Air April 2019

APRIL 2019
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Contents
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
EDITORIAL
Editorial Director
John Thatcher
Managing Editor
Faye Bartle
Editor
Chris Ujma
christopher@hotmediapublishing.com
ART
Art Director
Kerri Bennett
Senior Designer
Hiral Kapadia
Illustration
Leona Beth
COMMERCIAL
AIR
Managing Director
Victoria Thatcher
General Manager
David Wade
david@hotmediapublishing.com
Commercial Director
Rawan Chehab
rawan@hotmediapublishing.com
PRODUCTION
Production Manager
Muthu Kumar
Forty Two
Over Throne
Forty Eight
Made in Chelsea
Fifty Four
Simon Says
Sixty
Tough Act to Follow
As the final season series
takes shape, Game of Thrones
royalty Emilia Clarke bids
farewell to her alter ego
From her London boutique,
style pioneer Mary Quant
gave the Swinging Sixties a
wardrobe full of liberation
In his twenties and without
formal training, Simon
Porte Jacquemus changed
contemporary French fashion
Many believe they have the
measure of Marlon Brando; a
delve into his private archive
proves that theory wrong
8

Senator Cosmopolite
Beijing · Dresden · Dubai · Geneva · Hong Kong · Macau · Madrid · Nanjing · Paris · Shanghai · Shenyang · Singapore · Tokyo · Vienna · Xian

Contents
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
AIR
Eighteen
Radar
Thirty Four
Timepieces
Sixty Six
Motoring
Seventy Four
Travel
In a fascinating set of stills,
photographer David Drebin
encountered soon-to-be
celebrities, pre fame
Skier Alexis Pinturault
secured a championship
title – with a personalised
Richard Mille upon his wrist
The roarsome Range Rover
Sport SVR is the fastest ever
built by the company. How
does the blue blur handle?
Wild Coast Lodges sit pretty
between jungle, national
park and ocean; a curated
Sri Lankan escape to nature
Twenty Eight
Art & Design
Thirty Eight
Jewellery
Seventy
Gastronomy
RAKFAF enables both local
and international artists to
showcase their talent;
Eddie Ryan typifies its ethos
The founder of kickass
French maison Akillis
talks about tearing up the
high jewellery rulebook
With Massimo Bottura’s latest
venture, lazy Italian Riviera
summers meet the eclectic
fizz of W Dubai
Tel: 00971 4 364 2876
Fax: 00971 4 369 7494
Reproduction in whole or in part without
written permission from HOT Media
Publishing is strictly prohibited. HOT Media
Publishing does not accept liability for
omissions or errors in AIR.
10

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NasJet
APRIL 2019: ISSUE 95
NasJet is the first private charter company in Saudi Arabia, providing
bespoke aviation services for the most discerning clients and institutions in
the world since 1999. Currently, the Group operates more than 24 corporate
aircraft, making us the largest and most experienced private jet operator in
the region with a managed fleet value exceeding USD1.5 billion.
NasJet, which is part of NAS Holding, employs over 1,800 industry experts,
operating 24/7 from our state-of-the-art flight centre in Riyadh and across
the world delivering a superior level of safety, service and value. At NasJet
we have the expertise and international experience to operate corporate
aircraft worldwide. Every hour of every day, we are moving planes, crews
and inventory across continents. We give you peace of mind when it comes
to our commercial operations. As a Saudi company we are backed by some
of the most prominent shareholders in the world. We are established.
On our Air Operator Certificate (AOC), NasJet currently operates:
Welcome
Onboard
APRIL 2019
• Cessna Citation Excel, which can seat 6 passengers and fly for up to
3 hours non-stop
• Embraer Legacy 600, which can seat 13-15 passengers and fly for up to
5 hours non-stop
• Gulfstream GIV-SP and G450 Aircraft, which can seat 13-14 passengers
and fly for up to 8 hours non-stop
• Gulfstream GV, which can seat 16 passengers and fly for up to 12 hours
non-stop
• Airbus 318ACJ, which can seat 19-22 passengers and fly for up to 8 hours
non-stop
• Boeing Business Jet (B737-900), which can seat 38 passengers and fly for
up to 9 hours non-stop
• Boeing 767, which can seat up to 44 passengers and fly for up to 14
hours non-stop
NasJet is pleased to offer the following services:
• Aircraft Purchase and Sales. We have aircraft available for sale and
management, or we can manage the purchase or sale of other aircraft.
• Aircraft Acquisition, Acceptance, Completion and Delivery. We can find
you the new aircraft that suits your needs, customise it to your liking,
monitor the build of the aircraft at the manufacturer, and supervise the
final delivery process to ensure a smooth and rewarding private aircraft
experience.
• Aircraft Management, where we are responsible for your aircraft from all
aspects to provide you the highest safety standards, the best service and
the most economical management solutions.
• Block Charter, where we provide you with charter solutions sold in bulk at
discounted rates.
• Ad-Hoc Charter, where we can serve your charter needs where and when
you need us on demand.
With the new GACA Rules and Regulations having come into effect,
NasJet has established itself as the first to market our Private and
Commercial AOC Services. We welcome the opportunity to serve you,
and look forward to seeing you aboard one of our private jets.
Captain Mohammed Al Gabbas
Senior Vice President
Cover: Emilia Clarke.
Williams & Hirakawa / AUGUST
Contact Details:
nasjet.com.sa / +966 11 261 1199 / sales@nasjet.com
13

NasJet
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
A Prestigious
Addition
NASJET SET TO ACQUIRE A NEW
GULFSTREAM G650ER UNDER
ITS COMMERCIAL AIR OPERATOR
CERTIFICATE (AOC)
With the onset of the new GACA Rules
and Regulations, NasJet is seeing a
push towards aircraft owners looking
to make their aircraft available for
Commercial Charter Operations.
NasJet has been the leader in Aircraft
Management and Charter solutions in
the Middle East, with a focus in 2019
towards Aircraft Management.
The latest addition to the company
fleet arrives in the shape of the
twin-engined Gulfstream G650ER,
considered the fastest and longest
range business jet in operation.
Its speeds reach a maximum of Mach
0.925 (92.5 percent the speed of
sound) and it can fly to a maximum
range of 7,500 nautical miles at a long
range cruise of Mach 0.85 (85 percent
the speed of sound). The range is
based on calculations with eight
passengers and four crew.
“Flying a business jet has become
not only a luxury but a convenience,
with the ability to arrive at your
destination faster than traditional
business jets being the new norm,”
explains Yosef F. Hafiz, Chief
Commercial Officer at NasJet. “The
G650ER has pushed the limits to new
extremes in business aviation.”
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp confirms
that the jet has achieved more than
75 city-pair records, validated by the
National Aeronautic Association. One
of the trips piqued particular interest
in the region when, late last year, the
aircraft completed a record-breaking
flight en route to the Middle East
and North Africa Business Aviation
Association (MEBAA) Show in Dubai.
The G650ER flew from Teterboro, New
Jersey, to Dubai in just 11 hours and
14

Image: Gulfstream G650ER, courtesy of Gulfstream News
two minutes, covering the distance
of 6,142 nautical miles (11,375kms)
in a time that shaved an hour and
48 minutes from the previous world
record. The flight was completed at
an average speed of Mach 0.90.
“Even with more than 315 G650ER
and G650 aircraft in service around
the world, we continue to enhance
the utility, flexibility and real-world
performance of these already classdefining
aircraft,” said Mark Burns,
president at Gulfstream.
These numbers include more than 30
of the craft in the Middle East alone,
as per Engineering.com.
Its flying capability aside, the promise
of convenience and comfort tempts
guests to opt for the G650ER. The
plush, handcrafted cabin welcomes
with its wide seats, generous aisle
spaces and plenty of light – courtesy
of 16 panoramic windows.
An array of cutting-edge tech is
on-hand to deliver high-altitude
connectivity, while the aircraft
ensures occupants will arrived
refreshed, too: fresh air is fully
replenished every two minutes, with
the jet also boasting the lowest cabin
altitude in its class.
Having the G650ER on the NasJet
Commercial Air Operator Certificate
(AOC) – under the NEW GACA Rules
& Regulations Part 121 Special
Unscheduled Operations – will make
it the first business jet in Saudi
Arabia of its kind to be offered for
Commercial Charter Operations.
“NasJet has seen an increased
demand for Ultra Long Range
business jets, allowing our clients
the ability to fly non-stop to their
destination almost anywhere in the
world,” Hafiz discloses. “We are all
very proud of this addition to our
fleet, as it will add value to our clients
and also help our aircraft owner
offset their costs and expenses.”
15

The cultural
emirate
awaits you

Radar
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Who was Steve Jobs before
the iPod, Charlize Theron
prior to Oscars acclaim, or
John Legend ahead of music
Glory? David Drebin’s photo
journey Before They Were
Famous compiles a fascinating
collection of pre-fame contact
sheets; rare snaps that the
multidisciplinary artist took of
now-renowned celebrities and
society shapers, back when
they were toiling in obscurity,
on the cusp of greatness.
AIR
© Before They Were Famous by
David Drebin, to be published by
teNeues in April 2019, USD136.
teneues.com
Photo © 2019 David Drebin. All rights reserved.
18

19

Critique
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Film
Little Woods
Dir: Nia DaCosta
In a North Dakota fracking
town, two estranged sisters
reunite to confront the harsh
realities of life – pushed to
emotional extremes
AT BEST: “Nia DaCosta’s
absorbing debut is
laced with urgent dread,
experienced by characters
you care deeply about.”
Village Voice
AT WORST: “Offers no
glamour or pity, only
empathy for those trapped
in a system that gives them
few choices.” The Playlist
Working Woman
Dir: Michal Aviad
AIR
A mother of three returns to work to help the family. Her rise through
the real estate ranks, however, is tainted by a powerful male boss
AT BEST: “Forces [you] to confront the subtle and systemic nature of
harassment, it’s a necessary conversation starter.” Cinema Axis
AT WORST: “A slow burning but ultimately empowering drama that
works despite a lack of the bigger, louder, more outwardly emotional
moments it could have succumbed to.” Hollywood Reporter
Peterloo
Dir: Mike Leigh
A portrayal of one of Britain’s bloodiest episodes, where a peaceful
crowd of 80,000 are charged at by a government-backed cavalry
AT BEST: “This richly intelligent, passionate movie [fights] a brilliant
rearguard action on history’s political battlefield.” Guardian
AT WORST: “You can feel Leigh’s fury glowering off the screen
through the entire last act, but that fury does the film and the
filmmaker little service.” indieWire
The Public
Dir: Emilio Estevez
A David vs Goliath standoff between library officials and homeless
patrons, when the latter take refuge in the building during a storm
AT BEST: “Humorous, impactful and poignant. With a little extra tooling,
it would also make a great Broadway play.” NNPA
AT WORST: “The dialogue often has a stilted, unnatural ring to it, and it is
a tribute to the cast that they manage to bring out the essence of the film,
its political heart, so strongly.” Hollywood Reporter
Images: NEON; Zeitgeist Films; Amazon Studios; Universal Pictures
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INTRODUCING THE NEW

Critique
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Theatre
AIR
Derrick Baskin, Jeremy Pope, Jawan M. Jackson, Ephraim Sykes, and James Harkness in Ain’t Too Proud. Photo by Matthew Murphy
“Oh no, the heart sinks,
another jukebox musical on
Broadway. So many – Cher,
Donna Summer – have been varying
degrees of cringe. But after leaving
Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of
The Temptations, a happy revelation:
this jukebox musical not only has life,
it also has wit, intelligence, while also
looking stunning and full of energy,”
praises Tim Teeman in Daily Beast.
The biographical show, which runs
to 31 December at Imperial Theatre,
summarises, “A culture-shaking
career graced with heavenly voices
and glorious music that worked its
way deep into the soul of an era. It
all glides by far too quickly, or rather
too smoothly... Even with source
material as glorious as My Girl, Just
My Imagination, [and] Papa Was A
Rolling Stone, the result feels less
celebratory than ruthlessly efficient,
like the treadmill device that’s
forever moving the ever-changing
Temptations line-up,” mourns Greg
Evans in Deadline. For Roma Torre at
NY1, “It ranks pretty high as jukebox
musicals go. Not only is it vastly
entertaining, it reminds us how the
best of Motown was able to prove that
music could be colourblind – even
if the rest of the world wasn’t.”
With The O’Casey Cycle, the Irish
Repertory Theatre,“Takes a deep
dive into the oeuvre of Irish master
playwright Sean O’Casey, presenting
a trio of the dramatist’s best-known
works. Ciarán O’Reilly directs The
Shadow of a Gunman, set during
Ireland’s War of Independance. Neil
Pepe directs Juno and the Paycock,
[about] an unhappy couple in a family
torn by strife, and finally, Charlotte
Moore helms The Plough and the
Stars, an Easter Uprising tragedy,”
outlines Helen Shaw for Time Out
New York. “O’Casey balances deeply
comic and tragic elements in an
atmosphere of stark realism, with
emphasis on characterisation of
working- and lower-class Dubliners,”
say Irish Central. Shadow of a Gunman,
O’Casey’s first produced play, teases
the quality of the series, “Showcasing
his unquestionable talent for blending
the comic with the tragic... gradually
shifting the bright humor of the first
act into the deadly violence of the
second,” writes Theater Mania.
The Bay at Nice, at Menier Chocolate
Factory, Southwark,“Is a play of
ideas: about art, parenthood, love,
marriage, genius, loyalty, and above
all, the nature of authenticity...
Richard Eyre directs, and his dark,
intense production feels like about
as decent a fist of this play as you
could expect whilst taking it on its
own terms,” writes Andrzej Lukowski
for Time Out London. “Hare’s 1986
play was originally part of a double
bill ironically juxtaposing Soviet
constraint and American freedom...
There are more recklessly ambitious
Hare plays but this one... offers
the rare pleasure of civilised
debate,” says Michael Billington in
The Guardian. “At its heart [it] is a
meditation on art and the creative
process. There are moments of
profundity in the long monologues,
but this is not primo playwriting
from Hare”, say Culture Whisper.
22

Critique
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Books
Indonesia-based arts writer
Jamie James, “Makes the
convincing case that ‘since
antiquity, Capri has been a
hedonistic dreamland, a place
where the rules do not apply: a
Mediterranean prototype of Las
Vegas,’” writes Kirkus Reviews of
Pagan Light: Dreams of Freedom
and Beauty in Capri. He “dashes
through the late 19 th and early 20 th
centuries, a period during which a
wide range of writers found their
ways to Capri and started writing
about each other in a kind of literary
hall of mirrors.... [It’s]
a colourful, captivating literary
companion for those visiting the
island and a peek into the lives of
some figures largely faded from
history.” Fellow author Anne Fadiman
remarked, “No one writes better
than James about the intersection of
history, art, literature, and place...
After reading this ravishing book,
I wasn’t sure whether to head to
Capri without delay or to decide a
visit would be redundant, because
James had already taken me there.”
The book is, “A sequence of braided
long-form profiles, full of bright
digressions, horrors and lives that
dead end... [A] roguish, diverting
book,” says David Mason at The Wall
Street Journal.
“What were Jane Austen, Mary
Shelley, and Joan of Arc thinking and
feeling during their hours of deepest
crisis and despair?” asks Kirkus
Reviews of Midnight: Three Women
at the Hour of Reckoning by Victoria
Shorr. The author, “Combines sturdy
biographical research with some
flights of imagination to portray
three different women caught in
the vises of three very different
sets of circumstances... Each faced
considerable darkness but persisted
until light appeared. Austen found
herself growing older with no
marriage prospects and “without a
penny to her name” – then picked up
her pen; Shelley had to deal with the
deaths of three of her children and
a husband, leaving Mary widowed
at 25; Joan, after winning battles for
France, was captured and knew a
flaming death at the stake would be
her fate.” Publisher’s Weekly writes of
how Shorr, “Starts from the intriguing
premise of capturing a pivotal moment
in the lives of the three famous women
– but falls short in her execution...
She is best with Joan of Arc, but her
work too often does not live up to
the potential promised by its
fascinating women.” Shorr’s
“Remarkable literary voice illuminates
[their] lives of three famous
women... in these well-researched
fictionalisations, their extraordinary
lives given immediacy and power and
even – despite what we already know
– suspense,” writes Julia Kastner
for Shelf Awareness. “Her prose is
incisive, thoughtful and personal.”
Maria Popova, the author of Figuring,
“Looks at some of the forgotten
heroes of science, art, and culture,”
write Kirkus Reviews. “‘There are
infinitely many kinds of beautiful
lives,’ writes the author at the outset.
She closes with the realisation
that while we individuals may die,
the beauty of our lives and work,
if meaningful, will endure... [It’s] a
lyrical work of intellectual history,
one that Popova’s many followers will
await eagerly and that deserves to
win her many more.” A biography of
Popova’s “Intellectual ancestors: it is
a map of the intersecting trajectories
of brilliant mind... captured through
the wide-angle lens of the last halfmillennium
and coloured by the deeply
human hues of love and rejection,
vindication and vilification; the polar
forces that guide the search for
meaning,” explains Louie Conway
for Vanity Fair. “It fascinatingly pieces
together human truths and the
remarkable details of these lives
well-lived into an extraordinary mosaic
of human existence... [It] reveals our
interconnectedness, and the inevitable,
although improbable, intersections of
our lives in the vastness of the universe,”
say BookTrib.
23

Swiss Bliss
The premier destination for health and wellness has added
a tempting new reason to head for the hills, as medi-spa
Clinique La Prairie unveils its breathtaking mountain chalet
For 88 years, Clinique La Prairie
has established itself as a
destination renowned for
excellence in health and revitalisation
science. Built on four pillars of medical,
wellness, nutrition and movement, it
has become a true pioneer in the field
of longevity.
In a sense, the clinic has ‘two souls’ –
its role as a medical centre, and also as
an award-winning spa, where the ratio
of staff to guest is akin to that of a luxury
hotel. Over 50 medical specialists and
200 therapists are on-hand, delivering
expertise that shapes personalised
programmes for each guest – all within
five-star accommodation.
With Geneva airport just an hour
away, upscale international guests
journey to the establishment with high
expectations, primed to invest valuable
time in their equally valuable health. It’s
an opportunity to re-energise, relax and
recharge, as well as an opportunity to
look and feel younger on departure; the
overarching allure is the clinic’s promise
to ‘unlock the secret of living.’
Clinique La Prairie’s new Private
Retreat in Verbier puts a new spin on this
assurance: it’s the secret of luxury living
– an abode where wellness, health and a
warm welcome reside in total comfort.
“My thought was about how to take
our guest experience to the next level of
excellence?” explains Simone Gibertoni,
CEO at the iconic clinic. “The answer was
to offer the ultimate bespoke experience:
Clinique La Prairie at the exclusive
service of the guest, in utmost privacy,
with no compromise in medical expertise.
Every day we enjoy the view of the Alps
from the clinic, so a refined chalet in the
Swiss mountains was the perfect venue
for this bespoke concept,” he enthuses.
24

AIR X CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE
The result is a resplendent mountain
enclave with four spacious en suite
bedrooms, crowned with a penthouse
master suite that has both a jacuzzi and
a private terrace (which boasts those
panoramic vistas of the Swiss Alps).
Among the array of amenities are an
indoor infinity pool, a massage therapy
room, a Spa room (with jacuzzi, sauna
and hammam), fully equipped indoor
and outdoor fitness spaces, a Canadian
cedar wood hot tub and – for moments of
evening entertainment – the chalet has a
private cinema and billiard table.
An on-site personal spa therapist, chef
and waiter cater to the whims of every
VIP, while a private driver whisks guests
to the clinic and back in utmost privacy.
To deliver a comprehensive, 360°
experience, the clinic has bundled
its chalet stay with either the famous
Revitalisation programme or Master
Detox, promising an unforgettable week
(with lasting benefits). Both
programmes include compelling medical
screenings and genetic tests, with the
outcome being to better the guest’s
lifestyle by resetting mind and body,
eliminating toxins, and regenerating cells
– kickstarting a healthier lifestyle.
The Private Retreat is serenity to
complement the science – a thoughtfully
cultivated space in which to reflect on the
clinic’s proposed pathways to a better self,
while breathing in invigorating mountain
air. In the home of holistic healthcare,
there’s a whole new reason to feel at home.
The Revitalisation programme or
Master Detox with one-week Verbier
chalet stay is offered from the end of April
to September – package starting from
CHF100,000. For further information
on these bespoke treatment packages,
visit cliniquelaprairie.com
25

Critique
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Art
AIR
or an artist who was described
“Fin his lifetime as the World’s
Greatest Living Painter – that was
the billing for his London exhibition in
1908 – it’s interesting the way Joaquín
Sorolla has fallen off the radar,” posits
Melanie McDonagh in Evening Standard.
Sorolla: Spanish Master of Light shows
at the National Gallery in London until
7 July. “Insanely popular in his day, to
the extent that New Yorkers queued in
heavy snow to view his large and florid
paintings, he is almost forgotten in
ours. Or at least he might be, if not for
his virtuoso effects and his singular
reputation as the master of Spanish
sunlight,” says Laura Cumming, for
The Guardian. “It is hardly possible to
stand before these enormous canvases,
thick with paint, without feeling at least
something of their appeal, a combination
of the obvious and comfortable relish in
their making, and the irreducible beauty
of sunlight itself.” He,“ends up being
neither rigidly traditional nor particularly
forward-thinking, neither exceptional
nor awful, and in the process he gets
a bit lost. He’s not a great painter,
but he is a good one, with some great
Sewing the Sail, 1896, by Joaquín Sorolla. Oil on canvas, 222 × 300 cm. Galleria Internazionale
d’Arte Moderna di Ca’ Pesaro, Venice 2018 © Photo Archive - Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia
moments. Hey, we can’t all be Monets.
Some of us have to be Sorollas,” quips
Eddy Frankel in Time Out London.
“Heads up: this is a difficult show,”
cautions Time Out’s Chris Waywell of the
Don McCullin review, at Tate Britain. “It
documents in crisp detail some of the
most shameful aspects of humanity
over the last 60-odd years... A lot of
the images here were commissioned
by newspapers and magazines to show
their readers those shameful aspects
of humanity, and were never meant to
be coolly appraised in a big art gallery:
they were meant to be spattered with
the cornflakes you’d just choked over.”
Here “Is the camera that took a bullet
instead of its owner.... Here is the
American soldier, traumatised, staring
back. Here are the villagers, displaced.
Here are the living and here are the dead.
Here are things I prefer not to describe,”
says a torn Adrian Searle in The
Guardian. “The veteran photographer’s
images of war, poverty and atrocity
shines light on the unconscionable. It’s
almost overwhelming.” Laura Cumming
says it amounts to, “A moral position
with regard to the world in which we
live: no human suffering must be
ignored, all the horrors must be told.”
“Few photographers have obtained the
mythic stature of Robert Mapplethorpe,”
say Time Out New York of Implicit
Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now shows at
the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
until 10 July. “This two-part
retrospective that marks the 30 th
anniversary of his death.” Over time,
“Perceptions [of his work] have radically
changed,” explains Charlotte Jansen
for British Journal of Photography.
“Between the 1990s and the mid
2000s, his open themes were deemed
“unfashionably sincere”, as Vince Aletti
reports in Artforum... The question that
hangs over the contemporary audience
is to what extent we are now conditioned
to self-censor – something that is
harder to perceive and dismantle.” He
was, “Far too ambitious to pursue a
medium that had so little respect in
the art world... [Yet] with a camera, he
discovered he could shape his world
into visions of startling beauty... His
photographs are less scandalous
now, but still striking,” enthuses The
Economist, in its Prospero column.
26

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28

Art & Design
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Nation Building
Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival is a unique
platform, enabling creatives like photographer Eddie Ryan
to contribute to the UAE’s burgeoning art narrative
WORDS: CHRIS UJMA
The ochre-hued hamlet of Al
Jazirah Al Hamra has long been
a silent guardian, observing
the nation’s march toward modernity.
For decades, this northern emirate
coastal town had settled into its fate
as a deserted heritage treasure; its
assortment of 16 th century coral stone
abodes delighting avid historians.
Until recently, that is, when Ras Al
Khaimah Fine Arts Festival (RAKFAF).
breathed new life into the town by making
it an apt home for its seventh edition.
From its outset, the intention of the
festival has been to showcase local
and international artists, musicians,
and filmmakers.
Those who commit their
interpretations, experiences and
memories of the UAE to a lasting
artform are embraced by the festival,
which “Champions the local talent who
represent our community and enrich our
understanding of the world we live in”,
enthuses Suqrat bun Bisher, the Director
of RAKFAF. “Art transcends generations,
connecting our past and our present.”
One of the enticing aspects of RAKFAF
is the diversity of its contributors, and
among the 70 participating artists is
Irish photographer Eddie Ryan, whose
piercing photography studies of classic
and contemporary UAE architecture are
visual signposts of just how the nation
has bridged its past with the future.
When he first arrived here six years
ago, Ryan was living in Ras Al Khaimah,
and wanted to get to know the emirate
and its neighbours. “I started off by just
driving around, as that’s how I like to
work, by getting out into a landscape,”
he explains of his desire to dig deeper.
“The glitz of the Burj Al Arab and the
roar of supercars are a wonderful side
to the country, but there are many other
layers to peel away.”
RAKFAF was instrumental to his
photography deep dive. In 2014, Ryan
submitted one of his early photographs,
taken on Ras Al Khaimah’s corniche –
and was duly awarded with the prize
for the best photograph that year.
Buoyed by the honour, Ryan spent
the resulting years building an
arresting portfolio that depicts a broad
spectrum of UAE scenes: historic places
of worship and craggy gateways that
frame mountain vistas, right through to
sleek, soaring skyscrapers. Even to the
most adventurous explorer, his more
obscure Instagram uploads can evoke an
incredulous ‘That scene is in the UAE?!’
During the week, Ryan runs the
Graphic Design programme at Middlesex
University in Knowledge Park, while on
Fridays he becomes the avid shutterbug,
going wherever his camera’s curiosity
leads. Within the country’s photography
rules, he has found a foothold in which to
creatively flourish.
“My style came about by studying
the laws governing photography in the
UAE – which of course are there to
be followed,” he defers. “As a creative
person, I developed an aesthetic that is
respectful of the culture and the laws,
yet is still distinctive.”
Well, both the law, and the light. A
pivotal moment for Ryan was finding
that late afternoon, when the sunlight
is less intense with its glare, provides
the perfect framing for his captures.
“On Friday I tend to go walking
through parts of Dubai, for those two
or three hours in the afternoon when
things are peaceful and quiet,” the
weekend wanderer explains, “And one
afternoon I saw a particular minaret
in Karama, where the sun framed the
minaret’s unusual surfaces in just
the right amount of light sensitivity,
highlighting its Brutalist, minimalistic
design,” he recalls.
Once Ryan had processed that stark
first image, he felt compelled to seek
out other minarets at that time of day,
“In order to capture the correlation
between the softness of the light and
the peace of the city during those
hours”. It blossomed into the Before
Asr series, which is emblematic of his
signature black and white concept.
So effective were the snaps that it
became Ryan’s ‘magic hour’; a prime
time to document other architecture.
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Opening pages: Zayed Grand Mosque, in Abu Dhabi
Above: The spiralled Jumeirah 2 ‘Tomorrow’ Bridge is
a walkway located along the Dubai Water Canal route.
All images courtesy Eddie Ryan / @ryaner99
I developed an aesthetic that is respectful of
the culture and the laws, yet is still distinctive
“I’ll often walk the streets of Al
Satwa,” he explains, “Because there’s
a lot of interesting urban development
happening there, and that light source
is ideal for capturing images of the
skyscrapers – where the sun does not
bounce so fiercely off the buildings.”
The striking Before Asr photography
pieces find themselves among the
myriad artworks at RAKFAF 2019,
which Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al
Qasimi (UAE Supreme Council
Member and Ruler of Ras Al
Khaimah), describes as “Highlighting
our past and present, bringing our
traditions, successes and visions to
centre stage”.
On that note, Ryan admits that
despite submitting photographs to the
festival for years, it still feels slightly
surreal to be featured on the platform,
contributing images that help weave an
artistic tale that charts UAE history.
“In the course of conversation with
some who grew up here, they’ve
commented that particular images
bring back cherished childhood
memories,” he says, by way of mission
(partly) accomplished.
Ryan’s hope is that in an everchanging
cityscape, the photos will
exist as a testament to how some of the
less-visited areas once looked. In an
overarching sense, his works attempt
to capture the ordinary, everyday sense
of Dubai, which can be overlooked by
being preoccupied with life.
“I didn’t just come here for the
sunshine; I have a genuine interest
in the culture and traditions of the
Middle East,” he reflects. “It’s an
honour to have my art included in
that mix of international and local
perspectives because, after all, that
diversity is what the country itself is
built upon.”
Eddie Ryan is among the array of local
and international artists whose work
is being showcased at Ras Al Khaimah
Fine Arts Festival 2019. The event’s
outdoor exhibition shows through April
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Al Jazirat Al Hamra minaret, in Ras Al Khamiah, is a structure that
dates back to the 14 th century
The contemporary design of Etihad Museum, which opened to
the public in 2017, on Dubai’s Jumeirah St.
Photograph of a minaret, taken “In the stillness of a Friday
afternoon”, as part of Eddie Ryan’s Before Asr series
Al Yaqoub Tower and surrounding skyscrapers, which flank
Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai – opposite Satwa
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE
OBJECTS OF DESIRE
Master craftsmanship, effortless style and timeless appeal;
this month’s must-haves and collectibles

OBJECTS OF DESIRE
ROGER DUBUIS
EXCALIBUR – HURACÁN PERFORMANTE
Power, performance, precision... The
partnership between rockstar watchmakers
Roger Dubuis and supercar savants
Lamborghini is a partnership where
horsepower meets horology. The 45mm
timepiece, a limited edition of just 88, is the
latest high watchmaking creation from the
collaboration, and a new, self-winding inhouse
calibre (with 60 hour power reserve)
was developed for the occasion. Design cues
are drawn from the car itself – for instance, on
the upper calibre a strut-bar designed bridge
recalls those of the Huracán’s V10 engine. It’s
high octane haute horology at its best.
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE
CHANEL HIGH JEWELLERY
ROUGE INCANDESCENT
The camellia motif, so dear to the maison,
makes a graceful reappearance in a high
jewellery suite that is as versatile as it
is beautiful. This white gold necklace is
transformable, with its detachable 7.61-carat
Mozambique ruby camellia able to be worn as
a distinct brooch; once removed, it reveals an
openwork flower pattern (comprised of rubies
and baguette cut diamonds) in its place. It’s a
concept that harks back to Coco Chanel’s first
high jewellery collection, where fluid designs
could be worn in a variety of ways.
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE
ALTUZARRA
PLAY
Two years in the making, Altuzarra’s
flirtatious Play bag may be the ‘it’ tote of the
moment, but it means business in the fashion
stakes – perhaps because it embraces a sense
of both casual and classy, with the relaxed
boho silhouette offset by luxurious, soft
leather. “Women are looking for a bag that
can do a lot for them – transition from day to
evening and weekday to weekend, and one
that’s a little casual but can also look dressy,”
its creator, Joseph Altuzarra, told Vogue.
“That has been a fun challenge.”
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE
ASTON MARTIN
VALKYRIE
Aston Martin grabbed headlines at last
month’s Geneva Int’l Motor Show, and its
limited edition hyrbid electric hypercar
is the reason why. Due for release early
next year, the otherworldly Valkyrie
boasts a V12, a blistering 986bhp and –
given that only 150 will be produced – a
USD2.5million pricetag. The outlandish
creation is the result of a collaboration
with Red Bull Racing, and is deemed as
close to a Formula One car can be
without being restricted to the track.
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5

OBJECTS OF DESIRE
KENZO
LA COLLECTION MEMENTO N.4
For the fourth edition of its Memento
collection, Kenzo has styled an assortment
of lifestyle pieces exclusively for its Dubai
Mall boutique (the brand’s flagship store for
the Middle East region, which opened late
January). The lineup summons inspiration
from the creative archives: the tiger logo
symbolises the French brand’s strength
and power, while the designs celebrate
its propensity for prints and graphics (an
homage to founder Kenzo Takada’s fun side).
It’s limited edition, with unlimited creativity.
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE
MARLI
CLEO BY MARLI
Maral Artinan founded her New Yorkbased
fine jewellery brand with a desire to
create timeless elegance, and there are few
more-historic examples of that spirit than
the great Cleopatra. As such, the pyramids
of diamonds that grace this contemporary
jewelley collection are an homage to
the legend of Egypt’s accomplished
queen. Speaking of the Middle East,
the brand now has a presence in the
UAE – having recently unveiled a store
at The Dubai Mall.
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE
SOTHEBY’S LONDON
PICASSO’S MENAGERIE
Pablo Picasso’s daughter Paloma once
detailed, “We had a menagerie in the
house, and my father was like St. Francis
of Assisi – animals couldn’t resist his aura”
– and six lots (up at auction this month)
were shaped by the artist’s admiration for
the animal kingdom. The coveted works
are inspired by both his beloved owl and
goat, with interpretations of birds, bulls
and mythological creatures, too. Sotheby’s
London hosts its ‘Highlights from Picasso’s
Menagerie’ sale on 9 April.
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Timepieces
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Best of Baselworld
TARIQ MALIK
The annual Baselworld show
has been running for more than
a century now, and even with
the recent changes in the watchmaking
market, it remains the world’s most
important horological event.
Despite the Swatch Group stepping
away from Basel this year, the industry
leaders have unfailingly treated us to
a smorgasbord of style, precision, and
innovation with their new creations.
Here are my favourite new reveals.
Tudor – Black Bay Chronograph
Steel & Gold
Two years ago at Baselworld, Tudor won
over a lot of new fans with the release
of their first Black Bay Chronograph in
steel. Its new S&G release has perhaps
made an even bigger splash.
Though design links between Rolex and
Tudor are always going to be mentioned
(even though it is not openly flaunted),
the younger brand is steadily carving out
its own groove.
The new black on gold theme reminds
me of the JPS (John Player Special)
racing-inspired Daytonas from the
1970s, (always a vintage favourite), but
executed here in a fresh and modern
way. The gold pushers, bezel, crown and
sub-dials are a nice touch to a watch
that is already set to become a classic in
its own right.
Patek Philippe – World Time Ref. 5231J
/ Calatrava Weekly Calendar
For more than 80 years, Patek Philippe,
(the undisputed ‘kings of complication’),
have presented some of the most
intricate and beautiful wristwatches
and pocket watches ever seen. From
unthinkable super-complications through
to the elegant simplicity of the Nautilus,
down to the more refined dress watches,
their legacy is one of excellence.
This year the brand unveils a new World
Time model in a case which is almost
identical to the superb 2523, from 1953.
The cloisonné enamel detail on the dial,
however, is something new. It depicts
Europe, Africa, the Americas, with thin
gold wires framed by a revolving 24-hour
day/night chapter ring. All of this is
finished off with the familiar alligator
leather strap, with gold folding buckle.
Let it not be said, however, that Patek
Philippe never stray from tradition. Its
Weekly Calendar dial, released this
year, has an interesting twist: handwritten
text. Thierry Stern, head of the
company, explained that the watch
design reminded him of his old school
calendar, and so the decision was
made to go with that instead of a
formalised font.
The rest of the design elements have
a decidedly vintage feel, which always
appeals to my vintage sensibilities.
The elegant steel case, the two-step
lugs, smooth steel finish, and the
vintage-styled calf-skin strap create an
overall feel that reminds me strongly of
the Calatravas of the 1960s/70s. In my
book it’s one of the most desirable (and
affordable) Calatravas yet.
Rolex – GMT-Master II Ref. 126710
/ Yacht-Master 42
As one of the oldest and most respected
watchmakers, Rolex sidesteps flashy
new releases or bold design changes in
favour of slow and steady refinement of
its timelessness.
This year, the pick of the new releases
is its updated ‘Batman’ GMT-Master II
Ref. 126710 ‘Bleu & Noir’ with jubilee
bracelet. The original international
traveller’s companion sets the
benchmark for GMT watches, and the
new ‘Batman’ bezel makes a welcome
addition to last year’s updated blue and
red ‘Pepsi’ bezel.
Also making an appearance at the
2019 show are new updates to the
Sea-Dweller in two-tone ‘Rolesor’ steel
and yellow gold, the Rolex Day-Date 36
‘Rainbow’ and the GMT-Master II BLRO
with meteorite dial in white gold.
There’s also an upsized Yacht-Master
42, which is the archetypal sailing watch,
and has always featured a 40mm case.
Rolex has introduced a 42mm model,
equipped with new-generation calibre
3235 and created from 18ct white gold,
fitted on an Oysterflex bracelet.
Dubai’s DIFC is home to Momentum,
Tariq’s co-founded vintage watch
boutique. momentum-dubai.com
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Timepieces
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
Peak
Performance
Skier Alexis Pinturault came away from the slopes of
Sweden with two prized possessions – a momentous
World Championship gold medal, and his trusty
Richard Mille RM 67-02
WORDS: CHRIS UJMA
Ordinarily, when a sportsman’s
career goes downhill, it
isn’t a cause for celebration.
For an elite alpine skier, though, an
accomplished descent is the name
of the game – and few are as adept
at the task as Alexis Pinturault.
‘Pintu’ is a World Cup alpine ski
racer, Olympic medallist and, as of
February, secured his status as world
champion in the Alpine Combined
category for the first time, seeing
off 50 of his on-slope rivals.
The success was long on the cards:
the Savoie-born skier was raised in the
French Alps region, and started skiing
“At the age of two – making my first
turns on the slopes just next to Hotel
Annapurna [the Pinturault family hotel]”,
he says. Now 29, his triumph at the FIS
Alpine World Ski Championships is no
small feat for the skier or, indeed, for
his nation; the victory in Åre ended a
37-year wait for a Frenchman to take
gold in the discipline (which comprises
tests in both downhill and slalom).
To hurtle 1,033m in 1min 8secs takes
both skill and a snowpile amount of
daring: one of his soundbites relays, “If my
words are sometimes taken as arrogant,
it is that they are misinterpreted. I
have goals, and to achieve them you
need to have self-confidence.” It is
this exact tenacity and unflinching
determination that is reflected in the
Swiss-made watches of Richard Mille.
Pinturault’s partnership as a friend
of the brand started at the beginning
of the 2014 season, and it describes
his focus as ‘an intransigent search for
excellence’. Draguignan-born Mille, a
compatriot of Pinturault, is a proponent
of putting his elite timepieces through
the gauntlet, opening horology to active
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All images:
Promotional shots of the World
Champion French skier wearing his
RM 67-02 Alexis Pinturault, at a ski
clinic
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collaboration with partners at the
pinnacle of their respective disciplines.
This made Pintu an ideal addition
to the brand’s athlete collective that
already includes the likes of tennis hero
Rafa Nadal, Jamaican sprinter Yohan
Blake and heptathlete Nafi Thiam.
Richard Mille maintains that these
brand friendships (he downplays the
word ‘ambassador’) are not reliant
on an individual’s success: the brand
stands alongside the athlete on their
career arc through ups and downs,
podium highs and injury melancholy.
Still, Pinturault’s triumph in
February had Richard Mille beaming
with praise, and at every twist and
turn on Swedish slopes, the soonto-be
champion was sporting his
specially-developed ‘RM’ watch.
The skier first dipped into the Richard
Mille suite of over 70 timepieces by
favouring the RM 035 NTPT Ultimate
Edition, and for two seasons of the
Alpine Ski World Cup he wore a version
with a case made of magnesium and
aluminium alloy. Then, Richard
Mille developed a timepiece with
the athlete’s name to it: the RM 67-
02 Automatic Alexis Pinturault.
It is a variant on the 67-01 Extraflat
Automatic template – a 50-hour power
reserve timepiece which Richard
Mille developed to adapt to different
sporting arenas, such as for tennis player
Alexander Zverev (where a red Quartz
TPT version of the 67-02 was primed for
his on-court battles), and another variant
for five-time World Rally Championship
victor Sébastien Ogier to keep time
when at the wheel of his Citroën.
Pinturault’s is deemed an ‘Extra Flat
in a sporty version’, and his own RM
67-02 namesake is decorated in the red,
white and blue of the French tricolor.
It’s a timepiece perfectly adapted for
skiing in extreme temperatures and
at high altitude, whilst maintaining
perfect ergonomics – as requested
by Alexis himself. Suffice to say, it
is both accurate and resilient.
The self-winding movement, called
the CRMA7, is machined out of grade 5
titanium. Richard Mille engineers explain
that each aspect of the mechanism was
subjected to extreme tests, to ensure
optimal strength; indeed, the brand’s
relentless research and development
testing pushes watch components to
the brink, in order for its timepieces
to emerge unscathed from the furnace
(or icy blast) of competition.
The CRMA7 is protected by a strong,
ergonomic case which – thanks to
cutting-edge composite materials –
feels barely there when on the wrist.
This is achieved thanks to Quartz
TPT, the famed Richard Mille registered
trademark material, composed of
over 600 layers of parallel filaments
obtained from separating silica threads.
It ensures exceptional resistance to
shocks, belying the slim profile of the
crystal/caseband/caseback assembly.
Despite the watch’s sizable 47mm
presence, the tonneau case is made of
this Quartz TPT (in white) and also
Carbon TPT, which keeps its overall
weight down to a remarkable 32g (indeed,
the RM 67-02 is the lightest automatic
watch in the Richard Mille collection).
There’s ingenuity in every millimetre of
this watch – right down to the seamless,
non-slip comfort band strap, developed
to fit like a second skin, an absolute
necessity at the highest levels of sport.
Pinturault has dedicated years of focus
to conquering the slopes, and is backed
by equipment that received equal focus
to become the best in the business.
“To make a mark on your sport,
you have to win everywhere. And to
win, you have to ski fast,” Pintu has
mused. Richard Mille can’t make time
go by any faster, but it has made its
mark on the watchmaking discipline
by ensuring that its timepieces
can prevail, almost anywhere.
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‘
It’s a timepiece perfectly adapted for skiing in
extreme temperatures and at high altitude
– as requested by Alexis himself
’
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38

Jewellery
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
A Sacred
Allure
Indicative of its high jewellery prowess, the
Guarani collection by Akillis is a gateway to
understanding the maison’s avant-garde energy
The Paraíba tourmaline is a
cultural gem of South America
– a rare and enigmatic Brazilian
find – and when Caroline Gaspard
was renewing her vows on honeymoon
in the region, she also had her heart
captured by this particular gift from
nature. “We went on a world tour,
getting re-married eight times,” the
founder of jewellery maison Akillis
explains. “I’m fascinated with tribal
jewels and I wanted to add an ethnic
stone to our high jewellery collection.”
The resulting suite – created to
celebrate the 10 th anniversary of
Gaspard’s jewellery house, which
she formed in 2008 – is the Guarani
collection, inspired by the Amazonian
art of the Guarani tribe. Its focal
point is a supple tribal necklace
bejwelled with 180 lagoon blue
Paraíba stones that, when mounted
on white gold with white diamonds,
evoke a ‘floating’ effect.
“The suite is the perfect addition to
the Akillis family,” explains Gaspard.
“Not only is the Paraíba tourmaline
known for its beauty, it’s one of the most
sought-after gems in the world, due
to its rarity. The necklace I created is
very pure and you have the impression
that every circular row is literally
flying in weightlessness on the skin.”
For the maison, sources of
inspiration can often be historic
(even the name itself is influenced
by Greek mythology, and Achilles).
Yet at just over a decade old, it is
relatively young; Gaspard herself
was born in 1981. As the majestic,
totem-esque Guarani collection
implies with its distinctive colour and
cut, this is not your grandmother’s
antique-producing company.
“High jewellery is becoming more
accessible and wearable, and we have
steered away from ‘jewellery in a
safety box’, only to be worn for special
occasions scenario that we used to see so
often,” Gaspard enlightens. “Jewellery
buyers are younger and are looking
for bolder designs, that still represent
luxury and beauty. New generations
are looking for smaller pieces that you
can wear and accumulate every day.”
Young, feminine, successful…
the brand, then, is somewhat
forged in her own image. “As part
of this segment myself, I created
Akillis because I wanted to provide
something that catered to this
request, and to my vision of how high
jewellery should look,” she adds.
Gaspard’s fascination with gems
and jewellery was ingrained from a
young age. “As a child, I was somewhat
surrounded by jewellery. First of all,
my mother always had a real passion
for precious stones, and a family friend
worked in the diamond industry and
always brought beautiful stones to
our home. It became the perfect game
All images:
The Guarani high
jewellery collection
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I wanted to create
“ collections never
seen before – I’m
not into imitation
”
AIR
for me to imagine how to transform
diamonds and gemstones into bracelets,
rings or necklaces. When I was just
15 years old, I started to draw and
create jewellery for my friends and
family. Everyone fell in love with the
designs and it brought me such joy, so
I decided to continue the adventure.”
At decade later, she hit the jewellery
world with a bang (or a Bang Bang, to
be precise), with bullet shaped pendant
pieces. The founder went on to open a
boutique in Paris, a workshop in Lyon,
and last year unveiled a new home on
354 rue Saint-Honoré, near the famed
jewellery quarter of Place Vendôme –
though she feels the maison’s mindset
sets it apart from its storied neighbours.
“When I created Akillis, I noticed that
there were only fashion accessories
and high jewellery pieces with a classic
aesthetic, and I had also experienced
a lot of jewellery houses refusing to
produce on-demand pieces for my close
friends,” she recounts. “I wanted to
have my very own brand where anybody
could ask what they really wanted, and
I could create it. I wanted to create
collections never seen before, and I’m
not into imitation. I wanted to create
unique jewellery for people who are
not afraid to display their singularity.
As opposed to the strict habits of some
high jewellery houses, I consider that
each person deserves to have a custom
piece of jewellery. This explains why we
have many requests for customisation:
our clients adhere to our philosophy.”
Gaspard confesses that her travel
adventures spark spontaneous ideas,
which come to her “constantly.” When
creating new pieces or a new collection,
she projects herself “Through the
stones and the final piece, always
trying to imagine myself wearing it.
If it’s not talking to my heart, I don’t
continue with the project. When I see
a precious stone, I immediately know
what I want to do with it and can
envisage how the piece will look.”
Still, her concepts have to be
achievable, from a production
standpoint. For her first high jewellery
necklaces, called ‘Capture Me’, “It was
hard to find a compromise between
flexibility and strength, but I always
work with the best workshops in
France, so we finally made it through
and found the perfect balance for
creating new beautiful pieces,” she says.
It was a technical achievement, using
gold and diamonds and transforming
them into a flexible piece without any
clasps, giving a sensation of fluidity to
the necklace. “It’s always nice to have
a lot of crazy ideas for new designs,
but sometimes your imagination can
step out of the realm of the actual
creation process,” Gaspard smiles.
She has said previously that Akillis
is for, “A woman of our times – a very
independent and strong woman. It is
not for a weak and angelic woman,
it’s for a strong woman. The piece
you choose asks what role you
want to play today.” As such, the
collections she creates are driven
by a desire to inject an edgy, rock
twist into the jewellery market.
“Our philosophy is all about inventing
new codes and casting out stereotypes,”
the founder urges.“The innovative
designs of the brand express lust for
life, for love, and the willpower to be
different.” It’s another vow that she
happens to renew, with every collection.
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42

As the final season of HBO’s medieval saga roars to life,
Games of Thrones star Emilia Clarke bids farewell to her
empowering, dragon-blooded character – but not to the experience
INTERVIEW: PETE CARROLL
ADDITIONAL WORDS: CHRIS UJMA
When Emilia Clarke was
first cast to play Daenerys
Targaryen in 2011, it was a
breakthrough moment for the Londonborn
actress. Her powerful character
is a protagonist in Game of Thrones,
HBO’s made-for-TV adaptation of
George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novel
series, which served as a launchpad for
Clarke – and the royal role has defined
her career for the best part of a decade.
For all cast members, not just Clarke,
the run will soon come to an end.
Her reign spans 73 episodes, but
audiences are currently laser-focused
on the final six and, by all accounts,
the eighth and final season (which
premieres on 14 April) promises to be an
explosive end to the captivating saga.
“Walking into season eight for Daenerys
is much the same as everyone else – on
eggshells,” she admits. “I feel like every
character was left on a bit of a cliff edge,
in a precarious situation. So yeah, even for
Daenerys it’s that way, there’s a development
that happens within the season.”
When Clarke first laid hands on
the final season script, she was
anxious to see how the narrative was
set to finish. (Her character, for the
unimitated, is one of the last remaining
members of her family ‘house’, and
the dragon-rearing ruler is hellbent
on reclaiming the Seven Kingdoms).
“I was sent the script and I read it
in an afternoon, because we get sent
all of the episodes,” she reveals. “And
then I just left my house with my keys
and walked for about three hours
around London, aimlessly wandering
– because it’s so epic. There’s a lot that
happens.” Very tantalising – though
of course, she cannot proffer more.
What she can share is being a “big
fan” of television shows finishing when
“you’re still ready for more, because
then you’re as engaged with it as you
were in the beginning, and I think that’s
really important. It [can] go on too long,
and you’re doing a disservice to the
characters, and to the writing. I think it’s
important to have that ‘want for more’.”
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44

10 years of anyone’s life is filled to the
“ brim with big moments. And so saying
goodbye is kind of just bittersweet
”
Clarke confesses to feeling the pressure
of disappointing the fans with the final
season of such a colossal show, though.
“Always. Always. Because the fans are the
ones who have made the show. You want
very much for everyone to be happy, but
in the final season of any show there’s
going to be disappointed people, there’s
going to be upset people, and there’s going
to be fights within friendship groups.
And this is just the final bit of that.”
An ardent fan base – chomping at the
bit while waiting for the final season,
with time on their hands – has naturally
resulted in an avalanche of theories and
guesswork about the direction the series
will take. All of which Clarke blocks out.
“I genuinely never Google myself, and
never read anything about the show
online. Nothing. Absolutely nothing at
all. I do not find it helpful for my mental
health. It’s just too much, there are a lot
of opinions out there. So no, I don’t read
any of that stuff. There’s stuff that people
say to me like, ‘Do you believe that she’s an
alien?’ I do hear a lot of it – but you also
come up with your own theories, you come
up with your own ideas and then you read
the script and go, ‘Oh I was wrong…’”
Clarke feels emotional in saying goodbye
to her character – “Every single actor on
this show will have their own personal
story that goes alongside the show, that
marks important chapters as to who they
are, defining moments in your life,” she
adds. “10 years of anyone’s life is filled to
the brim with big moments. And so saying
goodbye to the show, saying goodbye
to Daenerys, for me, is saying goodbye
to a lot of those massive moments. And
so it’s kind of just bittersweet. It’s the
single most defining thing that has
happened to me in my life. It took me
from being a child to being an adult. And
it’s just magic that that’s happened.”
Looking back, what does the Emilia
of today say about some of those early
scenes – which contained nudity? “Oh
heavens, this question,” she smiles.
“On a story level, we needed to see
the struggles that Daenerys has been
through to have any of the empathy,
understanding, and liking of her as a
human. You had to see it, it couldn’t just
be explained. So there’s not one part of
the show that I would go back and redo.
That I keep getting asked the ‘nudity
question’ lately is interesting, and tells me
about the society that we’re living in, as
opposed to anything. But my short answer
is no, I would never change anything.”
The role has “Absolutely” changed her
as a woman though, she muses. “Lord
knows what I’d be without her,” she
laughs. “I don’t know where I’d be, I don’t
know what I’d be doing. But yeah, I had
absolutely no idea what it was that I was
walking into. This is something that’s
kind of coming up and I’m realising now
that I really had no idea about anything
when I started the show. Nothing. The
industry, acting, TV, society, politics
– nothing. I had no idea. I was 22.”
Not just for Clarke. D.B Weiss and David
Benioff, the show’s creators, told Vanity
Fair that her character in the series is a
combination of Joan of Arc, Lawrence of
Arabia and Napoleon. A character with those
attributes is bound to appeal to the public –
indeed, female politicians in Spain were even
seen sporting t-shirts bearing a Daenerys
quote, ‘I’m not a princess – I’m a khaleesi.’
“It’s a show that talks about power, and
that puts women in a place of power,
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and I think that that’s unique,” assesses
Clarke. “It’s a political show and also
a fantastical show, set in a fantastical
time in a fantastical world. But you are
putting women in a position of power.
So for that to have any resonance for
any woman in society – who is in a
position of power, or is looking to be in
a position of power – then it’s beautiful
that the parallel is being drawn.”
They are incredibly different worlds,
she continues, “But the essentials – the
fundamentals of having an idea, believing
it in enough to have people back you,
and then to believe in that idea and
promote yourself as someone who can
lead bodies of people – are of course a
similar thing. In our fantastical world
the gender divide is what it is, in our
society it is also what it is. I think there’s
some parallels that you can draw, for
sure. Though with less fire, less death.”
Such a profoundly written
character, played out over eight
seasons, was bound to seep into
Clarke’s own real life persona, too.
“To put it one way, it has sort of allowed
me to ‘fake it ‘til you make it’. A lot of
Daenerys’ scenes have been in front
of a lot of people, giving big speeches
so just on a very practical level, me as
Emilia having to get up and speak to
300 extras in a fake language, really
convincing them of something, requires
a lot of strength,” she explains.
“Daenerys has asked me to do that at
each turn. They have asked me to walk
through fire, legitimately walk through
fire. And I’m definitely one to do as
one’s told: as an actor you learn lines
and stand on a mark. So when they ask
you to walk through fire and you do,
there’s a part of you that goes, ‘I just did
that! That’s cool. That’s really cool.’”
It has been a wild ride – for both
Daenerys and Clarke. “I mean there’s been
genuinely so many crazy moments, she
says, adding with a laugh, “I don’t want
to bring it up again, but there was this
Brad Pitt thing that happened to me…”.
She’s talking about the time Brad Pitt
bid (unsuccessfully) to watch Game of
Thrones with her, at Sean Penn’s annual
charity gala auction in aid of Haiti.
“I was literally thinking, ‘This is not
even happening, this is some crazy dream’
and I’m going to wake up, 12 years old,
saying ‘That was a good dream.’ It [the
auction] got up to some high numbers
and there was Brad Pitt leaning back in
his chair and bidding. It was incredible…
So that was one of the more-recent
fabulous moments that would have
never happened,” says a tickled Clarke.
She is not necessarily turning her
back on the fantasy genre, though. Her
performances thus far have led to silver
screen opportunities such as starring
opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in
Terminator Genisys, and playing Qi’ra in
Solo: A Star Wars Story. Her approach
is to ‘never say never’ to anything, she
admits. “As an actor I think it’s important
to keep doing as many different things
as possible to just find more textures to
your life and to your skills, and I think
the only way you can do that is by trying
everything on for size,” Clarke professes.
“So I’m not saying no, I’m just probably
not saying it will be my next thing.”
But it is worth remembering that there
is a woman beneath the wig; Clarke
memorably said, around the season three
mark, that nobody would recognise her
without the wardrobe prop. “I get very
guarded about my anonymity. You know,
I like going to the butchers and having
a chat and it being a normal thing. I like
human interaction, I value it, I appreciate
it, it’s what makes me feel happy. So
when that’s taken in that way, of someone
looking at you in a different guise, it can
be incredibly difficult – sort of anxiety
inducing. And so the recognition has
increased, for sure. Obviously there’s no
getting away from it, but I think that you
can live a life that is free of the trappings
of paparazzi and that kind of thing.”
And the actor is grateful for the
recognition it has bestowed upon her
life. “It’s opened a lot of doors that would
remain firmly shut to me otherwise. It still
is incredibly difficult to make anything,
even if you’re Brad Pitt,” she explains. “It’s
still difficult to go, ‘Hey I have this idea,
give me some money and we can put it into
a thing, and people will watch it and it’s
sort of the biggest gamble you’ll ever take.’”
What it has done, though, “Is allowed
me to have some doors opened, and
the tagline it comes with when I’m
walking into that room is ‘strong, female
protagonist’. That gives me goosebumps;
it’s mad. I could never have in a million
years thought that would be the case.
It feels good. It feels very, very good.”
I think there’s
“ some parallels
that you can draw
between the show
and real life.
Though with less
fire, less death
”
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47

From her Chelsea-based boutique,
Mary Quant became the stylistic
heartbeat of the Swinging Sixties
– but there’s more to her influence
than debuting the mini-skirt.
She emboldened women with an
empowering wardrobe, from top to toe
WORDS : CHRIS UJMA
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Mary Quant made London the
centre “ of street style, and of ‘cool’
”
AIR
Quant Afoot, a pair of pixie
cut boots produced for Mary
Quant’s footwear range in 1967,
were both innovative and on-trend.
Made from plastic – one of the new
materials adopted by trendsetting
designers in the 1960s – they resembled
the Chelsea boot with square heel
and toe worn by the Beatles.
Turn them over, and the heels are
molded with a daisy motif – the
signature Quant brand pattern –
causing the wearer to leave a trail
of floral footsteps behind her after
walking through a puddle. It was a
fun and playful detail (values that are
quintessentially Quant) and somewhat
symbolic, too: at a crucial crossroads for
femininity, her fashion enabled women
to make their mark on the world.
Quant clothed the female half of the
Sixties Youthquake by popularising an
array of era-defining statements such
as the mini skirt, hot pants, skinny
rib sweaters and even waterproof
mascara. The self-taught designer
emerged (just twenty-something
years old) in 1955 post-war London;
“A drab and austere landscape, where
rationing was still in place,” explains
Steph Wood, co-curator of the V&A’s
Introducing Mary Quant exhibition.
“In terms of fashion, options for women
at that time were very limited: as a girl,
you dressed like a child until it was
time to dress like your mother, so there
was a real gap in the market in terms
of self-expression. Quant harnessed
the spirit of that younger generation
and offered them something that they
can’t find elsewhere,” she adds.
In many ways, Quant’s designs were a
reaction against the austerity of the time,
and the colourfulness of her creations
reflect the emerging optimism of that
period: growing affluence, social mobility
for young people, higher wages and an
opportunity for higher education. “
There was a whole scene in Chelsea
of actors, artists, philosophers centred
around the King’s Road in 1955,” Wood
puts into context, of Quant’s decision
to set up her famous Bazaar boutique.
“Like those thinkers, she had a vision
for contributing to a new, progressive
identity for post-war London.”
She applied that focus to nonconformist
street style, which resonates
today. “Every London Fashion Week,
there is as much focus on what people
coming to the shows are wearing as
to what is on the catwalk in the actual
collections – and that started with Mary
Quant, who made London the centre
of street style, and cool,” says Wood.
The curator details how Quant used
lightweight, stretchy fabric for freedom
of movement, so that women could
run for buses and go out dancing.
“A lot of those we interviewed
talk about wearing Quant’s pieces
from day to evening; young working
women who would go out dancing
after work, in versatile clothing. It
was about giving women choice, not
creating a homogenous look, and
Quant created fashion as a tool for
expression, for nonconformity, and
for women to compete in life.”
Including herself. At the time, Quant
was young, beautiful (which she still
is, at 89) and in a landscape with few
businesswoman role models, was
someone for women to aspire to.
The slender designer had a daring Vidal
Sassoon bob and daringly pushed the
boundaries, while showing women
how to carry it off. She was both the
architect and the ambassador.
Some of her first collections were
incredibly expensive and women had
to save up for them, but her followup
lines “Took a more egalitarian,
affordable approach; ‘fashion
for everyone,” shares Wood.
“Her collections were high end,
emerging from a couture tradition, yet
were ready-to-wear and mass produced.
The materials and fabrics that she
used were high quality, and she had a
team of seamstresses who were very
skilled. Some of the garments loaned
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Opening pages:
Mary Quant and models
at the Quant Afoot
footwear collection
launch, 1967.
© PA Prints 2008
Previous pages:
Mary Quant, photograph
by Ronald Dumont,
c.1967. © Ronald
Dumont/Stringer/
Getty Images
Left:
Selecting fabric,
1967 © Rolls Press/
Popperfoto/
Getty Images
Opposite:
Model holding a
Bazaar bag c.1959
© Mary Quant Archive
AIR
to the exhibit have been worn by three
generations of women in a family, which
speaks to how timeless a lot of those
designs are, and also how well-made
they are. They stand the test of time.”
It has been 50 years since the last
major retrospective on Mary Quant,
and the interlude had a benefit for
Wood and her co-curator Jenny Lister:
half a century of hidden gems to
unearth. Preceding the exhibition, they
issued a #WeWantQuant campaign,
urging women to get in touch with
their memories and photographs of
treasured pieces. 1,000 responded.
One loan to the exhibit is a
beautiful, simple T-shaped top with
a bold pattern on it, says Wood. “The
owner bought it in 1957 straight out
of the Bazaar window – and it is
such an early piece that it predates
Mary putting her eponymous brand
label on the garments. It’s one of
the earliest pieces that exists.”
Quant also produced publicly
available patterns for women to make
their own Quant designs at home, for
a snip of the price. The V&A obtained
a dress created by a lady – an art
student at the time – who created one
of the Daddy’s Girl designs to wear for
her 21 st birthday. This again speaks
to Quant’s egalitarian ethos approach
that even if you couldn’t afford a Mary
Quant, you could make your own,
from your own choice of fabric.
It’s why her iconic silhouettes seemed
everywhere in London at the time, and
her presence didn’t stop at dresses.
“Her diversity – cosmetics, hats,
undergarments, home dressmaking
patterns, even the toy market with
the Daisy Doll – are testament to her
vision,” enthuses Wood. “This helped
establish her as one of the most varied
lifestyle brands in the world by the mid-
1970s, and the Godmother of accessible
and affordable fashion for all.”
Quant once said, “One of the things
I’ve learned is never to horde ideas,
because either they are not so relevant,
or they’ve gone stale. Whatever it is,
pour it out”– and the breadth of her
creativity stayed true to that mindset.
She produced her own line of makeup
and invented ‘Cry, baby’ waterproof
mascara. She’s associated with the
jersey mini-dress, and was one of the
first designers to promote trousers for
women (at a time where women were
often banned from wearing them in
formal settings like restaurants).
There is a misconception that Quant
invented the mini skirt, says Wood,
though she can be credited with
popularising it. “By 1967 it had become
a symbol of women’s liberation and
London fashion. It was so shocking at
the time.” The designer herself even
admitted it was “not an invention,
but an evolution; women were
demanding an ever-shorter style”.
It’s testament to how Quant was
reactively listening to her audience,
and the notion of giving women choice
means the apt timing of Introducing
Mary Quant is not lost on Wood: “In
the age of #metoo, many women are
marginalised and overlooked, which
makes it a perfect moment to celebrate
a woman who liberated people from
convention and dressing like their
mother, and gave them opportunities,”
she notes, of the exhibition’s pertinence.
“Mary could see the ability of fashion
to be more than just clothes, and
used as an opportunity for liberation,
to promote change in women.”
When the V&A launched its ticket
sales ahead the exhibition, models and
staff who worked with the designer
during the height of her fame were in
attendance, staging a ‘Quant Revival.’
“When I talked to the women who
worked with her, I learnt that she gave
opportunities to a lot of those women at
a time when nobody else would,” says
Wood. “A lot of them excelled within her
company, starting in junior positions
and within a few years were directors –
so she was pushing possibilities through
her fashion, but also to her network
of women around her. She had this
vision of a better future for women.”
The daisy print on the Quant Afoot
heel was a fleeting fashion statement,
saying ‘I was here’. But the empowering
path that Quant and her fashion
firebrands traversed was far more
profound – and more indelible, too.
Mary Quant, sponsored by
King’s Road, shows at the V&A
from 6 April 2019 – 16 February
2020. vam.ac.uk/maryquant
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AIR
When it comes to sneakers, Simon ‘Woody’ Wood has insane
obsession with every nuance of the 100-year sports shoe boom;
he’s an encyclopedia of every collab, custom, limited edition and
retro reissue. It all started with a scheme to get pairs for free
WORDS: CHRIS UJMA
54

How Simon Porte Jacquemus, a 20-something with
no formal fashion training, redefined French style
WORDS: BETHAN HOLT
The notion of 'French chic' is the stuff of fashion legend –
or of cliché. It's a phrase that typically conjures images of a
woman in skinny jeans, a half-unbuttoned silk shirt and a sharp
blazer; hair is insouciantly mussed-up, eyes smudged with kohl.
The effect is elegant, casual and laced with sex and a soupçon of froideur
- but it's also a tired stereotype that is just begging to be freshened up.
Enter Simon Porte Jacquemus, a smiling 29-year-old in jeans
and Timberland boots, from the quiet town of Mallemort, just
inland from Marseille. The Jacquemus look is all about sunshine,
style and cheer, a jolly world of exuberant sass and sensuality
that you want to be part of the moment you discover it.
The designer's name crackled away on the fashion landscape for
a few years thanks to some bright, playful conceptual collections that
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made him a promising part of Paris's
burgeoning new talent scene.
Then there was some completely
wantable shirting, which convinced
that this was a label whose pieces
you could actually, you know, wear.
But then last summer – pop! –
any It girl worth her sea-salty hair
was shaded beneath Jacquemus's
enormous (1ft high, 3ft wide) La
Bomba straw hat. Rihanna posed
in it for Vogue Paris, and Danish
model and actress Emma Leth even
employed hers as an alternative to a
veil for her wedding, styling it with
a sheer lace Jacquemus dress.
By this point, Jacquemus was already
in a class of his own, confounding
preconceptions about the 'right' way
to go about creating a modern fashion
brand. But this was a moment that
confirmed the fact he was probably
on to something with his talkingpoint
accessories and hot summer
take on French style – despite having
neither formal training nor any
backing from a major conglomerate.
"It was important to me to remind
people that France is not Paris,"
Jacquemus says when we meet at La
Montgolfière, a Parisian members' club
in an old hot-air balloon factory, where
everyone is drinking flat whites and
tapping away at Macs. "You can be from
somewhere else and still say something
in French. It was important to have
a French identity but not Parisian."
Jacquemus's aesthetic and ideal
come from a blend of being an early
adopter of all things digital, and his
adoration for his mother, Valérie,
who was killed in a car accident
when she was 42 and he was 18.
"She could be anything. One day, she
might do a total look in pink, the next
day she would wear a vintage linen
"grandmother" dress," Jacquemus
remembers. "She was really creative,
so our house was full of surprises. I
had a wall full of leaves from Cuba
– she did art with whatever she had.
We are from a farming family, but
she was always super inspiring."
It's not only Valérie's look that
Jacquemus draws on, but her joie de
vivre, too. "She was always smiling and
having fun. When I started, I wanted
to do this childish woman, someone
whose age you can't define. I grew up
with this woman who was very naive. It
“
It was not always easy to be this kind
of designer in Paris – to design a happy
brand and stay happy within myself
”
has become more sophisticated as the
label has grown, but you don't ever feel
far away from the Jacquemus woman."
He admits that for a while he was
so obsessed with paying tribute to
his mother that he perhaps lost sight
of other kinds of women, especially
when it came to choosing models.
It took his half-sister Maëlle, who
is half-French, half-Algerian, to ask
why he never cast girls who looked
like her for him to realise that he
needed to redress the balance – "I'd
just got so blocked," he says.
There's a jaunty vivaciousness
to Jacquemus's approach; it's
tasteful, but it doesn't take itself too
seriously – qualities that can be rare
on planet fashion. "It was not always
easy to be this kind of designer in Paris –
to design a happy brand and stay
happy within myself," admits
Jacquemus, who commissioned the
artist Chloe Wise to paint sexychic-camp
scenes of the south of
France to 'celebrate the beauty
and humour in bountifulness' for
his spring/summer campaign.
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58

Words: Bethan Holt / The Telegraph / The Interview People. Images: Getty Images
"Some people were embarrassed by
me, saying I was too happy. It's because
I was so young and didn't know any
rules, I just wanted to make it happen."
Although he briefly enrolled at
the Paris fashion school Esmod, the
sudden death of his mother prompted
Jacquemus to get on with realising
his own label rather than taking a
well trodden path. "I passed a woman
making curtains in Montmartre; I
asked her how much a skirt would be
and she said EUR150, I said, how about
EUR100? And that's how I did my first
collection. It was spontaneous," he says.
"A year after arriving in Paris, I was
doing fashion. I didn't know any rules
but I didn't have any bad rules, which
you can learn inside a big system."
Jacquemus, who runs his own
Instagram account with 800,000
followers, had crafted his idea
about what his label could look like
through hours spent online, meeting
muses such as Jeanne Damas, who
is now part of a coterie epitomising a
carefree, vintage-referenced French
way of dressing (think Jane Birkin
in the Serge Gainsbourg years).
"For me, the idea of what my website
would look like was clear. Every
collection would have a title referencing
Jean-Luc Godard. I knew I had to
tell a story, but on the rest, I was so
naive," he reflects. "When I think
about that period now, I think, wow.
I was only 19. I had no parents who
knew about the fashion business."
Snootiness doesn't appear in the
Jacquemus mindset. The French
can be dismissive of Côte d'Azur
style – the penchant for white and
fake tans – but it's a look Jacquemus
has mined and reinvented of late.
"I hope it's not vulgaaaaaire," he
whispers, confident that he has the
power to make it anything but.
"I had some hard reactions when
I started to publish pictures on
Instagram of Kendall Jenner wearing
Jacquemus. People said, "It's killed
the brand, blah blah..." I think it's
because I was posting something less
radical. But I was so happy. I just
thought, "Wow, Kendall is wearing
my hat on a yacht in Saint-Tropez,
that's so mega,"" he says, laughing.
In the early years of the label,
Jacquemus, who now employs 55
people, worked in the Comme des
I didn't know any rules but I didn't have
any “ bad rules, which you can learn inside
a big system
”
Garçons store, where he found a
mentor in Adrian Joffe, president
of the company (and husband of
its visionary creative director, Rei
Kawakubo) and of Dover Street Market.
"At 21, everyone was looking at
me as the cute guy from the south
of France; he just looked at me as a
designer, which was so important to
me. He bought the collection for Dover
Street Market, which changed how
people saw my brand; it's one of the
most beautiful stores in the world."
"Simon started gaining our attention
with his unusual use of architectural
shapes, done in a very couture way
but at surprisingly contemporary
price," notes Elizabeth von der Goltz,
global buying director at Net-a-Porter,
where his alternative tailoring, draped
dresses and detailed tops are all
bestsellers. "It's no surprise that he has
garnered a cult following," she adds.
Of course, there's a 2019 sequel
to the La Bomba hat: the Le Grand
Baci bag – an enormous frayed-edge
raffia tote at least half the size of the
models who carried it in his catwalk
show (so plenty of room for towels and
sunscreen). His strategy with these
Insta-catnip accessories has always been
to make them completely distinctive.
"When I started accessories, I was
walking around Le Bon Marché and
couldn't say which shoes were which
brand. They all looked the same. I
created an object – I did round or square
shoes with a round or square heel.
A bit unwearable, but to this day we
haven't stopped selling them. Anything
super identifiable goes insane; we sell
pieces you can't find anywhere else."
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60

LYING FOR A LIVING
The late Marlon Brando, born 95 years ago this month, was a true titan of screen. Yet
posthumous access to private letters and his personal library revealed a misunderstood depth
to the actor, who honed a natural talent for portrayal – and harboured total disdain for fame
WORDS: SUSAN L. MIZRUCHI
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Marlon Brando loved
watching people, a habit
that supported a genius for
impersonation and characterisation.
Though it came naturally, he pursued
it with an almost scientific zeal.
“The face is an extraordinarily subtle
instrument,” he noted. “I believe it has
155 muscles in it. The interaction of
those muscles can hide a great deal,
and people are always concealing
emotions. Some people have very
non-expressive faces… In such cases
I try to read their body posture, the
increase in the blink rate of their eyes,
their aimless yawning or a failure to
complete a yawn—anything that denotes
emotions they don’t want to display.”
Brando made a lifelong study of
emotions and the differences of
personality and culture that inhibited
their expression, which he managed
to exploit in a remarkable variety
of film roles. His interest in human
faces went beyond their function
as measures of diversity. He was
also aware of how they revealed, in
profit-driven Hollywood, an actor’s
marketability, or the lack thereof.
The smiles accorded celebrities by
the local cognoscenti were calibrated
to their earning power. “You can figure
which salary bracket a Hollywood
actor is in by the kind of smile he
gets. When I first came out here I got
USD40,000 a picture. The smiles
people gave me showed two teeth.
Now, I’m paid around USD125,000
and more, I get both uppers and
lowers, but they’re locked together.
The smile goes up at the corners,
but the teeth are set. I’ll never get
the kind of big fat grins that go with
USD250,000 a picture. They only pay
that kind of money to cowboy stars.”
Brando’s sense of what smiles could
expose explains why the characters
he played were unaccustomed to
happiness. But equally important was
his understanding of smiles as indices
of vulnerability or manipulation.
When he does smile in films, it’s
usually compromised in some way –
it’s a half-smile, or an ironic smile,
62

or a smile threatening to collapse
into something sad or sinister.
Consider Stanley Kowalski of A
Streetcar Named Desire , covered
with automobile grease, shooting an
uncharacteristically diffident grin at
his wife, Stella, hoping to reassert,
against her sister Blanche’s scheming,
his masculinity and erotic appeal.
The wistful smile of Terry Malloy in
On the Waterfront, as he straightens
his nose with a finger to remind Edie
of his early profile before the boxing
career, before he had compromised
himself by betraying her brother.
The unctuous smile of the splendidly
arrayed Lieutenant Fletcher Christian
of Mutiny on the Bounty , accompanied
by paramours as he meets the
unsophisticated captain whom he
considers beneath him. The Godfather’s
wedding-photograph smile, classic
Brando, on the verge of a grimace;
Paul’s smirk in Last Tango in Paris,
responding to his lover’s exasperated
speech: “Do you really think that an
American sitting on the floor in an
empty flat eating cheese and drinking
water is interesting?” Or the desperate
at-your-service smile of Max in The
Score, barely a step ahead of the mob.
Brando carefully controlled his
smiles: he knew their price. He knew
the commodity status of body parts,
none more so than his own. As soon
as he achieved fame on Broadway, he
saw that an actor, like an athlete, could
become a slave to his image. Smiles,
he recognised, were never free.
His reading of body language was
so adept, according to his nephew,
that “it was almost supernatural.
He would know more about you
than you could imagine just by the
way you sat down in a chair.”
Once, at a social gathering, Brando
asked a woman her age, and she
demurred. “It doesn’t matter,” he
responded, “I can tell from your teeth.”
He guessed accurately. He honed these
skills with such habits as frequenting
the criminal courts in Brooklyn for
the human spectacle they provided.
Another New York pastime was
sitting in the Optima Cigar Store
phone booth watching people walk
by, and he was “wrecked,” a friend
recalled, when his freedom to observe
was ruined by the fact that he had
become an object of scrutiny. Both
the actor and the man were obscured
by this public obsession. He created
characters so powerfully authentic
that audiences refused to believe
that these creations were not real.
While many considered him a great
actor, they missed how denying him
distance from his roles qualified
that greatness. Even the most astute
analysts overlook the conscious observant
mind behind the work. It has been
difficult for us to see how much more
the actor was than any one part, and
how different the man was from all of
them. As the actor and idol who made
it all right for men to be tongue-tied or
incoherent, he became so synonymous
with an inarticulate masculinity that it
was impossible for audiences to accept
that the physique was inseparable
from an equally formidable intellect.
Brando has been a victim of sexism.
Because he was so charming and
physically appealing, his equally energetic
mind tended to be negated. So dazzled
are his most admiring critics that they
can’t reconcile his attractiveness with
the idea of a man who loved language
let alone owned a book collection that
outstripped those of most academics.
Thus, Daphne Merkin opened a 2004
obituary with her memory of being
“struck by libidinal lightning” after first
seeing Brando on screen, and pronounced
him “an untutored philosophe” who liked
to dabble in reading while engaging in
what Paglia called “epic womanising.”
This is not to deny Brando’s
attractiveness or his womanising.
One of his friends described Brando
as having “the kind of face artists
are always interested in... It was as if
a klieg light had been shoved up his
ass and was shining out his pores.”
Though it’s worth emphasising
that Brando considered himself only
“reasonably attractive,” attributing
his magnetism to his energy and
strangeness as a Nebraska farm
boy in cosmopolitan settings.
But our preoccupation with the looks
that helped to bring Brando fame and
fortune has clouded our appraisal of
his contributions as an actor and as a
public citizen who took to heart Hannah
Arendt’s ideal of independent thinking.
The excessive focus on his romantic
affairs – what was most common about
him – has limited our appreciation of
what was most unique and enduring.
63

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64

The worst thing that
can “ happen when someone
becomes famous is to believe
the myths about himself
”
Opening pages:
Marlon Brando as he appears in
A Streetcar Named Desire, for
MGM Studios, 1951
Previous pages:
Abe Vigoda and Robert Duvall watch
Brando and Al Lettieri shake hands in a
scene from The Godfather, 1972
Opposite:
Brando reads paper in a scene from
The Formula, 1980.
All images: Getty Images
Among celebrities with iconic status,
those whose single name alone
conjures an image – Garbo, Marilyn,
Sinatra, Olivier – Brando is distinctive
for his ambiguity. Garbo in profile,
Sinatra crooning, Marilyn above
a subway grate in billowing white
skirt, Olivier in evening dress.
The name Brando invites a question:
Is he the charismatic brute in a
white tee; the biker in a black leather
jacket and gray cap; the Godfather;
the father of Superman; or the
bald phantom of the Vietnamese
jungle in Apocalypse Now?
There are many Brandos, early and
late. In contrast to most cultural icons,
he eludes the prospect of a persona.
Brando was more fluid, more wily
than others who achieved comparable
fame. This is attributable to the diverse
identifications of a lead actor who
preferred character roles and foiled
expectations in choosing film parts.
He had a wide-ranging curiosity and
was suspicious of absolutes and rigidity
of any kind, rejecting the pressure
to conform to a single likeness.
While some have suggested that
Brando’s disdain for the celebrity that
transformed his life was motivated
by self-hatred, its more obvious roots
were his bohemian tendencies and
democratic politics. Along with Zapata,
whom he played in a movie, Brando
believed that the masses were doomed
when they projected their own power
onto idealised objects of worship.
No one was worthy of such idolatry,
least of all actors and entertainers.
What has been overlooked is the
seriousness of his thinking on these
subjects, how deeply he lamented
the adulation that he considered
so misplaced. Partial to Talmudic
wisdom, Brando surely would
have appreciated the aphorism,
'If you want truth, shun fame.'
“The worst thing that can happen
when someone becomes famous,”
Brando observed, “is for him to
believe the myths about himself –and
that, I have the conceit to say, I have
never done. Still, I am stung by the
realisation that I am covered with the
same muck as some of the people I
have criticised because fame thrives
in the manure of the success of which
I allowed myself to become a part.”
Celebrity was a dirty business, Brando
recognised almost as soon as he achieved
it at 23, and he never came to terms with
its consequences. The invasion of his
privacy, the constant distortions of his
views in the press, and the conviction on
the part of so many that they knew him –
his resentment toward these downsides
of celebrity remained surprisingly
fresh until he died at the age of 80.
As for his acting, during the 2008
presidential campaign, when asked
to identify their favourite movies,
both John McCain and Barack Obama
named Brando films. That the two
candidates could not have been more
different – from a cultural, class,
and generational standpoint – was a
tribute to Brando’s iconic longevity
as well as his wide-ranging appeal.
This was underlined by their choices:
McCain cited Viva Zapata!, reflecting
that Republicans multiculturalism and
personal ethic of self-sacrifice; Obama
picked The Godfather, affirming the
broad appeal of the film’s patriarchal
mythology, that a black boy raised
by a single white mother in Hawaii
could cherish the same compromised
familial ideal as any other American.
Their responses illustrate the
continuing importance of an actor
whose contributions to theatre and
film have been widely recognised by
other actors, and appreciated by large
audiences – but rarely well understood.
Abridged excerpt from Brando's Smile:
His Life, Thought and Work – by Susan
L. Mizruchi, and published by W. W.
Norton & Company. Available for
purchase from books.wwnorton.com
65

Motoring
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
AIR
Bolt from
the Blue
The ballistic Range Rover Sport SVR is the fastest
performance 4x4 that the marque has ever built,
boasting both supercharge and sophistication
WORDS : CHRIS UJMA
66

67

AIR
An SUV is not meant to
outperform a supercar,
but this one did.
To put the Range Rover Sport
SVR through its paces, the marque
took its special edition to the famous,
fearsome Tianmen Road, comprising
99 testing corners plotted into the
side of a mountain in China.
At the hands of Panasonic Jaguar
Racing driver Ho-Pin Tung, it adeptly
negotiated the 11.3km ascent at a
record pace of 9min 51s (at an average
speed of 68.8km/h) – and in doing
so, beat the previous best of 10min
31s set by a Ferrari 458 Italia. Suffice
to say, this is no ordinary Range
Rover: it’s the fastest ever built.
For those not au fait with the nuances
of the premium Range Rover family
under the Land Rover umbrella,
there’s the Range Rover, the Sport,
the avant garde Velar and the lowslung
roofed Evoque. SVR badging
on a Range Rover denotes having
been primed by its Special Vehicle
Operations arm, defined by the
company as ‘luxury, performance
and capability taken to new levels, to
create unique Land Rover vehicles’.
Among its projects have been the
Range Rover Sentinel (the first fullyarmoured
vehicle engineered), and an
opportunity to showcase its master
craftsmanship in the SVAutobiography
Long Wheelbase. In short, the division
is tasked with taking all things
Range Rover to all new levels.
For the lavishes of luxury, though,
little grabs the attention of the auto
world like impressive speed – and
this limited edition has been a pure
spotlight stealer in that respect.
Any time over two tons is shifted
from 0-100 km/h in a visceral 4.5
seconds, it’s guaranteed to garner
attention, and those are the numbers
clocked by the third generation
Sport SVR, released this year.
Its athletic DNA is no secret,
put on display for all to admire. There
are pockets of exposed, gloss black
carbon fibre across the composite
exterior (noticeably on the lacquered
68

Any manner of pedal-down rasps
‘ a satisfyingly throaty growl – and it
needn’t be driven at hellish speeds
to evoke this aural pleasure
’
bonnet, which creates an optional
two-tone hue), with gaping, gulping
air intakes on the front bumper and
sculpted side cutouts. Swish open
the door to be met with an interior
leather trim of racing red (in the
signature colourway), before sliding
into racing-style performance
seats that – quaintly – factor in
racing harness slots (including
the two rear passenger spaces).
Will owners put it through its
paces on the track – with passengers
in tow, no less? Possibly not. But
as with its expectedly sublime offroad
capabilities, the Sport SVR
is ready to do plenty, on the off
chance it gets called into action.
It will definitely be driven fast. In
signature Estoril blue trim, it blisters
by in a Sonic the Hedgehog blur –
driven by a 5-litre V8 Supercharged
Petrol 575hp engine that delivers a
powerful 700Nm of torque. Engine
tweaks, along with some designbased
weight saving gains, enable
the 2019 edition to shave a couple
of tenths off the 0-100km/h time
of the previous Sport SVR.
Put through its paces in the UAE,
it gobbled up Dubai terrain with
consummate ease – though it was how
it did so that was most impressive.
Granted, it can be piloted sedately,
and the comfortable cabin setting
can lull the driver into a laid-back
drive that belies the power underfoot.
The overall ride is something
of a ‘floating on air’ experience,
imparted by re-tuned suspension,
damping and steering systems.
But click across to Dynamic mode and
an intense experience awaits; stiffened
suspension and steering summon wellbalanced,
composed acceleration that
– given the car’s size – defies belief.
Only the world rushing by the windows
at SUV altitude keeps reality in check.
Working through the ratios using
the tactile paddle shifters and
applying intuitive pedal control,
these measured inputs bring out the
buttery smooth, swift transitions –
courtesy of eight-speed auto shifts.
It feels less stately than a Range
Rover, which is not a bad thing: in
keeping with its wholeheartedly
sporty persona, there’s a tightness
and grip to how the tyres (wrapped
around 22in alloys) handle every
turn, both in-command and in
control (with mindful driving).
Any manner of pedal-down rasps a
satisfyingly throaty growl out of the
quad tailpipes –and it needn’t be driven
at hellish speeds to evoke this aural
pleasure. That the company parked this
model under the hashtag #soundofSVR
on social media is unsurprising: the
rumble is both distinctive and loud due
to the adaptive exhaust, and a press
of the exhaust button on the driver’s
touchscreen further raises the crackle.
It may sound ferocious, but there are
genteel elements befitting the class of
the marque. A step bar courteously
slides from beneath, then retracts once
the door is closed. The feature-packed
interior boasts two, 10in touchscreens;
sensors (such as the Blind Spot and
Driver Conditioner monitors) politely
warn of encroaching vehicles swaying
from their lanes; attentive seats
can be heated or cooled, to suit.
It’s equal parts daily driver, equal
parts daily racer. The hardcore
SVR is a bold statement-maker;
a 4x4 with plenty of roar.
69

AIR
70

Gastronomy
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
The
Good Life
The mastermind behind ‘the world’s best restaurant’
returns with Torno Subito – a laid-back experience
imbued with la dolce vita from childhood
holidays on the sun-kissed Italian Riviera
WORDS : CHRIS UJMA
Reclined on a handcrafted chair,
Massimo Bottura looks every
bit the poster child for his new
dining concept: with sunglasses affixed,
he’s casually dressed (insofar as Italian
elegance accomplishes ‘laid back’),
savouring bites of creamy gelato on the
shaded terrace at W Dubai – The Palm,
as gentle music and a balmy breeze
dance around.
He’s childlike in his level of
enthusiasm, too – not surprising,
given that Torno Subito taps into his
deepest nostalgia. “It’s playful, because
I want to share with the world this
amazing feeling of when I was a kid in
the 1960s, spending the summer in
the Italian Riviera – playing soccer
and eating good food on seemingly
endless days, enjoying the best things
in life. Those times as a teen were the
best vacations.”
To fully understand what a departure
this move is for Bottura, one also has to
cast their mind to Italy. There, Bottura
is the mastermind behind Modena
-based Osteria Francescana: a far more
serious dining affair that has earned
three prestigious Michelin stars, and
recently reclaimed the mantle as the
World’s Best Restaurant. “In Italy, food
is like religion,” he confesses. “It took
15 years to get 3 Michelin stars which,
for some people, can take their entire
lifetime – and just a few of us are
so lucky to be prized by Michelin in
this way.”
Naturally, then, when the W Hotel
first approached Bottura, they floated
the idea of him imitating the restaurant
outside Italy. “I said ‘No way – it would
be so wrong.’ They wanted me on board,
though, and were persistent, and I
thought of something totally different
– a new format. I didn’t want anyone to
say I was coming to Dubai to replicate
Francescana.” The contemporary,
energetic island resort is an ideal place
to push the boat out, creatively, and it
offered an arena for liberation.
Gazing out over a glittering Arabian
Gulf that shapes around Palm Jumeriah
and laps the hotel sands, he explains the
meaning behind the playful name of the
venture. “In Italy, we’re used to seeing
the sign ‘torno subito’ – ‘I’ll be back
soon’ – for when the shop is closed,
and the owner has paused to have
their espresso.”
In Dubai, torno subito will come to
mean a convivial restaurant with plenty
of charm. A vertigo-spiral striped
entryway is dominated by a photo of
Bottura, hands on his temples, almost
71

AIR
as a reminder that your mind is
about to be transported.
Step across the threshold and
powdery colours enliven a beach club
vibe: picture frames dangle from the
ceiling, ready to be filled by snaps from
an in-restaurant photo booth. Wait
staff roam the restaurant and terrace
pushing a gelato cart. Pad out onto the
terrace, past pastel booths and across
the sands to the waves, to find pedalos
primed for a leisurely trip across the
waters – with pizza and Prosecco in hand.
“I wanted a format that reflects ‘the
new luxury,’” says Bottura, gesturing to
the rainbow assortment of chairs as
an example. “These are handmade in
Italy, with amazing artisanal work –
and the creators have fun with their
craft, in terms of the colour scheme and
design. The tactile quality transfers
happiness and joy.”
Bottura surveys the terrace, pleased
with how the idea came to fruition. “My
mentality is to build the bubble into
which you can put your dreams, ideas
and emotions – and welcome people
into that world.”
That concept begins by thinking about
the story he wants to communicate, he
says: “Something special I wish to share
with others.” He recalls that when he first
presented the idea, of his picture perfect
postcard from The Palm, “I told them, ‘A
kid in Rimini is dreaming about having
white sand like in the Maldives.’”
The hotel said, ‘Why not?’ and
imported white sand “Upon which you
can have a drink, digging your toes in
pure white sands,” he smiles.
Then, of course, there is the expertly
curated menu: casual dining, sincerely
Italian in its essence, with a touch of
La Dolce Vita – remixing recipes that
would be at home at a beach club from
the 1960s.
Gelato is one of his favourite things
to tuck into “In the middle of the
morning or the middle of the afternoon”,
he says, gleefully, “So I wanted classic
flavours – strawberry, chocolate, lemon
– that taste like a dream.”
Bottura is a food philosopher, which
he explains is because ,“When you
live in Italy, you get lost in nostalgia;
espresso is just espresso, and pasta is
just pasta. It’s not – but you lose sight
of the ‘critics’ point of view.”
So pizza is just pizza? “No, it’s not!”
he proclaims. “You begin to delve into
what kind of dough? What kind of flour?
What kind of tomatoes are you using?
You’re going to melt the mozzarella, or
it’s just added at the end? There are so
many different elements that are part
of the experience and with this
particular pizza it is very hard to get
– even in Italy. It’s a fine balance; an
intuitive science.”
His years of revolution in the culinary
sphere were required to make this
happen. “When you have the technique,
the knowledge and the culture, you can
really deconstruct it and be playful,”
he explains. Bottura and his team have
shaped those factors into a whimsical
getaway where even the most staid
culinary savant can kick off their loafers
and soak up the sense of relaxation.
“‘The number one restaurant in the
world’ is such a big thing to say, though I
never give too much focus to it,” Bottura
admits. “I care about if patrons are happy,
and leave the table satisfied.”
W Dubai – The Palm has made itself
the home to a truly unique experience,
even for a city that arguably has seen it
all. They gave Bottura free rein, and he
has plotted a soothing setting that – in
the spirit of its name – will tempt every
departing guest to ‘be back soon’.
72

When you have the technique, the
knowledge and the culture, you can
really deconstruct it and be playful
73

Travel
APRIL 2019 : ISSUE 95
AIR
74

39
JOURNEYS BY JET
Wild Coast Lodge
Sri Lanka
Sitting serenely beside Yala National
Park, where the Indian Ocean
meets the jungle, the remote
surroundings of Wild Coast Lodge
are an assurance that neighbourly
intrusion will be kept to a minimum.
Well, so far as human interaction is
concerned, at least.
This pretty Sri Lankan safari resort
does share its dwelling with wildlife,
and frequent visitors are leopards
basking under the sun, elephants
drinking from the waters, and an
assortment of boar, buffalo, and
monkeys, with chirruping birds galore.
This unique, east coast haven comprises
28 cocoon-like tents and bamboo
buildings, which blend seamlessly with
the natural surroundings, the set of
abodes are thoughtfully arranged to
mimic the shape of a leopard’s paw,
when seen aerially.
Eco-consciousness was a key
consideration when this resort was
conceptualised, and a number of details
implemented to have minimal impact
on the surrounding safari land.
Still, this is quite a trip back in time,
as the living spaces have WiFi,
a high quality sound system and airconditioning.
The pick of the living
quarters is the Cocoon Pool Suite –
with its colonial style décor and teak
wood floor.
The lodge is enriched with a King-sized
bed, a terrace with unobstructed views,
plus a private pool; this is five-star living,
curated by architects at Nomadic
Resorts (a consortium of Dutch,
English and Sri Lankan designers).
With the entry point to the national
park just 10 minutes from the doorstep,
a stay here ensures one game drive per
night’s stay. Nature-lovers can head out
in a Jeep to track down wildlife and
explore the rich biodiversity – kept
informed by an expert guide.
Having worked up an appetite in
the wilderness, guests can retreat
to the elegant, open air bamboo Dining
Pavilion to enjoy hearty, creative gourmet
influenced by authentic Sri Lankan
flavour profiles and created with local
produce. There’s also the option to tailor
a sundowner cocktail session or, plan a
romantic al fresco picnic in the beach
garden, under a blanket of stars that
decorate inky black skies.
Despite the sands, Wild Coast Lodge is
wouldn’t be defined as a beach resort; the
rugged stretch of waterfront, peppered
by boulders, gets rasped by the waves –
hardly ideal for taking a gentle dip.
But the Indian Ocean does provide
a soothing soundtrack to nature, and –
along with the bushland – is a stunning
backdrop to watch dusk fall over this
island destination treasure.
Bandaranaike International Colombo
Airport accomodates private jets,
and a private car can then be
arranged for the transfer to Wild
Coast Lodge. resplendentceylon.com/
wildcoastlodge-yala/
75

What I Know Now
APRIL 2019: ISSUE 95
AIR
Guy Kawasaki
SILICON VALLEY MARKETING ICON / AUTHOR
My personal stories do not depict epic,
tragic, or heroic occurrences, because
that hasn’t been the trajectory of my
life. They do not depict a rapid, meteoric
rise, either. One decision. One failure.
Hard work. One success. I come from
a long line of dreamers, and my goal is
only ever to educate, not to awe.
Awe-inspiring dreams along the lines
of world peace, human rights, and
ending poverty weren’t what stoked my
ambitions and drove me to succeed.
My goals were simple and proletarian
but highly motivating nonetheless.
Something as materialistic as cars
inspired me; what’s important is that
you are motivated.
My sixth-grade schoolteacher, Trudy
Akau, told my parents that I had too
much potential to remain in the public
school system. She insisted that I
apply to private, college-prep schools
– specifically, Punahou and ‘Iolani.
Punahou is the school that President
Barack Obama attended, I went to
76
‘Iolani. It was eight miles from our house
in Hawaii and, given my parents’ modest
income, the tuition was a large sum of
money for them to scrape together.
Akau’s advice changed the trajectory
of my life. If she had not convinced my
parents to send me to ‘Iolani, I would
not have gone to Stanford. If I had not
gone to Stanford, I would not have
met the guy who got me interested in
computers and gave me a job at Apple.
In 1987, my wife gave me a copy of a
book called If You Want to Write by
Brenda Ueland. It empowered me to think
freely, creatively, and boldly – and enabled
me to write my first book by removing the
limitations I placed on myself.
Condoleezza Rice, the former secretary
of state for George W. Bush, also
inspired me when I interviewed her for
my book Hindsights. She told me that
you should never consider yourself a
victim because then you’ll start acting
like a victim. You’ll begin to believe
that you are not in control of your fate
and that others are responsible for
your welfare. As a result, you develop
a dependency on others for your
happiness, well-being, and success –
thus giving up control of your destiny.
When I think of my father’s guidance,
I’ve a theory that there are five stages
in life: as a child, you believe your
parents are always and absolutely right;
from high school until your twenties,
you think your parents are wrong and
clueless; in your thirties, you come to
realise that your parents were often
right; in your fifties, you become your
parents and do the things that drove
you nuts as a kid; then, in your sixties,
you wish your parents were around so
you could tell them they were right.
Excerpted from ‘Wise Guy: Lessons
from a Life’ by Guy Kawasaki – with
permission of Portfolio, an imprint of
Penguin Publishing Group, a division
of Penguin Random House LLC.
© Guy Kawasaki, 2019

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