say that we’re pleasantly in awe with the results they have presented to us, fashion lovers.
Text by Zeina Al Ayoub the talk - page 28
“Simply The Best� by Marion and stylist Naomi Smith - The Independent 1993
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fashion - feature
L’Arche de Noé Racontée par Van Cleef & Arpels Slender giraffes, mischievous monkeys, colorful parrots and a tender pair of penguins: Van Cleef & Arpels’ new High Jewelry collection brings together the whole animal kingdom in a tribute to Noah’s Ark. Interpreted by artists over the centuries, this founding story has today inspired the Maison to create some sixty animal couples in the form of clips. Escorted by three imaginary creatures, they express all the vitality and enchantment of the natural world in a palette of precious, fine and hard stones. A fresh vision of Van Cleef & Arpels’ menagerie, in which creativity, poetry and savoir-faire are intertwined.
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Van Cleef & Arpels ‘‘La Boutique’’ - Catalog Cover, 1966. Van Cleef & Arpels Archives the talk - page 31
Inspired by nature since its foundation, the Maison this year pays a special homage to fauna, depicted in all its richness and diversity. From every continent, from lush countryside to thick jungle, from the earth to the sky : rabbits, elephants, koalas, owls and toucans advance two by two in the collection L’Arche de Noé racontée par Van Cleef & Arpels. This universal theme offers the Maison an opportunity to revive its animal range, while expressing its characteristic values of love and affection in over sixty duos. The deer is inseparable from her stag, while the Morpho butterfly flutters in the air beside its companion. Majestically accompanying the procession, the imaginary creatures in Mystery Set™ – Pegasus, the phoenix and the unicorn – are the only ones to be presented singly. Whether alone or in couples, these creations renew the tradition of clips that has been a feature of Van Cleef & Arpels since its foundation. Distinguished from brooches by their double fixing pins, these pieces have enabled the Maison to express its key themes over the years, from birds and flowers to emblematic ballerinas. Today, the collection’s clips bring about a joyful encounter with the animal kingdom that takes shape in a multiplicity of precious materials. The glitter of diamonds and colored sapphires stands alongside the fires of opals, the lustrous sheen of onyx and luminous turquoise. Carefully selected hard stones adorn flat and threedimensional surfaces, intricately engraved and polished to give shape the talk - page 32
Card of a Hummingbird Clip, 1923. Van Cleef & Arpels Archives
Positioning the hard stones on the Morpho clip
to the chosen animal. The varied postures, vivid shades and refined details recreate the beauty of life, magnified by virtuoso High Jewelry savoir-faire. The animal theme that this year takes pride of place in the collection L’Arche de Noé racontée par Van Cleef & Arpels has been at the heart of the Maison’s creations since its earliest years. Beginning in the 1910s’ diamond feathers and birds seemed to alight on jacket lapels or hats. Since then, winged creatures have continued to enchant Van Cleef & Arpels, inspiring its interpretations of the hovering flight of Hummingbirds, the tenderness of lovebirds – depicted as a family on a branch – or the courtship displays of birds of paradise. Butterflies, dragonflies and ladybirds complete this ode to lightness and movement. The positive symbolism of these pieces
is complemented by the playful tone of the animals from ‘‘La Boutique’’. Created by the Maison in 1954, this collection consisted of more accessible day jewelry, among which some clips became genuine icons, collected by illustrious clients. The winking “Chat Malicieux”, “the Lion Ébouriffé” with its yellow gold mane and the coral squirrel took up their places in Van Cleef & Arpels’ menagerie, which has continued to grow as time goes by. While the 1970s brought horses and elephants, the High Jewelry and Watchmaking creations of the 2000s contributed a panorama of animals from around the world, including antelopes, ring-tailed lemurs, pink flamingos and polar bears. Benevolent, touching and majestic by turns, this fauna is today revealed as one, thanks to a unique voyage on board Noah’s ark. the talk - page 33
fashion - feature
Max&Co. Presents Il Mio Cappotto
Introducing the new collection of impeccable outerwear, exemplifying the very best of Italian design and craftsmanship, with an international twist.
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This season, MAX&Co. confirms its reputation for supremely stylish, beautifully crafted outerwear with the new edition of its popular Il Mio Cappotto capsule coat collection. Bringing together the eternal allure of refined fabrics and impeccable craftsmanship with a precise eye for the latest trends in cut, silhouette and colour, each Il Mio Cappotto coat is at once classic and contemporary. For the collection, the designers looked to some of the most stylish women globally with each coat directly inspired by a different city: MILAN. In a nod to the Milanese woman’s ability to give even the everyday a luxurious spin, the timeless sartorial coat is rendered ultra-luxe when worn with rich burgundy and leather accents and printed blouses. Clean, classic lines give the wearer the perfect blank canvas for unleashing her glamorous side. PARIS. A perfectly pitched balance between nonchalance and polish is the secret to the Parisienne’s distinctive blend of insouciant chic. Her tomboyish charm is captured in the Paris Il Mio Cappotto coat. Fitted at the top, with a half-belted waist, the coat flares at the bottom, creating an ultra-flattering silhouette. Cut from bonded wool, the design has a houndstooth lining, which chimes with this season’s 1960s’ mood and brings visions of the era’s ingénues to mind. LONDON. Bold, creative, charming but with a devilish sense of humour, the London girl is unapologetically original – something which always comes across in her sense of style. Drawing on the energy of swinging 1960s’ era London, the city’s Il Mio Cappotto coat comes in a preppy, thigh-length cut, complete with a neat little collar. Flipping the codes of traditional British design on their head, in brushed mohair the coat’s tartan finish is rendered punky rather than prim. the talk - page 35
fashion - editorial
A Cloth to Shelter Your Bones Knitted, patterned, plain, ripped apart sewn together, right on time only to be soon together, something as simple as a piece of fabric composed into one fragment to be concluded in the most heavenly form only to intertwine with the clients’ identity. For many years, all around the world, people have been buying coats for many different reasons. Some buy them for sentimental purposes, some buy them for fashion purposes, and some buy them to house their skin from the weather. Whatever the reason may be, we can’t deny that coats have been a revolutionary sensation. A garment worn by both men and women, this piece of clothing exceeds the limits of gender roles and have been created first by the Persians. No matter what season it is, a coat will always be an appropriate piece to throw on whether you are going to brunch with your friends or going to an event at night. Coat: Rosetta Getty
Photography & Art Direction by Yousif Abdulsaid Wardrobe from Al Othman the talk - page 36
Coat: Victoria Beckham
Coat: Lela Rose the talk - page 38
Coat: Helmut Lang the talk - page 39
Coat: Sally Lapointe the talk - page 40
Coat: Rosetta Getty the talk - page 41
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s h o w s b a c k s t a g e p r e s e n t a t i o n s
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PFW - backstage
Saint Laurent Spring-Summer 17 For his Spring-Summer 2017 collection, Anthony Vaccarello has let himself get carried away by the images of the designer, like flashbacks, snapshots. In his mind, the picture of Paloma Picasso landing in the life of the couturier, with her 1940s’ second-hand clothes and her very own style. She inspired the 1972 “Scandal” collection which was irreverent and disturbing to the eyes of society. It is this attitude that Anthony Vaccarello transposes in the present. This Saint Laurent woman who, today, draws her references from the 1980s’ to make them her own. This girl who cultivates a taste for what is kitsch, the bizarrely beautiful, the great classics and a highly individual style. The starting point of this collection : a dress with exaggerated sleeves taken from the archives. From this thread, Anthony Vaccarello draws a contemporary silhouette, a sort of sensitive and personal collage. As though this girl whose fashion culture is part of her, restructured the model, brought the shoulders down, attached a sleeve to a bustier, wore it with jeans or under a boy’s jacket – distant evocation of Saint Laurent’s sailor coat. Corner stone of the fashion house’s lexicon, the tuxedo impregnates this collection. Exploring the tailoring savoir-faire of Saint Laurent’s ateliers, Anthony Vaccarello deconstructs and revises the tuxedo. There is a second degree in this collection, a collection within the collection of what Mr. Saint Laurent loved above all: twisting bourgeois conventions and flirting with bad taste. The music has been conceived by Sebastian.
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Fashion - Editorial
This Spring-Summer 2017 show takes place at rue de Bellechasse in the 17th century Abbey of Penthemont, which until 2014 was home to the Ministry of the French Armed Forces. Today it is in full renovation to welcome the headquarters and showrooms of Saint Laurent in 2018. the talk - page 46
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PFW - show coverage
PFW SS/2017
Cultures and Coutures It is to these Grandes Maisons that Paris owes its status “the capital of fashion”. A glimpse of what made this year’s week a glamorous one!
Coverage Photography by Yousif Abdulsaid the talk - page 48
Leonard Paris - SS/2017 the talk - page 49
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Paule Ka - Presentation SS/2017 the talk - page 51
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Saint Laurent - SS/2017 the talk - page 53
Nehera - SS/2017 the talk - page 54
Y/Project - SS/2017 the talk - page 55
Chalayan - SS/2017 the talk - page 56
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CĂŠline - SS/2017 the talk - page 58
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Mashama - SS/2017 the talk - page 60
Jhon Galliano - SS/2017 the talk - page 61
b e a u t y
t r e n d s
r e v i e w s h e a l t h
t i p s
beauty - trend
Kiss Curls Cultural backgrounds and celebrities have always been known for their exquisite sense of fashion when they tend to clash, from the way icons dress themselves, to their music and video productions. It seems that with each appearance they make on the red carpet or when they release a new music video they tend to shift in style. American-born French dancer, singer and actress Josephine Baker was one of the first women to introduce the “kiss curl�, it was a captivating trend that was appreciated by women of all colors around the world. Kiss curls are formed by using only two tools, gel and a tooth comb. The tradition of pressing and gelling down wispy hairs at the forehead, ears and nape, but every year people have been taking it to another level by creating obscure and stunning designs that many celebrities are now copying.
Text by Zeina Al Ayoub the talk - page 64
ReneĚ e Perle-Photographer Jacques-Henri Lartigue the talk - page 65
beauty - trend
Anti-Brows We are taking this trend back to the medieval times in Europe where the reign of fashion attracted the great Queen Elizabeth. We’ve seen it on runways, we’ve seen it on the red carpet, and we’ve seen it on the the streets of fashion week. The irony of seeing something that isn’t even there can move you with questions of how, who and why, but that’s the beauty of fashion, you do not question, you just feel free to go with it. The no brow movement seized our attention ever since the AW/16 catwalks. From New York to London, Givenchy to Alexander Wang, the remarkable world of fashion has convinced us that less is in fact more. Celebrities such as Irina Sheikh, Kendall Jenner, and Lara Stone have been influenced by this crusade. Whether you risk the fall and completely bleach your eyebrows or master the technique of doing so by using makeup just to give it a try, this space-aged trend should unquestionably be on top of your bucket list.
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beauty - feature
Chanel Rouge Allure Ink
Model : Kristen STEWART, Photographer : Mario TESTINO, Make up credits : Eyes : Les 4 Ombres 268 Candeur Et Expérience, Stylo Yeux Waterproof 20 Espresso, Le Volume De Chanel 10 Noir, Crayon Sourcils 30 Brun Naturel; Lips : Rouge Allure Ink 152 Choquant, Le Crayon Lèvres 57 Rouge Profond
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Rouge Allure Ink Amoureux
Rouge Allure Ink Luxuriant
Rouge Allure Ink Luxuriant
Rouge Allure Velvet Troublant
Rouge Allure Rebelle
Rouge Allure AngĂŠlique
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health - tips
Are You Getting the Best out of Your Food?
If you cook all of your meals and eat at home, you’ve already taken the first step to leading a healthy and prosperous lifestyle. But are you effectively absorbing all the nutrients from the food you eat? The answer to this depends on how you prepare these meals.
Text by Faisal Alshawa the talk - page 70
While cooking your lunch a certain way may be ideal towards achieving a certain flavor profile, it might also be causing the depletion of nutrients within the food itself. This prevents the body from absorbing the optimal level of vitamins and minerals that are available in these dishes. That’s right, your method of cooking influences the structure of the food, risking your intake of essential nutrients. With that in mind, here are a number of strategies you can implement to get the most out of the nutrients in your food: GO RAW Eating raw foods will protect the structure and nutrients of food, hence allowing you to get the most out of whatever it is you are consuming. BOIL DOWN Boiling is another fantastic option to use when cooking food. However, do not overfill the pot with water. Using less water when boiling will retain essential vitamins and minerals in food. CHILL N GRILL Grilling food at a low temperature will cook the food in a safe manner causing maximal absorption of nutrients. This method may also remove any excess fat from your meats, allowing you to enjoy a lean and healthy cut of protein. Also, grilling does not require the addition of oils or butter – the grilling heat keeps the food tender and juicy. DON’T FRY HIGH When frying food using cooking oils, it is important to consider the oil’s smoke point. Although different oils reach this level at different rates, these fumes will always produce harmful toxins. So always remember to cook with oils at low temperatures, in order to avoid reaching the smoke point. GET STEAMY Steaming is a great way to retain a food’s taste, color and nutrients. While still heating food, steaming keeps foods closest to their natural state. It’s also quick and hassle-free! When it comes to your health, it’s important to remember that the smaller details will usually end up making the bigger difference. Always remember to treat your body with the respect that it deserves, by cooking in a manner that preserves a food’s nutritional value. Cook well. Eat well. Live well.
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a r t i s t s
f o c u s
i n t e r v i e w s e d i t o r i a l s
art & design - interview
Ms. May Motawi The Law of Elegant Motion Dancing from the age of 9, Ms. May moves with grace, passion, and a vivid imagination, the everlasting ballerina has proven to us that creativity and ingenuity will mold you into the person you will always want to be.
Text by Zeina Al Ayoub / Art Direction & Photography by Yousif Abdulsaid Makeup by Claudia Cociobea / Hair by Lee Xiaomei Asst. Yousif Al Hajjy / Clothes from Al Othman / Accessories from CĂŠline / Location Bayan Bilingual School
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Cable knit wrap: Christian Siriano the talk - page 75
A brief introduction about yourself I studied medicine for a year and then I decided it wasn’t what I wanted to do, so I left and did English Literature because it was the easiest thing to do since I graduated from an English school and everything else was in Arabic, so I decided to take the easy way out. My first job was with KTV, I worked with television and I loved editing, I loved working with my hands, I loved changing people’s attitude towards certain thing. I had my own program, but then I banged heads with people because when I took a trip to London for a course, it was an eye opening experience, how things could be done when working in the television industry, so when I came back to Kuwait I spoke to whoever was in charge about launching a training center in Kuwait as we can’t have people presenting and producing without having proper workshops or courses. My idea stalled, it was like a brick wall as they disagreed with my idea and said that they would rather send people abroad, even though it will be costly for our government. As Kuwaitis we can take matters into our own hands but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. I eventually left and started doing my masters in English linguistics and now I teach, I’m the Head of the English Department at Bayan Bilingual School and it’s been 5 years now, but all along, all during this time I was part of the Kuwait School of Dance since I was 9 years old. I’m married and have 3 kids. How did you perceive ballet dancers before you became one? I didn’t, I was 9 years old and I was in the New English School and this English lady Miss Andi Hicks, who was the visionary for this, came in 1974 and decided she could do something here and gave us the opportunity. We started off with very few girls at the Hilton Hotel. It was simply wonderful because it was my haven, it was the thing I loved doing the most. I used to be very shy, I used to be an introvert, I’m the third child in the family so by that time the attention had gone to my eldest sibling, or that’s how I perceived it because I’m a very complex, moody, difficult person, so dance was my getaway, whenever you have problems, the talk - page 76
whenever you have stress. It was creative, it was better than reading because reading is a hobby, you could let your imagination loose and you could think you were anything or anybody but I wanted to be a dancer. Do you remember what your first lesson was like? It was like opening this cave and discovering the hidden treasures inside. You simply try, using your body and I was actually doing it right and my trainer thinks I’m good. So it was all about self-exploration. What is the definition of a ballerina to you? Creativity, beauty, grace, improvisation, I should have said passion before all of these things because without passion there is no dance at all. You could be the best technical dancer in the whole wide world and nobody wants to watch you because you don’t have any passion. For me. it has to come from the heart, that is a true ballerina. Do you feel which student dances from her heart? Of course, and she doesn’t have to be the best dancer in the class, she needs to be the one that really pours her heart into what she is doing and you see something special, and with work, that something special becomes really nice, it is very rewarding. Have you ever participated in another form of dance other than ballet? No, because ballet is ballet, we are talking about contemporary dance, modern dance, and classical ballet; I have done all of those. We have been to Russia, we have been to London, we have done professional courses, we have seen how it is done elsewhere. I don’t do hip-hop and that sort of dance. Jazz might be fine, but that is it. What was the peak of your career? Every moment being on the stage was amazing, it is not about standing there at the end and having people clap for you, that never meant anything to me at all, it was looking up and seeing my mentor standing there. It doesn’t matter if the theater was filled with 400 people, she, my mentor, was there, and if the look on her face said “yes, you achieved what I wanted you to achieve” I was happy, that was it, that was the moment, nobody else mattered.
Dress: Elizabeth & James Sweater: Co Collection
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Dress: Camilla and Marc Sweater: Victoria Beckham Earrings: CĂŠline
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“You should never be content with what you have already achieved because then, you stop growing.�
Top: Maticevski Trousers: Sally Lapointe the talk - page 79
Was there a moment where you felt connected to a certain song or a certain piece of performance? One that will always have a special place in my heart is ‘Memory from Cats’ by Ellen Paige. Being a ballet dancer in Kuwait, did you feel like there were certain restrictions? Of course there are restrictions, yet the family I was brought up in was lenient; we didn’t face much of “you couldn’t wear this, you couldn’t do that.” Yet, we could see it when we performed, and what we could wear and couldn’t wear. The 1980s’ were different and things are not like that today; you have to be very careful of what you put the students in and how exposed or unexposed it is for them yet it’s all in the eye of the beholder. This is all art, what is there in a 9 year old wearing tights and a leotard? I don’t get it; it depends on how you look at her. You’re a ballet teacher now, how does it feel being on the other side? Very different, frustrating at times, especially at the beginning when I first started teaching, to be perfectly honest. It is a struggle you have to go through; it is either you emerge and you see yourself on the other side and consequently you become a teacher, or you are so obsessed by the idea of not being a teacher and you just wallow in nostalgia for the days you were on stage.
What other career path would you have chosen if it wasn’t ballet? Having been through all of this, I do regret not finishing my medicine studies. I still have an interest in everything that is medical, I like to know about stuff, I research and I read a lot. I don’t know if I would have made a good doctor or not because I would have probably been too involved in people’s lives and their diseases, maybe that is why I wasn’t. I loved my career in television, and it is not any different than ballet because you take raw material and you shape it to make it produce what you want it to produce, and you get it to say to the people what you want it to say to the people. So, I don’t find it any different than ballet. You are more of a creator, more than an artist, because you take something raw and mold it into a more inventive product. In my own eyes, you may not see it but it is always in the director’s own eyes, it just depends on what you see. It is educating those young people about music, about teamwork, about staying off the roads and staying out of the malls, so basically it is about having a passion that will stay with them throughout their lives.
Thanks God, I have seen the light and went through that tunnel. I have stopped saying: “Oh God, I could do better, I wish I could be up on that stage and do it.” It is a hard transition to make, but when you see how you affect other people and that you are able to make them do what you want them to do, that is an amazing feeling.
Unfortunately we can’t teach boys ballet because our culture does not accept it; the boys have their Diwaniya where they can have their friends, they go anywhere and they are allowed to practically do anything. Yet, the girls are not allowed and have a lot of restrictions, so where are they supposed to go? Walk around the malls? I won’t allow my daughter to do that, so I want her to have a hobby, a passion for something that could be a relief from her studies, and from whatever stresses she has in her life, that she can be creative and imaginative.
If there was one thing you could pass on to your students from one ballet dancer to another, what would it be? Passion, because everything in life is revolved around passion. If you have passion for your work you will do well, if you have passion for your family you will have a wonderful one, if you have passion for anything it will turn out alright, but if you go through life bearing in mind that ‘whatever life serves me, I will take it,’ you will get nowhere. For me, passion is in the center of everything.
Unfortunately, this is a generation that does not read, so there is no imagination at all, they are killing the concept of imagination and it is such a shame. When you listen to music, sometimes you see things in your head and it is nice to be able to use your body to express that thing. When you read, you can visualize images or scenes in your head, the book is much better than the movie in my opinion. When Spielberg has directed the movie “Heroin” he did a wonderful work, but it is not how I envisioned it when I have read the book.
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Top & Skirt: Maticevski the talk - page 81
art & design - interview
Noura Al Ebraheem & Shoug Alghunaim By combining their interior & identity design prowesses, these women have set the stage for Kuwait’s branding industry revolution.
Text by Saad Tayee the talk - page 82
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Tell us a bit about yourselves, and how GRID was born? GRID was born after about a year of working in jobs that didn’t really tick all the marks for us. We started thinking of local creative agencies and design firms that we could identify with, in terms of style, and we realized that there were none. We wanted to do something more than just branding, so we decided to combine our respective backgrounds in this initiative. A lot of people these days have the ambition to start their own businesses. So they have the ideas, the locations, the funds, but they aren’t really sure what to do next. With that in mind, we sought to provide these people with a onestop shop where they could develop a brand identity, interior, packaging and all other 360 branding solutions. What inspires you? Definitely our travels! On these trips you get to discover new things, see what you like and what you don’t. Even though each of us is specialized in different things, we are lucky enough to share the same taste. Our most recent obsession is Scandinavian design; we love everything about it! So we took a trip to Stockholm for a furniture fair, and it was absolutely mind blowing. Competition is also great, because it drives you. When you see what other people are doing, you start to get a clue of what works and what people are into. It definitely helps you up your game.
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How does GRID’s approach towards identity design set you apart? Companies in Kuwait, especially startups, tend to have graphic designers that aren’t necessarily capable of handling branding. Others have a budget that covers the branding agency, but then there is nothing left for the interior and the graphic designers. Seeing as each of these components is equally important towards developing a successful identity, we aimed to completely bridge these gaps. Sometimes it comes organically, where all of these things seem to flow. Other times, we need to dig for a combination of materials and designs that form the cornerstone of what eventually develops into a brand identity and interior design. A lot of people think that one is more important than the other, but you can’t create a complete identity without giving each of these components the respect that they deserve. How important is brand identity towards the overall success of a company? The whole point behind branding is developing something that people believe in when they are approached with it. If you could accomplish that in an organic manner, where people start to spread the word about this brand and keep coming back, that’s a successful brand. At this point in time, consumers are a lot more educated and conscious about branding. They are very aware
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Arts & Design - Interview
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of what is going on in the store, and how the vibe here compares to the place next door. It’s all about developing and maintaining brand trust. How do you feel the design industry in Kuwait has changed since the founding of GRID? We have seen a massive shift in the Kuwait’s design industry throughout the past three years. A lot of people have opened up to this 360 approach towards identity & interior design, so it’s only natural for this rise in design agencies to happen. It’s a beautiful thing, if you think about it, because it means that people are finally starting to appreciate this quality of work and design. Finding a gorgeous store or café that you instantly fall in love with is no longer an uncommon occurrence in Kuwait. We have developed somewhat of a community of design agencies, and it’s great! What steps do you feel still need to be taken in order for Kuwait completely harness the potential of local designers and creatives? There are a lot of things that aren’t available to us in Kuwait. Even though we create all of our designs in-house, we are forced to source a majority of our packaging materials or furniture
from abroad. When importing isn’t an option, we are forced to restrict our thinking within the boundaries of what’s available in Kuwait, which isn’t much. But there’s much you can do, as a designer, before you hit a wall. An increase in local suppliers and manufacturers would definitely help push the industry forward. It would save so much money, time and energy. There’s also manpower. We have a lot of talented people in Kuwait, but when we put together our team, it ultimately comes down to personality. If you think about it, you end up seeing these people a lot more often than your own family! What advice would you give to an aspiring designer? Develop your taste; it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Even our tastes have changed dramatically from our first year of university, and we’re sure they will continue to change over time. There’s no such thing as ‘oh I can’t believe I did that’, because back then it was great for its time. Also, don’t submit anything that you aren’t satisfied with. After all, if you don’t love your work, you won’t be able to sell it. Personally speaking, we don’t submit anything to a client unless we see ourselves living with that design day-to-day.
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art & design - interview
Through CHNDY’S Lens It’s true, graphic design and photography do go hand-in-hand, and the perfect translation of that is so relevant in Omani’s artist work CHNDY. Such creativity only assures that anything in our surrounding can be of inspiration and transmitted artistically with a twist revealing that design makes everything possible.
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Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do? I don’t really like titles, I believe having title at a young age constrain you from doing other things in your life. So lets say I love creating things. What is the story behind your known nickname “CHNDY”? My friend wrote it down in my Arabic book changing my family name from KINDY to CHNDY adding the Khaleeji accent to it, so I used it in my msn messenger nickname and ever since then I have been known as Chindy / Chndy You majored in graphic design, how did that help you in the field you’re in right now? Colors, theories and managing a composition helps me in my photography and art direction. As a photographer, you use both digital and film cameras, but you’re currently focusing on film, why is that? What’s the secret behind it? To be honest even when I used to shoot on digital, I always tried my best to give it the film look, so I eventually decided to shoot on film to make that authentic. I never knew I will be much in too it, the experience itself helps me focus on the exact shot I want, and to focus on the composition and the model rather than settings on the camera. The model wouldn’t be able to see the picture which helps keep the mood natural rather than fake. Did you take pictures when you were a kid? Were you the kid who always has his camera with him? Not really, but I always wanted to create, I used to tell my mum I wanted to be an inventor. I used to draw a lot of cartoon characters but in my own way.
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As a creative individual in the industry right now, what are in your opinion the things that keep you going and doing what you love, and basically keep you producing and trying out different things as you excel in so many others? I really love where I am right now! To be able to survive with no day job, while working with amazing people on projects around the Gulf region. This is how I envisioned my life few years back and to see it happen is quite surreal. How did you form your strong esthetics as a born and raised Omani? Curiosity and the Internet! I always wanted to learn and to do more, somehow Oman’s chill vibes helped me lie down and dream big. What makes you move from one country to another that you barley spend time in your hometown Oman? Work and experience, honestly this has been the most spontaneous year of my life. It started with me moving to Dubai in January, but since February I have been flying around doing projects around the region. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Honestly I don’t fully know!! Somewhere in LA shooting music videos and creating products with music Artists, or working on Art foundation in Oman to help young kids with big creative dreams.
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art & design - interview
Christiane Spangsberg
The 27 years old Danish girl works as a full time artist living in Copenhagen, Denmark. When asked to introduce herself it was hard to define properly what title or word could be close to what she really is. Some see her as a painter or sketcher, and some others take what she does as a profession. Christiane Spangsberg is a young talented girl who is in a constant search of learning about human nature and, in this search she communicates through paintings and drawings. Text by Zeina Al Ayoub Portrait by Fredeikke Norgard / Artwork by Christiane Spangsberg the talk - page 92
How did you approach this style of art? I guess I found my own rules. My foundation is that I always strive to simplify the complexity of our human nature. First it was by working in one line which gave me a certain unity within each artwork. Then I explored using as few lines as possible, but still have a clear expression and feeling within the artwork. To push myself even more I now practice blind drawing. At what age did you start painting? I have been drawing ever since I can remember and was send to art school as a young child. Now I am very much inspired by the early twentieth century modern painters from France. Where does your creativity come from? I’ve always been creative. Maybe it’s in our genes. I believe we as human beings are creative - some learn that it is okay to explore this side and dream away and some learn that creativity is based on your ability to draw and if you can’t draw you are not creative. But creativity to me is much more than that. Growing up I’ve somehow always been perceived as weird. I asked questions. Questions no one else asked. I can’t stop my curiosity to learn more.
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What are you working on currently that you’re excited about? I am working on my up coming exhibition where I will showcase some of my newest work. The exhibition will last for ten days and take place in Sydney. The show will have the lightness of summer and the attributes of a woman. How would you describe art in your own words? This is a difficult question, and trust me when I say I’ve thought a lot about it. I believe art to be a subjective feeling, something which grabs your attention. You might not be able to place the feeling or give it a name, but you know that your consciousness has been awakened. You were touched and that is what art can do. Art is therefore subjective to the one who perceives which is why I made the conscious decision to work independently and directly with my people. I believe they can be the best art critics I can find. the talk - page 94
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art & design - music
Flocabulary Passionate
Being a devoted Hip-Hop fan is very similar to having and raising a baby; there are phases you go through that make you excited, frustrated, a mentor, and a student. Granted, you don’t have to pay for school bills and new toys, but you get to experience the same joys every time a new album is released or a tour date is scheduled. In this section, I’ll take you on my personal journey with Hip-Hop, where we’ll discover and re-discover incredible albums, get to know artists, and talk about all things related to the greatest culture on the planet!
Text by Farah Bishara the talk - page 96
One of the questions I get asked the most is how I became so invested in Hip-Hop culture. My story began when I was 7 years old; pretty young, now that I think about it, but visiting tape shops with my sister and listening to Snow and Skee-Lo on the way to school only made it seem natural. It was a slow beginning, but A Tribe Called Quest quickly became my favorite group because their music was fun and their styles unique. Not all Hip-Hop songs had positive messages, though; the first time I heard Luniz’s “I Got 5 On It”, I cried because there were so many curse words. With time, I gave myself the green light to listen to artists that were rapping about more mature content, and it induced me into a world of fandom no 8 yearold was experiencing at the time. As young as I was, I bore witness to some of the greatest and most core-shaking moments a HipHop fan could experience: artists making their debut, others being as the most iconic duos, breaking ups, successes and deaths. There was so much I felt like I was a part of, even though I was thousands of miles away from where it was all happening. That may have been the most frustrating part of it all; not being there while everything was happening. I had to find my spot in a culture that didn’t know I existed all the way out here in our tiny desert. My cousin worked at a then-popular video/ music store in Salmiya for the summer, and I would visit him every week and pore over the latest CDs and flip through poster racks. The value of money was higher back then, so I had to spend money wisely, and I did odd jobs around the house that my Dad would pay me for. The very first CD I bought with my hard-earned KD 5 was Ma$e’s “Harlem World”, and to this day, I think of it as one of the most defining purchases in my life. It ingrained in me the idea that everything could be yours if you worked hard for it. By the time the Internet was available to us, all of the information I had gathered on my
journey with Hip-Hop was through tape and CD booklets, and the occasional interview on MTV. I knew there was so much out there that I hadn’t learned or experienced, and because the Internet’s database was so small at the time, I could only find one Hip-Hop website that fulfilled my need to network and find up-to-theminute information on who was “hot” and which song was tearing up the charts. Fanfamily.com kept me up to date on rap battles, ghostwriting conspiracies, and allowed the budding Hip-Hop scholar in me to flourish. Waiting for ages for the dial-up connection to come through and logging onto the FanFam forums was the highlight of my day. Introducing myself was awkward - an 11 year-old girl from Kuwait connecting with 20-something year-olds from New York, Chicago, and Miami was a crazy notion back then. But they were kind, took me under their wings, and readily taught me all of the things I needed to know. I tried my hand at freestyle once, which was a hilariously epic fail. Because of that failure, I was able to understand the length of a bar and a verse by comparing my verses to other free-styling veterans’. I learned about the other elements of Hip-Hop too; DJ-ing, graffiti, breakdancing, and of course, knowledge of the culture and how it all started. I created my own Hip-Hop experience and made friends that I keep in touch with till this day. It’s kind of crazy just thinking about it. A few years ago, I searched relentlessly for FanFam, only to be disappointed by the fact that the domain now belongs to a small family that posts pictures of their kids’ adventures growing up. As a supplement to the Internet, I would get my hands on The Source and Vibe magazines whenever I could. They were magazines I heard of only in songs, so when owning an issue became a reality, I was over the moon. I will never forget the first time I found an issue of the talk - page 97
The Source. My family and I were having lunch at a hotel back in 1999, and I had walked over to the gift shop to look for an Archie comic. Scanning the magazine rack, the big bold lettering of The Source magazine caught my eye, and my body literally froze. I picked it up, running my hand over the glossy image of Dr. Dre running away from a fiery explosion. You couldn’t tell me anything that day. I was on top of the world! I spent the next weeks poring over every article over and over again, and understanding the magazine’s format and features so I knew what to look forward to the next month. The moment I fell in love with radio was the day we landed in New York in the year 2000. My family and I had landed in the US to see my eldest sister off to college, and it was my first time in New York City. The lights, the bustle, the smell of sunshine and pretzels, the sounds of Hip-Hop bumping from every street corner; I fell in love instantly. Our days were filled with shopping and food, and for the brief moments I had to myself, I would take a quick walk around our hotel’s district and buy mix CDs from hustlers on the street. I don’t remember exactly how or when things started to change, but it only hit me a few years ago that things will never be the same. It makes me incredibly sad that the children of our generation will never know the euphoria of unwrapping an album they have waited months for, hoping the lyrics were printed inside the booklet, or that there was a fold-out poster or stickers somewhere in their magazine. Now, we have digital booklets and lyrics websites; things that are intangible yet accessible to anyone. Album release dates are now surprise releases. Print magazines are going digital, and SoundCloud and other streaming apps have replaced radio, and the threshold of what is considered timeless music has dropped. The magic of discovery and the concept of success through diligence are disappearing. If anything, we now have an over-saturation of music and information that makes it almost impossible to the talk - page 98
keep up with what’s going on in the music world. Some people look at this as a positive shift in the way we are exposed to the industry. Social media has allowed me to network with some of my favorite artists and living legends, something I wouldn’t have dreamed of in a million years. I have met almost all of the members of A Tribe Called Quest (RIP Phife!) and am good friends with a few artists I grew up listening to. It’s amazing and a little scary thinking how far I have come as a fan and professional since my FanFam days. Still, I try to remind myself every now and then that there’s a world of things to be re-discovered beyond laptop screens and trending topics. I am a firm believer in tangibility; buying physical copies of music, flipping through magazines, listening to radio shows, scribbling notes about songs and samples in my notebooks. It may sound old school, but it’s more reliable. Take it from someone who woke up one morning to find out that iTunes decided to erase her entire Nas catalog. I would never been more thankful for my CDs than I was that day! Regardless of how fast things are moving; don’t allow the digital age to take away from your authentic Hip-Hop experience, whether you have been a fan for 20 years or 20 minutes. Create evidence that will give you stories to share years from now, so when the time comes in which technology becomes obsolete, you are your own journalist, storyteller, and a source to be cited.
The first album I bought, Ma$e’s “Harlem World”
A Tribe Called Quest My 1st issue of The Source, along with my other magazines.
Record collection of Hip-Hop and soul albums. the talk - page 99
t r a v e l a u t o m o t i v e s r e s t a u r a n t s e v e n t s h o r o s c o p e s
lifestyle - interview
Mariam Al Qatami Inspired by a childhood filled with delicious cooking, meet the woman that’s satisfying Kuwait’s clean eating cravings, one dish at a time.
Text by Saad Tayee the talk - page 102
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Lifestyle - Interview
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Tell us a bit about you, and how Gia was born? Growing up, I was obsessed with my mother’s cooking. I remember always telling her that I wanted to build a restaurant around her recipes. After my move back, I realized that there weren’t any places where I could hang out and have some good food. After doing some searching, I was able to find a little place in Salmiya. So I left my job at the bank, and started working on the concept for a neighborhood-style café that I ended up naming Gia. What led you towards developing a clean eating concept during Kuwait’s ‘Burgers and Pink Pasta Era’? First off, I think Kuwait did a great job with the burgers, pink pasta and fried sushi. But after coming from the US, where there are healthy food options on every corner, I quickly realized that it would be extremely difficult to maintain that routine. You could only achieve that if you became anti-social, in some sense. There was also a rise on interest in gyms and working out, but what’s the point of going through all of that if you aren’t going back home to a clean meal. So I wanted to cater to these crowds that weren’t really able to lead a better lifestyle, due to inaccessibility. What inspires you? Travel, for sure. Every time I go on a trip, I’m inspired to develop new flavors, new designs, everything! Don’t ever travel to run away. Travel to
stimulate yourself mentally, and come back with newer ideas that will push you further. What is the most important thing to keep in mind when starting your own business? It’s not as easy as you think it is. Some people see it as an escape from being committed to a job from 9 to 5, where they can travel and do whatever they want. But in reality, when you go on a vacation, you need to always be accessible. Even if you aren’t physically at the office, your mind always is. There are lots of obstacles that come up when you’re running your own company, so be sure to do your homework! What is the one thing that sets Gia apart from the rest of the industry? Well, I try to give people the impression that they’ve taken a little trip. I want that hour or two that you spend at Gia to feel like you’re on a vacation. What is the biggest challenge you faced, or still face, while trying to one of Kuwait’s most popular dining hotspots? “Mariam, what are you thinking?!” That was all that came to mind when I first opened Gia. I never studied hospitality management, and I can barely cook a pair of eggs. At that stage, it was made apparent to me that I was either going to sink or swim. I’m an avid eater, and I absolutely love food. So I decided to play to that strength, and have my taste in food lead the way.
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How do you feel the F&B industry in Kuwait has changed since you opened Gia? Since that time, Kuwait has become one of the fastest growing cities for food. Considering that going out and dining together is somewhat of a central theme in our society, it was only a matter of time before these changes happened. Kuwait has immensely expanded its horizons, and I think that this is just the beginning. What steps do you feel still need to be taken in order for Kuwait truly become the food capital of the world? It definitely starts from all the way up. The existing government regulations don’t really allow us to make things happen at an ideal rate. That being said, a majority of these problems are related to labor laws. Unfortunately, locals refuse to work in such positions, which forces us to resort towards hiring from abroad. We also struggle a lot with food supplies in Kuwait. The varieties of food that we have access to here are extremely limited. For example, it’s tough to find really good quality cheeses at an affordable price. Lastly, I feel stronger copyright laws should be implemented to protect small businesses. This would motivate them to further grow and prosper. Ideas tend to get repeated a lot in this industry, which is always healthy, given that people are of the differences between imitation and inspiration. What advice would you give to an aspiring restaurateur? I would definitely advise them to do their homework, and be mentally prepared. Running your own business isn’t as easy as it seems, but one it’s all done, there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing all of your hard work pay off. A saying to keep in mind is, “don’t put the carriage in front of the horse.” This is basically a reminder to avoid rushing things, and take things one step at a time.
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lifestyle - column
Yourself, Your Soul, Your Home Text by Zeina Al Ayoub
How darling is it knowing that when everything else falls apart your soul will still be attached to your temple? Life is funny in that sense, you wake up one day and feel like taking over the world and then at the end of the very same day you will feel like your world is crashing down. Have you ever given it a thought? What is the reason is that’s bringing you down? Is the source a human being or an object, or a topic? Non of us have really dug deep down to the core of our emotional state and that is where we are wrong. In life, I have realized that detaching yourself from all is when you are most content with yourself, you love with arms wide open but never provide a home for others within you except for yourself, you care for certain things, or own certain objects but never allow them to go past your soul, because your own self is the home you built for only yourself. Hug your bones until it passes, because life pushes mighty boundaries upon the flesh of your home that you once upon a time called your soul, you may think it’s a gloom of heavy waves, and you may think you have lost, but once you have conquered the movement of detaching yourself, those heavy waves will feel like one simple notion gracefully passing through. It has been scientifically proven that every 7 years your cells will replace itself with new untouched cells, untouched by hands of a deranged individual, untouched by harrowing emotions, but I have proven to myself that every minute that passes by I get to reborn my own self of state, I decide what I should keep lingering in my head and what blues I get to toss in the depth of blue. Trace your own flaws, connect them together until they seem flawless like the glistening constellations you see in the night sky, water yourself with self-love until your roots intertwine from the very bottom of the soles of your feet to the ground you stand on, leave a mark, it’s a personal relationship with yourself and it’s a personal relationship with beauty at its rawest.
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lifestyle - dining
Table Otto Exquisitely refined flavors for every palette
Text by Saad Tayee the talk - page 110
Purely Local Ingenuity Upon establishing a national favorite with his first concept AlMakan, local culinary mastermind Faisal Al Nashmi is back with a bang! His latest brainchild offers diners with the same great flavors, prepared using extremely sophisticated techniques. Tucked away beside Al Shaheed Park’s Habitat Museum, this brasserie offers patrons with the one of the most unique dining experiences in Kuwait. the talk - page 111
Redefining Fine Dining Dining at Table Otto is truly a unique experience that entertains your every sense. From its gorgeously designed interior, to the bold aromas wafting from the service window, guests of Table Otto are treated to a nonpareil evening of delightful surprises. The golden lines seen throughout the restaurant’s furniture can only be described as a reflection of the new gold standard set by Chef Faisal and his team. Classically Inspired Modern Flavors If paradise tastes like something, it would probably be a sous-vide tenderloin. Maybe even the same one served at Table Otto. While the restaurant serves a wide array of beautifully composed and well-balanced dishes, it’s difficult to stray away from such a perfectly prepared cut of meat. The only disappointment one could face while visiting Table Otto, is the realization that there are only three courses to a meal. the talk - page 112
“We are true believers in quality, with a vision to redefine its existence.�
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lifestyle - travel
JetSmarter First Class: Redefined JetSmarter is changing the way people fly by offering the world’s largest private jet marketplace and unprecedented membership services. Designed to complement the needs of the frequent luxury traveler, this mobile app seamlessly connects travelers to private jets at attractive fares worldwide, in real time. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to travel between Kuwait and Dubai using the app’s brilliant JetShuttle service.
seem inevitable. Even the priciest first class ticket won’t get you away from obnoxious lines and tedious screening points. Well, there’s finally a way out.
Time and tide wait for no man… JetSmarter does. Whether you’re the CEO of a multinational corporation, or a student struggling to meet his deadlines, time will always be your most prized asset and your worst enemy. In the case of commercial aviation, travelers are typically asked to show up to the airport about two hours prior to departure. With that in mind, I decided to show up to my JetSmarter flight an hour before we were scheduled to fly.
In fact, the pampering began the instant I set foot in the terminal. “Have a seat, sir. We’ll take care of things from here.” I handed my passport over to the charming hostess, and headed over to the hospitality lounge. By the time I was finished with the welcome drink, my documents were processed and the limo was ready to take me to the plane.
As I approached the check-in desk, I realized that I had forgotten to bring my passport. Long story short, I showed up with my 2 minutes before the scheduled takeoff, and the staff was all smiles. What was the point of sharing that story? JetSmarter shares the same appreciation for time that we have, and only asks that you show in time for takeoff. Have a seat, sir. We’ll take care of things from here. Although many airlines have been able to transform travel into an equally lavish and enjoyable experience, some of its disadvantages
JetSmarter offers members with degrees of exclusivity that go far beyond private jets. All flights take off from, and land in, private terminals. That’s right. I got onto two flights, and I didn’t have to stand in a single line.
Ready for takeoff. Members traveling along the Kuwait-Dubai route are generally flown onboard a Hawker 800XP. This impressive 8-seater flaunts plush leather seats and beautifully ambient lighting. Freshly crafted canapés await anyone with an appetite for nibbles during this relatively short flight. They say the larger the plane, the smoother the flight. Little did I know that this flight would unfold into the greatest exception to that saying. Instead of waves of turbulence, I was treated to the flight of a lifetime. Friendly weather conditions paired with masterful flying, combined for a brilliant experience from takeoff to landing.
Words by Saad Tayee the talk - page 114
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Consistently inspired by muses in the creation of the collections, this season was particularly enamored by two women: Catherine Deneuve, the classic French beauty; always slightly detached, poised and humbly self-assured; and lee miller, the avant-garde American model turned photographer who famously bemused the Parisian surrealist scene with her modern beauty and unusual mind.
With four boutiques around the globe, the newly opened boutique in Kuwait, located in 360 Mall marks Perrin’s international expansion, catering to the trendy, fashion forward customer who has an appreciation for craftsmanship and originality.
Architectural volumes, marvelous multi-faceted details and playful elegance, Perrin Paris is a surrealist landscape that resonates a jazzy tune. A strange fantastical dream, like a silent burst of laughter, Perrin remains a family-owned and operated heritage brand bridging the past and present.
In the 21st century, handbags take center stage at Perrin, combining the finest quality skins with highly conceptual design; gloves remain present in a nod to its historical past.
Originally glove makers, Perrin opened its doors in 1893 in Haute-Vienne, a region in France historically known for this craft. Today, for the first time, it has a store in Kuwait – at 360 Mall.
Perrin in Kuwait
lifestyle - events
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Guests invited to this exclusive event also had the opportunity to meet the designers and mingle in style during an evening of specially curated activities – each created to elevate the senses.
PH7 Group hosted its first Elevated Night at the upscale C Club at Bida’a. The night was a showcase for five of the Middle East’s most renowned jewelry designers including Tarfa Itani, Fatima Al Jassim, May Al Qassar, Sylvette Blaimont and Gaelle Khouri.
Elevated Night at The C Club
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This exhibition is considered a launching platform to the most recent and modern fashion creations presented by the most famous Arab designers, it’s also recognized as a gathering for business women who meet up and exchange their expertise and views on how to increase women’s involvement in the society and the economy through the various activities that take place during the exhibition.
Ever since Al Ostoura started in 1985, it had strived to support and launch talented international designers, especially local ones by showcasing their designs in more than 40 prominent fashion stores in Kuwait’s most prestigious shopping malls, and to the world, through a shopping website.
The forum aimed to shed light and focus on encouraging the Arab designers and supporting their emerging talents.
The exhibit hosts more than 200 fashion brands from the Gulf and the world to show case their new collections for 2017 Autumn and Winter for more than 1500 high society ladies from Qatar and the Gulf.
In collaboration with Hiya exhibition for Arab Fashion, Al Ostoura organized an informative forum to discuss the main goals of the exhibition in Al Doha - Qatar.
Al Ostoura at Hiya Fashion Forum
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The newest addition to the Gourmania portfolio is Yuba. A high level Japanese gourmet sushi and robata grill bar infused with a local twist of flavors and ingredients from Kuwait and the region. A truly unique experience awaits its patrons as even though we have tens of Japanese restaurants; none have aquariums with live seafood and none have a culinary “sushi tour”; having the chef take you on a culinary journey experiencing and learning things you never knew about these Japanese delicacies.
Yuba - the name given to a unique new restaurant created by Mohammed Bseiso; CEO of Gourmania International. A company specialized in bringing us some of the most successful restaurants in Kuwait such as, Fauchon Paris, Burger & Lobster, Cereal Killer, Sakura.
“Yuba” Gourmet Level Japanese Cuisine with a Local Twist Now in Crystal Tower – Kuwait City
lifestyle - horoscopes
horoscopes Aries (Mar. 21-April 20)
Taurus (Apr. 21-May 21)
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
This is a month of some serious decisions for you. It’s time to stop procrastinating and doing what you know you have to do. You are determined, courageous, and full of enthusiasm! The groups you belong to can have much influence over you.
Put your nose in a good book and study topics that you enjoy! Take it easy. Take care of your health problems as soon as they begin to bother you. You are changing in so many positive ways and the flow of the Universe supports you.
You can be too serious for your own good. Don’t get involved in problems that aren’t directly related to you. Take care of your own issues and stay away from other people’s problems or you may be dragged into more than you are bargaining for.
Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 23)
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
Try to be conservative with your spending. Saving money now will allow you the peace of mind you are seeking. It’s time to get those finances under control and create a more peaceful and secure future.
This month starts slowly and almost silently. Yet although it might seem on the surface that nothing much is going on, that won’t be the case – lots of important things will be happening, but it will all be happening within you. Your twelfth house will be packed with energy and rules all things that affect your spirit and psychology.
You need a break, but you dislike boredom more than others. This is a great month to participate in charities or give your time to someone who needs you. You release negative karma and memories by doing good deeds for others.
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Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Leo (July 23-Aug 22)
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 23)
You can be one of the luckiest of the zodiac signs right now. What you once thought was impossible can become very real for you, especially in the area of true love and lasting relationships. When you are frustrated, get some extra exercise instead and keep yourself busy working on detailed projects that you enjoy.
Ultra-passionate, sometimes you give of yourself to others more than you should. Situations regarding your home and family take top priority right now. Someone very important in your life needs your advice and personal attention. Let your loving heart lead the way!
November is going to be a very nice month for you. Peace, serenity, tranquility, and justice come your way. Be friendly and spend time with those who are on the same mental/spiritual path as you are. Everyone can have fun and learn a lot from each other. Remember… knowledge is power. Read, study, and grow.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19)
Pisces (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)
Nurture the children in your life with love and understanding. If you don’t have any children of your own, either give more to those around you who do have children. Great inner satisfaction starts when you spend time with those who really know how to love life.
Your career is highlighted and you are in the spotlight. What you once thought impossible can now become your reality. You can be and do anything you want to right now!
This is a great month for going places you’ve never been before. November will be a month of fun, adventure and higher learning for you Pisces. All legal matters will turn out in your favor. Important people will see your point of view. Justice is on your side!
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It’s time for Christmas magic. TISSOT CHEMIN DES TOURELLES AUTOMATIC.
TI S S OT WATC H E S .CO M TISSOT, INNOVATORS BY TRADITION
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