Equity Mag Jan_18 Book Folder

JANUARY 2018 | ISSUE 08
LUXURY
REDEFINED
ROBERTO CAVALLI
REBOOTED
WILL SMITH
THE FRESH
PRINCE RETURNS
COURCHEVEL 1850
APRÈS-SKI AND
AN INVESTMENT
IN PARADISE

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Extraordinary is in the detail.
To explore one of the world’s most detailed landscape photographs go to BentleyMotors.com/Explore.
Please contact us on 800-BENTLEY [800 236 8539]
or visit us at www.uae.bentleymotors.com for more information
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The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2017 Bentley Motors Limited.

Be Extraordinary.
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From the EDITOR
The New Year marks a fresh start for all of
us. A time to turn over a leaf, embark on a
journey and succeed at whatever it is that
our heart desires. While December was all
about reflection of the year’s past, January
is more universally known for resolutions. This year,
I’ve decided to keep none. Instead, I’m going with the
flow and making a list of things that bring me happiness,
activities I want to attempt or do more of – I skied for
the first time in Courchevel and can’t wait to plan my
next ski getaway. Read all about it on page 58.
Less about my journey, and more about the remarkable personalities we
interviewed this month. Asma Saeed Al Hamiz, an investment manager and
emotional wellbeing consultant talks misconceptions and stereotypes in the
UAE (page 18), while Gregg Sedgwick, the Founder of Gallery One, discusses
the significance of cultural retail for the region’s diverse population (page 14).
Securing an exclusive interview with the CEO of Roberto Cavalli, Gian
Giacomo Ferraris, during his visit to Dubai, is by far one of the highpoints of
Equity’s journey (page 22), making me reminisce my love for Roberto Cavalli.
Speaking of the past, we look at the history of the ATM (page 32), as well as
Will Smith’s prolific journey from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to a cop in Bright, a
Netflix film. Digital Editor Varun Godinho takes us through his tour of the
BOVET factory in Switzerland, revealing nitty-gritty details that will make any
timepiece enthusiast giddy with delight (page 46).
Since January is just the beginning of a great 2018, take time to unwind (page
66), cater to your wellbeing (page 40) and spend quality time with family and
friends either at a new hotspot (page 54) or on the course (page 64).
EDITOR'S PICK
Rene Caovilla's latest creation
combines elements of Venetian
art with femininity. One to display
on the shelf
Happy 2018!
Nicola
Nicola Monteath
Follow us:
This gorgeous pink leather bag
from Marni at themodist.com,
will be my weekend favourite
equitymedia.uae equitymedia.uae equitymedia.uae equitymedia.uae
EQUITY - Always invest in yourself
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NICOLA MONTEATH - nicola@equity.media
DIGITAL EDITOR VARUN GODINHO
DEPUTY EDITOR MERYL D'SOUZA
ART DIRECTOR ODILAINE MEJORADA
SALES advertising@equity.media
WWW.EQUITY.MEDIA
PRINTED BY United Printing & Publishing
is a proud member of
I'm always up for a game of baby
foot. Even more so, if it involves
this stunning, aesthetically
pleasing Hermés foosball table
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insideEQUITY
18
mind
12
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The hottest events happening
around the globe
14
18
22
27
32
THE RISE OF CULTURE RETAIL
Local arts and souveneirs offer a
piece of a country. Here's where
you need to shop
THE CHANGEMAKER
Asma Saeed Al Hamiz talks
wellbeing and mental health
INTERVIEW:
GIAN GIACOMO FERRARIS
The CEO of Roberto Cavalli
discusses the past, present and
future of the brand
NOW THIS IS A STORY...
Will Smith returns to the screen,
with Netflix
THE EVOLUTION OF ATMs
Have you ever wondered?
14 36
22
body
36
38
&
soul
THE CHECKLIST
New Year, new wardrobe
SHOP TALK
The latest collections in stores
40
42
WELLNESS TALK
It's time to get on the right track,
with a health and fitness regime
INDULGE YOURSELF
Statement pieces to covet
and add to your wishlist
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JANUARY 2018
52
44
54
58
ON OUR RADAR
Gift inspiration for your loves ones,
or just a treat for yourself
DINING CONCEPTS
These hotspots need to be ticked
off your list this month
ALPINE LIVING
Make Courchevel 1850 your next
ski getaway destination
66
63
58
JETSETTER JOURNEYS
Explore the best hotels around
the globe
64
66
69
72
HIT THE LINKS
A review of Dubai Creek Golf
& Yacht Club
HOTEL OF THE MONTH
Escape mainstream cities to Sir Bani
Yas island
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
The property market according to
Harry Tregoning
GET TO KNOW...
MUSTAFA Y.KOITA
A peek into this CEO's life
On the cover
WILL SMITH
Read his interview on page 27
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form or by any means electronic,
photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the permission
of Equity Media. Where opinion
is expressed it is that of the
author and does not necessarily
reflect the editorial views of
the publishers of
EQUITY-Always invest in yourself.
All information in
EQUITY-Always invest in yourself
is checked and verified to the best
of the publisher’s ability, however
the publisher cannot be held
responsible for any mistakes or
omissions enclosed in
the publication in content,
advertising or graphics.
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“Be Fearful When Others Are Greedy and
Greedy When Others Are Fearful”
Warren Buffett
Financial Planning | Tax Planning | Wealth Management | Corporate Services
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+971 4 556 5900 | info@credence-international.com

mind
With Dubai Shopping
Festival and sales all around
the malls in the country, it's
time to take a closer look at
the retail sector and ways in
which it has evolved, along
with industries including
the entertainment business
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CALENDAR
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Jetsetters, don’t forget to add these dates to your diary
2
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
WHERE? Las Vegas, USA
WHEN? January 9 – 12
The annual CES in Las Vegas is where
technophiles descend in droves come January.
From mobile phones and gaming solutions to
drone technology and home solutions, this
consumer electronics show debuts cutting-edge
gadgets and nifty concepts. This year’s big
themes are expected to be AI and ways to
bridge the gap between Blockchain tech and the
internet of things.
1
WHERE? Dubai, UAE
WHEN? December 26 – January 27
DUBAI SHOPPING FESTIVAL 2018
Pull out your credit card. Better still, call
your bank, raise your credit limit, and
then pull out your credit card. The mega
Dubai Shopping Festival 2018 is equal
parts entertainment and shopping as you
race from one mall to the next, slightly
slowed down only by those oversized
shopping bags. Enter as many raffle
draws as you can. Remember, the law of
averages means that you might stand a
better chance at winning a jackpot than
you think. Fingers crossed.
3
SALON INTERNATIONAL DE LA HAUTE HORLOGERIE
NORTH AMERICA INTERNATIONAL
AUTO SHOW
WHERE? Detroit, USA
WHEN? January 14 – 29
Geneva, Frankfurt and Paris might all have
excellent auto shows. But it’s the one in Detroit,
at the start of the year, that industry pundits
have their eyes fixed on. As one of the largest
consumer markets for cars in the world,
marquees from around the world debut their
new cars and reveal to a hungry press fleet what
they’ve got lined up for the rest of the year.
We’re certain that hybrid will be a bigger theme
this year in Detroit than it was last year.
4
WHERE? Geneva, Switzerland
WHEN? January 15 – 19
This is one of the world’s most prestigious annual watch shows. It might not be as large as
Baselworld, but it certainly pulls in the big names in watchmaking. From Vacheron
Constantin, Audemars Piguet and Cartier to Panerai, Roger Dubuis and Richard Mille, this
is where you need to be to understand not only what some of the year’s biggest launches
are, but also to gauge the overall health of the Swiss watchmaking industry.
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CALENDAR
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PARIS FASHION WEEK MEN’S
WHERE? Paris, France
WHEN? January 17 – 21
Pitti peacocks take note. There is no judgement cast
here. Street style photographers will be kept busy as
dandies from around the world show up in Paris to
strut their own style and also get up close with the new
collections of some of the world’s biggest labels and
independent sartorial craftsmen.
5
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
WHERE? Melbourne, Australia
WHEN? January 15-28
Roger Federer is the reigning champion of the
Australian Open. But the one who you should punt on
Novak Djokovic. The Serbian has won six of the last 10
Australian Opens and he looks set to return to his
winning streak in 2018. There’s a great deal of
speculation on whether Serena Williams will make her
tennis comeback this month – a pregnant Williams won
the Australian Open last year, becoming a 23-time
Grand Slam Champion. We’ll wait and see.
7
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
WHERE? Park City, USA
WHEN? January 18 – 28
With the Weinstein scandal looming large, film
festivals and award ceremonies towards the end of
2017 and 2018 are expectedly muted. However,
expect Sundance to make some noise – in a good
way. From indie, noir to borderline mainstream,
there are several films that will be showcased at one
of the most high-profile film festivals of the year.
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WHERE? Davos, Switzerland
WHEN? January 23 – 26
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
There’s a good reason that the neologism
“Davos Man” has taken root in popular
culture. Wealthy businessmen, world
leaders and the 0.1 of the 0.1 financial
elite will show up at the alpine ski resort in
Davos in January to discuss, dissect
and commit to economic policies that
will impact the lives of hundreds of
millions, if not billions of people. The
key theme of the big debate at Davos
this year is “Responsive and Responsible
Leadership”
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FINANCE
“WE’RE EXPERTS AT
COMMERCIALISING
CULTURE”
Gregg Sedgwick, Founder of Gallery One, talks about
the rise of cultural retail in the UAE
By Meryl D’souza
There isn’t much I remember about my father.
Not a lot of good anyway. However, I do
remember him claiming to be a hustler. A highschool
dropout, one of his favourite stories to
tell was when he took up a job as a bellboy in a hotel. The
pay obviously wasn’t great but he found a way to con
tourists and make a quick buck. At the time, postcards were
the rage. He would convince guests not to buy postcards
from the hotel because they were overpriced. Instead, he
would sell them postcards from his “personal collection”.
His victims didn’t know that as the bellboy, one of his duties
was to give the hotel’s guests a complimentary postcard
before their departure. He knew tourists wouldn’t mind
paying a fee if it meant they could take a bit of their vacation
destination’s culture with them. He didn’t know it, but he
was already a cultural retailer. Thankfully, not everyone out
there is out to deceive people.
“For me, it all started from a small unit in Souq Madinat
Jumeirah about 10 years ago,” says Gallery One Founder
Gregg Sedgwick. “I was not a retailer. I was a designer
who had previously worked in branding and had sold his
media company in London to WPP. Gallery One was
simply a passion project that, very naturally, became what
it is today.”
For those wondering, today, Gallery One is the region’s
leading cultural retailer that brings art to the masses in the
hopes of creating a non-elitist environment around the
subject. “Very often, there’s this misconception that
people need to have a deep understanding of art in order
to appreciate it,” he says. “Art can be appreciated in a
purely aesthetic level. I say that as a creative person who
studied art and as someone who is trained as a designer.
And despite being so informed on the subject, I get
nervous about the pretentiousness that surrounds art. Art
doesn’t need to be complicated, it shouldn’t be
complicated and over intellectualised.”
Basically, art isn’t just for the fedora- and monoclewearing
snobs who spend hours debating the deeper
meaning behind an abstract painting. “When people like
Andy Warhol were working in the Sixties, they weren’t over
thinking about their art pieces. He, for instance, just went
about producing highly visual works that appealed to him.
It’s the snobs today that tend to read too much into it.”
When Sedgwick started Gallery One about a decade ago,
he saw an opportunity: cultural retail. Cultural retail is
essentially the art of taking culture expressed through a
painting, sculpture, pattern or calligraphy and
commercialising it into a product. “Think about it for a
minute,” Sedgwick says with a twinkle in his eyes. “If you
go to any of the great museums or galleries in the world,
like the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown Manhattan or
the Tate Modern in London, the busiest spot is not the
exhibition hall but the shop. I was at the Peggy
Guggenheim Collection in Venice recently. It was such a
beautiful gallery. She’s got original Mark Rothko and
Alberto Giacometti pieces in there, which are amazing and
busy, but then you go to the shop which is a tiny little
room and it’s packed. Those shops in those galleries and
museum spaces, they epitomise cultural retail.”
Sedgwick reckons that the first idea of cultural retail
started with the production of postcards about 200 years
ago. People visiting tourist hotspots would spend
thousands on postcards to remind themselves of their
experiences. Sedgwick noted that despite being steeped in
culture, no one in Dubai thought to commercialise it.
Sedgwick took regional artists and photographers and
started creating products like boxes, coasters and other
memorabilia. “Taking a local artist and creating a painting
or taking a calligrapher and using his talents to craft a
commercial product is the easy bit,” he says. “The hard
part is making a sustainable business model out of it.”
In any other part of the world, it would have been
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FINANCE
Taking a local artist and creating
a painting or taking a calligrapher
and using his talents to craft a
commercial product is the easy bit.
The hard part is making a
sustainable business model out of it
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FINANCE
relatively harder. Sedgwick, and by extension Gallery One,
was smart enough to use circumstances to further the
business model. “We were a tad lucky,” he confesses. “We
piggybacked on the exponential rise
in the UAE’s tourism sector. Gallery
One grew along with that trend and
went from one person in a tiny shop
to a staff of about 130 people.”
The art scene in the UAE, Dubai in
particular, is unrecognisable from
where it stood about 10 years ago.
It’s far more vibrant, alternative and
interactive, yet still brimming with
opportunity. Sedgwick claims he’s
at his most creative when he’s in
Dubai. “Dubai has always been an
opportunity,” he says. “It’s not a blank
canvas anymore, but there are still gaps
to be filled. Today, we’re not the only
ones engaging in cultural retail and
despite that, we’re inundated with work. We’re experts at
commercialising culture.”
Products at Gallery One sell from anywhere between
Dhs20 to Dhs15,000. While customers who feel far more
Dubai has always been
an opportunity.
It’s not a blank canvas
anymore, but there are
still gaps to be filled.
Today, we’re not the only
ones engaging in cultural
retail and despite that,
we’re inundated with work
comfortable with purchasing limited-edition pieces remain
the target market, Sedgwick and his team refuse to neglect
customer with lighter wallets. Surprisingly he’s not even put
off with millennials. Sedgwick believes
millennials aren’t dissimilar to other
generations. “They seek products that
are authentic and of limited edition,”
he says. “I think millennials appreciate
those values. Probably more so than
other generations because they’re
looking for that point of difference. In
a mass market, it’s hard to stand out,
by using regional influences, we create
products that do just that.”
The challenge for Gallery One now
though is appealing to those
millennials through their most
preferred channel of consumption:
social media. “Our products tend to
be visual and social media is
imperative to that exposure. Having said that, I’m far more
analogue as you can see,” Sedgwick says running his hand
through his perfectly coiffed salt and pepper hair. “It’s
something we still need to get up to speed with.”
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WOMAN LEADER
THE
CHANGEMAKER
Breaking stereotypes and misconceptions is Abu Dhabibased
investment manager Asma Saeed Al Hamiz,
an emotional wellness consultant who is giving women
in the region a fighting chance
By Varun Godinho
The Sofia University,
formerly known
as the Institute
of Transpersonal
Psychology, is
located smack dab in
the middle of Silicon
Valley. Founded
back in 1975, you’d
imagine that this
university would have already witnessed
nationalities from nearly every country across the
world studying in its corridors. But you’re wrong.
Back in 2012, when Asma Al Hamiz – an Abu
Dhabi-based investment manager – enrolled
there for a Masters of Arts in Psychology, she
was the very first Emirati to do so.
Doing so, meant that she had to challenge
perceptions and stereotypes about the region she
came from in the otherwise progressive Palo Alto
community that’s fostered tech giants from Tesla
and Facebook to Pinterest and Hewlett Packard.
“Many people who met me were surprised
because they see Dubai and the UAE only on
screens and I was bridging that gap between
reality and fantasy. They would say, ‘Are there
people who are actually natives of the UAE?’ ”
But it worked the other way around too. The
Emirati student also needed to shatter some of
her own pre-conceived ideas about westerners.
“It was an eye-opening experience for me
despite my exposure to the West from my
extensive travels, despite the UAE being a
melting pot of cultures, despite my work in the
hedge fund world. Going to California which is
one of the most progressive states and also to a
school which attracted creative exceptional
students who are looking for transformative
education experiences was an eye-opener.”
THE FINANCE WHIZ
Asma comes from a family that was already
well-intertwined with the local investment field
in the UAE. “My dad until very recently, he
retired this year, was the assistant governor of
banking supervision in the Central Bank of the
UAE. He was always keen on my academic and
professional development.” Meanwhile, her
mother, the eldest of four women siblings, is
responsible for her family business after she
retired from her job as a teacher.
Asma began her investment career in 2004
and was hired as the assistant vice president in
the hedge funds department of the Abu Dhabi
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WOMAN LEADER
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WOMAN LEADER
Investment Company shortly after she
completed her bachelor’s in business
administration. But to move up the ranks, she
quickly realised that she needed to tool herself
with additional qualifications. In 2009, she
enrolled herself into an executive MBA
programme at the London Business School. “I
did a 16-month executive MBA course from the
London Business School. My boss at that time
at the Abu Dhabi Investment Council would say
to me, ‘You’re a part-time student, but a fulltime
employee.’ But I managed both worlds.
The studies were very intense.” Here too, she
was again a torchbearer for women from the
UAE breaking their own glass ceilings. “I am
one of the first few Emirati women who
graduated from the London Business School.”
The gamble to go back to her books paid off and
Asma quickly found herself not long after that
appointed as the director of the national bank of
Abu Dhabi global multi-strategy fund. Having
reached a new peak in her financial career, she
decided to take a two-year sabbatical and go to San
Francisco where she could study psychology.
PSYCHOLOGY AND THE UAE
While the UAE has made remarkable strides in
the areas of infrastructure and technological
advancements, there are areas that are only
recently gaining traction – chief among them is
the requirement for locally trained and qualified
psychologists who can additionally recognise
and cater to the need to create a greater
awareness among people seeking help. “You
must appreciate the UAE is 46 years old and this
field was underrepresented. I was fortunate to
have my parents who studied and lived abroad
and had the necessary awareness. Ten-twenty
years ago there wasn’t much awareness of
mental health or self-development. It’s
surprising how quickly we’ve caught up though
with what the West is doing in this field.”
In San Francisco, Asma began conducting
community workshops where she counselled
homeless communities and children diagnosed
with Autism. She fulfilled over 360-hours of
one-on-one counselling and community
development work that she required to earn her
degree. Equipped with a freshly-minted
professional set of skills in psychology, Asma
decided to return to the UAE and conduct ‘selfdevelopment’
workshops here.
She prefers the term ‘self-development’ over
‘mental health’ not so much because of the
stigma surrounding the latter term, but because
the former is more inclusive to the course
content of her workshops titled ‘Creative
Expression’. “Mental health taps the emotions
and behaviour. Self-development is specifically
focused on interpersonal and intrapersonal
relations and focused on the development of
self.”
“My workshops focus on reinforcing one’s
own sense of self, asserting one’s own
personality, understanding all aspects the
character especially the less pretty ones, and
offering guidance and support. Creative
expression is tapping into a non-verbal message
of success in yourself. It can be through
movement meditation, painting, drawing or
writing.”
These workshops, as Asma explains, serve
three main purposes: assembling a like-minded
community, helping participants to set goals and
focus on what they want to achieve and thirdly
help them to learn more about themselves
during the course itself.
Interestingly, ever since Asma began
conducting her workshops here in the UAE, all
the participants have been women. “So far it’s
been 100 per cent Arab women who have
attended my workshop. Of these, around 90 per
cent are Emiratis. I’m actually quite surprised
how open and ready and encouraged these
women already are,” says Asma.
While committing herself to one-on-onecounselling
sessions and group workshops,
Asma has continued to pursue her finance
career. She’s now an investment banker with the
UAE’s sovereign wealth fund. “I’m part of the
asset management and treasury team. It’s my
responsibility to recommend high performance
managers, monitor the existing funds, do
investment diligence on new funds, and to
maintain relationships with fund managers.” As
a woman who has broken many firsts in the field
of finance and psychology, Asma remains
optimistic about the future of women in finance
in the region. “Emirati women are blessed to
have the opportunity to join investment banks
in the UAE. And we have all the support we
need whether its training or exposure from our
leaders and our management.
“The cultural aspect is very important. Us
Arab women have gone beyond the cultural
hurdle. There are some families in a few regions
where it’s difficult for women to work or enter
the workplace. But this is changing quickly and
I’ve seen the drive and motivation of women
change a lot.”
Through her workshops, Asma is driving that
change rather than passively waiting on the
sidelines and expecting the change to happen,
one woman at a time. Props.
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WOMAN LEADER
The cultural aspect
is very important.
Us Arab women
have gone beyond
the cultural hurdle.
There are some
families in a few
regions where it’s
difficult for women
to work or enter
the workplace. But
this is changing
quickly and I’ve
seen the drive and
motivation of
women change
a lot
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ENTREPRENEUR
“WE AREN’T
JUST luxury
In an exclusive interview, CEO
of The Roberto Cavalli Group,
Gian Giacomo Ferraris, touches
upon the evolution of the brand
synonymous with seduction
fashion.
By Nicola Monteath
ROBERTO
CAVALLI
is a
way of life”
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ENTREPRENEUR
Reminiscing the
brand over 15
years ago, my first
memory of
Roberto Cavalli
was a perfume
gifted by an aunt.
The slender bottle
with a snake cap
lured me into the
world of glamour.
In a classroom
filled with
feminine, fruity
and floral aromas (remember Fantasy by Britney Spears?)
my seductive scent stood out like a swan among ducks.
Maybe a little too mature for my age at that point, but it
wasn’t just the scent that earned my affection. It was the
packaging, distinct print and allure of it all that made me
fall head over heels for the brand. A year later, my ambition
was to become Roberto Cavalli’s muse – this was around
the time 5 ft 6 inches Kate Moss came onto the scene.
Naturally, being the same height, even though nowhere
close in appearance or measurements, made me dream big
and wished the young girl from Dubai was scouted. The
dream faded when I realised no one was coming for me,
and my true calling was in journalism.
Fast forward to 2018. Roberto Cavalli isn’t in the picture
anymore – he sold the company and kept 10 per cent of
the shares – however, his heritage lives on. When Equity
was approached with the opportunity to be the exclusive
business publication to interview the newly appointed
CEO of the Roberto Cavalli Group, Gian Giacomo
Ferraris, I jumped at the chance to discover more about
the brand I recollect distinctively since my teenage years.
I met with Gian Giacomo Ferraris, an Italian gentleman
who grew up in Turin, north of Italy, and fell into the
industry almost by chance. “I had a lucky career. After I
graduated I had the possibility to work with a management
consultant and through that I entered the fashion business.
I studied Engineering with textiles on the side, and for this
reason, I entered the industry and worked in Germany,
with the Gucci group, Prada, Versace and now finally,
Roberto Cavalli,” he tells me. Ferraris is a sophisticated
man, boasting that Italian charm that the men from the
country emanate effortlessly. From the sounds of it, he
was at the right place, at the right time, climbing the ranks
with perseverance. “The fashion industry was expanding
in Italy, making it a natural fit to step in and progress
within the sector. I knew I would advance into other
luxury fashion brands.”
As we speak of the drastic changes within the retail sector,
it’s unimaginable to think of an age without e-commerce.
Sure, most of us grew up without clicking away on Net-a-
Porter or Amazon, but with the boom of technology and
retail, the demand for brick and mortar stores diminished.
That isn’t to say people don’t want, or prefer, that tactile
feeling and shopping experience. It’s just all the more
convenient to shop online, and return anything that you
don’t like, without the hassle of spending a few hours in the
process. Ferraris comments, “I began my journey at a point
when e-commerce didn’t exist. 10 years ago, brick and
mortar businesses were all the craze. Now, brands develop
without a physical shop. It’s all about creativity and catching
the customers through these platforms. It’s taken over our
lives in terms of shopping.” And when there is change and
opportunity, there are threats.
Ferraris was pulled into Roberto Cavalli to evolve the
brand, yet retain the DNA and lifestyle Roberto Cavalli
built through the decades. “Some years ago, if you were
great in Europe, you were great worldwide. In today’s day
and age, you need to have a distinguishing presence
worldwide. I think we were called to clean up the dust
after the situation, after Roberto sold the company two
years ago,” he says. To allow the brand to reach its essence,
major steps were taken, including permitting the brand to
bleed and run over, because under certain dimensions it
does become hard for a brand to compete. The second
step, was to balance the cost and respect the turnover,
which after one year, they are happy to report will be as
promised. The most challenging and significant part,
Gian Giacomo Ferraris
23
EQUITY

24
EQUITY
ENTREPRENEUR

ENTREPRENEUR
This is an exciting
time for the brand,
even more so since the
menswear collection
is close to ready and
to be presented at this
year’s shows
however, was to find a fresh and ground-breaking Roberto
Cavalli brand. “He was one of the top designers for
women in the Nineties, being renowned for seduction. But
this concept has changed. A young woman from this era
has a different idea of seduction,” says Ferraris.
To diversify the portfolio and grow with the industry’s
demands, the CEO reassessed and restructured the
company’s Osmannoro manufacturing plant, bringing the
production of the men, children and textile accessories’
collections in-house. To branch out into certain markets,
especially Asia (for menswear) it became vital to manage
the collections from design and product development,
down to the supply chain, through to distribution.
“Internalising the men and children’s wear was important.
Knowing the brand, and the fact that it is a luxury fashion
lifestyle concept and has a distinctive DNA. One of the
things we are changing is to not delegate the business to
others. We bought back the licenses of menswear,
accessories, and every important aspect as we didn’t want
dilution,” Ferraris comments on the future of the brand.
Creative Director Paul Surridge was an essential element
of the mix. Previously at ACNE, the Swedish brand,
Surridge was knowledgeable of the trends the younger folk
leaned towards. “It took me time to convince him. He was
at a great contemporary brand, already engaging the
younger generation. So, he fit in with what we were looking
for,” says Ferraris. Surridge spends his days in Florence,
and has managed to respect the DNA of Robert Cavalli,
while embracing the future. “He was able to translate the
code of the brand and interpret it in a contemporary
seductive manner. It’s athletic but luxurious at the same
time,” he goes on to say, talking about the latest collection
that has progressed from seductive evening wear to
ensembles apt for the modern-day woman. Similarly,
developing the menswear collection has become vital for
the brand to succeed. Ferraris tells us that it’s impossible
to be successful in the Asian market without menswear
and accessories. When asked to define the collection, he
does so in Paul’s words, “progressive luxury”
Roberto Cavalli has been quite a renowned fixture
within the Middle East as well, with the core business
being womenswear, followed by lifestyle products
including watches and home décor. “We aren’t just luxury
fashion. Roberto Cavalli is a lifestyle concept that is a way
of life,” says Ferraris. People prefer to live in a similar
lavish environment, with home furnishing and high-end
pieces that surround them, not just slip in and out of attire
from time to time.
When asked if the brand creates collection to suit certain
markets, Ferraris replies, “We are going through the
evolution of the brand right now. It’s important to have
one voice, one identity. We aren’t doing collections
specific to a market or the locals, but we are careful the
way certain categories are presented. In Asia, it’s quite
casual, very bombastic, so we do tailor the pieces to
appeal to all. In the Middle East, historically, evening
gowns own the biggest share of the market. But with this
new collection, we are proposing a different way to be
seductive through trousers, coats and knitwear,” he tells
me with thrill.
“This is an exciting time for the brand, even more so,
since the menswear collection is close to ready and to be
presented at this year’s shows.” When our interview
ended, we looked at the latest womenswear collection,
noticeably characteristic with plenty for women who live
in trousers, pant suits and statement jewellery and slides.
Since I can’t be a muse, I could live in Roberto Cavalli’s
attire at least, right?
25
EQUITY

Bombardier, Global 6000 and Exceptional by Design are trademarks of
Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. © 2017 Bombardier Inc. All rights reserved.
We didn’t get here by sheer luck. This was deliberate.
An act of craftsmanship and engineering prowess. Decades in the making.
Meeting at the intersection of art and technology. Defying conventions.
Redefining luxury. So when all is said and done,
we’ll know that we achieved something truly extraordinary.
businessaircraft.bombardier.com
26
EQUITY

COVER STORY
NOW THIS
IMAGES BY SUPPLIED; SHUTTERSTOCK
IS A STORY…
Fabián W. Waintal takes a walk down memory lane, while
discussing the recently launched Netflix movie, Bright, with Will Smith
27
EQUITY

COVER STORY
It was quite the surprise when Will Smith
appeared at the Cannes Film Festival as a
member of the jury. And an even bigger
surprise when he was the only one
defending Netflix for showing their movie
without releasing it at a movie theatre. But
now that we know he’s the star of the new
Netflix film Bright, it all makes sense. And
around an audience more familiar to his
movie styles, in Comic Con-San Diego, he
talked about it for the first time.
Could you present yourself to those who don’t know you
at all?
Will Smith, Libra. I like long walks on the beach. I’m around
if you’re around [laughs].
People knew who Will Smith was first with a TV show
like ‛The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, then the international
audience with movies. Do you think Netflix will open
yourself to another type of audience, or do you consider
it a millennial modern movie theatre?
You know I have a 16-year-old, a 19-year-old and a 25-yearold
at home. Their viewing habits are almost anthropological.
It’s a great study to be able to see how they still go to the
movies on Friday and Saturday night and watch Netflix all
week. You know, so it’s two completely different experiences.
But it’s an experience. I don’t think anyone’s trying to say that
it’s an identical experience. Yes, I was on The Fresh Prince of Bel
Air. People would see me on the street and scream “Will!
Will! Will!” And then Independence Day came out and that
Monday after that everybody referred to me as Mr. Smith. So
there’s definitely something about that big screen that
penetrates people in a very different kind of way. But it’s a
different medium than Netflix.
But do you understand that movie theater owners are
worried about Netflix as their competition?
It’s very different. I’m sure it was the same kind of vibe when
the transition happened from theater acting, where you went
to go see a play and then someone decided they were going to
film it and put it together and move it to a movie theater. You
know, I’m sure that you know the purists had that same kind
of feeling, but it’s different. It’s not the same thing. It’s
something different; it’s almost a new art form.
Is there more creative freedom in Netflix, when they
don’t need to worry about getting their money back with
the box office?
Well, the major difference is the Netflix business model is
different in a way, because it’s subscription based where what
gets created is that their risk profile is different. Netflix can
make a hard rated R film for $170 million. The studios can’t do
that. If the executive wants to be at work on Monday, but you
know the risk profile if they’re going to spend $170 million,
28
EQUITY

COVER STORY
29
EQUITY

COVER STORY
The Netflix business model is
different in a way, because it’s
subscription based where what
gets created is that their risk
profile is different. So, Netflix can
make a hard rated R film for $170
million. As an artist, it’s free in that
way that you get to be creative
that gets slightly just confined
when everybody’s jobs are on the
line for the success
of the three days
Well, I think Mr. Nolan is a wonderful director, and I will
not say anything that will keep me from being in his next
movie (laughs).
when you make a movie that expensive you have to broaden
the audience which means that you have to be P.G. 13. Right?
It is a huge decision where you make a film of that magnitude
based on the risk profile. So, at Netflix, based on the
subscription, they can make anything for any number that they
feel like they’re fan base is going to want to see. As an artist, it’s
free in that way that you get to be creative that gets slightly just
confined when everybody’s jobs are on the line for the success
of the three days.
Should we compare Netflix with the TV productions or
Cable TV, then, where you don’t try to make more
money with the box office?
They work off of specific data they know ahead of time, for
instance with the director of ‛Suicide Squad’ and with me at this
point in my career and you know they go through and they
have numbers on everybody. They add the numbers up and
say, ‛Yes it works.’ They go and they know who’s going to buy
the movie even before you shoot it. It’s a completely different
basis of how they work that the trickle down is that between
action and cut we get to do whatever we want.
And what do you think when you hear a director like
Christopher Nolan saying that the Netflix film strategy
is mindless and he would refuse to work with them?
Is that your nice way out to ignore a question?
I don’t want to ignore your question. But I think that you
know there are certain things that you want to see on a big
screen. You know, it’s like I remember the Christmas that
Avatar came out and our entire family rushed out on
Christmas day to go with the glasses and all that. There is
an experience and you know specifically the type of films
that Chris Nolan makes you want to see them in in that
space. It’s like the venue is a part of the experience.
Have you ever felt any transition in your career, the
way the movie world is feeling it with Netflix?
It is such a new world. I released my first record in ’86, you
know I’m over 30 years in the business. I’ve seen you
know, my first album. There were no CDs. So, it wasn’t
until my second album that they came out with these hot
little discs called CDs, so I’m seeing that transition.
Essentially the fans being more and more involved in the
creative process in terms of movie stardom. It’s a huge
difference. It’s like today you almost can’t make new
movie stars anymore.
Why?
There was a certain amount of privacy and there was a
certain amount of distance that you had from the
audience and only on July 4th, did you have access so
that amount of access created is bigger than life kind of
thing. But in the shift into this new world it’s almost like
a friendship. Like with the fans the relationship is less
like the time of Madonna, Michael Jackson, these gigantic
30
EQUITY

COVER STORY
figures because you can’t create that anymore.
The shift is to, we’re best friends, with the
comments and with those pictures and I like that.
Do you like it?
I love trying to make that shift and make that
transition into the new demands of the fans in
this business.
Do you realise that your fans are comparing
your Bright character with the look you used
to have in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
It’s that damn mustache. I hated that mustache.
It was so bad.
How much reality is behind the fantasy of the
movie Bright?
This is a drama that happens to be set in a world
where there is a huge difference, but it is our world;
it should feel like our world. They went to great
pains to make it look like our world and we shot in
Los Angeles, always at night, which was very
difficult but for some of us.
What did you like the most about the idea of
the movie?
The idea was spectacular for me as an African
American playing a police officer that was racist
against the first orc on the force. It’s like the flip of
those social concepts. As a black dude, you just don’t
get a lot of movies where you’re the racist. And it was
really great. “Yo man, I don’t want no orc in my car.”
You know you never get to say that (laughs).
Will we see those kind of violent dynamics
played between law enforcement and also
the Orcs and the supernatural creatures on
the show?
Yeah for sure. You know, our director David
Ayer doesn’t find a necessity to be delicate with
those issues. This is a film that is about enjoyment
and entertainment. And those under currents and
undertones of the film are specifically for people
to be able to think about it.
31
EQUITY

FINANCE
THE EVOLUTION OF
1962
USA
The City Bank of
New York installed
an experimental
Bankograph – a
machine that
accepted envelope
deposits of coins,
cash and cheques.
1965
UNITED KINGDOM
While in the bathtub,
John Shepherd-Barron
comes up with the idea
of a cash dispensing
machine after hitting
upon the idea of a
chocolate bar dispenser.
1966
UNITED KINGDOM
1967
James Goodfellow
earned a meagre $15
after patenting the
Personal Identification
Number (PIN).
JUNE
UNITED KINGDOM
Barclays Bank and John
Shepherd-Barron, who worked
for printing firm De La Rue,
unveiled the first iteration of the
ATM christened “Barclaycash” in
the bank’s Enfield Town branch.
Transactions were initiated by
inserting paper cheques issued
by a teller or cashier, marked
with carbon-14 for machine
readability and security.
USA
Following the success
of these machines
in the UK, systems
similar to magnetic
card ATMs make
their United States
debut in Long
Island, New York.
1969
UNITED KINGDOM
A month after
Barclaycash, Westminster
Bank’s debuted the Smith
Industries-Chubb
machine. The CHUBB
MD2 became the first
automated cash
dispenser to use a plastic
card with perforated holes
and read a PIN.
JULY
1967
SWEDEN
A mere nine days later,
Sweden showed off the
Bankomat – an automated
cash dispensing machine
that used an optical device
to read an encoded serial
number on a plastic card
to withdraw money from
an account.
JULY
1967
UNITED
KINGDOM
Back then,
the machine
only allowed
for maximum
withdrawal
of $14.
JUNE
1967
1975
USA
IBM took it upon
themselves to launch
the second generation
of ATMs and
revolutionized banking.
It was among the first
true ATMs,
similar in
function to
today’s
machines.
1984
USA
Using IBM’s tech, the
United States’ National
Cash Register
Corporation (NCR)
creates the first fully
functional ATM that
offers transfers,
payments, bank
statements and
envelope deposits.
1994
USA
Ten years later, the
world’s first
independently
owned ATM, Triton
9500, is installed at
a convenience
store in the
United States.
1996
USA
Cirrus and Pulse networks
remove rule that bans
surcharging on ATMs in
their networks.
32
EQUITY

FINANCE
USA
The world’s first
wireless ATM is
deployed on a riverboat
casino in USA.
1998
POLAND
The world’s first
biometric ATM is
unveiled in Poland.
2010
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
The Emirates Palace
hotel in Abu Dhabi
installs a gold
dispensing ATM.
2010
The world celebrates
50 years of the ATM.
Not too shabby for an
invention that even the
inventor thought
would die out after a
couple of years.
2017
FIRST ATM DEPLOYMENTS BY REGION
Russia
Canada
Iceland
Norway
Finland
Denmark
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Ireland
Netherlands
Germany
France
Poland
Ukraine
Belarus
Republic of
Korea
1960's
1970's
1980's
1990's
2000's
Mexico
Nicaragua
Guatemala
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Columbia
Ecuador
Peru
USA
Jamaica
Honduras
Virgin Islands
Dominican
Puerto Rico Republic
Venezula
Guyana
Chile
Bolivia
Argentina
Uruguay
Brazil
Spain
Portugal
Ghana
Nigeria
Cyprus
Greece
Turkey
Egypt
Iran
Lebanon
Pakistan
Kenya
Tanzania
South Africa
India
Afghanistan
Iraq
Kazakhstan
Vietnam
Laos
Singapore
Indonesia
China
Hong Kong
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Japan
Australia
New Zealand
THE FUTURE
With digital payment systems like Apple Pay,
Samsung Pay and Google Wallet; digital currencies
like Bitcoin and Ethereum; and not to mention the
ability to pay using debit and credit cards, many
believe ATMs are getting redundant. The problem
with that theory is that there is more cash sloshing
about than ever before. Euro notes and coins in
circulation have doubled in number since the
introduction of the common currency. Twice as
many dollar bills are in circulation now than two
decades ago. Americans took more money out of
ATMs in 2012 than they did in 2003. Digital money is
well and good, but there’s still a long way to go
before we stop using ATMs.
33
EQUITY

THE LAMBORGHINI URUS SUV IS FINALLY HERE
SAY HELLO TO THE WORLD’S FASTEST SUV
DIOR HOMME AND BOGARDE
UNVEIL NEW BMX AT SOLE DXB
The $3,200 limited-edition Dior Homme Bogarde
bike was showcased last week in Dubai
MEET THE WORLD’S FIRST
BITCOIN BILLIONAIRES
The Winklevoss twins took their $11 million
and turned it into $1 billion in just four years
THE $42,000 LIMITED-EDITION
JACKIE CHAN SKIS
There’s a reason that Italian manufacturer Foil Skis
are referred to as the Rolls-Royce of the skiing world
THE WORLD’S LONGEST AND FASTEST
ZIPLINE IS NOW IN THE UAE
Measuring one kilometre, the world’s longest urban
zipline boasts an average of 80 kilometres per hour
Follow us on social media
34
EQUITY
EQUITYMEDIAUAE

ody
&
soul
Skiing in Courchevel 1850 is
one way to begin your year.
When you hit the stores this
month, look out for these key
pieces and collections to amp
up your wardrobe. Read on
for weekend inspiration and
leisure activities
35
EQUITY

TRENDS
The
CHECKLIST
Chic picks to keep you vogueish this winter
FASHION FORWARD
Here at Equity, we understand that
our readers are always ahead of the
game, and seasons – wardrobe
planning does take time after all.
Oscar de la Renta’s Pre-Fall 2018
collection is where you should begin
your closet planning, the minute it’s
available at stores. Expect shirts in
starchy white poplin coupled with
dramatic cuffs, black wool crepe
dress with pearls, and a reversible
ivory shearling that works just as
good on a chilly night out, as it
would at work.
oscardelarenta.com
36
EQUITY

TRENDS
ROYAL APPROVAL
Luxury handbag designer, Lana
Marks, has finally launched her
retail outlet in the UAE. The brand
has been a favourite amongst
celebrity clientele including the late
Diana, Princess of Wales, Angelina
Jolie, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Charlize
Theron, to name a few. To paint a
picture of the designer’s background,
Lana Marks was once commissioned by
the late Princess Diana to create a spectacular piece that would soon
live within her closet, while transcending the test of time.
The designer’s collection features handbags, belts, luggage and small
leather goods in exotic leathers by Italian craftsman, and over 150 styles
in 100 vibrant colours. On top of the list is none other than The Lana
Marks Princess Diana Handbag in emerald green, as well as the Cleopatra
Clutch, an icon that has graced the Academy Awards Red Carpet one too
many times. Visit the store at Atlantis, The Palm
THE RIGHT FOOT FORWARD
New Year, new collections, new shoes. René
Caovilla’s latest creation, the Caovilla Natale,
is a piece of Venetian art. The designer’s pieces are
rooted in history, with over 80 years of heritage,
showcasing the city’s shoemaking industry
at its finest. The workmanship, intricate
embellishments and lace detail from ankle to toe,
make this piece a timeless one. There’s a reason
Marilyn Monroe said, “give a
girl the right shoes, and she can conquer
the world”. We have no doubts with this pair.
Available at René Caovilla (Mall of the Emirates)
EDGY EDITION
Victoria’s Secret have released their
first-ever limited-edition capsule
collection with BALMAIN. The PUNK
ANGEL collection entails 22 pieces
including everything from lingerie to
custom graffiti graphic tees, bras with
Swarovski crystals, and seductive yet
glamorous elements including mesh,
studs and tartan prints. Olivier
Rousteing, Creative Director of
Balmain Paris, carefully designed these
pieces to suit the modern stylish
silhouette Victoria’s Secret is renowned
for, and we’re sure women agree.
Visit your nearest store to take your pick
37
EQUITY

IN STYLE
HOP
talk
The stores to visit for
Syour next shopping haul
BON VOYAGE
Etro’s Cruise Collection 2018
will have you yearning for a trip
to the French Riviera, to don
these timeless pieces with a
hint of Oriental elements.
Floral designs, paisley
elements and elegant fabrics
complement tassels and
bold accessories. A coat or
cardigan keeps you warm
and cosy enough to beat
the evening chill, while
robe dresses, layered skirts
and easy-to-wear kaftanlike
dresses add
sophistication to a day
wardrobe. It’s all in the
details. Etro.com
LOCAL TALENT
We’re all for supporting local talent, especially when its
led by an ambitious woman who embraces feminism,
women and empowerment. Hind Adib’s latest
collection, The X, features a selection of gorgeous
oversized vintage military and denim jackets, t-shirts and
skirts with the iconic logo. hindadib.com
SCENT OF MOROCCO
A luxury product with a backstory is always worth
investing into. Sana Jardin perfumes are created to
empower the female flower harvesters of Morocco. Each
fragrance offers the purest floral elements with a
seductive scent that lingers from day to night. The natureinspired
aromas include Berber Blonde (orange blossom),
Savage Jasmine, Sandalwood Temple, Tiger by her Side
(Amber), Celestial Patchouli, Nubian Musk and
Revolution de la Fleur (Ylang Ylang). Each bottle is
available for Dhs870, shopatsauce.com/sanajardin
38
EQUITY

Official Representative for
Bahrain - Kuwait - Oman - Qatar
Saudi Arabia - United Arab Emirates
Mangusta has been the undisputed leader in yachting fun for the past 30 years:
with its strength of character, timeless personal style
and experience in building dreams.
Today, Mangusta is a reference icon, a milestone in yachting fun since 1985,
and now availalbe throughout the GCC, distributed by DG Marine.
Motor City, Control Tower, 13th Floor, Studio 1302, Dubai - UAE
Mobile: +971 50 20 666 11 - Tel: +971 4 450
39
36 39
EQUITY
Email: greg@mangusta.ae - Website: www.mangusta.ae - Instagram: mangustayachts_me

WELLNESS
WELLNESS
talk
Keep fit with the latest in wellbeing
trends and studios in the city
Meet Amir Siddiqui, founder of
Symmetry Gym, one of Dubai’s
most exclusive facilities for
personal training. Here, the fitness
expert answers topical questions
to suit our busy lifestyles
Q
A
I’ve been hearing rave reviews of the Keto diet.
Could you please tell me more about it from
your perspective - is it worth trying?
I'm not one for simplistic cookie-cutter replies, but
if you would prefer my experience and researchbacked
opinion right off the bat, without delving into the
empirical and scientific reasoning, the answer is simple:
The keto diet is the wrong diet for 99.9 per cent of the
population and will do more harm than good.
The long answer: The keto diet's popularity is
inversely proportional to its effectiveness for fatloss.
Initial weight loss is quick, but that's because
you lose water and the glycogen (stored form of
carbs in the body) that holds the water in your cells
and tissues. So, it doesn’t cause fat-loss at all. But
you end up losing water and glycogen, plus the fact
that the latest research shows you end up losing
more muscle than on other diets which do not
lower carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are demonised
for no good reason. We love finding scapegoats for
our over-eating, over-indulging lifestyles. It used to
be fat that we thought "caused" obesity. Now it's
carbs. It's neither one of those. Any macronutrient
excess (eating too much of anything) can result in
adiposity (the flabbiness). Period.
Keto and low carb dieting can be notorious for
regained weight, if not well maintained. Why? People
need carbs for optimal brain functioning, mood, and
health. Not eating carbs for a little while gives you a
kick of energy - but that is an "emergency" response -
a result of increased stress and all its devious
hormones. The key to fat loss is simple. Exercise
more and eat less. No specific exercise or particular
nutrient type is responsible for any physiological
effects, negative or positive. Everything works in a
cohesive net of an effect.
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
It’s time to jump on the healthy eating bandwagon with a
meal delivery service. You may be satiating hunger pangs
with anything in sight, and eating more than your required
carbohydrate or calorie intake. This leads to lethargy, lack of
optimal cognitive functioning and a few extra pounds that
you are well aware will take a few workout sessions to get
rid of. With the launch of THE LUNCHBOX, all that can
change in a jiffy. Nutritious meals are available with the fat,
calorie, protein and carbohydrate content of each meal
measured ahead, so you don’t have to. All dishes are glutenand
sugar-free, and the diet is apt for those suffering from
Type 2 diabetes, as it is low in carbohydrates.
Meal plans are available from Dhs193 for lunch (weekly),
Dhs760 for lunch (monthly) and Dhs1,490 for lunch and dinner
monthly (five days a week). A la carte options are also available
as daily meals. lowcarb.ae
HOT IN HERE
The latest fitness centre to pop up on the scene, and one to
enjoy a class at with the ladies, is DRYP in Dubai Marina. The
sweat hub offers hot yoga and fitness classes conducted in
40-degree heat and +40 humidity. We can’t wait to try the
90-minute Hatha yoga and the hot yoga sculpt to boost
metabolism and build muscle with upbeat tunes playing in the
background. Quench your thirst after at The DRYP Kitchen,
where you can find everything from fresh coconut water to
dairy-free smoothies, kale snacks and parfaits. dryp.ae
40
EQUITY

FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE QUALITY FLEURIER CERTIFICATION AND PARTNER OF THE FONDATION DE LA HAUTE HORLOGERIE
RÉCITAL 20 ASTÉRIUM ®
2 TIMES PATENTED
10-DAY FLYING TOURBILLON
NIGHT SKY ANNUAL CALENDAR
WITH ASTRONOMICAL FUNCTIONS
LIMITED EDITION
WWW.BOVET.COM
AHMED SEDDIQI & SONS, DUBAI I AL MANARA, ABU DHABI I AL AWADI, SULTANATE OF OMAN
ASIA JEWELLERS, BAHRAIN I ATAMIAN, LEBANON I BEHBEHANI, KUWAIT I BLUE SALON, QATAR

WELLNESS
INDULGE YOURSELF
Tried-and-tested experiences of the month
Need to know:
Dhs3,000
per treatment,
inclusive of the touchup.
+971 4 385 4484
The venue: DOLLHOUSE BEAUTY LOUNGE
The service: Micro-blading
The verdict: We know, those words (micro-blading)
may scare some, but trust us, it’s worth it. Especially if
you’re the type that allots minutes doing up eye brows.
The semi-permanent makeup treatment, also known as
eyebrow embroidery, is a manual technique conducted
by using a blade hand-tool to create pigment hair strokes
on the eyebrow. Micro-blading has been on my list for a
while, and I couldn’t pass on the invite to visit the newlyopened
and vibrant Dollhouse Beauty Lounge at The
Dubai Ladies Club.
Before the treatment begins, an aesthetician checks
your medical conditions and allergies. To proceed, a
numbing cream is placed on for 30 minutes, followed by
six measurements of your brow bone - using an eyebrow
measurement ruler. This is to create the perfect shape for
your brows according to your face profile. After
measuring, the aesthetician begins the procedure and you
can literally feel the cuts on your skin, with the slightest of
pain. But it’s all worth it right? The whole process usually
takes between one-a-half-to-two-hours.
Weeks down the line, I’m incredibly pleased with my
results. The aesthetician told me to keep it dry for a week
so the effect lasts long. During the healing process, I
experienced a bit of skin peeling and my brow started to
lighten. Much of it faded in those first six weeks, so I
headed back for a complimentary touchup to achieve a
dark, fuller eyebrow look. We were told the results last a
couple of years, depending on your skin type.
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WELLNESS
Need to know:
The Shellac manicure is
Dhs150, blow dry from
Dhs200 and facial
from Dhs750.
Contact +971 4 343 7100
The venue: STUDIO 91
The service: Blow dry and Shellac manicure
The verdict: Let’s face it. Today’s women aren’t left with
much me-time. In between work, hopping from meeting to
meeting, travels, events, and catching up with the ladies, we
try to squeeze in spa days and salon appointments. With the
launch of Studio 91 at DIFC, luckily a manicure, quick blow
dry and even an express facial has become incredibly
convenient. We skipped lunch for a date with the manicurist,
and opted in for a Shellac manicure to keep our tips fresh
and polished for two weeks. The process is pretty much
similar to a regular manicure, although the selection of nudes,
pastels and darker tones will leave you in two minds for sure.
Nails were buffed, filed, polished and cleaned - at this stage it
feels best left bare - before polish was applied to the nails,
dried under the UV light machine and re-applied again. The
entire process took less than an hour, with the hair wash and
blow-dry taking place simultaneously.
The wash and blow dry is a whole other ball game here.
Purified water from a vibrant-blue tank is used to wash the hair.
The scalp is scrubbed squeaky clean with shampoo, followed by
a mini head massage and application of conditioner. Locks are
immediately conditioned and ready to be combed through,
thanks to the assistance and glide from the Kerastese serum.
Beach waves are popular any given season, offering the most
natural look for occasions and since I wanted this to last a whole
weekend, I kindly asked for an extra dose of hairspray. I was all
decked up, boosted with caffeine - thanks to the much-needed
Nespresso -and ready to head back to work for a meeting.
If you do have a bit of time on your hands, hop into the
treatment spa (Skin 111) right besides the salon, for a
30-minute hydrafacial where your skin is exfoliated,
vacuumed to suck out gunk from pores, and hydrated with
an antioxidant-packed serum.
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ON OUR RADAR
Striking statement pieces
ACCESSORY
Marni
Leather Shoulder Bag
FOR HER
Baby pink never goes out of style. This compact silhouette leather bag is a nod to retro femininity with just enough
space for the essentials, making it the adorable arm candy you will want for a night out. The vibrant resin handle adds a
pop of colour to just about any outfit, and pairs well with a chic pair of earrings for oomph.
DHS8,537 AT THEMODIST.COM
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FOOTWEAR
SWEAR
Customisable Sneakers
"Hey! I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything is right." And it makes
sense, since London-based SWEAR, the customisable luxury sneakers brand
that you probably spotted at Barneys Madison Avenue, 10 Corso Como Milano,
Browns London, or Joyce Hong Kong, has finally launched exclusively with Level
Shoes in Dubai. Born in the Nineties, SWEAR has become a cult-favourite with
sneakerheads, and those looking to express themselves through their accessories
– quite the craze in the UAE at the moment. Options are aplenty with digital
customisation of materials ranging from nappa leather to suede and hairy calf,
and exotic materials comprising crocodile, python and ostrich.
AVAILABLE FROM DHS1,000-35,000 AT LEVEL SHOES
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COLLECTOR'S PIECES
TIMEPIECE
THE RISING STAR OF
BOVET
A medieval castle in Switzerland and a port city in China played a curious role in
the genesis of 19th-century Swiss watchmaker Bovet that has come a full circle
By Varun Godinho
Watches are glamorous, watchmaking isn’t. If
you need proof, visit Bovet 1822’s
manufacturing and engraving sites spread across
Tramelan and the Val-de-Travers in the canton
of Neuchatel in Switzerland. Seeing the men
and women sitting hunched over a desk for
hours on end, peering through a loupe and
ensuring their hands are rock steady while
painstakingly assembling hundreds of
components – a few are thinner than the width
of a strand of hair – makes me realise that these
folk haven’t signed up for a cushy 9-5 role.
Theirs is a vocation.
Not long ago, we visited the Bovet’s boutique
and manufacturing sites in Switzerland. For the
last decade or so, the brand has largely flown
under the radar. For the owner, Pascal Raffy, we
suspect it was intentional. Make no mistake.
Bovet is a top-drawer brand that can hold its
own when spoken off in the same breath as
Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe or
Breguet, among others other venerable Swiss
watchmaking houses.
THE ORIGINS
In 1814, Edouard Bovet, the son of Fleurier
master watchmaker, was sent to London – then
the epicentre of the European watch trade –
along with two of his brothers shortly after he
completed his watch apprenticeship. Back then,
Edouard and his brothers weren’t making their
own watches, but rather sourcing them from
independent artisans in Switzerland and
reselling them. In 1818, Edouard decided to vet
the East’s appetite for Swiss watches. Taking
four watches along with him, he sailed from
London to Guangzhou (Canton) where he sold
all four very quickly for 10,000 Swiss francs
(equal to around a million dollars today).
He stayed on in Guangzhou and served as a
watch repairer in the port city. Quickly, he
realised that there was more money to be
made in manufacturing watches rather than just
trading them. That’s how in 1822, the Bovet
Bovet CEO and owner,
Pascal Raffy
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COLLECTOR'S PIECES
watch brand was registered in London where Edouard’s
brothers Alphonse and Frederic resided. Edouard
continued to stay in Guangzhou to coordinate the imports
while another brother, Gustave, was their watchmaker
manufacturer based out of Fleurier.
BOVET 2.0
Bovet has two distinctive periods of existence. The first
began in 1822 and continued into the middle of the 20th
century when the revolution in China took place in 1911
forcing Bovet to downsize its China operations, followed
by the two World Wars and a host of other factors meant
that production ceased in 1960. It wasn’t until 2001 when
Raffy who had already made a fortune from the
pharmaceutical business and was an avid collector himself,
decided to buy the brand and resurrect it.
Raffy spent the next few years building the brand as a true
manufacture that could rely on itself rather than third-party
suppliers for the components it requires to make timepieces.
This included buying the castle in Neuchatel where he set up
an assembly and engraving workshop, as well as the Dimier
1738 Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Artisanale in
Tramelan that specialised in movement creation and the
Bovet 1822 Manufacture de Cadrans et de Sertissage in Planles-Ouates
which manufactures hand-crafted dials. The idea of
becoming self-reliant early on is also what allowed Raffy to
keep Bovet independent to this day. To further tap into the
brand’s pedigreed roots, he even renamed it as Bovet 1822.
THE MANUFACTURE
We visited the Dimier manufacture in Tramelan. It’s here
where a Bovet watch begins life as nothing more than a
few bits of metal in a workshop littered with industrial
tools and machines. We see a “stamping” machine that
presses down with a force of 30 tonnes to create the
base of the movement. Lab coat-suited technicians nearby
peer through Leica laser-guided magnifying machines to
inspect the plate for imperfections.
In a separate room, four people are engrossed in
polishing and engraving the movement – for a complex
engraving procedure, it can take nearly two days to finish
the bridges of the movement alone.
It’s in another room not far away where the most secretive
and perhaps the most important function of Bovet’s watch
manufacturing process takes place. It’s here where hairsprings
The front and caseback of
the Bovet Récital 20 Astérium
– or the beating heart of any movement – are manufactured.
Bovet is one of only a handful of watchmakers in Switzerland
who have the necessary tools and know-how to create this
very intricate component which is the core component of
the balance wheel and varies in length anywhere from
0.6mm to 0.07mm.
In another room, all the different components
manufactured across the facility are brought for the final
assembly. The day we visit, a lady was assembling the
Recital 20 Asterium timepiece, one of Bovet’s finest
tourbillon watches which has a total of 580 components
and costs $350,000. Adjacent is the R&D facility where
finished movements are subjected to strict quality control
checks to ensure that they’re up to spec.
The watchmaking atelier
at Château de Môtiers
The Dimier 1738
Manufacture in Tramelan
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Bovet’s medieval castle,
the Château de Môtiers
THE WATCHES
The day before we visit the Dimier manufacture, we stroll
across the bridge from Hotel Bristol in Geneva and into
the Jardin Anglais garden which is in full bloom. We
continue walking briskly along the promenade of Lake
Geneva until we quickly duck across the road onto Rue
Pierre-Fatio and into Bovet’s flagship boutique. There are
only four Bovet boutiques worldwide: Geneva, Moscow,
Baku and New York City.
Here at the Geneva boutique, we are shown some of the
brand’s most popular timepieces for both men and women
including the Bovet by Pininfarina collection that first debuted
in 2010 to celebrate Pininfarina’s 80th anniversary; the entrylevel
19Thirty collection; and 2015’s $340,000 Recital 18
Shooting Star tourbillon world-timer. We’re also shown the
brand’s signature statement, the Amadeo, whose case is built
in such a way that it can be used as a pocketwatch and a
wristwatch too.
Bovet’s timepieces are typically priced between $20,000
to $65,000. However, the grand complications and oneoff
commissioned watches range from $220,000 to $1
million a pop. The brand makes less than 2,000 watches a
year – spotting one in the wild is difficult.
THE CASTLE
The Count of Neuchatel built the 5,800 square-metre
castle in the 14th century. The Chateau de Môiters,
perched over the village of Môtiers, is where we head to
straight after the Dimier manufacture visit. The Bovet
family acquired the castle in the nineteenth century and
owned it until 1957 when they decided to gift it to the
Canton of Neuchatel. By 2006, it needed urgent repairs
and the state could no longer afford to maintain it. It was
offered for sale, and Raffy decided to buy and renovate it.
Raffy is based in America, and whenever he visits
Switzerland, he stays here at the castle. Some of Bovet’s
sales and logistical operations are managed out of this
location. Also located here is a state-of-the-art
manufacturing facility where some of the brand’s most
exquisite and complex timepieces are engraved.
I try my luck at engraving on a rough piece of metal – and
fail miserably. There is just one school of engraving in
Switzerland and only three students graduate each year. I’m
only too happy to get up from my seat and allow the
exceptionally talented engraver whose desk is flooded with
natural light from the window that opens out into the valley
below to resume his work as he sets about engraving a
solid gold plate with artful, effortless strokes of his wrist.
THE RETURN TO CHINA?
Bovet doesn’t have any boutique in China (although it does
have points of sale in the country). Returning triumphantly to
China with Bovet’s own boutique is on the agenda for Raffy.
In many ways, it would mean a homecoming for Edouard
Bovet himself. Doing so would mean that Raffy hasn’t only
resurrected Bovet, but instead, he’s also reconnected it with
its core. We’ll raise a glass to a brand that’s still hasn’t lost
sight of what made it great nearly two centuries ago.
The Bovet Braveheart
grand complication can be
used as a pocketwatch as
well as a wristwatch
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COLLECTOR'S PIECES
GADGETS
McIntosh
XRT2.1K LOUDSPEAKER
Boutique American high-end electronic manufacturer McIntosh is at it again. A
few months ago they debuted the excellent MA9000 integrated amplifier. Last
month, they unveiled their latest creation, the seven-foot-tall lithe floorstanding
speakers called the XRT2.1K that they claims were 45 years in the
making. The speakers have a four-way design and are fitted with 81
Nanocarbon Fibre/Nomex Honeycomb drivers. There are six eight-inch longthrow
woofers, two 6.5-inch low-frequency midrange drivers, 28 two-inch
midrange dome drivers and 45 0.75-inch dome tweeters. Collectively, these
speakers can handle up to 2,000 watts of power, generating enough sound to
keep the neighbours awake. Or frighten unsuspecting pets too.
$130,000 (DHS478,000) FOR A PAIR AT MCINTOSHLABS.COM
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COLLECTOR'S PIECES
Samsung
POWERBOT STAR WARS LIMITED EDITION
DARTH VADER VACUUM
With last month’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi release, the
mania surrounding one of the most successful film
franchises ever created extends to its paraphernalia too.
Cross over to the dark side with this Darth Vader vacuum.
It’s a nifty gadget with Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you
to control it using use your smartphone or by using voice
control via Alexa. It also has an inbuilt mapping software
that couples with nine sensors on the vacuum to help
create a cleaning path for it that avoids obstacles and
furniture in the room. Intermittently, it’ll also make creepy
the creepy breathing noise that’s a signature of Darth
Vader. If you want to be one of the good guys instead,
Samsung also has a Stormtrooper vacuum.
$600 (DHS2,200) AT SAMSUNG.COM
Xbox
ONE X
With Microsoft and Sony constantly duking it
out for alpha position in the in the gaming
universe, Microsoft seems to have finally
delivered a body blow with this one. The
4k-capable Xbox One X is being positioned as the
world’s most powerful gaming console. It has a jaw-slacking
6 teraflops of raw power (nerd alert: that’s six trillion floating
points of operations per second), 12GB of RAM and a 1TB hard
drive that doesn’t lead us to believe otherwise. The only question
here is: Have you loaded Assassin’s Creed: Origins, already?
DHS1,200 AT XBOX.COM
Hermés
FOOSBALL TABLE
If you’ve already got the Birkin, we trust you’re a dyed in
the wool fan of the brand. Fancy a piece of the French
luxury brand as a permanent fixture in your living room?
We suggest you order this Hermés foosball table. The
materials, expectedly, are extremely high quality. Think
maple wood, swift calfskin and players dressed in silk Jockey
jerseys and riding boots that are a nod to the brand’s
equestrian heritage. This foosball table has handcrafted
upholstery and saddle stitching too. In the centre of the
table is the number 24, a reference to the brand’s iconic 24
Faubourg Saint-Honoré HQ in Paris.
$68,300 (DHS250,000) AT HERMES.COM
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THE ETERNAL MOVEMENT
Ulysse Nardin, from the movement of the sea to the perpetual
innovation of Haute Horlogerie. For over 170 years, the
powerful movement of the ocean has inspired Ulysse Nardin
in its singular quest: to push back the limits of mechanical
watchmaking, time and time again.
Marine Regatta
Chronograph
Countdown timer
Silicium technology
ulysse-nardin.com
ULYSSE NARDIN BOUTIQUES: The Dubai Mall +971 44341421, Mall of the Emirates +971 43950577, Beirut Souks +961 1992092
Abu Dhabi: Al Manara International Jewellery Amman: Time Center Bahrain: Asia Jewellers Cairo: BTC Exclusive Doha: Ali Bin Ali
Jeddah: First Jewelry Kuwait: Morad Yousuf Behbehani Muscat: Le Carat Riyadh: First Jewelry
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COLLECTOR'S PIECES
AUTOMOBILE
IMMORTAL
Examining the all-new McLaren Senna, the most extreme car ever made by the
British marque, in the words of the legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna
By Varun Godinho
The straight-talking, smoothdriving
Brazilian F1 superstar
is widely considered as one
of the best the sport has
ever seen. During the late eighties and
early nineties when Ayrton Senna was
at his peak, it was in a McLaren that he
won three world championships and
became the near-mythical hero that he
is today. Now, McLaren has unveiled a
supercar named after him. What would
Senna make of it if he were
he alive today? We examine the
supercar through some of the most
famous quotes of the star driver.
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“Being second is to be the f irst of the ones who lose”
Believe these words for Senna ended up on the podium in
80 of the 162 F1 races he participated in during his career.
The McLaren named after him goes after the jugular as well.
It is part of the Ultimate Series, the first of which was the P1
followed by the GTR version of the P1 and now this. Bruno
Senna, Ayrton’s nephew, was reportedly roped into the
development of the car. The supreme confidence of
McLaren loyalists is such that even while the Senna was still
under development, months before anyone saw what the
car would look like, all 500 units of this limited-edition car
were already sold. With McLaren, seldom are there any
doubting Thomases.
“Fear is exciting”
If there is ever a machine purpose-built to instil unholy
amounts of fear into you, this is it. The 4-litre V8 engine that
sits between the two carbon fibre seats produces 800Nm of
torque and 789hp of power. Not a lot of horses, you might
add. And you’re right. But remember that by stripping away
even basic creature comforts like air-conditioning, McLaren
has effectively reduced the weight of the supercar to measly
1,198kgs. We’re now looking at a similar power-to-weight
ratio as the LaFerrari.
“Racing, competing, it's in my blood. I have been
doing it all my life.”
What is true about Senna’s life, is true about McLaren’s as
well. It was a brand that was born on the track. Bruce
McLaren built and raced his first McLaren F1 at the 1965
Monaco Grand Prix. Since then, the marque has been one of
Formula One’s most successful teams. In 1988, with Ron
Dennis at the helm, McLaren embarked on a project to build
its maiden road-legal supercar. By 1993, it debuted a car that
was officially homogenized for the street called it F1 in a nod
to its racing heritage. Since then, there’s been no looking
back for McLaren Automotive. This Senna, like all the
previous McLaren road cars, takes the best technology from
Formula One and trickles it down to its supercars.
“If you no longer go for a gap that exist, you are
no longer a racing driver.”
McLaren is billing their latest wunderkind as “the ultimate
road-legal track car”. To make the Senna a proper racing
car, McLaren has innovated. They’ve kitted it with bespoke
Pirelli P Zero center-locking lightweight wheels that can
blitz a track and have also added a new generation of
smaller and lighter carbon ceramic brake discs which are
believed to be four times more thermally efficient than
conventional carbon discs. A shout-out to the aerodynamics
of the car too which is what makes this machine possibly
faster around a track than the P1.
Step into a Senna and you’ll notice that to recreate a
“cockpit”, the Start button is located on the roof as are the
buttons to release the top-hinged doors. Switch the car into
“race mode” and the chassis drops nearly two inches
resulting in a machine that hunkers down with sinister
purpose. The movable flaps inside the air intakes on both
sides of the front bumper will increase or decrease grip, as
the need arises, to keep it balanced. The large rear spoiler is
nearly four feet off the ground and creates the necessary
downforce keep the supercar from lifting off.
“I have no idols”
If only Senna were alive to see the McLaren named after him,
he might have changed his mind after all.
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GASTRONOMY
WEEKEND DINING
An experience, brunches and a nocturnal hotspot you can’t miss this month
Intimate brunch
1 THE PERUVIAN EXPEDITION
LIMA DUBAI
Binge-watching Chef’s Table, admiring chef Virgilio Martínez
Véliz’s passion for food and produce, and discovering Peru’s
cultivation of over 3,000 varieties of potatoes, made Lima
Dubai a winner on our list already. My dining partner had
dined here previously and highly commended the ceviche
and corn cakes that he could never really get out of his mind,
and was eager to relish once again. Luckily, it was included
within the five-course menu.
Peruvian food isn’t just about flavours, but textures too,
with a heavy emphasis on local produce. Our brunch began
with cushion-like bao buns filled with tender duck slices,
shredded beef and pickles with a mild spiced rocoto sauce.
The seabass ceviche was soon presented with crisp red
onions, cancha corn for a crunchy bite and traditional tiger’s
milk for sweetness. The ceviche salmon showcased chunky
cubes with yellow tiger milk, beetroot and asparagus tempura,
to balance out the flavours. A striking blue plate sat before
our eyes, and on it, a traditional chicken causa featuring tangy
yellow potato, shredded chicken breast and Peruvian olive
that was pureed and drizzled over the contents of the plate in
a bright purple hue. Up next was one of my favourite dishes,
a snack I need to recreate at home and savour while watching
TV, the tequenos (lomo saltado with huancaina and andes
leaf chilli). These crisp finger-sized rolls are crunchy and crispy
on the outside, with the delectable sauce-packed filling of
meat and veggies dripping out upon every bite. Prawns
anticucho was the next beautifully-plated dish presented,
highlighting the renowned traditional Inka Panka chilli. Each
piece of prawn was incredibly luscious and flavoursome. To
tie this course together, a Chinese style rice with oyster
mushrooms, spring onion and asparagus and broccoli was
served - much-needed carbs with a bit of greens.
For mains, my dining partner picked the generously portioned,
fleshy and spiced chicken breast pachamanca with sautéed
potatoes, corn brûlée (the dense, moist corn cake he praised on
several occasions), while I opted for the slow cooked lamb seco
with pumpkin done two ways (puréed for the base and a crisp
garnish) topped with a citrus coriander marinade and kiwicha
(also known as amaranth), a superfood seed. A side of colourful
Andean potatoes that were sweet, boiled, crisp and fried were
presented to us on the side as well. We ended up sharing both
mains and unfortunately couldn’t get through all of it, as the
portions were quite enormous. Remember dessert is an integral
part of brunch, and if you do have space to squeeze in a few
bites – we tried our best – it’s worth tucking into the purple corn
jelly-textured mousse with cream, ice lollies and crème brûlée.
Need to know:
Fridays from 12-4pm.
From Dhs325-550 per person. Contact 800 5462
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GASTRONOMY
Family friendly
2
SATURDAY BBQ BRUNCH
AMALFI, PALAZZO VERSACE
A relaxed Saturday by the pool with grills to sate hunger
pangs is our idea of a perfect weekend, and exactly what the
doctor ordered. Well, maybe not, but if he/she thought like
us, in terms of wellbeing and happiness, it would be up there
on the list. Palazzo Versace’s chilled out Saturday brunch
takes place at the café by the pool. You can choose to plonk
yourself on a cabana and soak up the rays, or head straight for
an alfresco lunch – it’s completely up to you. We chose the
former, sipped a few cocktails and made use of the expansive
pool that rivals most hotels in the city. As the afternoon went
by, we headed to a table to feast on the selection of fresh
salads placed before us, including a Greek salad with feta and
refreshing watermelon with baby squid. Cravings for hot
substantial food followed, and we opted for succulent flamegrilled
lamb chops and tender chicken with a side of corn
from the buffet. I love a great pizza, and will never turn down
one. The wood-fired pizzas here are crisp with a thin crust,
and gooey cheese that perfectly blends in with the tomato
sauce. We also chose to tuck into fresh juicy lobster and
prawns, instead of the Wagyu beef burgers that looked
incredibly tempting. Naturally, we saved space for dessert –
sweet popcorn ice cream and hot churros with chocolate
and dulce de leche dips. The DJs tunes had us captivated by
this point, making us look forward to an afternoon laze
around session at the pool cabana, with electro and salsa
beats in the background.
3
MISS TESS
TAJ DUBAI, DUBAI MALL STREET
Located on the third floor of the Taj Hotel, we recently
visited the eponymous restaurant. There’s a psychedelic
pop of colour in the décor of this Asian street-food themed
restaurant. A few diners make their way to the al fresco
section with a commanding view of the Burj Khalifa outside.
We prefer to sit inside, not far away from a full-sized tuk tuk
(an autorickshaw) placed in the centre of the room and not
far from the DJ and a few video game machines further on.
The pan-Asian menu covers Thai, Korean, Chinese,
Japanese and Vietnamese food. We get started with the
Miss Tess selection platter. There are generous portions
of fish cake, prawn tempura, and chicken spring rolls. We
asked the team to replace fried tofu with calamari instead
and they were only too happy to oblige. There’s Sriracha
kept on your table, just in case you need to fire up any of
the entrées. Just as we begin to go through our Tom Kha
Khai soup with galangal evenly balancing the coconut and
the crowd-favourite chicken wonton soup, Miss Tess
herself comes up to chat with us regarding her new
concept. Midway through our conversation, two of her
team members break out into a well-rehearsed streetfight
style routine that reoccurs every half hour.
When it comes to mains, we’d highly recommend the
bibimbap from South Korea. It arrives at our table in a hot
stone bowl filled with rice, beef, kimchi and julienne strips
of assorted vegetables all of which is capped by a sunny
side up egg that invites you to create a mess as you
furiously work at mixing all the components together
before tucking in. If you’ve got space for dessert, the
matcha green tea mousse must be on your radar. Then go
and try your hand at Super Mario video games.
Nocturnal hotspot
Need to know: Saturdays from 12-5pm.
Dhs295 per person inclusive of food and pool access.
Contact +9714 556 8888
Need to know:
The restaurant is open for dinner.
Contact +971 4 275 9056
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GASTRONOMY
An experience
4
NOIRE
FAIRMONT DUBAI
Are you afraid of the dark? Those with scotophobia may find Noire a bit
unnerving. My dining partner and I, on the other hand, found it to be one of the
most amazing dining experiences we’ve come across in Dubai and have been
recommending it to friends and family ever since. Here’s why. You arrive at the
pool bar where you are served a cocktail and are immediately put to the test to
detect the ingredients. We scored 100/100, but can’t say the same for the
three-course meal that followed.
The experience begins with the night vision goggle-equipped staff escorting
each couple into the pitch-black setting. It is incredibly dark once you get in, and
my dining partner and I admitted to never being in such a dark setting before.
Your eyes take a few minutes to adjust to the setting and the team are kind
enough to indicate where your glasses and the bread plate is for you to get an
idea of placement. First off, I’m glad I didn’t spill any food or beverage on myself
or my dining partner’s white shirt – which by the way, is a terrible colour choice
for this occasion. The one-and-a-half-hour long meal began with an appetizer
that tasted like some sort of fish with carrot and crumble – we later found out
it was tuna with apple cubes, spiced carrot puree, and tempura crumble. The
guessing game is not only interesting but hilarious too. You get to hear every
individuals’ opinions as they guess flavours - sounding similar to a professional
taste tester - only to discover later that their dream to make this a day job is
doomed, for now at least. Wine is served with each course, and somehow, we
guessed all three correct.
The main course was incredibly delightful, confusing our senses as we tried
to pick, feel and smell each little drop and pieces we picked up from our plates.
The textures were similar to meat, with flavours showcasing mushrooms – got
this correct – some sort of fried garnish, droplets of sauce, and greens. The dish
was revealed later and we got almost 50 per cent correct. To put it simply,
even though our assumptions were poles apart, the dessert was a mixture of
sponge texture, ice cream, matcha, sesame seeds and crumble. Note, we didn’t
disclose the complete ingredient list, as it is worth the sensory journey you will
embark on. The big reveal takes place outdoors after the meal, where you
giggle and quite proudly confirm the ones you got right. The presentation was
perhaps what appealed to me the most, and admittedly, does play an integral
role in a dish. Everything was beautifully plated and I could only imagine the
mess we may have all made, jumbling everything while testing. One thing is for
sure, we didn’t miss snapping shots for Instagram and got to enjoy an exquisite
intimate meal with chatter and laughs throughout.
Need to know:
Dhs325 per person with pairings.
Contact +971 4 311 8316
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T he e s s e n c e o f A r a b i a
Bab Al Qasr Hotel
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TRAVEL
ALPINE
LIVING
Staying at a penthouse in a residential complex might not seem like a typical
holiday for some. Six Senses Residences Courchevel, however, is guaranteed
to be the reason you change your perception, and perhaps even invest in one.
Besides, it’s at the heart of Courchevel 1850 – a ski playground to the elite
By Nicola Monteath
IMAGES SUPPLIED BY SIX SENSES RESIDENCES COURCHEVEL
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Driving into Courchevel is magical. Soft powdery
snow enhances every solid surface, from cars to
rooftops, making the picturesque cluster of
villages – lit up with fairy lights – a ski resort
village comparable to none other. Courchevel attracts a
trendsetting affluent clientele, and comprises four
distinctive towns - Courchevel 1850, Courchevel 1650,
Courchevel 1550 and Courchevel 1300, each signifying the
altitude it is located at, in metres. The four are linked by
lifts, pistes and a windy path, taking you all the way to the
top to the chic Courchevel 1850 - our destination and
home to the fairly new Six Senses Residences Courchevel.
Courchevel 1850 is where you will want to stay, shop and
dine. Streets are lined with fur-clad women carrying Birkins
and a teacup puppy in hand, cafés serving a generous glug of
vin chaud, French eateries worth a stop for fondue, and
luxury fashion boutiques boasting the latest collections, and
classic pieces that sell like hot cakes. I visited Louis Vuitton to
check if a certain bag was in stock, and returned hours later
to purchase it, only to find out they sold all three pieces –
make sure you reserve your selection. There’s never a boring
moment in Courchevel 1850. When you aren’t skiing, or
treating yourself to spa treatments, you may just rub
shoulders with footballers, artists and the top one per cent
of the world, as it is the lavish ski destination to flock to come
season time.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Staying at Six Senses Residences Courchevel is a warm and
cosy chalet experience that will enrich your ski holiday. I set
foot into my three-bedroom apartment decked with a clean
look of timber, subtle lighting, and pine aromas that wafted
through the air. Each day began with a view of the sunrise,
Nespresso and Sinatra, courtesy of the friendly smart home
automation system in every room. I usually judge my stay by
the appearance and amenities in the bathroom, and here, it
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didn’t disappoint. Showers are fitted with three types of
options (including rain-showers), while The Organic
Pharmacy products keep skin soft, supple and moisturised,
prepped for the weather conditions at the slopes.
The European-style property is the first residential project
in the continent from Six Senses, nestled at the heart of the
crème de la crème of the French Alps, between Rue de
Tovets and Rue de Verdons. The project is a joint venture
between Cain International and Promocour 1850 and has
been developed in partnership with Six Senses.
The finest of freehold apartments merges with the luxuries
of hotel and concierge services here. Residents can park at a
private garage, stow away luggage and purchases at storage
caves, and beat the hassle of lugging around ski equipment –
visit the shop located within the premises to get fitted out
with boots and Lacroix skis, amongst other brands. Services
such as the ski concierge at the slopes, where your gear is
transported to from the in-house ski shop, is what truly sets
this residential property apart.
53 penthouses and apartments, designed by the architect
Alain Foeillet, showcase a neutral complementing palette of
taupe, beige, tan and grey hues, alongside organic materials
and a whole lot of timber, blending in with the alpine
aesthetic. The units, ranging from 70 to 268 square metres,
are available from two-bedroom apartments, to duplex
penthouses that feature five bedrooms, a wine cellar,
hammam, a terrace boasting mountain views, fireplace, and
art work that lends an element of sophisticated quirkiness.
Residents have the option of choosing furniture packages
carefully curated by the award-winning Morpheus London.
Before heading off to the slopes, visit the relaxed and
warm Club lounge for a substantial breakfast brimming
with local cheese, freshly baked pastries, detoxifying and
revitalising smoothies, and a nutrient-packed menu free
from gluten and dairy – the smashed avocado with
poached eggs became a daily favourite. When you are
back from the slopes, head straight for the private on-site
spa to beat lethargy with holistic spa treatments and
restorative therapies. Other features at the spa include a
sauna and steam room, relaxation lounges by the pool, a
fitness studio, and an outdoor hot tub surrounded by
snow - worth a try.
The spa and swimming pool at
Six Senses Residences Courchevel
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TRAVEL
The inviting Club Lounge at
Six Senses Residences Courchevel
While some may be worried about
the returns on their investment off
season time, it's worth noting that
Courchevel now offers a range of
summer activities, so you can enjoy a
stay during winter and rent it out during
summer, if you wish to.
DINE AT...
Leave the slopes to experience
Courchevel 1850 at its best. These
hotspots are a shuttle or ten-minute
walk away from Six Senses
Residences Courchevel
LE CHALET DE PIERRES
The sight of Chef Gerber Alvim
roasting meat on the spit meets the
eye as you enter this traditional
Alpine restaurant on the Verdons
slope. You can ski in, take a seat at
the heated terrace and enjoy an
alfresco lunch of hearty French onion
soup, cheese fondue and fresh
seafood or meat (order ahead).
Don’t miss the dessert table featuring
pistachio-cream filled profiteroles
and a divine lemon curd tart.
chaletdepierres.com
LE GENÉPI
When a restaurant is headed by
natives from the village, you know
you are in for a great meal. This
fireplace-fitted all-wood interior
restaurant by chef and owner Thierry
Mugnier and his wife Cecile is apt for
an elegant fine-dining experience.
Fresh local char tartare with blini and
whipped cream and a side of oysters
are highly recommended as an
appetizer. Follow this with beef fillet
Rossini; a succulent generous portion
douse in a beautiful reduction,
topped with a slice of foie gras and
perfectly paired with warm pillowtextured
bursts of gnocchi. And to
end, the comforting hot baked pippin
apple and silky salted caramel ice
cream are worth trying, guaranteed
to be polished off within minutes.
legenepi-courchevel.com
Need to know:
• Prices for apartments at Six Senses
Residences Courchevel, range from €1.5m
(Dhs 6,629,491) to €8.8m (Dhs38million).
Buyers have the option of renting out their
apartment when not in use.
Visit one-courchevel.com
to invest in your ski home.
• Those in need of ski lessons can make a
request with the concierge at the residences.
I took my first lesson on the slopes and
highly recommend the patient Olivier
Sadargues or Nicolas Germain at Le Cercle
Private Ski School. Visit lecercle-ski.com
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JETSETTER JOURNEYS
The latest in experiences, tours and wellbeing breaks
MYSTICAL ASIA
There isn’t a time of year when Japan isn’t appealing.
This winter, Niseko Village comes to life with
boutiques that beckon, renowned restaurants and
five-star hotels. If you’re travelling for a culinary
experience, warming ramen and udon, fresh
sashimi, and Hokkaido seafood and yakitori will
satiate all cravings. Those who love a warm soak at
the end of the day can dip into their own private
onsen fed by geothermal waters, to reap the
benefits. And those who love the outdoors and
nature can enjoy skiing at it’s best, at the Mizuno no
Sawa, offering the steepest runs and a track for
novices. A stay at the Kasara Niseko Village
Townhouse is a must, boasting Japanese charm,
and a resident concierge, for reservations and to
make fresh tracks for a guided mountain orientation.
Visit ytlhotels.com for more information
SOULFUL ESCAPE
Re-boot your body, mind and soul with a
yoga retreat at Rudding Park in partnership
with Lara Darby. Escape to the country
where you will learn to de-stress through
a combination of yoga practices and
meditation sessions, including a gong bath
sound therapy workshop. The weekend
will also include a nutrition workshop,
spa-treatments and wholesome cuisine to
leave you recharged for the year ahead.
The Luxury yoga and de-stress weekend
takes place from January 12-14,
and is Dhs2,960 per person, inclusive
of a two-night stay at Rudding Park,
breakfast, the yoga retreat package
and workshops.
Visit ruddingpark.co.uk
IT’S HERE!
By now you may have heard that the UAE’s most expensive hotel
has opened its doors at the seahorse-shaped Jumeirah Bay island.
The highly-anticipated Bulgari Resort & Residences Dubai, in
collaboration with Meraas, is an urban oasis offering the ultimate in
luxury for those who want to sail up to their resort, or treat
themselves to a staycation. Guests can choose to stay at one of the
101 suites that boast gorgeous views of the shimmering waters, as
well as a plush Bulgari throw on each bed, to cosy up in comfort.
Attention to detail is key, with everything from Dhs2,000+ noisecancellation
headsets to shoe-fitting collaborations with Berlutti, a
beach bag, and plenty of other gorgeous necessities. The 20 villas
boast a sizeable private pool on the terrace – large enough for an
intimate gathering – a leather couch to rival most home options,
dining table fit for a feast, and a walk-in closet. Gastronomic offerings
feature the sun-soaked all-day dining Italian café, and Il Ristorante by
renowned chef Niko Romito. Can’t squeeze in a stay at the resort
anytime soon? A trip to the Spa for a hammam treatment and La
Mer facial, followed by a few laps at the indoor pool, will allow you
to experience the resort’s hospitality and Italian luxury at its best.
bulgarihotels.com
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THE FAIRWAY
HIT the
LINKS
Fore…breathtaking
views
and challenges that distract,
that’s what the Dubai Creek
Golf & Yacht Club is all about
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THE FAIRWAY
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club with its
majestic clubhouse, where the design
mirrors the sails of the traditional
Arab dhow, has been one of the most
photographed landmarks in the UAE since it
opened in 1993.
The course is always impeccable and it’s no
wonder either. Many staff members from the
heads groundkeeper and other members engaged
in the upkeep have been with the Club from day
one. Upon entering the clubhouse to the first tee,
every player is greeted and treated as though they
were on the professional tour.
Dubai Creek is shorter than the city’s more
modern courses, but very challenging due to the
abundance of water hazards. In fact, 10 out of the
18 holes on the course are directly affected by
water hazards in some capacity. Accuracy is
rewarded over length here, besides the water and
the tree-lined fairways, don’t get excited and try
to crush your drivers when seeing the yardages,
the wind is a major factor and stunts your length,
accuracy and thinking.
At par 71, Dubai Creek has a varied collection
of holes each majestically set against the backdrop
of the creek and the developments being built.
The views, feel and experience on this course are
breathtaking. The pinnacle is when you reach the
stunning sixth tee. Built on to a jetty that stands
above the waters of the Creek, there is water left
here as well, and the smart play is to lay up short
of this and hit a longer shot in. Good luck trying to
hit your tee shot whilst taking in the sites and
experience of teeing off while literally standing in
the middle of the creek.
As mentioned, the course has been around
for some time, where the course record of 63
held jointly by Lee Westwood and Darren
Clarke seems like a score only achieved by the
golfing gods.
Thomas Bjorn’s redesigned the course and all
credit to him especially with the finishing two
holes, 17 and 18. Both these holes are played
directly along the bank of the creek, towards the
clubhouse. Dangerous holes that have the smile,
charm and allure of an assassin. Overcoming the
challenges of the 17th can still be achieved with
some smart play. The 18th requires thought,
execution and confidence involvement on every
shot. There is water on the left and a long bunker
on the right, beyond which is water again. A good
drive will still leave you with a long iron into the
tiered and sloping green, which is guarded at the
front and right by a body of water.
Even the professionals have sweaty hands while
executing the final tee shot, but there’s no better
way to finish a round here than with two wellstruck
shots to the heart of the green.
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club offer more
than just golf – they have fantastic restaurants with
facilities to host everything from a wedding to a
major corporate function. The views, staff and
facilities on hand are second to none. Whilst you
are out on the course, battling the elements, the
family can enjoy the pool, gym, par 3 golf and
outside activities that would keep the most
energetic families entertained without missing
you. To ensure that you have your place secured
in Dubai Creek, securing your own personalized
locker only costs Dhs550 per annum and that is
the just the start of true value for money in this
club from the practice range, academy, restaurants
and fully stocked stores on site. Every day seems
like you are winning without even teeing off.
For rates, booking and further information visit
dubaigolf.com/dubai-creek-golf-yacht-club
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HOTEL REVIEW
STAY
OF THE
MONTH
Escape the emirates for a nature and
wildlife island-getaway at Al Sahel,
Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Resorts
By Nicola Monteath
Driving towards Sir Bani Yas Island, practically near
Ruwais, is far - it takes around three-hours-andthirty
minutes to get to the jetty lounge (from
Dubai) and a 20-minute boat ride thereafter.
But that’s the beauty of this retreat. You leave behind the
stress and humdrum of the city and escape to an island
established in 1977 by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al
Nahyan. The wildlife reserve spans over 87 square kilometres
and is home to gazelles, peacocks and other beautiful animals
you will hardly ever spot in the country – unless at a zoo, of
course. The resort is split into three spectacular experiences
to suit couples and families. We stayed at Al Sahel Villa
Resort where free-roaming peacocks and gazelles visited us
in the backyard of our rustic-style one bedroom pool villa
ever so often. The villa boasts all the modern-day facilities
and items you require, from great WiFi coverage, to a yoga
mat, bird food, Nespresso coffee machine and hairbands, for
women like me who can never figure out where they
disappear off too. The interiors comprise an Arabesque vibe
with wooden beams, Rattan ceiling fans, framed local
handicrafts and a stunning carved bronze standalone tub
with Elemis toiletries. We spent most of our time at the
plunge pool, listening to birds chirping, and admiring peacock
feathers and gazelles as they graze.
EXPLORE
The resorts offer plenty of activities for adults and
children. Try archery, kayaking, play a game of tennis, visit
the library, go snorkeling or mountain biking and explore
the island with a culture and history tour. We opted for
the Nature and Wildlife drive for a one-of-a-kind
experience that felt similar to an African safari. Hop into a
Discovery and embark on an hour and a half journey of
the savannah, to spot one of the world’s most endangered
Oryx species, Arabian Oryx, ostriches, geese, cheetahs,
giraffes and plenty of animals in their natural habitat.
The wildlife sanctuary tour is highly recommended
and includes stops at each site for photo ops – children
will love it.
DINING OPTIONS
The island offers culinary offerings to sate all cravings. Pick
from African barbecue and Arabic fare, to International
and Middle Eastern specialties, or Italian. We couldn’t
make up our minds until the hunger pangs kicked in, and
chose the latter for a hearty rustic lunch. Fresh cherry
tomato bread was dunked into olive oil and balsamic as
we waited for our ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, topped
with creamy taleggio and pecan nuts to offset the dairy
and add a little crunch. For mains, I dove into an incredibly
generous portion of six juicy mint-crusted lamb chops
with mashed baby potatoes, asparagus, and fragments of
garlic and rosemary. My partner opted for the beef
tenderloin with a side of creamy polenta and truffle to
complement each bite, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction
for acidity. Both dishes comprised of succulent premium
quality meat. We shared a traditional coffee-soaked
tiramisu to end the meal and retreat to our rooms for a
long-walk and siesta.
Seafood-lovers can make a trip to Amwaj for dinner, to
devour crunchy and meaty soft-shell crab, and nourishing
shrimp and scallop laksa, while dining al fresco. Choose
from crustacean or fish – we had a fresh and plump
seabass – served grilled or baked with just the right
portion of spinach and ceps, comforting mashed potatoes
with black truffle oil and grilled Mediterranean vegetables,
our chosen sides. A sublime lemon tart with a cup of tea
is the only way you should end your meal here.
Breakfast is best enjoyed outdoors, while watching
creatures pass by as you tuck into freshly prepared eggs,
fruit with muesli, salad with cold cuts, and an extensive
selection of pastries and baked goods.
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HOTEL REVIEW
Need to know:
The One Bedroom
pool villa with breakfast
is available for
Dhs3,187 per night.
Visit sir-bani-yas-island.
anantara.com
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E: murray.north@blplaw.com
T: +44 (0)20 3400 4545
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Partner, Head of Corporate (UAE)
Dubai
E: ibrahim.elsadig@blplaw.com
T: +971 (0)4 511 9718
www.blplaw.com
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REAL ESTATE
REVOLUTIONARY
ROAD
Looking for a new home in Dubai that would be ideal for the family?
Tregoning Property is the solution to that conundrum. Here’s why
By Meryl D’souza
Dubai can be quite taxing and overwhelming if you land
here without someone to hold your hand and take you
through the rigours of the city life. It’s far better now than
it used to be, as Harry Tregoning, Managing Partner at
Tregoning Property, found out when he went through his
first housing ordeal back in 2011. Before we get to that,
you should know that since the tender age of eight, the
man from Essex, United Kingdom studied in boarding
schools – first Maidwell Hall in Northampton and then
Harrow School in London. While that may seem like an
uninteresting detail, know that boarding schools aren’t as
easy to navigate as regular day schools. These schools
cultivate a sense of no-nonsense independence from a
very young age.
Imagine Tregoning‘s dismay then when he had to deal
with an appallingly incompetent agent when he and his wife
tried to rent their first home in Dubai. Having worked in
property insurance in the UK, Tregoning took up a job in
Dubai to increase his experience in the property world. “I
was fairly shocked by the process and the lack of response
and co-operation of the agent involved,” Tregoning said. “I
called the agent five times to organise a viewing but we
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REAL ESTATE
had to do the viewing ourselves. He was pretty prompt
once we decided to rent but after the meeting with the
landlord, he refused to talk to me. This one time, he
answered my call from a second number and told me it
was not his problem and to contact the landlord directly.
After signing the contract, he flat out refused to help us
with anything else. I felt this was unacceptable and a
process that lacked any personal touch or customer
service and I started planning from there.”
That’s where the idea of the Tregoning Property website
came from. Tregoning describes his brainchild as “a bespoke
real estate brokerage aiming to help our customers and
landlords to provide top customer service and
straightforward honest advice.” The aim here is to keep the
customer happy while keeping transactions transparent with
minimum fuss. He’s basically the Batman of the property
world: the protagonist who endures agony in the hope to
never let anyone else go through that again.
Thanks to the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), the
property market today isn’t as disconnected as it was when
Tregoning was house hunting. “The real estate business has
become more regulated with RERA increasing their control,”
he said. “One of their main reasons for existing is to make
the Dubai property market attractive to investors; both from
the region and from overseas. To do this, more regulation
was needed. The training that RERA and Department of
Land and Property in Dubai (DREI) offer is valuable and
makes you aware of many aspects of the market even if you
are not working in those areas.”
Tregoning Property is mostly marketed through the
digital sphere through some of the biggest property portals
in the region like Propertyfinder, Dubizzle and JustProperty.
Having said that, the website is a behemoth on its own
boasting over 1,500 individual visitors most months. Not
too shabby for a boutique real estate website that was only
founded in 2016. Of course, no one can serve people on
their own. After all, even the Caped Crusader had to
assemble a Justice League. Tregoning’s league is dominated
by parents. “All my team are parents and this is certainly
attractive to new customers,” he said. It’s no surprise then
that his target audience, by default, happens to be families.
It’s a happy coincidence that most of those gainfully
employed parents happen to be mothers. “I get a lot of
help from mothers who provide softer skills with clients. In
most transactions, the lady of the house is highly
instrumental in the decision and they like discussing the
benefits of a villa with another lady,” Tregoning astutely
notes. “This also helps in terms of discussing wider
community concerns such as schools, shopping and the
challenges of living in that certain area.”
Tregoning maintains that although hiring a woman-dominant
team wasn’t a conscious decision, he’s happy with the way
things panned out. “There are many highly capable mothers
who put their careers on hold when they have children. They
then want flexible working hours on their return and this
business can often offer that as they need to get going again
whilst keeping their family running smoothly,” Tregoning said.
Those aren’t empty promises either. “We tend to meet up
mostly during operations. There is no problem with school
runs, doctor visits etc. as you can generally schedule your day
to suit your plans.” It doesn’t stop there. Ever the workaholic,
Tregoning even ensures his employees get all the digital
training they need to stay up to speed and with more and
more business opportunities arising from social media, they’ll
need to be at the top of their game.
“Being able to target an audience so precisely on social
media is fabulous and obviously pays dividends,” he says.
And while his property website isn’t keen on jumping on to
the app bandwagon just yet, he’s shown some astute
business acumen to ensure that his company features on
adverts of the bigger advertising portals that are investing
heavily in creating apps. Like the Dark Knight, he’s always
thinking 10 steps ahead of everyone else.
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Dubai’s only high-end real estate and interior design company,
setting extraordinary records in the marketing, designing and
selling of the most important residential properties.
Office 804-806, Arenco Tower, Dubai Media City | 04 432 79 72 | www.luxhabitat.ae
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ENTREPRENEUR
IF YOU COULD TRAVEL
FOR A MEAL, WHERE
WOULD YOU GO?
That’s easy, Italy. I love going to
their regular pizzerias (nothing
fancy) and having a porcini
mushroom pizza with chilli oil.
GET TO KNOW…
MUSTAFA
Y. KOITA
CEO of Koita, a premium foods
and distribution company that
specializes in long life (UHT)
organic milk
SHOPPING HOTSPOTS
I’m a big Tom Ford fan. For
everyday clothes I prefer two
American brands called
Bonobos and Banana Republic.
THE PERFECT FRIDAY IS…
when I can sleep in, but that
never happens as I have three
crazy kids.
MOST RECENT
PURCHASE?
Organic almond milk. I haven’t
been spending on myself lately,
but instead expanding our
company’s product range.
MORNING ROUTINE
I’ve turned into an ‘early bird’ as of late. I wake
up at 5.45am, workout at 6am, drop the kids
to school at 7.30am and get to work around
8.30am. Once I get to work, there is no such
thing as a routine as every day is an adventure
when you are a growing SME. If I’m not
traveling, however, I’m in the office listening to
customers, reviewing plans with our
department heads, and developing the new
product road map.
WHAT FIELD WERE YOU IN
BEFORE THIS? I used to work for Boeing
Defense Systems selling National Security
systems to the government. Yes, I know what
you’re thinking! Notably, the food and the
defense business have some commonality.
Business is based on trust, persistence is key
and you certainly need a good sense
of humour.
FAVOURITE READ
Focus by Al Reis. I really liked
the author’s commonsense
approach to business
management; founded on the
premise that long-lasting
success depends on focusing on
core products and eschewing
the temptation to diversify into
unrelated enterprises. The case
studies are a bit old, but quite
fun to read.
DINING HANGOUTS
The typical fine dining places
are Zuma and Le Petite
Maison, however I’m a bit
bored of them now and
appreciate street-style eateries
with a good vibe. Nola’s, Mr.
Miyagi’s, Ramusake, Reform
and the Maine Oyster Bar are
some of my favourites.
WHAT DOES INVESTING
IN YOURSELF MEAN
TO YOU?
Hard cash going into my
company, but also education
for my employees and myself.
There are some great classes/
workshops out there that are
worth their weight in gold.
ONE THING MOST
PEOPLE DON’T KNOW
ABOUT YOU?
I was born in New Jersey,
USA, grew up in Chicago
and New York City, then
moved to London for four
years and have now been
in Dubai for the last 12
years. This is home now.
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