A new fashion school in Dubai showcases designs in the physical and virtual worlds

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council, attended a physical and virtual fashion show which took place simultaneously to celebrate the Dubai launch of Italian design school Istituto Marangoni. Real-life models were joined on the runway at Dubai’s Museum of the Future, accompanied by a series of avatars who presented the looks in parallel within the metaverse.

The new Middle Eastern branch of the Italian design school will be located in DIFC and will provide creatives in Dubai and the region with the right tools to launch their design careers. “Istituto Marangoni’s Dubai branch is a valuable addition to the city’s rapidly developing creative and cultural landscape. Its diverse offering will provide creatives in Dubai and the region with the right tools to launch their design careers. Bringing global institutions with decades of experience in the field of design to the region reinforces our commitment to the sector and to being a cultural and creative hub” said Sheikha Latifa.

The innovative fashion show which took place on 13th September 2022 blended the physical and digital catwalk, showcasing the creations of five top students of Istituto Marangoni Fashion Design Courses.

Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, who made a speech at the event spoke of her joy to welcome the globally renowned school to Dubai. “I see a great partnership in the making where the UAE and other MENA countries will have the advantage of a world-class design school while Istituto Marangoni will benefit from the untapped talent waiting to be harnessed.”  She said.

Al Kaabi added: “The UAE is making waves in the creative space and building an ecosystem for future generations to contribute effectively to the creative economy. We are focusing on developing our cultural and creative industries to make them a more significant part of the UAE’s economy. We believe nurturing talent is critical to developing the creative sector, and Istituto Marangoni will play an important role in achieving that. Imparting world-class education and specialised skills to our youth will boost their creative energy and support emerging talent.”

With this launch, Dubai joins the ranks of other world fashion capitals, including Milano, Firenze, Paris, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Miami, that host an Istituto Marangoni school. Stefania Valenti, Managing Director of Istituto Marangoni, said: “It’s an honour to celebrate the opening of Istituto Marangoni Dubai at the Museum of the Future with the warm endorsement of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, and in this museum where our immersive experience found its perfect space.”

As well as the five students presenting their collections, the show’s grand finale saw luxury fashion designer and Istituto Marangoni’s famous alum Rahul Mishra display his work.

Elie Saab has opened a new boutique in Abu Dhabi in the Galleria Al Maryah Island. This is the Lebanese designer’s second boutique in the UAE and is designed to give a more personalised shopping experience that meets the needs of its loyal clientele.

This flagship boutique which is located on the ground floor of the mall spans 300 square-metres offering visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the universe of Elie Saab.

The exquisitely designed interiors embody the brand’s elegant signature aesthetic. Pristine onyx tiles by ELIE SAAB adorn the floors and walls and are complemented by demure neutral pieces from the Maison collection, exuding an opulent atmosphere that is refined, contemporary and timeless.

Warm lighting and hints of oak and metallic against the glistening white provide a serene backdrop for the displayed collections that serve to accentuate the craftsmanship and intricacy of each ES Maison furniture piece. Subtle mirrored sliding doors with brass monogram details open onto an exclusive salon for bridal and couture collections, where two private fully furnished fitting rooms welcome clients with an entirely customized luxury experience.

The boutique showcases the latest Ready-To-Wear, Accessories, Fragrances and Kids collections, as well as Haute Couture and Bridal pieces.

With flagship stores in Paris, Beirut, New York, London and the UAE, ELIE SAAB continues to expand its global presence through several additional boutiques by January 2023.

See Valentino’s New PINK PP Campaign Starring Zendaya

Valentino has unveiled its new PINK PP Campaign featuring Hollywood actress Zendaya dressed head-to-toe in the bold pink hue that defines the brand’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE…

Cited as the colour of love, community, energy and freedom, Valentino Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli created a colour that would define the collection and capture a moment in time.

As the face of the Maison Zendaya embodies a sense of freedom and a bold attitude. Shot by Marcell Rev, the film sees the “Euphoria” actress explore a bold PINK PP space with this sense of freedom. This cinematic take on the collection features the song “Only You” which was also used in the recent show.

Already seen across red carpets around the world the PINK PP collection is this season’s defining fashion moment and it continues to offer some of the most standout looks for Fall/Winter 2022.

The campaign can now be viewed globally.

TALENT: Zendaya
PH: Michael Bailey-Gates
HAIR: Antoinette Hill
MAKE UP: Sheika Daley
VIDEO: Marcell Rev
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Micheal Grasley

IMAGE ARCHITECT: Law Roach

Italian menswear house Zegna has revealed its intention and commitment to ensuring its OASI Cashmere fibre is fully traceable by 2024.

As part of the brand’s strategy, envisioned by its founder, the house has always promised to give back to the community through Oasi Zegna, the home of the brand.

Oasi Zegna is not only a unique model of societal and environmental consciousness but also, and more broadly, a set of values that ultimately foster consistency and promote harmony: between men, machine and nature, past and present, belief and innovation, always looking ahead while keeping track of our roots.

The identity of Zegna is based on a fearless vision and a continuous quest for innovation, fostering excellence as a value.

Oasi Cashmere is a central development on the brand’s Road to Traceability, as it commits that the cashmere fibre used in the house’s cashmere collection will be fully certified traceable by 2024. Zegna will take the world’s finest raw materials which are manufactured in Italy and ensure there is 100 per cent transparency throughout the full production process.

Oasi Cashmere is a thing of excellence based on the ethics of beauty as the brand continues to strengthen its commitment to sourcing responsibly, in harmony with nature, from goat to garment. Oasi Cashmere is based on the assumption that the very best garments can only come from the best natural resources and that the best natural resources need to be cared for and can be traced.

Zegna’s vertically integrated business model allows it to be responsible and accountable, from start to finish. In turn, all the products will have a truthful ID, highlighting how deep values are set as identity traits. As an authentication of the brand’s commitment to traceability they will enclose a QR code in each item, showing the entire journey of the Oasi Cashmere collection, from the cashmere farm to the stores as well as bringing the customer to Oasi Zegna where the campaign has been shot.

Dior has revealed the location for its upcoming Men’s show which will see the Autumn 2023 Men’s collection presented to the world.

The House of Dior will travel to Egypt to present the collection against the backdrop of the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. The show will take place on 3rd December 2022.

The show is expected to be the first of its kind for an international brand to present such a collection against this iconic backdrop. We can’t wait to see it!

If you’re heading to London over the coming months, The Biltmore Mayfair is the perfect location for Middle Eastern travellers.

Situated in the prestigious Grosvenor Square in the Mayfair district, all of the city’s main attractions are easily accessed on foot. London’s Bond Street and Regent Street are literally around the corner as well as some of the city’s hottest restaurants. Staying here you will truly have everything you need at your fingertips! The hotel has been recently renovated to an impeccable standard. Stylish yet understated interiors welcome you as you wander into the historic building, not to mention a friendly smile from the hotel’s staff.

Rooms & Suites

Reminiscent of a private London residence, The Biltmore Mayfair’s rooms and suites are a combination of traditional and contemporary luxury.

Elements of nature run throughout the interiors, from the beautiful Edwardian chinoiserie mirror behind each bed depicting delicate illustrations of branches, flowers and butterflies, to the stunning views of Grosvenor Square that can be enjoyed from many of the guest rooms. Wooden floors, velvet furnishings and beautiful coloured rugs add doses of warmth and homeliness to bedrooms and lounge areas. Bathrooms are formed from luxurious Italian marble and equipped with indulgent amenities from iconic British brand, Penhaligon’s.

For the ultimate indulgence, the hotel’s signature suites offer customer interiors in a large space as well as additional distinct design elements, Plush lounge areas and dining tables – perfect for longer stays.

The Roosevelt Suite and Duchess Suite are also equipped with private kitchens, while the Biltmore Penthouse Suites are spread across two floors resembling a luxury city residence, complete with a skyline-view terrace.

Food & Beverage

The Biltmore Mayfair is home to an array of dining options curated by renowned British chef Paul Walsh. Cafe Biltmore offers an all-day dining menu from breakfast through to dinner, with dishes prepared from local ingredients. Mediterranean with a twist is the theme with many classics given a modern upgrade.

No trip to London is complete without an authentic afternoon tea experience. The Tea Lounge serves up an exclusive tea where guests are invited to enjoy sweet and savoury treats alongside a cup of freshly brewed tea from a designated tea trolley. And finally, the Pine Bar is the perfect place to end the evening in a relaxing environment.

Experiences

One of the highlights of this property is the experiences it offers guests. A range of activities ensures no two stays are the same and guarantee every guest has a truly memorable experience. Days out can range from the Biltmore Bentley Experience, which offers a daily rental of a Bentley chauffeur driven around the city, or drive yourself further afield if you wish.

From The Biltmore To Belgravia is an enchanting walk through Regency London created especially for The Biltmore Mayfair by a certified Blue Badge Guide or if that’s not your thing, the VIP shopping experiences are perfect for fashion lovers – credit cards at the ready!

For more information visit https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/longsol-the-biltmore-mayfair-london/

Fendi unveiled its first high jewellery collection as part of the Fendi Couture Autumn/Winter 2022 runway show.

Designed by Delfina Delettrez Fendi, Artistic Director of Jewellery the collection is an ode to the House’s Roman heritage and a pure expression of light and movement. Created using the finest white and yellow diamonds the of precious pavé and baguette stones mirror the inverted FF monogram designed by Karl Lagerfeld in 1965.

The initial collection consists of a necklace, earrings and cocktail ring, all featuring a cascading geometric assemblage of stones. The addition of vivid yellow diamonds creates a spectacular play of colour and light. The Latin word “flavus” is an ancient Roman signification for yellow, or blond, referencing the chosen colours of the diamonds.

The Flavus Necklace is a symmetrical cascade in white and yellow gold with a shower of articulated stems of alternating lengths suspended on a double strand of diamond solitaires. Comprising over 1,000 stones, a large exceptional fancy vivid yellow emerald cut diamond at its heart is framed at opposing corners by the inverted FF monogram detailed in natural yellow diamond baguettes. Mirroring the movement of a Roman fountain this necklace highlights exquisite craftsmanship combined with Delfina Delettrez Fendi’s fascination with the relationship between kinetic forms and the human body.

The Flavus earrings replicate the same undulating flow, in two mirrored cascades that each reflects the same precious expression of the FF monogram in yellow diamond baguettes around a central fancy vivid yellow emerald cut diamond. The Flavus ring reprises this device in a single bold 360° gesture.

Rooted in Roman mythology, the FENDI Flavus parure, is the first preview of High Jewellery from the House, and melds the mechanical and the organic with a dose of sculptural, mid-century glamour from the Cinecittà.

New York Fashion Week is in full swing, presenting the Spring/Summer 2023 collections from American and international designers. We round up some of the highlights from the latest shows.

Tommy Hilfiger

Despite torrential downpours, Tommy Hilfiger presented the Spring/Summer 2023 collection in New York yesterday evening. The brand presented a tribute to the late Andy Warhol to a star-studded crowd, as well as showcasing their new collaboration with British designer Richard Quinn.

Prabal Gurung

Prabal Gurung embraced inclusivity with his Spring/Summer 2023 show. Models of all shapes and sizes presented a colourful collection that was a celebration of individuality. This was a much more pulled-apart, street-style interpretation of Gurung’s style as it opens a new chapter for the designer.

Altuzarra

Sports chic meets psychedelic styles for Altuzarra’s Spring Summer 2023 collection. The designer wanted to explore the idea of “a trip and nature as an entry point for psychedelic experiences.” A super cool offering with touches of elegance and craftsmanship combine the old and the new.

Proenza Schouler

Proenza Schouler’s Spring/Summer 2023 designs referenced flamenco ruffles, and seventies style. This bold and playful collection offers a sense of boldness, fun and freedom of expression.

Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda GT Chronograph returns with new functions and colours that enhance the watch’s sporty tone while honouring its complications.

The new Tonda GT Chronograph is now available in two versions: 18ct rose gold with chronograph and big date functions; and steel with chronograph and annual calendar functions.

Featuring a 42mm diameter case in 18ct rose gold, the Tonda GT Chronograph houses an integrated self-winding chronograph calibre operating at a rate of 5 Hertz, i.e. 36,000 vibrations per hour. This ground-breaking movement can be found beneath a silver-toned guilloché dial with a “triangular hobnail” motif.

Short-time measurements are read off on the “Quantum Grey” or “Granata” subdials, which have been carefully positioned to structure the space harmoniously, balanced by the big date display appearing in a twin aperture at 12 o’clock. the colour choices for the chronograph counters in Quantum Grey or Granata lend a discreet yet very distinctive presence on the generous dial offering exemplary balance in the display of the functions.

Visible through the transparent sapphire crystal caseback, this top-quality mechanical movement boasts a 65-hour power reserve, and 331 components including a sandblasted 22ct gold oscillating weight and a column wheel. It is finished to the highest standards of Haute Horlogerie. It also enables short-time measurements of up to 12 hours with 1/10th of a second precision thanks to the high frequency of its regulating organ.

The chronograph is water-resistant up to 100 metres and equipped with the distinctive finely knurled and polished bezel. It is fitted with a deep red or grey rubber strap matching the colour of the subdials and secured by an 18ct rose gold folding clasp.

The “Quantum Grey” and “Granata” colour scheme also applies to the Tonda GT Chronograph in stainless steel featuring an annual calendar, with a knurled bezel framing the silver-toned guilloché dial in a “triangular hobnail” pattern. This 42mm diameter chronograph is water-resistant up to 100m and features modern lines with subdials in one or the other of the colours, classically arranged along the 3 o’clock to 9 o’clock axis and topped by the double date window at 12 o’clock. It is equipped with an in-house self-winding chronograph calibre operating at a frequency of 4 Hertz (28,800 vibrations per hour).

The movement is also endowed with an annual calendar, a useful additional complication that is easily adjustable. This sophisticated mechanism is comprised of 443 components, including a 22ct rose gold oscillating weight, and enables the wearer of the timepiece to no longer have to worry about the length of 30 or 31-day months. Once set, the integrated complication automatically handles monthly transitions until the 28th of February each year and on the first day of March, the calendar can be manually adjusted to change the date from February 29th to March 1st.

The Tonda GT Chronograph perfectly captures the values and skills of Parmigiani Fleurier, giving priority to beauty and craftsmanship but not forgetting functionality. With this watch, the Swiss brand has successfully transformed transform a sporty-spirited watch into a sophisticated Haute Horlogerie creation.

Photography: Sam Rawadi, David Goff. Model: Emmanuel at Signature Element. Location: Manzil Downtown hotel. Clothing: BOSS. 

In the fast-paced lives we lead, especially here in the UAE, finding a balance between a hectic schedule and a healthy lifestyle is an ongoing struggle for many and a journey I personally still continue to take.

As a doctor in nutrition, I always advise my patients on the importance of having a 360-degree approach to wellness, improving performance, and taking into account how all areas of life impact overall wellbeing and success. With many of us focused on our careers, we often compromise other aspects of our wellbeing. But in order to truly thrive, there needs to be a variety of supportive techniques that balance proper nutrition, a commitment to fitness, self-care, rest, and mindfulness, as well as continued learning and evolution. Remember that we are multidimensional beings and work at our best when we feed our whole selves and do so consistently. This includes not only our careers but relationships, self-care tactics, interests, and passions.

We tend to lose ourselves in daily life pressures and forget to address the bigger picture. Having said this, we are all on a personal journey with different passions, objectives, and life demands. Finding a balance between performance and mindfulness is not a cookie-cutter approach and this is where the support of health and wellness professionals, such as myself, and programs come in and can be tremendously helpful in creating a firm foundation with long-term results. This can sometimes mean a tailored approach to hit target areas of improvement, with results, which fit into your schedule, is sustainable, and is enjoyable for you at the same time.

That being said, we must remember that there is no magic solution to living a healthy life, which is why I am uncompromising in my quest to find the best result-driven solutions that help my patients achieve their goals, without neglecting any aspect of their life, and this starts with forming healthier habits. Every established habit starts as a single action. Repeated over time, they become second nature. So with this in mind, here are some simple steps to help you start making small changes to your lifestyle to improve your overall health and wellbeing, whilst leading a busy life.

Don’t go it alone, find your support team.

Research has proven that practical and emotional support is crucial for success in leading a healthier lifestyle. Let your family and friends know how they can help and surround yourself with people who understand your journey, can develop your powers of expression, enhance your body’s capabilities and help you discover new things that ignite the senses.

Use the science of habit formation.

A habit is something you do automatically. Habit formation science shows that replacing old habits with new positive ones is much more effective than simply trying to stop an old habit, especially if the new habit makes you feel good. This reinforcement makes you want to repeat the new behaviour again so it’s more likely to become a habit. What new habits could make you feel good and be great for your weight loss efforts?

Sort your surroundings, to make healthier choices easier.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to make huge changes to eat healthier. If the nutrient-rich, healthier choices are in your vision and easy to grab (with the less healthy choices tucked away in the pantry where you can’t see them), it’s human nature that you’ll be more likely to reach for them. Set yourself up for success and think about the small changes you can make to your environment; home, workspace, and even your car. Over time, these small changes will make a big difference to your health and will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Plan ahead.

Planning is a key part of staying on track. You can choose whether to do this each day or each week. Plan what meals you will have, what snacks, and the timings and amounts. This will allow you to prepare some meals in advance to make it easier. Make sure you have the foods or ingredients at home that you’ll need, making you less vulnerable to poorer choices if and when you get hungry.

Keep mindfulness front and centre.

For many, mindfulness is often a component missing from the toolbox. However, it can be helpful to understand your emotions and triggers for unpleasant emotional states including stress, sadness, and even boredom. This, in turn, can help you put plans in place for managing these emotions in a healthier way such as making a list of distraction techniques for when boredom strikes, or soothing activities for a stressful day.

Make sure to get a good night’s rest.

Getting quality sleep is crucial to feeling your best, doing your best, and living your best life. A lack of sleep can make the challenges of day-to-day life more difficult to manage which may also make it harder to balance performance and mindfulness with other commitments. A lack of sleep can affect mood and brain function, and lead to poor decision-making. Evidence has also shown that consistently getting less than six hours of sleep a night may alter the hormones that regulate your hunger and appetite, and influence your healthy eating habits.

Celebrate successes – big and small.

Plan how you want to reward and reinforce the amazing changes you are making. Make a list of rewards for each victory, which could be as simple as a magazine you love to read, a walk listening to your favourite podcast or something more special like a new outfit or a holiday.

With all this said, always remember that the simpler the plan, the higher the likelihood of success. Nothing is written in stone, but through consistency, planning, support and simplicity, you can achieve your goals.

By Maha Shahin, Clinical Nutrition, Consultant at Allurion Dietitian Board

Dior has recently unveiled its relocated Riyadh store within Kingdom Mall in Saudi Arabia. This exclusive space features – for the first time in Saudi Arabia – the men’s lines designed by Kim Jones, such as the Dior Winter 2022 collection.

Also revealed in the exceptional setting are the ready-to-wear creations, accessories and iconic bags dreamed up by Maria Grazia Chiuri, along with precious timepieces.

The large open space is light and airy with elegant interiors complementing the collections.

Now open at Kingdom Mall, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Since Pomellato launched its first high jewellery collection in 2020, the Milanese jewellery has offered women a new way to wear one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces, combining them with other pieces in their collection and sharing their high jewellery pieces with the world y wearing them every day, rather than locking them away.

Breaking the rules has always been Pomellato’s approach, a jeweller who encourages women to be themselves, expressing their personality through the jewellery pieces they choose and the way they choose to wear them.

The brand recently unveiled its third La Gioia high jewellery collection “A Walk in Nature, from Sunrise to Darkness.” Inspired by nature the new collection portrays an imaginary landscape capturing the beauty of light and the ways it changes the perception of nature from day through to night.

Designed by Creative Director Vincenzo Castaldo, the collection consists of 33 pieces that capture the light, moods and sensations of nature in seven different chapters, combining the craftsmanship of the jeweller with the brand’s free-spirited style. We find out more about the sources of inspiration for this collection and the importance of craftsmanship at the brand.

PRINCESS THE RAPPER MENTA NECKLACE in rose gold with Paraiba tourmaline and diamonds 

Congratulations on the new La Gioia high jewellery collection – tell us about the story behind this collection and the journey that it takes you on? 

This collection was designed to celebrate the beauty, richness and diversity of nature and reinforce the closeness that we have always had with this dimension. Nature has always been a huge source of inspiration for Pomellato and we want to make this connection even closer. We also wanted to explore new territories, in order to evolve our creative universe.

The story of this collection is around a hypothetical walk in nature. Our creative intention was not to reproduce or imitate what you can see with your eyes in nature, but to go beyond that. We wanted to take interesting shapes and translate them into a precious form, highlighting some of the things that nature can evoke in your imagination. It’s connected to emotion – if you see a sunset for example, or you admire a flower, it’s about what really inspires you from these moments, not just how they look visually.

The collection is composed of seven stories inspired by this walk and focuses on specific moments of the day from sunrise to darkness. Light plays a fundamental role. I think it’s amazing how light can change your perception of something, for example, if you see a flower at sunrise and then see it at sunset, it will appear in a totally different way. Light can bring nature to life, revealing its beauty and colour, whilst darkness can create drama and a sense of mystery, showing nature in black and white. So light is a key element of this collection.

LIGHT BLUE REEF RIVIERE NECKLACE in white gold with aquamarines and diamonds

Is there a piece from the collection that was particularly challenging to create or a piece that holds a special place in your heart?

Surely the piece that opens our walk – a light blue rivière-style necklace from the Secrets of the Rising Sun chapter – is one of the highlights, and the other is the one that closes the walk: the Velvet Tie Chain Necklace. The light blue Reef Rivière because each of the stones is set individually and modelled by hand. We created by hand a kind of gentle rope that follows the irregular shape of the gems. It’s a one-of-a-kind set of stones and so it required a huge effort. The Velvet Tie is a masterpiece of craftsmanship that belonged to the excellence of the Milanese goldsmith tradition.

How important is it to you to preserve traditional craftsmanship techniques at Pomellato and what steps are you taking to do this? 

It’s very important to us because we are using traditional Milanese goldsmithing techniques and for me, it is a huge privilege to have an internal atelier with artisans and setters that work every day on the new collection. This allows us to explore and experiment which is very important for Pomellato. It allows us to change and adapt pieces if we see them working better in another way and it also allows us to find different solutions and explore new ways of doing things. So the atelier is a very important element of the brand.

How do you at Pomellato find young craftsmen and women to join the team?

We have a very special one-of-a-kind project. Because Pomellato has an internal atelier as well as its own factory, we have a fully-integrated creative and production process from the first idea to the finishing touch. We know that this art of jewellery making by hand is becoming increasingly rare and it’s difficult to find new talent, so Pomellato decided to sponsor and create an academy within an existing school here in Milan.

It’s an amazing project called the Pomellato Virtuosi Academy and our goldsmiths and some of the workers from the atelier go to the school to teach the young generations all the secrets of making jewellery by hand. They train the next generation of artisans in the industry so it’s an initiative that benefits both Pomellato and these young talents. Currently, we have two young ladies who trained in the academy and they are very talented artisans.

Another important point is to integrate different ways of working, for example using a 3D approach – we have to find the perfect mix between the traditional methods and the new ways. The young generation brings fresh approaches to working and it creates good vibes because they consider things in ways we may not have in the past. So I believe we have a good balance between the traditional approach which is our culture, combined with different opportunities when it comes to technology. The introduction of new talents and young, fresh energy makes a big difference.

I have been with Pomellato since 2001 so my journey with the brand is quite long I’ve seen many changes over the years and I’m proud to say that we do try to integrate new approaches with the traditional ones, combining different aspects to get the best results.

VELVET TIE CHAIN NECKLACE in rose gold with diamonds, jet and red garnets

This is of course the third high jewellery collection now – how do you think this segment of Pomellato is evolving and where would you like to take it moving forward? 

We like to think that our clients can have the freedom to combine our creations according to their own personalities and tastes. As you know, one of our key values is freedom, even in the creative process, we want to explore and break the rules so we encourage our customers to find ways to combine our collections and wear them in their own ways. In an ideal world, a woman can wear a creation from La Gioia with a ring from the Nudo collection – we are not rigid in the way that we design or the way that we want women to wear our jewels.

When we started this collection our intention was never to have a traditional high jewellery collection and what we want to be is a very precious interpretation of our Prêt-à-Porter. Our high jewellery has to have a real place in everyday life.

Can you share a little on the choice of stones and materials in this collection?

I would like to underline three different materials from the collection. The first is a one-of-a-kind set featuring a Baroque-shaped aquamarine that was a nice find! It is so unique that we are not about to reproduce this piece because it features a set of baroque-shaped aquamarine stones that total more than 150 carats. Then another one of my favourite stones in this collection is the extraordinary selection of 24 cabochon-cut grey spinel which totals more than 44 carats featuring in the Cascade Earrings. And the is the overcut faceted Paraiba green tourmaline, which is a tourmaline of 18 carats. It’s a beautiful vibrant colour. These stones for me represent the most beautiful materials used in this collection.

BAMBOO GARDEN Y NECKLACE

Over the years the worlds of jewellery and nature have always been closely intertwined – why do you think this is and how does nature enrich your own creative process? 

In nature you can find everything – unique colour combinations, shapes, patterns – anything you try to create yourself you will find already exists in nature. But it is also important to try to translate the feelings and emotions that nature can evoke. That is another part of the process.

Another important point is how you observe nature. Obviously, nature is under the eyes of everyone but sometimes it can be extraordinary to take time to observe the details – how a leaf moves in the wind for example, of how a flower petal plays with another and also the proportions, finding things that can be imperfect at first sight and discovering their perfections. Nature never stops teaching us new things.

Looking forward to the rest of the year, what else is in the pipeline for you?

At the end of the year, we have a very nice special project for a beautiful city in Italy – it is a homage to Venice and we will be presenting it to the world soon.

What is a message you would send to your customers in the Middle East around this collection? 

From a personal point of view, the relationship between women and jewels has to always be sentimental. The inspirations of this collection are very connected to our emotional side, so my advice is to follow your heart when you buy jewels. You have to fall in love with the colour of the stone or the design. For me, the relationship between us and jewellery is really connected to emotion and it is not the same relationship you have with your bag or your shoes. There is a sentimental connection around it.

In 1905 Art Deco artist Henri Rapin joined Moynat. His talent as a graphic designer was ahead of its time, and much the lettering he created for the Maison still remains.

The Moynat Monogram is one of the House’s most treasured assets, an exclusive service that invites clients to personalise their coveted piece and become the owner of an exclusive creation.

Each order placed is an invitation for clients to not only experience exceptional leather goods but also; remarkable care and a unique piece. Since 1849, the House has decorated items including bags and luggage trunks with clients’ names, stripes and family crests.

This intimate hand-painted tradition resonates to this day with both initial design and unique lettering available upon request.

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.

Each order is personally handled by the in-house team and created individually to meet each customer’s needs.

As Venice Film Festival continues we bring you some of the latest red carpet moments from the event.

Tilda Swinton

Adrien Brody

Brad Pitt

Vanessa Kirby wearing Valentino 

Caylee Cowan & Casey Affleck

Zooey Deschanel & Johnathan Scott

Jodie Turner-Smith

Vanessa Kirby

Laura Dern

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Colin Farrell

The new Les Ouds editions include three fine fragrances focused around one key ingredient: Oud. Oud Khôl, Oud Nude and Cherry Oud celebrate this precious ingredient which is a favourite of those who reside in the Middle East.

Shedding new light on the noble ingredient, these three scents unveil it to reveal its softness, disinhibit it to exalt its majesty, or on the contrary, exacerbate its density until it turns blacker than black.

As always, the bottle of L’Art & La Matière can be personalised in myriad ways. The plate that crowns the cap can be chosen from a variety of beautiful materials and colours dear to the House.

More committed than ever to supporting young contemporary creation, the House has turned to the artist Ghizlane Agzenaï, a rising star of urban art in Morocco, to imagine a new collection plate celebrating the thousand and one colours of oud wood. More than a choice, the match was self-evident.

Oud Nude and Cherry Oud will be available from September 1st  – Oud Khol will be exclusively available to Qatar Duty Free from September 1st and available across the GCC starting November 1st

Tiffany & Co. has unveiled a new campaign “Lose Yourself In Love” starring Beyoncé.

This is the latest reveal in a close partnership and shared vision between the star and Tiffany & Co. “Lose Yourself In Love” is a fiercely elegant homage to the joy of being one’s unapologetic self – a call to embrace the power of possibility.

“I am honored to continue the partnership with Tiffany and Co. and to explore even deeper how beautiful our connections are, when we truly celebrate the relationship and importance of love that we have for ourselves as individuals,” says Beyoncé.

The film and images feature the iconic pop star wearing a series of Tiffany & Co.’s jewellery collections including Tiffany T, Tiffany HardWear, Tiffany Knot and the new Tiffany Lock. House icons including pieces from Jean Schlumberger and Elsa Peretti are also featured throughout the campaign.

The star also wears a custom Tiffany HardWear necklace, created specifically for the campaign. The piece took over 40 hours to assemble and polish by hand at Tiffany & Co.’s JDIW in New York City and boasts 18k gold links three times the scale of the existing Tiffany HardWear graduated link necklace. A limited quantity of these large-scale necklaces will be available for purchase in commemoration of “LOSE YOURSELF IN LOVE.”

A film centred around Beyoncé’s latest hit song, “SUMMER RENAISSANCE” will also launch later this fall and embodies the carefree, joyous spirit of the album as a whole.

“LOSE YOURSELF IN LOVE” launches globally in print and digital on September 2 and will be amplified through global media activations starting September 9. The accompanying film will launch on Tiffany.com in October 2022.

From soft neutral to a warm tinted cream hue, this season’s colour palette is going neutral and chic. Invest in beige-toned jackets, shirts, trousers and even knitwear to perfect this understated, elegant look. See. more below:

Isabel Marant

Michael Kors Collection

Burberry

Dior

Valentino has revealed a new partnership with Karma Metrix Energy Efficiency Website, an innovative service for measuring the carbon footprint of websites and webpages.

This move will make Valentino the world’s first luxury brand to make its website energy efficient by measuring and reducing its CO2 emissions by using an innovative digital sustainability tool.

The partnership uses a tool called Karma Metrix. This specific innovative algorithm quantifies the CO2 emission produced by the valentino.com website and will allow the Maison to measure its energy efficiency and implement actions aimed at reducing its impact on the environment.

The decision for this venture follows the Maison’s commitment to generating positive change for the planet and for all of those who inhabit it. The CO2 emissions linked to websites – due to the fossil fuels powering data centres and end devices, alongside the current ineffective methodologies – are at such high levels to have raised imminent awareness of digital sustainability. According to the Global Carbon Project, the Web in fact ranks as the fourth “country” in the world for carbon dioxide emissions.

Valentino has decided to take action in this new digital territory with pioneer thinking, vision, passion and commitment by investing on sustainable technology.

The partnership aims to highlight how it is possible to start using the web more consciously, using digital transformation to safeguard the planet, to improve the environment and support sustainable business operations.

Through Karma Metrix, Valentino ventures on a sustainability journey creating a connection between digital performance and redefining a sustainable future for the planet. A common mission on energy efficiency through the implementation of a set of metrics and tools to measure the ecological performance of valentino.com.

“Facts show that the Maison, committed to generating new digital opportunities within the brand, is at the forefront of the green transition process” – says Ale Agostini, creator of the Karma Metrix project – “We are pleased to join forces with the Maison to raise awareness that green transition also involves a more efficient development of websites focusing on energy efficiency. As Karma Metrix we are proud to promote positive change that aims to reduce CO2 emissions”.

The partnership unleashes the power of innovation, performance and technology, constantly pushing the boundaries in a commitment to improving the environmental sustainability of online presence.

Earlier this year Bulgari Watches had a huge moment when it unveiled the Octo Finissimo Ultra; the World’s Thinnest Mechanical Watch. This was a game-changing launch for the Maison that saw it breaking new world records and tuning the heads of watchmaking experts as it reaffirmed the brand’s place as a watch manufacturer.

This was followed later in the year by some impressive high jewellery watch creations which were unveiled as part of the Eden, Garden of Wonders collection. But the Italian Maison hasn’t finished yet! This month the house is returning with a set of new launches in the watches sector which were revealed at the recent Geneva Watch Days showcase.

Under the theme “A Play on Contrasts” Bulgari introduced a series of watches for men and women that demonstrate the brand’s ability to offer a fascinating play on contrasts of colours, shapes, materials, finishes and expertise. With new iterations Octo Finissimo line, as well as additions to the iconic Serpenti collection and fresh designs in the Bulgari Bulgari offering there is plenty to discover. We find out more about these novelties with Antoine Pin, Managing Director of the Bulgari Watch Division.

Octo Finissimo Rose Gold

We see some beautiful new watches launching for Geneva Watch Days – let’s begin with Octo – tell us what you are launching.

This is a moment of gold for Octo Finissimo as we reveal our precious versions of the watch. We are going back to more classic materials in the form of rose gold and yellow gold. The men’s collection no longer had any gold models and we know a lot of customers are looking for gold watches, so we wanted to bring them back. This is a limited edition collection with a brown dial. Deciding on our dial colours with our design studio is always a very complex process as Fabrizio, Buonamassa Stigliani our Creative Director, hates to follow trends, and of course, what the marketing department does is tells us what the trends are! We love for Fabrizio to give his own perspective on things and offer his creative direction and that is how we came to have this brown tobacco colour.

We are in fact introducing a series of rose gold products: firstly the Chronograph and last but not least, our new Octo Finissimo Skeleton which has an eight-day power reserve. It features a new calibre and actually probably best highlights the direction in which we are working now at Bulgari Watches. It’s not about being thinner, it’s about proposing the best horological performance within the same volume. We are still respecting the 0.8mm thickness so we remain extremely slim which is important, but we are maximising the performance. That’s why we have this new calibre with eight days of power reserve, thanks to the improvements made on the skeleton calibre with a stronger, bigger barrel with a stronger spring, and also a change in the gear strain to optimise the power reserve. This particular structure is becoming a signature of our skeleton pieces. So that’s the big horological achievement of this season.

Octo Finissimo Kazuyo Sejima

The collaboration with Kazuyo Sejima is very interesting, why did you choose her as a partner and how did the process go?

Yes, we continue our journey with artists and this is a very special collection that we have developed with Japanese architect; Kazuyo Sejima. We like to work with architects because they understand the complexity of our 3D construction. This piece plays with the light and on closer inspection, you will see that there are mini dots actually carved into the glass. These dots offer a stunning play of light. It is a completely polished dial but the structure on the glass that we developed internally involves us printing onto the back of the glass to create this graphic impression. This is the first time we have done something like this and it was a very complex process. Sejima gave us a hard time because she had a very clear idea of what she wanted to do. Interestingly the people we choose to collaborate with always bring us an aesthetic challenge, but they understand the constraints related to the development of a watch. Sejima had this graphic idea about the dial and then based on this, Fabrizio came back and suggested we did something fully polished to create even more of a contrast. The result is very special. It is a limited edition of 360 pieces that will launch firstly in Japan and then around the rest of the world.

Tell us about your choice of partners for such collaborations and how the process works.

The dialogue between Fabrizio and the artists we choose to work with is very interesting. It is a highly collaborative process. Fabrizio will brief the artist on the collection and then he takes on board the perspective of the other creative person. It’s truly a collaboration in which each respects the other party. Obviously, this is not always easy. We are working on future steps with different artists and it is always extremely sensitive. What is most sensitive is the first contact, there has to be a fit. We have seen situations where we had no fit and it would not have worked out.

In terms of identifying people to work with on these kinds of projects, there is a screening of people that we believe can be interesting and it is a process that we are evolving. Progressively we are working with intermediaries who provide us with the names of people who could be interested in a collaboration. But then technically to work with somebody you need all agree. So we have plenty of no’s until we find the right person to continue on this journey with. It allows us to discover new ways to express ourselves and to discover the signature of every artist.

Bulgari Bulgari Black

Bulgari is constantly pushing the boundaries in innovation and technology – tell us about his process and how does the brand continuously develop its abilities?

Firstly, we need to identify our path and define our journey as a brand. This means looking at the market, but the brief is not solely about what the consumer wants. This comes into perspective as we launch a yellow gold version of Octo Finissimo because the market told us there was a need. But when it comes to the innovative aspect, we should not wait and expect customers to tell us what they would like. We would not be surprising them in that case. Defining the direction and who we are as a watchmaker or how we would be perceived by our customers is something very interesting for us.

So we have long discussions with Fabrizio but also with our development team and the marketing team about what’s next. For instance, one of the key questions we ask ourselves is how do we express the modernity that we find in Octo Finissimo in our jewellery watches? The expression of jewellery watches often remains very traditional, so we have to question how we bring this modernity that is a very strong signature in our more masculine watches, to our ladies watches. How we continue to push the boundaries on mechanical calibres for ladies is another question we ask ourselves. How do we turn mechanical movements into serious alternatives to the Quartz movement? There are many ongoing discussions that we are having internally around these subjects and I think we have to keep asking ourselves relevant questions in order to move forward.

Serpenti Spiga Black

Let’s talk about ladies watches – what are you launching at this moment in that category?

We are launching a series of black versions of the Serpenti Seduttori. On one hand, we have the Serpenti Spiga Ceramic which is a modern version of the jewellery presentation of the watch. And then, on the other hand, we continue to build on the history of the Serpenti Seduttori with a full black iteration. It comes in steel with a black DLC treatment paired with rose gold. So we continue to play between gold and precious materials but in a black version. We love this variation around the concept and we are not only presenting it with Serpenti but we are also introducing this on the BVLGARI BVLGARI (BB) watch line with a full black offering. With this, we are clearly meeting a demand for something that we didn’t have in the collection before.

And then we are launching another Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon in white gold which features our micro tourbillion – the smallest tourbillion for our ladies watches – on black spinel and diamonds as a high jewellery version of this piece. We love to be at this crossroads of high horology and high jewellery and so we continue the journey with this.

How would you assess the position of Bulgari watches in the industry today? 

It is interesting because Bulgari is seen as a newcomer in the watchmaking industry, but our first watch was made over 100 years ago, and we used to sell more watches than jewellery in the early 2000s. But the fact is in today’s world we appear to be quite young in the industry and this is probably related to the fact that we became a manufacturer only twenty years ago. So now we have this double face as a watchmaker – a long history and tradition of making watches that last for a long time, connections to the Swiss world – we purchased calibres from Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin in the sixties – so there is clearly an intertwined relationship, but still, this recent visibility in the market is related to the fact that with Octo Finissimo we managed to merge those two worlds: the modernity of the Manufacture, with our tradition of being a watchmaker. Things have changed over the last years because we have come to a certain level of maturity.

So where does it take us? That is the big question! I would say the sky is the limit. We have the capacity like other jewellers to propose watches for both men and women, products at a reasonable price point and also products at an extremely high price point. I look at what other brands are doing and we may be small in comparison, but they show how big we could be if we continue on our own journey. We need to be patient, and creative, push ourselves and push the boundaries, but we must be true to our roots as an Italian jeweller and true to our brand DNA but continue to surprise our customers and ourselves. Of course, there is always the temptation to do something completely different from where we are, but I think our job together with Fabrizio is to be very rigorous on one side, but also to avoid setting ourselves the wrong constraints. You must have a discerning discipline to find what are the good constraints and the bad constraints.

Serpenti Seduttori Black

What is a message you would send to your fans and friends in the Middle East around these watches?

Rush to the stores! They are really beautiful watches with great stories to tell and we are very happy with them.

What else is in the pipeline for Bulgari watches this year? 

We are now preparing for next year when there will be some exciting launches happening, so watch this space.

Stars of the silver screen celebrated last night as the Prime Time Emmy awards took place in Los Angeles. Big name award winners included Zendaya, Amanda Seyfried and Julia Garner for their recent TV series roles. We reveal some of the best dressed of the night.

Zendaya wearing Vintage Valentino

Amanda Seyfried wearing Armani Privé

Lily James wearing Versace

Sydney Sweeny wearing Oscar de la Renta

Elle Fanning wearing a gown designed by Costume Designer Sharon Long

Laura Linney wearing Christian Siriano

Julia Garner wearing Gucci

Reese Witherspoon wearing Armani Privé and Tiffany & Co. jewellery

Kerry Washington wearing Elie Saab

Juno Temple

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

John Legend wearing Gucci

Nicholas Braun

Sarah Paulson wearing Louis Vuitton

Nicholas Hoult wearing Dior

Christina Ricci wearing Fendi 

Lauren Laverne wearing Jean Paul Gaultier

Bentley Motors has unveiled a new, exclusive model that embodies the start of a design revolution at the company. The Bentley Mulliner Batur is a new two-door grand touring coupé that showcases a new design DNA that will ultimately guide the design of Bentley’s future range of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). The limited edition series was created by Director of Design Andreas Mindt and his team and is capped at just 18 creations.

The car is the latest project by Bentley’s in-house bespoke and coachbuilding division, Mulliner, and succeeds the Bacalar that relaunched coachbuilding at Bentley. Like the Bacalar, the Batur is named after a beautiful natural body of water.

It will be the most powerful Bentley yet, with a 740+ PS version of the iconic, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine. Engine performance will be matched to the most advanced Bentley chassis ever, with Speed-tuned air suspension, electric active anti-roll control, eLSD, four-wheel steering and torque vectoring.

Each of the 18 examples will be co-created by Mulliner’s in-house design team and the customer who will work together for several hours through a specially-created Mulliner visualiser that allows any part of the car to be customised in colour and surface finish. Each owner will be given an almost endless array of choices to make the car’s appearance their own, ranging from infinite paint choices to hand-painted graphics, while brightware can be any mix of light and dark, satin or gloss or even titanium. The exterior paintwork of the launch Batur is a bespoke colour – Bonneville Pearlescent Silver – with bodywork underscored by carbon fibre front splitters, side skirts and rear diffuser painted in Black Crystal. 22” wheels come with the ‘standard’ option of being painted in Black Crystal and then surface bright machined and polished.

The two-seat interior space of the Batur is designed for the ultimate in personalisation and long-distance grand touring. A range of veneers available for the fascias includes Natural Fibre composite, a new material for Bentley, as well as a 2×2 twill weave finished in satin lacquer, which is a sustainable alternative to carbon fibre. The passenger fascia panel is then finished with a unique etching of the audio signature of the W12 engine – bespoke etching is also available. The interior of the launch Batur has been trimmed by hand in a stunning combination of black, red and orange. The veneers to the Instrument Panel, fascias and doors are Gloss Black painted, with a ‘guitar fade’ to Fine Brodgar that flows from the fascias to the doors, before fading back to black. The fascia is completed with a unique piece of art – a laser-etched sound wave, which represents the unique sound generated by the W12 engine.

The Batur features the most powerful engine ever fitted to a Bentley. The 6.0-litre W12 has been through several design iterations and is now the most advanced twelve-cylinder engine in the world. For the Batur, a new intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers and extensive recalibration of more than 740 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque, to deliver exceptional performance for this new pinnacle grand tourer. Over its 20-year development, the engine now produces nearly 40% more power while fuel economy has improved by 25%. The Batur’s W12 is paired with Bentley’s eight-speed double-clutch transmission, and a sports exhaust to provide a soundtrack in keeping with the level of performance.

Adaptive three-chamber air springs each have three switchable chambers, changing the volume of the air spring and so its effective stiffness. The driver can select the balance between ride comfort and body control using the four-mode Drive Dynamics Control in the centre console, choosing between Sport, Bentley, Comfort and Custom, which also changes the behaviour of the 48V electric active anti-roll control system, providing up to 1,300 Nm of anti-roll torque in 0.3 seconds or completely decoupling the wheels at either end of each axle.

Delivery will begin in Spring 2023.

Craftsmanship has been at the heart of the Brunello Cucinelli brand since the beginning. In 1978, Cucinelli, who came from a modest, Italian household, had the idea to set up a small cashmere company in Solomeo, an idyllic hamlet in the Perugia region of Italy, which just so happened to be his wife’s birthplace.

After getting inspired by her clothing shop combined with his love of brightly coloured wool sweaters, Brunello Cucinelli saw the need for good quality cashmere pieces but with a twist: colour. He wanted to combine quality materials with the unique craftsmanship possibilities in the region and this was the beginning of a great story of success.

Scuola dei Mestieri di Solomeo

At the time, Cucinelli took a risk by committing to an industry that in this particular region was saturated, being one of the main manufacturing areas for these types of products. But Cucinelli captured the attention of the world with his innovative idea of adding colour to traditional cashmere pieces, something that had seldom been done at the time. He developed a special dyeing technique that would be the backbone of his company for years to come.

Cucinelli has always kept the production of his products in Solomeo, reinforcing the “made in Italy” concept, as well as giving back to the local communities in the form of employment and training in these traditional crafts. In 1985 Cucinelli purchased a fourteenth-century tumbledown castle in the hamlet of Solomeo which became his corporate headquarters; in 2000. He then refurbished an existing facility at the foot of the hamlet of Solomeo which became the heart of the production of Brunello Cucinelli products.

Cucinelli has remained dedicated to the DNA of the company since the beginning, his passion has grown beyond just cashmere, but high-quality materials and the finest Italian craftsmanship continue to be at the heart of everything the company does. Cucinelli is fascinated by the beauty of these quality materials, cashmere in particular, and its ability to last. He soon realised that by default his pieces would become sustainable thanks to their long-lasting and timeless qualities which often see Brunello Cucinelli pieces passed down from one generation to another.

In 2012, Cucinelli listed his company on the Italian Stock Exchange. A personal choice that allowed him to further expand and share his passion with the world. It has also aided his desire to support the livelihoods of those living in the Medieval hamlet where his company began. He has refurbished the area, as well as established The School of High Contemporary Arts and Crafts in Solomeo; an institution that would promote traditional craftsmanship skills to the younger generations and educate them to a high level in these rare techniques. Cuccinelli refurbished a classical-style building in the area which would become home to the school and began enrolling students into the programmes. Crafts are taught in a practical manner under the guidance of a master. Students can enrol in programmes around pattern making, women’s tailoring, cutting and men’s tailoring mending and linking, horticulture, gardening and masonry. The school has given dozens of students to embrace these crafts, reviving them and preserving them for generations to come.

As well as supporting the local community Cucinelli has been involved in a number of projects that support craftsmanship and sustainability. Most recently the “Regenerative Fashion” project in which the designer partnered with HRH The Prince of Wales and Federico Marchetti. Cucinelli committed to work streams dedicated to regenerative farming, as well as to economically supporting local textile producers through the Himalayan Regenerative Fashion Living Lab project.

This season, the men’s and women’s collections continue to honour the tradition of the company, but also look to the future. The men’s collection “Crossroads” represents an opportunity for exchange and a new worldview that creates new areas to develop and learn. Celebrating neutral tones combined with fresh uplifting colours the men’s collection represents the coming together of the past, present and future. In women’s wear, the collection is rich in references, patterns and new silhouettes, offering refined elegance that the brand is known for. Lamé textures and sheer surfaces are brought to life by dazzling embroidery and bright colours sweeping across fluid satins and feminine volumes. As the latest collection launches, we talk to Brunello Cucinelli to find out more about his vision and the future of Made in Italy.

Preserving craftsmanship is of course something that’s very important to the brand – tell us where you stand on this both globally and in regards to sustaining and supporting crafts and craftsmen and women in Italy?

Not only do I consider the preservation of the extraordinary world of craftsmanship extremely important, but I am convinced that the work of promotion that creates or consolidates a true culture of artisanal knowledge is equally necessary and valuable. Ultimately, this is the main reason why, in Solomeo, we strongly believe in a School of Arts and Crafts, and we are now aiming to triple its student body because of the great confidence we have in the skills of our wonderful young people.

This is a project that is devoted to further enrichment of items “Made in Italy”, and which for us is headquartered in a small village in the heart of Umbria. But ideally speaking, it would be wonderful if it were to exist anywhere at any latitude.

Women’s collection FW22

Are there any other regions or cultures that inspire you for their crafts?

As our esteemed Classical thinkers have taught us, we must always be ready to feel and act like citizens of the world. As a matter of fact, our inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere, and we can capture and incorporate the best of Western culture as well as embracing and re-working stimuli arriving from the East. For example, the wonderful land of Mongolia, with its people, its culture, its tradition of wisdom, and its spirituality, as well as its exceptionally beautiful landscapes, is extremely rich with an allure that cannot but inspire something special.

Who are the Brunello Cucinelli men and women today and do you think your customer has evolved?

This is a good question! I believe that the person who seeks out our fashion ideas, craftsmanship, and thoroughly Italian taste today is a very attentive, suave individual with great respect for human beings and all of Nature. I say this because I have been noticing for some time now, especially in young people, very special – and for me extremely important – attention being paid to how a certain garment has been made, to how this or that accessory is made, to where the raw materials used come from, and to how the human resource who devoted their skill and experience to the production of an article is treated. Ultimately, behind all this is the great theme of the ethical value that gives me hope in the young generations and in the future awaiting us on the horizon.

Women’s collection FW22

What can you tell us about Brunello Cucinelli in the Middle East and how do you see this market in your global analysis of the brand?

I have always held people from the Middle East in great esteem, and I believe that great values can be culled from their ancient cultural backgrounds. Our kind of workmanship, focusing on refined style and the most meticulous craftsmanship, but also on extremely high quality in the selection of the raw materials, is very much appreciated in the Middle East. We often receive positive comments on how we work and devote the proper attention to human dignity and to avoiding damage to nature.

Men’s collection FW22

What is a message you would share with your fans and customers in the Middle East?

I have no doubts: a message of peace. As we read in the ancient Book of Changes (I Ching), peace comes from the care we devote day by day to cultivating relationships, therefore to human relationships and also to the relationships with all other beings, bar none. It is a message and a lesson that I have been able to learn thanks to the agricultural culture, which taught me, ever since I was a boy, solidarity, respect for everyone, and a love of the earth on which we live, and which deserves our deepest gratitude.

Men’s collection FW22

Charlotte Tilbury’s latest beauty product is promising miracle results combining skincare and makeup

Charlotte Tilbury’s latest innovation has been described as “shapewear for the eyes and face”. The Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer is the result of years of research and the innovation to find a concealer that will conceal, brighten and lift the look of your skin. “this concealer is going to change your life!” says Charlotte Tilbury of her latest release.

The Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer is infused with ten per cent active skincare ingredients that combine the power of a concealer and an eye cream into one product. Targeting tiredness, dark circles, hyperpigmentation and blemishes, the all-round product does more than just cover up, it helps to improve the look of your skin every time you wear it, working much like an effective eye cream.

“I have been working on this concealer for years and have been secretly using it on my celebrity clients, family & friends.” Says Tilbury. “Everyone just keeps saying wow, wow, wow! Their skin looks so smooth and lifted, and they feel transformed! I always want everyone to feel and look their most beautiful – so discover my best-kept beauty secret and unlock your most beautiful skin in seconds!”

Research conducted on 30 people over 28 days saw dark circles appear reduced by 40%, 96% agree skin looks smoother, and 88% agree skin looks lifted. The results are all thanks to a special combination of active ingredients, brought together over a number of years. Niacinamide possesses brightening properties, while Golden Vitamin C evens out skin tone. Hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates the skin and locks in moisture while Glow Peptide gives an enhanced light-reflecting finish. Finally, Vegan Collagen helps skin to feel plumper and smoother.

The Beautiful Skin Radiant Conceal is available in 30 shades and features medium buildable coverage, an instant gown and long-term skin benefits. Shop now!

British designer Richard Quinn has partnered with Tommy Hilfiger to create a limited edition capsule collection that brings together the iconic styles of both brands.

Richard Quinn, who is known for his “iconoclastic” DNA has created a series of gender-inclusive looks that are full of drama and bold design.

Co-designed by Tommy Hilfiger and Richard Quinn, who received the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design in 2018, the collection intermixes Quinn’s signature use of bold patterns and exaggerated silhouettes with Hilfiger’s iconic take on American classics.

The capsule feature 40 pieces including Tommy Hilfiger statements such as the varsity jacket, chino, 5-pocket jean and leather jacket.

The designs are inspired by a range of cultural archetypes, including punk, explorer, cheerleader and jock, offering a playful expression on classic styles.

The newly launched “TH Monogram,” which reflects the spirit of innovation at the heart of the TOMMY HILFIGER brand, is remixed with Quinn’s signature daisy design and emblazoned onto puffer jackets, pea coats, athletic backpacks and holdalls.

A varsity jacket is decorated with unique motifs that combine Quinn’s daisy with emblems of Collegiate and Americana style. An iconic English rose pattern appears on formal trousers, billowing outerwear and classic tailoring in Scottish Tartan.

“I’ve always been inspired by working with creatives who push boundaries, and Richard is no exception,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “We’ve brought together our two distinct aesthetics to create a rebellious take on modern Prep. It’s unexpected and optimistic, and reflects the playful spirit at the heart of both our brands.”

Richard Quinn adds; “Tommy and I share the same obsession for prints and textiles, so it was a natural joy to balance and combine our visions for this collaboration. It was inspiring to dive into Tommy’s archives and find the iconic pieces that became the canvases for our co-creation. We pushed ourselves to be dramatic and vibrant with every detail — in the pursuit of progress — and the final pieces do not disappoint.”

Tommy Hilfiger X Richard Quinn is available on tommy.com and in select TOMMY HILFIGER stores worldwide

The beauty look for Armani Privé’s Fall Winter 2022-23 Haute Couture show matched the elegance and finesse of the collection.

The model’s hair was pinned in a demure up-do with a side-parted fringe and twist at the front as if inspired by the Great Gatsby era.

The makeup look, created by Linda Cantello, Giorgio Armani International Makeup Artist, added drama with a bold focus on the eye. “A smattering of black sequins added to the sultry languidness of the thoroughly modern girl” she said.

Dark shadow was smudged below and above the eye finished with black sequins, for an elegant yet edgy look, offering a bold juxtaposition. Lips were given a matte finish with a soft rose tone and skin was glowing with a slight highlight on the cheeks.

As a new season begins we round up three key fashion trends for men to try this fall.

1. All Black Everything

You can never go wrong with a head-to-toe black ensemble. Head-to-toe black outfits were leading the way on the runways at Dolce&Gabbana, Dior Men, Givenchy and more. This simple, understated look will never go out of fashion.

Versace

Givenchy

Dolce&Gabbana

2. Power Shoulder

A shoulder detail can make such a difference to any outfit. At Dolce&Gabbana and Prada, we saw eighties-style shoulder pads, while Dunhill and Louis Vuitton showcased simple looks with additional details on the shoulders taking the pieces to the next level.

Prada

Dunhill

Louis Vuitton

Dolce&Gabbana

3. Relaxed Suiting

Over the past few years, the suit silhouette has become more and more relaxed and comfort prevails over style. Italian brands such as Giorgio Armani and Zegna are continuing to lead the way with this new relaxed cut and many other brands have begun to follow. Opt for fluid materials and softer cuts to get the look.

Zegna

Hermes

Brunello Cucinelli

From the beginning, Max Mara’s ethos has been to turn ideas into garments that women will not only desire but want to live in: an all-round wardrobe for the modern, stylish yet elegant woman.

The House began its journey in 1951 when law graduate Achille Maramotti, great-grandson of the area’s most sought-after dressmaker and son of the founder of an established tailoring school, saw infinite potential in the dynamically changing world around him. He saw an opportunity in the modernisation of the family legacy of craftsmanship with the evolving technologies of the future and his vision was to produce a collection inspired by the most sophisticated French couture but manufactured with the latest industrial techniques.

Ian Griffiths

After launching as a ready-to-wear label in 1959 Max Mara began to flourish as women realised the potential for a new modern silhouette that they could wear from day to night. Achille Maramotti became known as a ground-breaking entrepreneur who was changing the face of the industry and providing stylish, comfortable and accessible fashion that combined craftsmanship and technology.

Over the past 70 years, the Italian House has continued to promote the same values its founder had in the beginning: never compromise on quality and always move with the times, constantly modernising techniques and silhouettes but staying true to the DNA of the house. Max Mara still owns its factory in Italy which gives the house the freedom to experiment with state-of-the-art machinery and classic crafts and processes. This also allows the freedom to continue to develop the now iconic Max Mara coat, which is reinvented season after season.

In 1987 British designer Ian Griffiths joined Max Mara and has remained at the house ever since. As Creative Director he continues to honour the vision of Achille Maramotti, but remains relevant to the time and produces garments that women truly want to wear. While his methods in many ways are traditional, he is constantly evolving the silhouette, experimenting with innovative materials and finding ways to create clothes that are both modern and timeless. As the Fall/Winter 2022-23 collection launches, we discover more about the latest designs and what we can expect from the brand in the near future.

Congratulations on the Fall/Winter 22 collection – tell us a little about the collection – the inspiration, the silhouettes – and what it means to you.

Thank you, that’s a big question! There’s a narrative behind each collection which is like the makings of a novel, so I could write a novel in response to your question! I saw an exhibition at the Tate Modern in London. It was a major retrospective of the work of Sophie Taeuber-Arp; a creative polymath whose oeuvre was overlooked for decades, and now, she is happily being rediscovered. This formidable woman was an architect, dancer, textile designer, painter and sculptor. She was a really rare thing; a designer and an artist at the same time. And even rarer, she was a modernist who invested even the most everyday objects with a sense of magic and mystery.

We’re talking about the turbulent early decades of the twentieth century. At Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich, Taeuber-Arp and fellow artists of the avant-garde including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst and Guillaume Apollinaire met night after night. Their performances, publications, recitals and readings produced an astonishing new aesthetic: Dada, a call for peace which resonates with the times we are living in now. Taeuber-Arp’s hastily improvised costumes and the marionettes she designed for her most famous work, ‘King Stag’ radiate joyful energy, kinetic spirit and theatrical panache. They are fully formed fairy-tale characters with a charm that lies somewhere between the robotic and the animal. This story has all the elements I love; a crystalline alpine landscape, avant-garde art and design, intellectual rigour with a dash of the cabaret thrown in, and the story of a strong unstoppable woman.

The Max Mara DNA and silhouette have had strong consistency for many years – what is your take on this today, how has it developed and where is the brand heading in terms of design?

I joined the company in 1987, which was the height of first-generation “power dressing” – the dress code that Max Mara was at the forefront of devising. It was a way of dressing that offered women a credible and powerful image to be successful in the male-dominated workspace. But it was quite a rigid uniform, and as women became more successful, they quite rightly started to demand more freedom in the way they dressed. This has been the overall trajectory in terms of design during my time at the company; always respecting the philosophy and iconic elements of the brand – the colour camel, for example – but at the same time offering more choices and opportunities for self-expression.

What is it about a Max Mara coat that is so unique and why in your opinion should every woman own one in their lifetime?

A Max Mara coat is the perfect integration of image, design and manufacture. Every coat that we launch has been considered in terms of perfect volume, unsurpassable materials, and carefully nuanced proportions, finish and detail. The result is an object that has glamour and status. A Max Mara coat is a life companion. Today, we are seeing younger women wearing coats that once belonged to older relatives and I think this highlights how a Max Mara coat is a heritage item.

What can you tell us about sustainability at Max Mara? 

I do not doubt that the fashion industry will work out a framework of codes for sustainability. In the meantime, I point to our ethos of offering well-designed clothes that last longer than the current season. Every collection tells a story, it’s true, but when you take them apart, you find pieces that will integrate perfectly into your existing Max Mara wardrobe.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration? 

My most important muse is the Max Mara woman. When I see a woman in the street wearing Max Mara, I glow with pride. It’s an even bigger thrill than seeing the collection on the runway or being photographed on a celebrity.

Over the years you have seen the fashion industry change, how would you assess the landscape today?

You could say that fashion has broken down. There’s definitely no such thing as ‘the’ fashion anymore, and that’s a good thing because everyone is free to find their own look. But that creates a certain amount of confusion because there are so many ideas being produced. Social media has most definitely accelerated this proliferation, to the point where a great deal of the ‘stuff’ that’s produced has no meaning. Max Mara represents lasting values; it’s like a rock in this ocean of ideas.

We know you are still very traditional in the way you sketch your designs – tell us about the power of sketches and can you share a little on your creative process?

A sketch is quite simply the most efficient way of communicating your ideas. It’s also a very satisfying and therapeutic activity. I try to set aside time for sketching because that’s how I work out my ideas. I let the design flow from the pen. If something is difficult to design, the chances are it will be difficult to wear, and that’s not Max Mara.

With many brands entering the world of Web 3, the Metaverse and NFTs – where does Max Mara stand on this and as a designer what is your take on fashion in this digital world?

The beauty of Max Mara starts with the finest materials. There’s no such thing as virtual cashmere, you can’t touch a virtual coat, and you can’t pass it on to your daughter or niece.

What else is in the pipeline for the rest of the year? 

I’m looking forward to showing our ideas for Summer 2023 in Milan, and I’m working on the Prefall 2023 collection. We will be showing that in December, and I’m thinking about the format that the presentation will take. Maybe a show? If I could, I would put on a show every month! Fashion shows have evolved to the point where they are almost theatre. The perfect medium for telling the story behind the collection. I’m also coming to Dubai, hopefully in November and I look forward to meeting women in the world of Max Mara.

What can you tell us about Max Mara in the Middle East and what is a message you would send to your clients and fans here?

Max Mara respects women: that’s the starting point for everything we do. I don’t like the term ‘modest’ fashion, because it implies that women who wear it want to blend into the background. We design for the kind of woman who wants to be noticed for her discreet glamour and pulled-together chicness. There’s definitely a wow factor to Max Mara, but it’s the kind of wow that’s said under your breath. We find those women all over the world. Max Mara is a lingua franca and a lot of what we do is hard-wired for so-called modest fashion, without us having to think about a particular geographical region.

What is the motto that you live by? 

Classic doesn’t have to mean conservative. It applies to my own style and everything I do.

What is one piece every woman should invest in for the Fall/Winter 22 season? 

If you haven’t already got one, then invest in a coat. If you have, create a new silhouette with a teddy skirt, either long or short.

Cartier has expanded its Panthère de Cartier collection with a new selection of sculptural creations.

These new flexible necklaces and bracelets feature hidden hinges which are made from an invisible system developed by Cartier, that allows the pieces to sit even closer to the skin, further representing the iconic animal.

The collection features necklaces, rings and a bangle made of yellow gold marked with octagonal black lacquer spots, or white gold paved with diamonds and set with onyx spots. Its long, curved design stems from two heads of sculptural panthers with emerald or tsavorite garnet eyes.

These pieces feature a fine level of craftsmanship. Two different components are crossed with two gold blades which are linked to two springs positioned in the heads of the panthers. A real challenge in terms of craftsmanship that requires the Maison’s jewellers to respect the distribution of the Panthère’s spots.

For the versions set with diamonds, the setter’s job consists of encircling each stone with small metal grains to secure it. Next, using the Cartier “fur” setting, they skilfully cut around the onyx to give the impression of the animal’s silky coat.

The Panthère has been a creative signature for Cartier since the first sighting of her distinctive markings on a watch in 1914. This icon continues to be a defining element of the house and offers a modern yet timeless image.

Jad Hobeika, son of Lebanese couturier Georges Hobeika was recently revealed as Co-Creative Director of the house, working alongside his father. But Jad has in fact been an integral part of the brand’s development for six years. In 2016 he began working at the couture brand, giving his input and helping to create the collections in order to expand the House’s audience to a younger, more fashion-forward clientele and evolving the brand on a step to becoming more internationally recognised.

The first collection he worked on was in 2019 and he has since played an integral role in developing the House’s collections and communications. At just 26 Jad has much less experience than his father who has been in the industry for almost 30 years, but he has a young, fresh and free-spirited take on fashion and it is this that is driving the Maison into the future. This year Jad was formally announced as Co-Creative Director giving the young designer and his father equal input in all creative elements of the collections.

The first collection presented by the two Co-Creative Directors is the Fall/Winter 2022 collection which showed in Paris this July and was the first official reveal of the two designers to the world. The collection was brighter and bolder than we have seen in previous seasons, as well as featuring menswear looks for the first time. As the brand continues to move forward, we find out more about how this relationship between father and son is helping the evolution of the couture house.

Congratulations on the Fall/Winter 22 Haute Couture show – can you tell us a little about your creative process for this collection?

I always start to design by having a feeling for certain shapes and colours. I sketch and let the idea take me to another place or I move from one sketch to another until something gives me a feeling of newness; something I would like to see in events or on the streets, and then I put together a vision for the idea and translate it into a theme that leads to creating a full collection.

Can you share a little on the Haute Couture presentation and the experience as this was your first as Co-Creative Director?

I worked on it like any other collection. I didn’t want my first collection as a Co-Creative Director to be different from what our clientele are used to seeing especially as it wasn’t actually the first collection I worked on. Now, what’s going to happen next is a surprise!

You are now working alongside your father at the House tell us about your journey together as Co-Creative Directors and where you are at in that today.

Six years ago, Georges first welcomed me into the design studio. It was a great opportunity to learn and showcase my talent at the same time. The ride wasn’t always as smooth as expected and the relationship is harder than it looks. I had to re-imagine the girl of Georges Hobeika and that’s not easy when the Maison has been targeting a certain clientele for almost 30 years.

Season after season, collection after collection, we started embracing a broader, more inclusive audience. The first couture collection co-designed by Georges and I debuted in the Fall-Winter 2019 season, and today we are both working hand-in-hand, sharing responsibilities for collections and business strategy alike with one vision in mind: expanding internationally, speaking the language of a young clientele all while safeguarding the DNA of the Maison.

How do you think your touch on the brand can be seen and what influence would you like to have on the designs moving forward? 

I believe the Maison’s collections are now bolder and more daring. I am a free spirit and I want to convey this in the pieces we create. While Georges is a fond lover of everything refined and feminine, I was able to introduce a sense of freshness revolving around sartorial elegance from subtle cut-outs to bold crystal embellishments.

Can you share a little about your working relationship and how you divide duties within the company?

Today myself and my father work hand-in-hand sharing duties and responsibilities alike. The past six years taught us to trust in each other’s vision and push one another forward. Our eye is always on what’s next and with me speaking the language of both Gen-Z and Millennials, Georges allowed me to channel my creativity and work around the Maison’s DNA to state youth, elegance, and freedom all at once. I can say it’s teamwork, we both manage the studio to deliver new collections and give guidance to the atelier’s “Main precieuses” to develop their skills and adopt new styles of embroideries and 3D embellishments.

With your father as a designer, you have surely been surrounded by fashion your whole life – what is your first memory of this?

The atelier was a home to me. I was raised around tailors and “mains-precieuses”. Every season, I used to wait for my dad to showcase his collection in Paris and then take the video and watch it alone on our little screen at home. It meant the world to me. It was simply beautiful!

What can you tell us about menswear at Georges Hobeika?

It’s part of the vision and it’s about being inclusive.  It’s a party where a lot of people are there; both men and women, enjoying life!

What is your vision moving forward as you begin this new chapter of the house?

I am passionate about what I do. I have a clear vision of where I want to go. Georges was always a visionary in his designs and I was able to convince him of the direction I want to delve deep into through my creations.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration? 

My surroundings inspire me, from the smallest to the biggest detail. Being present in the now also inspires me.

How would you describe your own style?

Minimal Opulence.

Over the years you have seen the fashion industry in the Arab world grow, how would you assess the landscape today?

Arabs have been always fond of fashion and are among the first to adopt the latest trends. Thus, catering to their needs is as important as creating for the international market. While the Arab woman is becoming more and more open to revealing her free spirit, conservative pieces are always seen in our collections as inclusivity lies at the heart of the Maison’s identity. In addition, a lot of our pieces can be easily altered to fit the taste of any woman no matter her background or culture.

How would you like to see Arab designers being recognised on a more global scale?

I believe recognition goes hand-in-hand with talent and hard work. Yet, I do think the international media should be more supportive of rising designers around the globe, giving them the opportunity to be featured which would allow different cultures to get to know them.

What else is in the pipeline for the rest of the year? 

We are reworking our brand image and this is the main focus for now. I want our collections to speak the language of the new generations, the digital world, the street style and the glamour of the red carpet all at once.

What is the motto that you live by?

“What does that mean?”