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Lea Badro
of Greenline
interiors
GREENLINE
INTERIORS
i
ISLA MODA
From humble beginnings almost 35 years
ago, in a Sharjah office comprising 10
people, Greenline Interiors is now sought
after by the international design
community, having custom-built the
interiors for such prestigious projects as the
Presidential Library of George Bush Sr in
Texas, the Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat in
the South of France, Burj Al Arab hotel
and the First and Business Class lounges of
Emirates Airline at Dubai International
Airport, among others. Founded by the
architect Samir Badro, Greenline has
diversified into yacht interiors – a venture
under the direction of the stunning and
entrepreneurial Lea Badro, who holds a
postgraduate degree from Central Saint
Martins College of Art and Design in
London. Greenline Yachts has worked on
major projects designed by the likes of
Philippe Starck, François Zuretti, Terence
Disdale and Donald Starkey. +971 (0)4
886 2220; www.greenline-interiors.com
A fashion-centric island project with
80 limited-edition homes designed
by the fashion kaiser Karl Lagerfeld.
Need we say more? Interestingly,
there is more to the project, for
Lagerfeld is only one of top five
couturiers invited by Dubai Infinity
Holdings to design haute couture
homes for the UAE’s fashion-savvy
jet-set. The limited-edition villas and
‘villettes’ (compact villas) will be
right by the beach, with a milliondollar
view to match the price tag,
and will be surrounded by
exquisitely designed landscapes,
including swimming pools. The project also includes a hotel called
The Hotel Moda, with 250 rooms and serviced apartments, as well as
boutiques representing some super-high-end labels, many of them
exclusively. The island on The World will not be just for retail therapy
aficionados: there will be design studios and facilities to host highprofile,
international fashion events. Moreover, Isla Moda will offer
personal concierges for guests and residents, including a style
concierge for clothing, perfumery and personal style makeovers, and a
design concierge to create one-of-a-kind homes with bespoke
furnishings, art, and technology. +971 (0)4 807 8888
Karl Lagerfeld at
the launch of isla
Moda in 2008
spanish architect
Jaime hayón
JJAMES CLAR
hHAYÓN,
JAIME
Dubai-based American artist and lighting
designer James Clar dabbles in new media
installations, fusing technology, pop culture
and visual arts. As an artist-in-residence at
Traffic, Clar has been going from strength to
strength with amazing lighting installations at
landmark buildings in Dubai, as well as
international art events. Recently the shy and
down-to-earth designer was invited by the très
exclusive Rolex Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road
to create a futuristic lighting installation that
reflects the energy of its high-octane
surroundings. Clar’s conceptual and eyecatching
works have been exhibited at leading
museums around the world – among them the
Chanel Mobile Art exhibition in Tokyo, The
New Museum of Contemporary Arts, New
York and Somerset House in London.
+971 (0)4 341 8494; www.jamesclar.com
plus J also stands for JAKe AND GIGI.
Michelle Roberts, the Canadian founder of Jake
and Gigi attributes the popularity of her Dubaibased
label (named after her two children) to
having fun with fashion and not taking it
seriously. It obviously works, as is evident from the
demand for her vintage-inspired accessories.
Having grown up in Dubai, Roberts admires the
style sensibilities of Arab women who, she feels, are
extremely in tune with what works for them. Each
accessory is named after a pop icon, screen siren or
powerful personality: the latest piece is called Miss
Hornby after the 60s model Twiggy (real name
Lesley Hornby). www.jakeandgigi.com
Jaime Hayón’s muchanticipated
Villa Moda project
may have failed to take off in
Dubai, but the Spanish
designer provides some
gorgeous eye-candy at the
Octium jewellery store in
Kuwait. Designed in Hayón’s
signature Digital Baroque
style, the store – at Kuwait’s
360º Mall – has become a
must-see for contemporary
design seekers. See, also, his
work for Baccarat and Lladró
at Tanagra stores in the UAE.
+965 2530 9888; www.
octiumjewelry.com;
www.hayonstudio.com
James
Clar’s
soundwave
sculpture
in Dubai’s
rolex tower
Greiling’s
hat-hat,
designed
for the
Wallpaper*
exhibition
in Milan
Katrin
Greiling
k
K ATRIN
GREILING
This exuberant and super-talented German-
Swedish designer who called Dubai home for
the past five years is generating waves not
only locally but also in the international
design community. Greiling, who now
shuttles between Dubai, Germany and
Sweden, has designed furniture for the UAE
Pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale as well
as a specially-commissioned object by
Wallpaper* magazine at this year’s Salone
del Mobile in Milan– a noteworthy
accomplishment indeed. Titled the HAT-
HAT, the daybed-stool is a contemporary
interpretation of the camel saddle that was
also used traditionally in Middle Eastern
majlises. The international press showered
Greiling with accolades for her simple yet
innovative concepts and use of materials.
Multi-faceted Greiling also experiments with
other forms of creative work, including
photography, and is now regularly
commissioned by Wallpaper* to do shoots of
such influential subjects as Dieter Rams and
Maarten Baas. +971 (0)50 871 03 26;
www.katringreiling.com
humour to the fore
with Jake and Gigi’s
accessories from
Dhs1,500 for No
Bling to speak to
the hand
an Mp3 player with
its own custommade
trunk
Missoni brings
its vibrant colour
palette to its
branded hotels
LOUIS
VUITTON
While there are few decorative
accents quite as chic as a stack
of vintage Vuitton trunks,
they’re not always easy to
come by. But current pieces
can have just as much impact
– and some incorporate bang
up-to-date functions too.
This one-off piece was
exhibited recently in Dubai.
Price on application
www.louisvuitton.com
mMISSONI HOTELS
We’ve long been fans of the vividly striped clobber
from Italian fashion house Missoni – and now there’s
reason to rejoice further as Rosita Missoni brings her
branded hotels to Kuwait. Taking inspiration from the
Gulf nation’s sea, sun and sand, Missoni infuses the
label’s bold signature patterns and colours with strong
accents of turquoise, green and gold. An ardent
admirer of classic mid-century designs such as the
Wishbone chair by Hans J. Wegner, Missoni lends her
tasteful yet striking touch to the group of hotels that
opened its first property in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Kuwait property, with a luxurious Six Senses
Spa following suit, will feature state-of-the-art gadgets
by Apple and Bang & Olufsen. The next eagerlyawaited
opening on the slate is a Missoni hotel in
Oman. +965 9999 1357; www.hotelmissoni.com
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