Applications for this year’s Fashion Trust Arabia Prize are now open.

The annual prize recognises design talent in the Middle East and North Africa and offers winners the opportunity to grow their brands on an international level.

Fashion Trust Arabia successfully launched the first edition of FTA Prize in 2018 under the patronage and presence of FTA’s honorary chair HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, and co-chairs HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani and Tania Fares.

It is the first initiative of its kind in the Arab world and has so far had great success in supporting some of the most talented designers in the region. With an initial mission to provide financial support, guidance and mentorship to emerging designers in the MENA region, FTA has become so much more: a platform of opportunity through which every talented Arab designer can grow and receive international recognition.

This year’s applications are now open for the following categories:

-Evening Wear

-Ready-to-Wear

-Accessories

-Jewelry (Fine/Fashion)

-Debut Talent (2021, 2022, 2023 graduate)

If you’re a designer from the MENA region looking to give your brand a boost through financial support and industry mentorships with some of the biggest names in fashion, find out how to submit your application Here

The Spring/Summer 2023 campaign for BOSS celebrates the success of some of today’s young icons.

Featuring stars including Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid, Maluma, Matteo Berrettini and Khaby Lame, the series of videos and images shows the stars as young children and as they are today.

Supported by the motto “Be your own BOSS,” the campaign invites talents from various fields to share their stories to inspire individuals to embrace their destiny. Each of these talents has overcome various challenges in their life to get to where they are today.

Captured by photographer Mikael Jansson, these power-packed stories are told through emotionally engaging words that portray their paths to triumph. These BOSS personalities always knew what they wanted, and their breakthroughs were achieved through a series of personal choices. While destined for greatness, they neatly personify the fact that BOSSes aren’t born – they’re made.

On a wider scale that campaign has seen a number of talents from the Middle East and around the world sharing images with the hashtag #Beyourownboss, generating a various frenzy around the story. It aims to inspire personal ambition while showcasing the new collection in a way that motivates the audience. It also serves as a reminder that all paths in life can present countless twists of fate, yet the journey to becoming who you were ultimately meant to begin within.

The Spring/Summer 2023 collection from BOSS showcases a bold aesthetic, combining a city-inspired spirit with a summery, off-court lifestyle in the brand’s signature colour palette of black, white, and camel. The result is a sophisticated, yet relaxed assortment in which the BOSS codes blend seamlessly, creating a sleek intersection of soft tailoring and elevated sportswear.

The new Dior High Jewellery collection design by Victoire de Castellane continues to offer a new interpretation of lace, inspired by the House’s Haute Couture designs.

An ode to Christian Dior and the House’s savoir-faire, the Dearest Dior collection features seventy-seven exquisite creations that convey a multi-faceted femininity, both fragile and powerful, timeless and infinitely modern.

Each jewel expresses the desire of Dior Joaillerie’s Artistic Director to create jewellery that can be worn as close to the skin as possible, borrowing its finesse and lightness from lace.

The mounts of the necklaces, rings and bracelets are so airy they seem to disappear, leaving diamonds and rubies, pearls and tourmalines, and blue, pink or yellow sapphires to reveal their shimmering shades in complex compositions that evoke the intertwining of refined guipure. A feat that testifies to the excellence of Dior’s workshops, highlighted by the many techniques required to devise these precious pieces.

In a hypnotic play of shine and transparency, the lace is made of gold thanks to the conception of remarkably supple mesh sheets, the result of extensive research and development.

The lines and articulations have been carefully studied to adapt perfectly to the curves of the hand, wrist and neck, while the flat volume reproduces the delicacy of lace laid directly on the skin.

A goldsmith’s ribbon, enhanced by a series of stitched diamonds, scattered flowers, tassels and sequins, perpetuates the dialogue between jewellery and couture. Inspired by the Dior Galons models, motifs feature plant designs in homage to the founding couturier’s unconditional passion for nature.

Forging a link between tradition and innovation, earrings boldly play with asymmetry, necklaces become ultra-contemporary chokers and a ruby-set pendant is transformed into a brooch.

This is a captivating new chapter in the Masion’s jewellery story and a tribute to the exceptional savoir-faire of the Ateliers, where the Dior dream comes to life.

 This February Jaeger-LeCoultre will reveal an exclusive exhibition in Dubai. The exciting new Stellar Odyssey exhibition will for the first time pay homage to the astronomical phenomena that lie at the origins of time measurement.

The exhibition is an invitation for visitors to discover how the mysteries of the cosmos are translated into micro-mechanical wonders that capture the universe in miniature, in order to tell the time. The story will be told alongside the display of exclusive and remarkable timepieces from the Swiss watchmaker, as well as multi-media installations that will take visitors on a virtual journey to the cosmos. It translates the wonders of the celestial world into art installations and multi-sensory experiences, while the Atelier d’Antoine, named after the Maison’s founder, Antoine LeCoultre, will share watchmaking know-how through hands-on educational workshops based on the Stellar Odyssey theme.

Jaeger-LeCoultre is a brand that puts craftsmanship and emotion at the heart of everything it does, and this exhibition will allow the watchmaker to reinforce this value, and share the emotion of watchmaking with guests in the Middle East for the first time. This brand-new exhibition will be located at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, offering residents and tourists alike the perfect opportunity to discover more about this beautiful brand. Here we find out more about what to expect.

We are super excited to have the Stellar Odyssey Exhibition arriving in Dubai – tell us about why you decided to bring it here and what it means for your relationship with clients in the region.

We have wanted to do something on this scale in Dubai for a while and we felt that this exhibition was at the level of execution and content that we want to bring to the region. It is one of the fullest exhibitions that we will run in terms of experience, artistic engagement, storytelling, education etc. and we wanted our first exhibition in Dubai to offer a full experience of what such an exhibition can bring. It is the first time we have had this exhibition anywhere in the world and among the others, we have run previously, I think it tops them in terms of the richness and the wealth of the content it offers. There will be a school of education on watchmaking where visitors can take a class to learn about the celestial meaning in watchmaking. There will be a full retrospective in terms of patrimony, and heritage, and we will deep dive into the relationship between celestial and watchmaking at Jaeger-LeCoultre, so there will be a lot of products displayed. There will be a sensory experience hosted by a mocktail maker who has created drinks around the theme of ‘celestial’ and this is also an amazing way to complement what we bring in terms of technicity and heritage with something that will engage the public, even if they are not passionate about watches. Everyone that visits this exhibition will find something for them, something to learn and fuel their curiosity. Last but not least, there will be a major show with a movie that has been developed specifically for this event to present the celestial inspiration, taking visitors into a very immersive experience. As we always like to bring this artistic dimension, we have worked with French artist Guillaume Marmin who will exhibit a piece that he has made to represent this celestial journey. It’s titled “Passengers: Through Time” and it tells the story of the celestial journey and how we are transported within the cosmos. So we have covered all the senses with this exhibition and there are a lot of ways to bring emotion and knowledge to our visitors. It is a major step for us in sharing our story with the public at large and specifically with those in Dubai. 

Will the exhibition travel to other destinations in the world?

Yes, that’s the idea. We have several exhibitions that rotate around the world, this one is very important because of its scale and we hope to be able to take it elsewhere such as Asia and The United States in the coming years. It’s not something we can transport every few months, but the content within it will remain very valid for a long time. 

How do you think projects such as these allow you to connect with your customers on a deeper level and help them to understand more about the brand?

In my view, today people don’t need to wear a watch. We no longer buy watches to look at the time, we have our phones for that. So watches have become more like pieces of art and something that brings emotion and passion to the wearer, more than being a useful object. So I believe it’s very important to educate the public on the artistic side of this world and to present them with what we do. They need to feel the emotion of what we do. I am a true believer in the importance of educating the public and creating curiosity around our world. We are very fascinated with our long history and for Jaeger-LeCoultre, we have very deep craftsmanship – we do everything ourselves, and we have made movements for watches for 190 years, so all of that is something that we intend to reveal in a wider way, but not in a museum-like way. We want it to be engaging, we want kids to be happy to go, and we want the public to spend time there as a family. Whether you like watches or you don’t, there is something for everyone to be curious about and something that they will remember long after visiting the exhibition. So it’s really about our opening doors, sharing who we are with the world, educating the public, and sharing something that they will find can touch them in a way. Even if you know nothing about watches you will be wowed by this exhibition for sure. If you are an avid collector who wants to visit, you can also take that path of learning things you probably didn’t know, taking the class about celestial inspiration in watchmaking, and looking at amazing pieces that are seldom out of our museum and galleries. So for anyone, depending on their level of interest, this exhibition is in any case offering education. 

How do you manage to keep the craftsmanship alive at Jaeger-LeCoultre, keeping the same standard of excellence and also managing the demand for watches today?

What we have always done at Jaeger-LeCoultre is embark on young generations and apprentices within our craftmanship and watchmaking school. Within our Manufacture, we have a dedicated school for apprentices, to train them in these skills. This way we can develop the next generation of watchmakers. We also do cross-training with our employees, continuously training our teams so they adapt and learn new skills. This makes them very flexible in what they do and how they contribute to the Maison. Education, the new generation and agility in learning, are all part of who we are and what we have been for many decades. In terms of the volume and managing the demand, yes it has been a challenge because we have very limited capacity, so we have been continuing the creativity and challenging ourselves to always bring something new, rather than repeating the same things. So yes, there are some pieces today that are probably hard to get, but at least we continue with novelties, with creativity, and in a way, we select where we sell and how we sell. We have been addressing this point by looking at quality, and creativity, and not falling into a trap of producing a volume that would be very challenging for us to meet with the constraints of the time it takes to create our pieces. And of course, we must keep the exclusivity of our pieces. It takes years for a piece to be developed and created, so the exclusivity comes together with the object and I think it is important to maintain the creativity, to fuel it with new ideas, to bring something new to the table for our clients and to also keep renewing ourselves. We have worked a lot on Reverso for instance, it is the icon of the Maison and it has been there for over 90 years now, but we’ve revamped it, keeping the same sense of identity from the thirties and bringing a new touch of modernity and new colours, new ways of wearing the watch, so we manage to bring this type of creativity to the brand and that’s what we have really been protecting during this recent hype around watchmaking. 

What can you tell us about Jaeger-LeCoultre in the Middle East in general and what is in the pipeline for our region?

We are bringing this exhibition to the region now but we’ve been investing in The Middle East for a long time. In the last few years, our investments in the region have been primarily around upgrading our presence through our boutiques, and re-shaping our distribution, and now we feel it is a good time for us in the Middle East. That’s also why it’s a good time to host this exhibition. We have two stores in Dubai, we’ve got a presence in Qatar, in Kuwait, in Saudi Arabia, we’ve been developing a good client base and investing in awareness, so presenting this exhibition now is really saying that we are ready and we want to welcome clients to take a look at the brand. 

What else is in the pipeline for 2023 for Jaeger-LeCoultre and what is your vision for this year?

It’s going to be a busy year! We are going to be introducing a lot of novelties throughout the year starting with Watches & Wonders, but there will be a lot of other moments during the year to reveal new pieces. We have a very nice project to start the year around celebrating our heritage. We are working on renovating and restoring vintage pieces from the twenties to the seventies and we will be creating small capsules around these pieces for the public to buy. This is super exciting because it’s a way for us to dive back into the history of the Maison. We’ve got investment happening in major stores, that’s part of who we are. You will see a major flagship opening in New York towards the end of the year. We have new boutiques opening in Europe. We will continue our programmes of partnership with artists, which has been a great success for us in terms of creativity and showcasing all the passion that we have in our work. So we will continue with four new artists in 2023 who will continue to enrich our message and showcase the creativity of the Maison. So there is a lot more to come!

What is the biggest challenge you face today?

Of course, without a doubt, the uncertainty that we have faced over the last three years has created a lot of challenges because you need to be very agile in where you sell, where you allocate the stock that you have etc. so you have to prioritise and that has been quite challenging. It’s very important to get our voice heard and I think we have been very successful with this through our latest campaigns, partnerships and exhibitions, but we need to keep this momentum going and it means that you need to always renew yourself. There is never a moment of rest. As soon as you have a good idea or story, you need to have another one. It’s always onto the next thing and we are always on the move, which is challenging. You need to be very creative and always ahead of your time. 

How would you assess the watchmaking industry today as a whole?

I look at it more and more from an artistic standpoint. We went from a necessary object to a technical object and nowadays it’s the technicity together with the art and crafts that go into a piece that gives watchmaking its sense, and that’s really what’s meaningful for our clients. These pieces become moments. Like if you buy a painting or a sculpture, you do it because it makes you happy, or because you want to gift it to someone you care about or to yourself for a special moment in your life. I think this is what we are about, these celebrations and emotions, in the same way, that art can bring emotion. More and more craftsmanship and creativity will make a difference. I think those in watchmaking who are observing what other Maisons do, and in a way repeating what has been done before, they don’t bring the creativity or the emotion and I don’t think that can last. You have to challenge yourself creatively, and you have to bring meaning that is specific to your Maison, to the public, and that’s what we intend to do and how the watch industry will change. 

What is a message you would send to our readers as to why they should visit the exhibition and what they can expect to see?

Come and be surprised and touched by the emotion you will get when you visit. 

The Stellar Odyssey will be presented from Saturday 4th to Thursday 23rd February 2023 at the Dubai Fountain, Downtown Dubai, open daily from 2:00pm to 12.00 am. Tickets may be booked online at https://online-booking.jaeger-lecoultre.com/domaine/theme12  

The 2023 list of the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants was revealed with a glamorous ceremony in Abu Dhabi on January 30^th 2023.

Dubai-based restaurant Orfali Bros Bistro in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is named The Best Restaurant in the Middle East & North Africa 2023, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and The Best Restaurant in the UAE. Owned by three brothers originally from Syria: Mohammad, Wassim and Omar Orfali, Orfali Bros Bistro is located in the Wasl 51 neighbourhood of Jumeirah and was founded in 2021. The menu features dishes with a core Middle Eastern theme paying homage to the brothers’ Aleppian roots, while capturing the multiculturalism and avant-garde spirit of Dubai.

A thrilling dining experience is led by charismatic head chef Mohammad Orfali, while brothers Wassim and Omar are both top-level pastry chefs and work from an elevated pastry kitchen which overlooks the main dining room.

Fine dining Indian restaurant Trèsind Studio which is located on The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai and headed by chef Himanshu Saini, claims the No.2 spot, and is followed by Fusions by Tala in Manama (No.3), which is also named The Best Restaurant in Bahrain and takes home the Highest Climber Award 2023. Dubai’s Ossiano (No.4) is awarded the Highest New Entry prize, sponsored by Aspire Lifestyles.

William Drew, Director of Content for Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “It’s a great honour to announce that Orfali Bros Bistro has made it to the No.1 spot at the second edition of Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. It is a masterfully executed independent restaurant, loved by local residents and visitors alike. There is no doubt that it sets a new standard in creativity, innovation and food presentation, coupled with an intimate service style, and we are thrilled to celebrate its brilliance. Additionally, we are excited to see restaurants from 14 different cities represented on this year’s list, showcasing the rich diversity of cuisines across this region.”

MENA50 Best Restaurants Results list 2023

The United Arab Emirates is the country that tops the list with an impressive 18 restaurants featured, including three from host city Abu Dhabi, while Israel follows with six establishments, one of which is in the top 10: George & John (No.6), winner of The Best Restaurant in Israel. Following close behind are Egypt and Jordan with five restaurants each, with Fakhreldin (No.8) named The Best Restaurant in Jordan, while Zooba (Zamalek) (No.9) is named The Best Restaurant in Egypt.

Riyadh’s Myazu (No.18) is the winner of The Best Restaurant in Saudi Arabia title. Morocco is also well-represented with four restaurants featured in the ranking including La Grande Table Marocaine (No.27), making it The Best Restaurant in Morocco. Lebanon also has a player in the top 20 with Baron (No.16) in Beirut named The Best Restaurant in Lebanon.

Tunis restaurant La Closerie (No.34) claims the title of The Best Restaurant in Tunisia, while the anime-inspired Japanese eatery White Robata in Kuwait City comes in at (No.42), making it The Best Restaurant in Kuwait.

As a recognition of excellence in restaurant service and dining experiences, the Art of Hospitality Award is presented to Beirut’s Em Sherif (No.20). The restaurant is honoured for its personalised style where the guest’s experience is tailored to their individual preference, all while embodying the spirit of Lebanese generosity.

Tiffany & Co. has just acquired some of the world’s rarest pink diamonds. This bespoke curation of rare pink diamonds was sourced in the now-closed Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia.

Located in the country’s East Kimberley region, a remote area of Western Australia, the renowned mine was open from 1983 until November 2020. It was and remains virtually the only source of pink diamonds in the world. While mining has ceased, Argyle held a small cache of diamonds that were unearthed in the final mining period.

In early 2022, Argyle approached Tiffany & Co., exclusively offering the House this unique collection of their remarkable diamonds. This is the first time that Argyle has curated a bespoke collection named in honour of a jeweller.

 “This extraordinary collection of 35 Argyle Pink™ Diamonds showcases the range of colours that Argyle diamonds are famous for, including Fancy Intense Pink, Fancy Intense Purplish Pink, Fancy Vivid Pink, Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink, Deep Pink and the rarest of all—a Fancy Red diamond,” said Victoria Wirth Reynolds, Chief Gemmologist, Tiffany & Co. “Not only are they incredibly rare, but these diamonds also align perfectly with our Diamond Craft Journey initiative, whereby we provide our clients information on the provenance—or the region or countries of origin—for every newly sourced, individually registered diamond that we set in jewellery.”

Due to the unique combination of extreme pressure and temperature required to form these diamonds, they are typically much smaller than 1 carat in size. Among the 35 Argyle Pink™ Diamonds acquired by Tiffany & Co., three are over 1 carat—representing rarity within a rarity. Every diamond within the Argyle Pink™ Diamonds: The Tiffany Collection will have both a Tiffany Diamond Certificate and an Argyle Pink™ Diamonds Certificate.

Fancy Vivid Pink Diamonds

In celebration of this historic acquisition, the House will present the incredibly rare Argyle Pink™ Diamonds to select clients for a limited time starting in early spring 2023 at global Tiffany High Jewellery events. These remarkable pink diamonds will also appear in carefully curated capsule collections and potentially in future Blue Book creations.

“We are delighted that this collection of rare Argyle Pink™ Diamonds, with their extraordinary Australian provenance and a story that began one and a half billion years ago, are now entrusted to the unrivalled craftsmanship of Tiffany & Co.,” said Sinead Kaufman, Chief Executive, Rio Tinto Minerals.

A series of candlelight concerts are taking place in Dubai this month, offering a one-of-a-kind romantic experience.

Taking place at L’Alliance Française the musical event will see the hall illuminated by thousands of candles, allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves. This series of concerts will feature a 65-minute solo piano program which is sure to capture the hearts of the audience.

This February Candlelight concerts will take guests on a cinematic journey featuring music from iconic cinematic masterpieces including the Sound Of Music, West Side Story, La La Land, Mary Poppins, Les Miserables, The Wizard of Oz and many more unforgettable tunes.

Meanwhile, a series of special performances will pay homage to two iconic British rock bands; Coldplay and Queen. These are the first contemporary artists’ programs brought to the region and performed in a classical music event. It’s sure to be a night to remember!

A Cinematic Journey will take place on 5th February 2023 and the Tribute Concerts to Coldplay is on 4th February. Tribute concerts to Queen will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Theatre on the 3rd and 4th of March.

For more information about the Candlelight Concerts access here. Find tickets to Candlelight Musicals: A Cinematic Journey at L’Alliance Française here.

On the occasion of the Paris Haute Couture Week Chopard revealed an exclusive selection of rare and precious exceptional coloured diamonds.

Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and exceptional Paraiba tourmalines create this colourful and luminous array of gems which will soon become the Maison’s high jewellery creations.

Presenting its stunning and precious stones at Paris Haute Couture Week has been a tradition of Chopard’s for many years. The Maison’s Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele spends the year travelling the world in search for the most coveted gemstones.

This year’s presentation begun with a pair of vivid yellow Ceylon sapphires (Sri Lanka is known as the “Gem Island”): both are finely oval-cut and weigh 151.19 and 127.70 carats respectively. In addition to this impressive size, they combine excellent clarity, perfectly matched colour as well as the well-balanced structure characteristic of the most precious Ceylon sapphires. Luminous as solar stars, they are destined to adorn a ring with a daring design and a matching cuff bracelet.

Another 26.70-carat sapphire featuring the most prized Royal Blue colour completes the corundum family. Also mined from the generous soils of Sri Lanka, it features a transparent blue hue that catches the light through an octagonal shape with a sought-after symmetry that reinforces the intensity and brilliance of coloured stones.

Next, a vivid red ruby is distinguished by its remarkable 10.06-carat weight and fine purity. Its strong red saturation, size and characteristics make it one of the finest-quality East African specimens. Like the sapphires, its colour is natural and has not been subjected to any heat treatment.

Two sets of coloured diamonds are intended for a dainty pair of earrings with a sleek contemporary design and a ‘You and Me’ ring, on which three pink and three green diamonds will star in an elegant play on their pear-shaped design. These rare coloured diamonds owe their hues to the presence of chemical elements or inclusions that modify their absorption of light. That is why, above and beyond the natural beauty of these exceptional gems, the finesse of their cut plays an important role in revealing the brilliance of their colour. While coloured diamonds – such as the famous ‘Dresden Green’ – were long regarded as the prerogative for monarchs who had them set on royal regalia, coloured diamonds have for several years been enjoying renewed interest among discerning collectors. Green diamonds are still among the rarest, while pink diamonds have seen their value rise due to their eminently feminine shade, as well as because of the recent exhaustion of the Argyle mine in Australia, which for several decades extracted the bulk of pink diamonds in world trade.

The three green diamonds acquired by Caroline Scheufele from mines in Brazil, as well as the three pink specimens from South Africa, are distinguished by their excellent combination of size (the largest in the lot weighed 4.63 carats) and few impurities.

Finally, the crystal-clear purity of blue tourmaline is highlighted by Chopard through a batch of three stones. The first two examples featuring a remarkable weight of over seven carats, combined with a matching blue colour and very fine purity, form the ideal tandem for a pair of earrings. Their proportions and the finesse of their subtly oval cut create vivid blue hues due to multiple internal reflections.

Due to the presence of copper in its soils, the northern Mozambique region where these stones were unearthed has recently produced some of the finest tourmalines in colours ranging from blue to greenish blue, very similar in many respects to the famous ‘Paraiba’ tourmalines mined in Brazil during the 1980s and later in Nigeria. Assembling such a range of Mozambican tourmalines of this colour, size and quality can be considered an exceptional opportunity. A third almost 16-carat stone will be the highlight of a ring matching the earrings and forming a spellbinding set.

“Because of my family’s history as jewellery specialists across several generations, my life has been marked by encounters with the rarest gems. Impressive in size and captivating in colour, this yellow diamond immediately caught my attention and our Maison is proud to present it today.” Said Caroline Scheufele.

It was announced today that Italian designer Sabato De Sarno will assume the role of Creative Director at Gucci.

De Sarno will present his debut runway collection at Milan Women’s Fashion Week in September 2023.

Sabato De Sarno began his career at Prada in 2005, moving to Dolce & Gabbana, before joining Valentino in 2009. He was most recently Fashion Director of Men’s and Women’s collections at Valentino.

Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci, said in a statement: “I am delighted that Sabato will join Gucci as the House’s new Creative Director, one of the most influential roles in the luxury industry. Having worked with a number of Italy’s most renowned luxury fashion houses, he brings with him a vast and relevant experience. I am certain that through Sabato’s deep understanding and appreciation for Gucci’s unique legacy, he will lead our creative teams with a distinctive vision that will help write this exciting next chapter, reinforcing the House’s fashion authority while capitalizing on its rich heritage.”

François-Henri Pinault, Chairman & CEO of Kering, said: “One hundred and two years after Guccio Gucci opened his first store in Florence, Gucci remains one of the most iconic, prominent and influential luxury houses in the world. With Sabato De Sarno at the creative helm, we are confident that the House will continue both to influence fashion and culture through highly desirable products and collections, and to bring a singular and contemporary perspective to modern luxury.”

Sabato De Sarno added: “I am deeply honored to take on the role as Creative Director of Gucci. I am proud to join a House with such an extraordinary history and heritage, that over the years has been able to welcome and cherish values I believe in. I am touched and excited to contribute my creative vision for the brand.”

The announcement was made via Gucci’s social media accounts. De Sarno is thought to begin his role in the coming months, working on the Spring/Summer 2024 collections.

Much like the precious relationship between artisanal creator and artistic creation, the bond between the owner and the Moynat object is particularly personal.

Each order placed is an invitation to experience not only exceptional leather goods but also remarkably special care. Since 1849, the House has decorated clients’ names, stripes and family crests onto globe-trotting trunks.

Hand-painted, the intimate tradition of these emblems resonates to this day with both initial design and unique lettering available upon request.

Eschewing stencils, each letter is individually painted in Moynat’s Parisian studio in either an archival font from the House’s history or a design newly imagined for the owner.

The Moynat personalisation service is available exclusively for Moynat customers.

Gucci revealed an exclusive selection of new Hortus Deliciarum High Jewellery pieces during Paris Haute Couture Week.

In the third chapter of this collection, the brand draws inspiration from the world of travel and the memorable moments that every journey can bring.

Hortus Deliciarum — meaning ‘Garden of Delights’ in Latin — blends Gucci’s rich heritage in Italian craftsmanship and its ever-distinctive creativity in one-of-a-kind masterpieces distinguished by unique artistry, exceptional quality, and acute attention to detail.

The new additions to the Hortus Deliciarum collection earrings, and multi-finger rings, are divided into different themes. The designs explore tantalizing facets of the natural and animal kingdom, placing jewellery artistry centre stage. These pieces evoke distant, exotic, and magical worlds, exciting the imagination with Gucci’s signature painterly approach to high jewellery craftsmanship.

A selection of pieces features fresh interpretations of Gucci’s distinctive Lion Head and Tiger Head motifs, symbolizing strength, courage, and passion. Flawless, fancy-cut vivid gemstones, from aquamarines to yellow sapphires, add vibrant touches to these dynamic designs.

The collection includes several new creations showcasing a captivating combination of multicoloured stones that are inspired by the concept of prismatic beauty and specifically designed to catch the light.

Other stunning pieces are distinguished by cascades of dancing diamonds, inspired by the beauty of shooting stars and the sparkling torrents of a waterfall. A highlight of this selection is a parure comprising a dazzling white gold necklace and matching drop earrings.

A yellow gold bracelet, meanwhile, showcases a diamond-embellished chevron pattern and an oval-shaped 16-carat rubellite tourmaline, offering a striking geometric interplay of straight lines and smooth curves. This exceptional creation takes 200 hours to produce.

Intricately crafted and full of surprising details, an ornate diamond parure pays homage to the majestic beauty of natural landscapes. A diamond-encrusted geometric chain necklace is teamed with a stunning round-cut mandarin garnet pendant embellished with dainty emerald leaves. This can be teamed with a matching pair of jacket earrings, also in fresh and surprising shades of green and mandarin, offering a dazzling 40.5 carats of jewels for the necklace and 15.3 carats for the earrings.

To complete the collection, new diamond-embellished solitaire rings shine in an array of hues that resemble the changing colours of the sky. A sculpted, white gold design mesmerizes with a hexagonal 14.7-carat tanzanite centrepiece, while three other white gold rings each present a heart-shaped gemstone in a vivid colour: a 9-carat blue tourmaline, a 12.6-carat peach tourmaline, or an 11.5-carat pink tourmaline.

Fendi presented its Spring/Summer 2023 Couture collection by Kim Jones at Paris Fashion Week.

This season the Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear wanted to focus on the techniques and craft of couture, combining it with the lightness, fluidity and attitude of today. “It’s a celebration of the ateliers and the craftspeople who realise these garments, the intense work and emotional commitment to each piece that exists for both maker and wearer, and how the intimate traditions of the couture are both living and breathing.” Said Kim Jones. “The collection is an inner world made into an external one – both figuratively and literally – with a sense of underwear becoming eveningwear.”

The idea of underwear becoming evening wear meant a collection of light, feminine pieces that had a sense of sophistication. Traditional couture techniques were used in new ways with new materials to create a send of the old meeting the new.

Each look had a softness and luminosity about it, taking inspiration from undergarments but giving them a sense of sophistication. Winged sleeves are often detachable; lingerie is designed as part of a look, often in the same intensely embroidered and unexpected fabrications, even when invisible; coats mirror the intense embroidery of their matching dresses on the inside yet can be reversed; ‘apron’ wrap skirts can also be worn as stoles.

Draping and tying on the body, the exploration of lace and its placement, the hand-pleating motifs, together with an elevation of exceptional knit, give a sense of the sculptural and organic while at the same time displaying virtuoso ‘sprezzatura’. Even utilitarian climbing carabiners are remade as luxury sculptural objects, to tether materials nonchalantly.

The idea was to create couture that can really be worn, something we have seen a lot of this season, perhaps a sign of the times and the reality of customer expectations today.

Louis Vuitton has revealed the latest creations in its LV Volt collection.

First unveiled in 2020 this delicate collection explores the Maison’s cherished abstract art forms with geometric lines and sharp symmetrical forms combining the House’s “L” and “V” initials to create an architectural motif.

The latest creations are a metaphor for movement and are enriched with new elements. The new designs in the collection are set with diamonds on the pendants and ear studs in white or yellow gold. An innovative setting is structured around three triangular white-gold claws to enhance the sparkle of the gemstone.

This same aesthetic is also featured on a ring in yellow gold and diamonds as well as an original and sculptural brooch in 18-carat white gold. Hand-polished indentations in the precious metal echo the shape of the two legendary initials. Finally, the lines of the V increase in size on a new pair of architectural studs in yellow gold and diamonds with a brand-new design.

The LV Volt Play bracelets also introduce a new interpretation this year. Available in two sizes, the central motif in 18-carat yellow gold represents the rhythm of the L and V.

The interchangeable bracelets feature an innovative braid of sparkling yellow-gold threads with red or black polyamide fibres. The graphic clasps electrify the modernity of this precious unisex bracelet.

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Spring Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection for Dior was revealed in Paris in January 2023.

A&E had exclusive access backstage ahead of the show as models prepared to walk the runway. Scroll down to see more and read the full review HERE

© Fiona Torre

© Fiona Torre

© Fiona Torre

© Fiona Torre

© Fiona Torre

© Fiona Torre

© Fiona Torre

For his Spring/Summer 2023 Haute Couture presentation for Valentino, Artistic Director Pierpaolo Piccioli  invited guests to Le Club Couture in Paris.

The glamourous evening began with a runway show set against a black backdrop, followed by a star-studded party that invited guests to celebrate couture as nightclub wear.

Kylie Minogue

Celebrity guests included Anne Hathaway, Kylie Minogue, Sam Smith, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Ashley Park, Doja Cat and more.

Anne Hathaway

The collection combined elegant show-stopping couture designs that we know and love from Valentino, with more wearable, funky looks that reflect today’s younger generation. It was perhaps an unusual approach from the Roman Masion, but perhaps reflected the growing demand for haute couture to become everyday wear.

Balqees

See more of the collection below:

Queen Elizabeth II was the owner of an aquamarine and diamond double-clip brooch from the age of 18. This was a cherished possession that she continued to wear for many decades. Inspired by this brooch Claire Choisne, Boucheron’s Creative Director decided to create a collection that focused on this elegant piece and gave it a new modern meaning, reinterpreting its Art Deco design through eighteen new designs.

“Histoire de Style, Like a Queen” debuted as part of Paris Fashion Week with a selection of pieces that transcend generations, styles ad genders.

“Three years ago, when I started looking for inspirations for this collection in the Boucheron archives, I couldn’t get my mind off that Art Deco double clip brooch”, explains Claire Choisne. “The severity and geometry of the Art Deco design, tempered by the softness and light blue hue of the aquamarines, always fascinated me. I was touched by the sentimental value of this double clip, which Queen Elizabeth II wore at pivotal moments in her reign.”

Inspired by Queen Elizabeth’s distinctive style, formidable character and effervescent presence, Claire Choisne thought it most fitting to work with this particular design and to bring it up-to-date in a collection that surpasses all genres. “Being able to wear a piece in a number of ways, as well as the use of colour, were central to our work on this collection, so that both men and women may wear these pieces. We wanted these eighteen variations to reflect the ease with which the original was worn, since the two clips may be attached in various ways, on their own or together. We also wanted this collection to convey the elegance distinctive of this Art Deco piece.”

Each piece of this Histoire de Style collection reflects the unique spirit of the two cerulean clips. A cherry ruby necklace, a pink tourmaline brooch, an azure aquamarine cuff bracelet, earrings adorned with lush emeralds… Histoire de Style, Like a Queen, stands out with its monochrome plays on joyful, intense colours, inspired by the spirit of the bright outfits that Queen Elizabeth famously wore.

Histoire de Style, Like a Queen, transcends its initial objective – constructing a complete High Jewellery collection inspired by a single piece.

Elie Saab’s Spring/Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection “Golden Dawn” is a celebration of the beauty and style of Thailand. This golden offering was inspired by an opulent royal ceremony in the beautiful South Asian country.

Each majestic piece in the collection is intricate and ornate carefully put together with embroideries, embellishment and beaded details, recreating the scenes of natural beauty that can be found in the country. Shimmering rhinestones and crystals weave into the delicate metallic tresses of wispy capes and sumptuous large coats that make elegant statements as they dance to the floor.

Delicate wing-like details and long golden trains create powerful silhouettes with asymmetrical bodices and plunging sweetheart necklines, creating lavish silk crêpe winds and wild peplum waves of ivory and pearl. Sacred koi fish swim through mermaid tails and ornate scalloped overskirts to join the dawn, as crystal rose lotus flowers blossom upwards from blue ponds to offer a water blessing.

Luscious verdant petals and 3D guipure blooms emerge from organza layers of spontaneous merriment, while freesia blossoms charmingly dangle from embellished hemlines. Light gold tulle and plush draped embroideries in exquisite textures, undulating between elaborate passementerie details and transparency. And finally, entwined in glimmers of white and gold floral vines, the bride dances forth, leading to new beginnings.

The collection also features a strong focus on menswear which was recently introduced to the brand’s offering. Men’s designs follow the same inspiration as the women’s creations, with regal golden looks creating a sense of power and opulence.

See more of the collection below:

Inspired by the colourful image of a harlequin the Giorgio Armani Privé collection “Rondò Armaniano” celebrates colour and the moment light refracts through a prism, creating a beautiful rainbow.

Iridescent materials, fluid fabrics and a glistening colour palette create a sparkling world of fantasy with these elegant handmade designs at its centre.

The clothes in this collection danced and shine as they make their way down the runway. Small, jewelled jackets, long skirts, fluid trousers and sheath dresses create seductive silhouettes that will light up the red carpet.

Diamond motifs inspired by the harlequin and ruffled collars pay tribute to the world of circus and pantomime, evoking joy and entertainment. A colour palette glittered with peony pink, turquoise, emerald green and royal blue, ensures each look is eye-catching and offers a sense of happiness.

The diamond motifs expanded onto the catwalk at the show in Paris, bringing light and colour to the room. As did a smile from Mr Giorgio Armani himself, one of the few living legends to still present his own collection. His legacy continues…

See more of the collection below:

Virginie Viard was inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment at 31, rue Cambon for her Spring/Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection.

Collaborating with artist Xavier Veilhan, the two visited the apartment which he reinterpreted in his own way. Focusing on embroidery and the animal world, the collection feature animal emblems on playful designs that reinterpret classic motifs of the House.

Motifs embroidered on short tweed suits and coat dresses include kittens, corgis, rabbits and swallows sharing the limelight with the doves, stags or camellias emblematic of the House.

The Chanel suit borrows its codes from the female uniforms of parades and spectacles. Top hat, bow tie, white gloves, laced boots, satin cape, pleated skirt, jackets double-breasted or with tails, tuxedo shirt, sequins, short shorts, petticoats: it is in the poetry of majorettes that Virginie Viard also finds her inspiration.

Dresses and jumpsuits all in lightness and refinement, superpositions, transparencies, flounces, pleats, fine straps and repainted laces, are crafted in silk tulle, taffeta, organza, georgette crepe and Chantilly lace.

The show set was created by French artist and sculptor Xavier Veilhan who, after being inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment created a collection of objects in the shapes of lions, stags, birds and camels, that move across the show space.

The show closed with a fairytale bride wearing a dress embroidered with swallows.

With a new take on Iberian Latino fusion, La Niña Launches in the heart of DIFC.

With fans including Dubai Crown Prince, La Niña’s opulent interiors and vibrant dishes make it one of the city’s hottest new dining destinations. With a new take on Modern Iberian Latino cuisine, this elegant restaurant in DIFC’s ICD Brookfield Place promises to steer away from the traditional dining scene, offering a one-of-a-kind experience.

The dishes at La Niña will take guests on a memorable journey around the world, with flavours and scents that take inspiration from multiple cultures and experiences. Visitors can expect to be immersed in a gourmet journey full of taste and adventure inspired by vibrant gastronomic cultures from the Iberian Peninsula to South America.

Drawing inspiration from these two rich cultures the restaurant menu is packed with tantalizing creations crafted by a team of exceptional chefs who combine their world-class culinary expertise and international know-how, to bring flavours from around the world to the table. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner La Niña’s dishes combine traditional ingredients with unique textures and techniques to create bold and complex flavours that guests won’t find anywhere else in Dubai.

Highlight dishes on the menu include Plato de Mariscos, a decedent seafood platter, as well as the Tuna Tartare and Ensalada Rusa. For dessert, the sweet white chocolate and avocado mousse is a treat for your senses.

The food isn’t the only element worth noting as La Niña’s interiors are also something quite special. Mimicking a traditional dining room this intimate setting draws inspiration from forgotten eras of centuries of sea exploration. The opulent blue and white interiors offer a regal feel, mirroring that of a regal dining room. Painted tiles on the wall reflect the influence of the ocean and green plants a red velvet seating adds a touch of colour.

Georges Hobeika presented the Spring Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection in Paris on 23^rd January 2023, inviting friends of the house to walk the runway alongside models.

The show which was put together by Co-Creative Directors Georges and Jad Hobeika and was intended as a celebration of the Maison’s savoir-faire starred regional personalities including Diala Makki, Jessica and Rita Kahawaty, and twins Mohammed and Humaid, and Ameni Essebi.

Diala Makki

The choice to include friends of the Maison was made to showcase the importance of the relationships and interactions between family and friends.

Ameni Essebi

Underlying this concept is the familial collaboration between father and son and Co-Creative Directors Georges and Jad Hobeika, and the powerful link with the house’s archives and ateliers. The collection also highlights the importance of a support network and the people who bring us together in everyday life.

Georges and Jad Hobeika

The designs themselves highlight the tradition and modernity of the designer’s 30-year career. Dresses appear to float on the body, while a neckline inspired by Marie-Antoinette opts for the fresh twist of a jumpsuit shape.

Twins Mohammed and Humaid

The ornate embroidery synonymous with the Maison’s heritage creates magical “trompe-l’œil” effects; such as frosted water droplets, cascading diamond shapes and an ethereal burst of flowing feathers.

Gold and silver chains and intricate thread embroidery evoke the links and webs between individuals. Motifs from nature including a horse’s head, birds and feathers, echo Jad Hobeika’s own happy childhood memories.

A striking colour palette features the essential yellows, pinks and blues alongside classic black and white, with plays on sheerness and contrasts.

Bringing together references from the Maison’s archive, as well as integrating a bright new energy, this collection is the true vector of happy moments. Highlighting the importance of human connection and conversation, “small talks” stand out in an increasingly virtual world.

Never one to shy away from statement-making designs, Daniel Roseberry’s Spring/Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection for Schiaparelli was a bold interpretation of pride. Titled “Inferno” the designer chose a symbol of pride; the lion to interpret his vision in a way that was sure to get a global reaction.

Ahead of the show Kylie Jenner arrived at the venue wearing one of the key looks from the collection, offering a preview of what was to come. The reality star wore an asymmetrical body-skimming infinite draping dress in black stretch velvet, worn with hyper-realistic lion faux fur and resin handmade head on the sleeve. This same look was worn by Irina Shayk on the runway during the show.

Kylie Jenner

Roseberry’s main literal source of inspiration for this collection was an iconic poem from 1308 by Dante Alighieri. “The Divine Comedy” was a 14,233-line poem divided into three books: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. It is a story of life and beyond.

“What appealed to me in the Inferno wasn’t just the theatrics of Dante’s creation—it was how perfect a metaphor it provided for the torment that every artist or creative person experiences when we sit before the screen or the sketchpad or the dress form, when we have that moment in which we’re shaken by what we don’t know.” Said Roseberry in the show notes. “When I’m stuck, I often take some comfort in thinking of Elsa Schiaparelli: the codes she created, the risks she took, are now the stuff of history and legend, and yet she too must have been uncertain, even scared, when she was inventing them. Her fear enabled her bravery, which sounds counterintuitive but is key to the artistic process. Fear means you’re pushing yourself to make something shocking, something new.” He continued.

The designer captured the spirit of both Elsa and Schiaparelli and Dante Alighieri with a collection that’s bold, and not fearful in any way. It’s for a powerful woman, giving her the confidence to rise above her own insecurities.

Roseberry took “direct inspiration from some of his most arresting images. The leopard, the lion, and the she-wolf—representing lust, pride, and avarice, respectively—find form here in spectacular faux-taxidermy creations, constructed entirely by hand, from foam, resin, and other manmade materials.” These life-like creations tell a story of triumph and confidence.

Other pieces are inspired by the slippery, house-of-mirrors quality of his Inferno: the paillettes that tremble from some of the dresses are actually made from leather-slicked slabs of tin, and the baubles that cover one skirt are made not from fabric but wooden beads. The velvet column dresses’ apparently iridescent shimmer is in fact hand-painted, in pigment that changes colour depending on your perspective, like a butterfly’s wings. Additionally; plastrons have been sculpted in waves of actual mother of pearl, plus one in lemon tree marquetry. And Roseberry’s personal favourite, a giant bust made of copper and patina’d by hand have been labours of love for the past four months.

“Elsa always promised surprise in her work, and over the years, people have learned to come to Schiaparelli in a spirit of wonder; you don’t know what you’re going to encounter here, but you know that the story will be different each time. This season, we concentrated less on deliberate artifice, such as our signature hyperstylized anatomy bijoux, and more on blurring the lines between the real and the unreal.” Said Roseberry.

Much like his predecessor Roseberry offered a play on surrealism, with these lifelike creations, making everyone look twice. Many of the designs are not as they seem, with hidden details, blurring the lines between real and unreal.

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Spring/Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection for Dior was inspired by Joséphine Baker, an African-American singer and dancer who left the United States in the mid-1920s for the cosmopolitan city of Paris.

At that time Paris was a dream destination for artists, writers and fashion designers, who would bring their creativity to Europe and embrace the elegance of this historical city.

For Maria Grazia Chiuri, Baker embodies the modernity of that period, as well as the mixing of cultures and shared experiences of the vibrant city that happened in the French capital around that time. It was a time when the world of cabaret was a heavy influence in the city, and post-World War One when there was a sense of anticipation in the air.

After acquiring French citizenship, Baker returned to New York and performed at the Strand Theatre and Carnegie Hall where she was dressed in French fashion brands including creations by Dior. For the SS23 collection, Chiuri was inspired by photographs of Joséphine from this time. Her energy could be captured in the black and white images and her clothing, both elegant and modern, consisted of a series of coats which she wore on stage, as well as light velvet dresses, satin underwear, and quilted designs.

Many of these pieces were reinterpreted by Dior’s Creative Director for the latest collection. Carefully put together clothes are designed to glide over the body and caress it, something that is made possible through the choice of materials which includes silk and velvet, which often feature a creased effect, so carefully created by the House’s artisans.

There are delicate embroideries. Tiny silver studs and sequins reflect the light and bring life to the looks. Silver and gold fringes give movement to the designs. The suits and coats pay tribute to the masculine fabrics that were dear to Monsieur Dior.

The show’s staging was envisioned by African-American artist Mickalene Thomas who celebrates black and mixed-raced women throughout her work.

The show in Paris was attended by a number of celebrity friends of the brand including House ambassador Anya Taylor-Joy, Elizabeth Debicki, Rosamund Pike, Beatrice Borromeo Casiraghi, Kirsten Dunst, Rebecca Ferguson, Karlie Kloss, Chiara Ferragni and Middle East ambassador Razane Jammal.

Atlantis the Royal, the world’s most ultra-luxury resort was unveiled in Dubai this January with a spectacular weekend of events including a show-stopping concert by global superstar Beyoncé. The extravaganza was attended by regional and global VIPs and celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Rebel Wilson, Liam Payne, Jay Z, Bar Rafaeli Ellen Pompeo, Ashley Park and many more, all jetting in for this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Kendall Jenner at Nobu

Day one kicked off with guests attending a “Feast of Dreams” offering a show-stopping gastronomic experience like no other, with food served by six world-famous chefs who are all opening restaurants in the new resort this February. Guests attended the once-in-a-lifetime epicurean dining adventure to toast the opening of Atlantis The Royal’s eight brand-new celebrity chef restaurants, headed up by culinary icons including Nobu Matsuhisa, Jose Andres, Costas Spiliadis, Ariana Bundy, the Queen of couture cakes Mich Turner, and Gaston Acurioall under one roof for one night only.

Liam Payne

Meanwhile, a traditional Sake ceremony was hosted by Nobu founders Nobu Matsuhisa and Meir Teper, as well as Kendall Jenner and Liam Payne as they celebrated the grand reopening of Nobu Dubai at Atlantis, The Palm. After 14 years of residence in The Avenues at Atlantis, The Palm, Nobu Matsuhisa’s celebrity hotspot, celebrated its 15th year in Dubai in an iconic-new space within the crown of the destination resort.

On day two, the main event was a highly anticipated concert by global superstar Beyoncé. The star who had not performed publicly since 2018 treated guests to an incredible 60-minute performance which opened with  a stunning rendition of Etta James’ classic, “At Last,” before she treated the star-studded audience to some of her biggest career-spanning hits, including “Halo” and “Crazy in love.”

The star was joined on stage by Firdaus, a 48-person all-female orchestra, mentored by Academy Award-winning composer, A.R. Rahman, as well as America’s Got Talent winners, The Mayyas, an all-female precision dance group from Lebanon. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event that has immediately put the hotel on the global stage.

Tim Kelly, Managing Director of Atlantis Dubai says “This is it. Our moment to unveil Atlantis The Royal as the world’s most ultra-luxury entertainment resort has arrived. We’re delighted that global superstar Beyoncé was here to launch this extraordinary resort in an unforgettable way – a true icon, launching an icon. We are excited to begin welcoming guests in February and treat them to an experience that will completely redefine their perspective of luxury.”

The performance concluded with Beyoncé being raised sixteen feet into the air amidst one of the world’s unique performance fountains, Skyblaze. Surrounded by a field of water and fire, a powerful rendition of “Drunk in Love” closed the magnificent and awe-inspiring show. This was closely followed by a fireworks and drone extravaganza.

Beyoncé wore several looks throughout the evening, beginning with a gold custom-made gown by Dolce&Gabbana, as well as looks by Arab designers Atelier Zuhra from Dubai, and Nicolas Jebran of Lebanon.

The show was followed by a DJ set from international DJs Swedish House Mafia who saw the night out as crowns danced under the stars.

The final day of events invited guests to the opening of Nobu by the Beach, an exclusive beach club from the founders of Nobu Dubai. The club was opened by Australian actress Rebel Wilson. This was followed by a fashion show from Beyonce’s clothing brand Ivy Park, and then the opening of the legendary Hong Kong restaurant Ling Ling in the evening.

To be one of the first to stay at Atlantis The Royal, guests can make a reservation at  www.atlantistheroyal.com. Reservations are now open for stays from 10th February 2023 onwards.

British jeweller Garrard has unveiled its new Couture High Jewellery collection with a stunning regal campaign.

The latest offering from the Royal jeweller is a dynamic and bold mix of colours, stones and silhouettes, with each Couture jewel designed to be worn with style and attitude.

Inspiring avant-garde ways of wearing high jewellery, Couture launches with a series of spectacular suites – Amazonia, Desert Rose, Northern Lights and Mustique. Venturing into unchartered design territory, they explore different colours, techniques and innovations, play with unique stones and materials in unexpected combinations, and experiment with size and shape.

Craftsmanship is at the heart of Garrard’s new high jewellery offering, as showcased in the Northern Lights suite. The designers at Garrard worked with stone-cutting experts to craft the finest opals, pairing them with bicolour mother of pearl that transitions from white to gold and multi-coloured sapphires to mirror the play of colour within the opals.

“We considered how each Couture creation would be worn and, of course, how it would feel against the skin. Intended to be statement pieces, these jewels are incredibly pleasurable to wear, just like a couture dress.” Says Sara Prentice, Creative Director at Garrard.

Designed to empower the wearer’s every move, Garrard’s Couture high jewellery marks an exciting new direction for the House and presents an opportunity to wear a statement that lasts a lifetime. Just like a bespoke gown, each Couture jewel is a one-off, created by hand by master craftspeople who share the same exquisite attention to detail and finish as a couturier.

The high jewellery launch will be accompanied by a new campaign entitled RULE, inspired by Garrard’s royal heritage. Shot in a sumptuous palace setting, ‘Rule’ subverts the traditions of Royal portraiture with a bold, modern editorial attitude.

The “Couture” collection is available to view by appointment at Garrard, 24 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4HT

Dolce&Gabbana is unveiling its latest kidswear collection this weekend at the Pitti bimbo 96 in Florence.

The Italian House’s latest collections for boys and girls are designed under the theme “Destination Nature” and feature colourful designs that are an invitation for kids to go out into the fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature.

The collection features a colour palette of natural tones: beige, brown, cream, and camel. They are alternated on warm fabrics such as velvet milleraies, flannel, teddy and chenille, the latter presented in a special version with a jaquard logo.

In the looks for girls, wildflowers brighten up the black background of the dresses proposed in different fabrics: silk chiffon, viscose and velvet. They are embellished with elegant details such as lace collars, patches and embroideries inspired by the world of nature, or glittering, such as the gold from buttons and logo plaques and the thermostrass decorations.

The new proposals of the Dolce&Gabbana Fall/Winter 2023-24 Children’s Collection will be presented at Pitti Bimbo 96 inside a special installation reminiscent of a typical cabin in the open countryside: the perfect hideaway for big, little explorers.

A topic everyone is talking about today is Chat GPT. Chat GPT is the latest release from a company called Open AI, which is now being increasingly funded by Microsoft. Open AI is a natural language processing AI system. It picks up on human language from the internet, and it’s been learning how the English language works. Chat GPT is fundamentally better than Google when it is asked a question and this has put Google on red alert!

Chat GPT is designed to mimic an expert in any field. You could ask it to write your wedding vows, you can ask it to write you a menu, a recipe, a shopping list for a dinner party, you could ask it to be a business manager and write a letter and contract based on you being the speaker or author. You can ask it to write an essay on anything – the options are endless. Universities have been asking for this tool to write essays and they are coming out at around a B-minus mark of intelligence. Schools are therefore panicking because now students can use this system to write essays, and so they’re trying to find ways to pick up on whether Chat GPT has written an essay for a student or not. My personal view is actually that this is the wrong way of going about it. I think what we should actually be doing is embracing this technology and allowing people to learn something from this tool that they can have access to at any time. It’s like asking people not to use calculators, it wouldn’t happen because they are a tool that helps us be more efficient and accurate, and Chat GPT is the same.

What we must remember is that this is only version one of the programme. The next version which will come out later this year is 175 billion times better, which makes it that much more intelligent, that much faster, and so you can ask it anything you want and it will be even more accurate than it is already. To generate the text you have to prompt the programme, and tell it what character it’s playing, for example: “you are a mother of four kids and I want you to write a warm, engaging but stern email to your eldest child.” Or it could be a “fitness influencer who has helped millions of people around the world and I want you to write a blog post about your experience of helping women get over anorexia.” It could be absolutely anything you want.

What is important to realise is that every industry where there has been a drastic development like this has become de-materialised, devalued and de-monetised. Look at what’s happened to music, we all now listen to so much music suggested to us by Spotify, or we listen to recommended music for free on YouTube. So in that sense music has devalued. There was a time when speaking to a family member overseas was such a unique and expensive experience. Today, it’s so easy to be on the phone twenty-four hours a day, free of charge and be in constant communication with friends or family. Remember when we used to go and rent DVDs from shops? Today in comparison we have so many choices and we don’t even have to leave the home to rent a movie. All of these older concepts have become devalued because of new developments.

Welcome to the new generation of words. This is what Chat GPT has done for words and eventually writing and everything to do with it will become devalued because we have access to more and more of it. And this is only the beginning of the AI Tsunami which I think is going to take hold in 2023. And this is only the beginning of the AI tsunami. Moving forward we will start to have these kinds of concepts but for pictures or movies. DALL.E 2 is already starting this for images, and this technology is only going to develop further. DALLE.3 will do the same for movies, you can write a brief for your movie script, and out will come a short movie.

So, the big questions we have to ask ourselves are: How am I preparing for so much change? How can I learn about this as quickly as possible so I can start shifting how I add value to the world? It’s both terrifying and exciting at the same time! But the less terrified you are, the more creative you can become with it, and the more you can start using it. We are in RADIAL technological exponential growth this year and we need to not be fearful of it because that will stop us from even engaging with it and therefore moving forward with it in a way that we can benefit from.

We eat potatoes, whether they’re grown by human hands or harvested by machines. At the end of human agricultural times, people were very angry that machines were doing farming and wanted to boycott farms that were using machinery. What we are starting to see now is people boycotting these kinds of AI, but this is just a progression of it, like machine farming was a progression of human farming and we have to change with it rather than trying to stop it. This is not going anywhere. Look at electricity, when that was first discovered lots of jobs were lost because of it and many people’s lives were changed, but imagine if we had tried to boycott it.

So moving forward then… what we have to realise is that as humans, intelligence isn’t our future. Emotional awareness is our future and it’s a muscle that we’ve never been taught how to deal with, and we don’t even know how to make money out of it. But remember in agricultural times, nobody knew that you could make money out of being an accountant or a lawyer because there were no jobs like that, it was all about farming. And so as long as you elevate and evolve into this future you will have a future in this world.

So, welcome to the tsunami of AI in 2023, the most important thing we could do is be adaptable, and optimistic and unlearn old behaviours and wastes of added value. It’s not an easy process, and it’s a scary process, but we are absolutely all in it together and the more excited you are about it, the quicker you can engage with it and the quicker you can start to add value to the world, utilising it, rather than being scared of it.

My podcast co-host Erik Kruger and I have decided to put a course together that will start to teach people how to use this tool – guess what? There are no experts in this, we are also learning! So as we learn, we are going to teach others. One of the questions we want to look at is how quickly you can engage with this technology that works in a way that can elevate and evolve what you do. To sign up for The Expansive Impact of chatGPT on the Future of Work visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8853518743989076569

By John Sanei

For the Dior autumn-winter 2022-2023 ready-to-wear collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri revisits the House’s unique heritage with modernity, through the Lady 95.22 bag.

An ode to the connection between past and present, this iconic model reinvents the emblematic lines of the Lady Dior; its name echoes the year 1995, the date of the icon’s creation, and 2022, the year of this exclusive new revival.

The elegant bag is enhanced by the cannage pattern, and has been reinvented in two new versions, its silhouette, both timeless and ultra-contemporary, bears witness to the constantly renewed virtuosity of the Dior ateliers.

Combining craftsmanship and cutting-edge innovation, this essential is adorned with a macrocannage motif, created for the occasion with a high-frequency technique. Meticulously selected, the leather is first cut by hand, before being worked upon using wave energy.

The combination of heat and pressure allows the artisans to give the material the perfect volume, further underlining the architectural shape of this captivating model.

Embellished by the macrocannage along with the maxicannage that adorns the bottom of the bag, the Lady 95.22 is completed by handles and a leather shoulder strap that multiplies the number of ways it can be worn, as well as the signature charms, reinterpreted in a refined design, weaving links between the House’s past and the future, and adding to this object of desire an extra touch of exquisite distinction.

The Dior Lady 95.22 is available at Dior stores globally.

Bulgari has partnered with Korean popstar and a member of BLACKPINK, LISA on an exclusive limited edition watch design.

BVLGARI BVLGARI X LISA limited edition watch crafted in steel and rose gold with diamonds and an engraved bezel.

With a design personally chosen by LISA this limited edition watch design features a rendering of her favourite flower; the edelweiss. At the heart of the petals, the singer has drawn her initial, an “L,”, a detail that also appears on the watch’s box.

While the letters BVLGARI BVLGARI are exuberantly displayed on the rose gold bezel, the dial is resolutely minimalist with its pure and idyllic green, blue colour invented by Bulgari specifically for LISA. Twelve diamonds mark the hours on this dreamy face, swept over by two rose-gold hands. The equally precious rose gold crown is topped by a cabochon-cut rubellite, one of Bulgari’s aesthetic signatures.

Manufactured by Bulgari in Switzerland, BVLGARI BVLGARI X LISA LIMITED EDITION is issued in limited series of 700 for the 33 mm-diameter version and a quartz movement powers 300 for the 23 mm-diameter.

Chanel is expanding its N°1 DE CHANEL collection with the new Rich Revitalizing Cream. This rich formula is enriched with camellia ceramides, produced through a process that is 100% natural and kinder to your skin as well as offering visible results.

Ceramides are lipids naturally found in the skin. They play a vital role in keeping it healthy and protecting it from external aggressors. Like natural cement, ceramides create a barrier for the epidermis that locks in moisture by preventing excessive water loss. Over time, they diminish in quantity and quality, a phenomenon that is exacerbated when the skin is exposed to cold weather. It dries out and develops redness. When skin loses moisture, wrinkles appear accentuated.

To combat this phenomenon, CHANEL has expanded the holistic and anti-ageing with an eco-responsible approach to beauty rituals associated with the N°1 DE CHANEL line. The Rich Revitalizing Cream formulated with red camellia is the new ally for combating signs of ageing and the harmful effects of cold weather with ease.

At the heart of N°1 DE CHANEL Rich Revitalizing Cream, the red camellia extract acts on the N°1 stage of skin ageing by boosting the vitality of skin cells. Visibly nourished, skin is protected from cold weather by camellia ceramides and a yeast extract—derived from the Pichia genus, found in the camellia microbiota—which works together to strengthen its barrier function, and camellia oil, which helps keep skin hydrated.