AIR May 2019

MAY 2019 

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Contents 

MAY 2019: ISSUE 96 

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 

Thirty Eight 

Lily Logic 

Forty Four 

Happy Campers 

Fifty 

A Director’s Odyssey 

Fifty Six 

She’s Got The Look 

Delving into the trials, 

tribulations, tenacity and 

talent of Tolkien actress 

Lily Collins 

What links a Tiffany light, 

postcards, and Swan Lake? 

The Costume Institute goes 

‘Camp’ to explain 

A new exhibition delves into 

Stanley Kubrick’s movie 

mechanics, inspecting the 

clockwork of his genius 

An exclusive peek at the 

stages of Chanel’s Look 77 

– one of Karl Lagerfeld’s 

final fashion pieces 

4

Elegance is an attitude 

Simon Baker 

Conquest V.H.P.

Contents 



Fourteen 

Radar 

Thirty 

Timepieces 

Sixty 

Motoring 

Sixty Eight 

Travel 

Phillips: Photographs hunts 

down more auction records, 

with an assortment of fine 

snaps on sale in May 

The retro-styled Calatrava 

Weekly Calendar represents 

a 2019 watchmaking win 

for Patek Philippe 

A final supercar fling with the 

Lamborghini Aventador 

SVJ, as the road-legal rocket 

enters its swansong 

The Four Seasons DIFC is 

a slice of serenity amid the 

bustle of Dubai’s prestigious 

Financial District 

Twenty Four 

Art & Design 

Thirty Four 

Jewellery 

Sixty Four 

Gastronomy 

Michelle Kingdom took 

the outlier art tradition of 

embroidery, and wove her 

emotion into the medium 

The majesty of high jewellery 

and intricacy of couture 

combine in Tatiana 

Verstraeten’s collections 

At Dubai’s The Pointe, 

Mathieu Viannay dreams 

up a fine dining experience 

with a unique point of view 

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. 

6

Dubai - The Dubai Mall / Abu Dhabi - The Galleria Mall, Sowwah Square

Welcome 

Onboard 

MAY 2019 

Welcome to AIR, your personal guide to 

Al Bateen Executive Airport, its people, 

partners, developments, and the latest news 

about the only dedicated business aviation 

airport in the Middle East and North Africa. 

We wish you a safe journey wherever you 

are going, and we look forward to welcoming 

visitors to Al Bateen Executive Airport to 

experience our unparallelled commitment 

to excellence in general, private and 

business aviation. 

Al Bateen Executive Airport 

Contact Details: 

albateeninfo@adac.ae 

albateenairport.com 

Cover: Lily Collins. 

Andrew Eccles / AUGUST 

9

Al Bateen 



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aviation service facility aiming to 

meet and exceed the expectations 

of business travellers from all 

around the world. 

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Dhabi International Airport just 

32km outside the city centre, ABEA 

underwent its transformation into 

a military air base the following year. 

Military operations continued until 

2008, when Abu Dhabi Airports took 

10

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Al Bateen 


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Over a 50-year timespan, ABEA’s 

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facilitated its smooth transition to 

what European Business Air News 

(EBAN) named the Second Best 

Executive Airport in the World 

in 2013. The award – and the many 

accolades since then – mark a 

remarkable ascent for the airport, 

which enjoys a strategic position 

within reach of major businesses 

and leisure facilities at the heart 

of Abu Dhabi city. 

With a stand capacity for up to 

50 private jets served by efficient 

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INTRODUCING THE NEW

Radar 



Phillips: Photographs has an 

eye for the exceptional: over 

100 world auction records 

have been set by this leading 

auctioneer and, in London on 

16 May, it will look to add to the 

count. The pre-sale catalogue 

highlights the department’s 

eye for diversity: from a 

dynamic portrait of Naomi 

Campbell (taken by fashion 

photography great Steven 

Meisel), to a minimalist black 

and white landscape of the 

English Channel horizon, by 

Hiroshi Sugimoto. 

Phillips Photographs auction 

takes place on 16 May, in 

London. phillips.com 

Opposite: 

Naomi Campbell, New York City 2019, by 

Steven Meisel. Est: GBP35,000 – 45,000 

14

15

Critique 


Film 

Late Night 

Dir: Nisha Gantara 

A legendary late-night talk 

show host’s world is turned 

upside down when she hires 

her only female staff writer 

AT BEST: “It’s a charming, 

intelligent movie with a lot 

of heart and, naturally, 

some killer jokes” 

New York Post 

AT WORST: “It’s telling that 

The Devil Wears Prada, 

the closest thematic 

comparison to Kaling’s 

scenario, feels more 

fearless and timely, even 

though it’s 13 years old.” 

Time Out 

The Third Wife 

Dir: Ashleigh Mayfair II 


A young girl in 19 th century rural Vietnam becomes the third wife of a 

wealthy landowner, soon learning the reality of her few life choices 

AT BEST: “Deals with harrowing subject-matter in a restrained, 

tactful and aesthetically entrancing style.” Hollywood Reporter 

AT WORST: “Mayfair reveals the consequences of injustice in their 

tense brutality, despite never relinquishing her handle on the aesthetic 

beauty housing those horrors.” The Film Stage 

The Biggest Little Farm 

Dir: John Chester 

A documentary charting a couple’s development of their sustainable 

farm on 200 acres of land outside of Los Angeles 

AT BEST: “Has the power to give birth to a new generation of 

inspired farmers, determined to invest in the future of the planet.” 

Film Journal International 

AT WORST: “Audiences won’t watch it and go back to the land. But 

they might come back and see it again.” Screen International 

Clara 

Dir: Akash Sherman 

An astronomer meets an artist who shares his fascination for the 

wonders of space – leading to a profound astronomical discovery 

AT BEST: “...Like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, [this film] provides 

storytelling that pays so much time to the science, while also providing 

a very human narrative.” Much Ado About Cinema 

AT WORST: “The well-acted Clara lacks clarity, and there’s nothing worse 

than an out-of-focus telescope.” Globe and Mail 

Images: Amazon Studios; Serendipity Point Films; NEON; Film Movement 

16

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Critique 


Theatre 


Hadestown at Walter Kerr Theatre. Photo by Matthew Murphy 

ere’s my advice: Go to hell. 

“HAnd by hell, of course, I mean 

Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell’s fizzy, 

moody, thrilling new Broadway show,” 

enthuses Adam Feldman for Time Out, 

of the musical which shows at Walter 

Kerr Theatre on an open run. 

“Ostensibly, at least, the show is a 

modern retelling of the ancient Greek 

myth of Orpheus and Eurydice: Boy 

meets girl, boy loses girl, boy goes to the 

land of the dead in hopes of retrieving 

girl, boy loses girl again.” Marilyn Stasio 

says in Variety, “Although the production 

has lost some of the electricity that 

goes with playing in the round... What 

it loses scenically – namely, a visual 

sense of the arduous nature of the 

hero’s journeys – it makes up for in other 

ways.” Purrs Greg Evans in Deadline, 

“With an ending as moving as anything 

on Broadway – and for hades’ sake, 

don’t leave before the cast finishes its 

one-surprise-left curtain call –it stands 

alongside Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma! and 

Bartlett Sher’s To Kill A Mockinbird 

as this Broadway season’s visionary 

triumvirate, looking to the past and 

feeling undeniably, stirringly now.” 

“If anyone could play Hillary Clinton, 

it’s Laurie Metcalf – and here she 

is... giving a performance that feels 

painfully honest and true,” asserts 

Variety of Hillary and Clinton, at 

John Golden Theatre until 21 July. 

“And if anyone could capture 

Bill Clinton’s feckless but irresistible 

charm, that would be John Lithgow... 

The characters stand up. The language 

is strong. But like Claudius’s earnest 

prayer to his resolutely unimpressed 

God in Hamlet, nothing said by either 

party reaches the heavens.” Writes 

Adam Feldman for Time Out, “The 

play, in effect, is a public offering 

of a private Hillary. This Hillary is 

strong but hurt, and understandably 

frustrated with Bill and his baggage... 

she is flustered, cutting and 

profoundly sympathetic.” Peter 

Marks in The Washington Post opines, 

“Nevertheless, they’ve persisted. 

And how? And why? These thoughts 

and questions form the thematic basis 

of Lucas Hnath’s riveting portrait... 

an enduring, turbulent marriage 

that we on the sidelines have spent 

decades trying to figure out.” 

In Sweet Charity, “Josie Rourke bows 

out at the Donmar Warehouse with this 

Andy Warhol-styled take on the classic 

musical, starring an ebullient Anne- 

Marie Duff,” explains Andrzej Lukowski 

for Time Out. “This is her last show at 

central London’s most bijou theatre, and 

if any hapless bean counter tried to stop 

her spending whatever the hell it cost 

to give all the programmes embossed 

silver plastic covers, then let me tell 

you: they failed.” Susannah Clapp 

depicts in The Guardian, “The Donmar 

glitters in a Bacofoil bonanza; it also 

features gold balloons, and sparkly cutout 

letters. At one point a troupe of Andy 

Warhol lookalikes... scissor across the 

stage. It’s overwhelming. But there is a 

point. Our heroine swims in flashiness 

but is hoisted above it by hopes of love.” 

Praises Sam Marlowe in Metro, 

“Duff’s not a crack singer or dancer, 

but her voice has a gorgeous, husky 

soulfulness. With her eyes brimming 

with pain and longing... she’s a survivor; 

her dogged hopefulness giving her a 

dazzling radiance. This is a show of 

grit and glitter. Just like true love, it 

sometimes hurts – and it’s fabulous.” 

18

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Critique 


Books 


T 

im Cook: The Genius who took 

Apple to the Next Level, is author 

Leander Kahney’s “praise-filled yet 

also critical one-decade performance 

report on the Apple CEO,” writes Kirkus 

Reviews. “Kahney’s book is no rags-toriches, 

blow-by-blow timeline of Cook’s 

life. While that element is present, the 

volume is more a study in comparisons: 

Steve Jobs was this way, here’s how 

Cook differs, and here are the sum 

effects of those differences. While 

Jobs cast his shadow as the innovative 

big-tech dynamo, Cook cuts quite the 

contrast as the reserved, privacyloving 

believer in ethics, equality, 

and environment.” John Voorhees at 

MacStories says,“The early chapters 

of Cook are by far my favourites... 

Kahney visited Cook’s hometown and 

spoke to people who knew him growing 

up.... The interviews are paired with 

Cook’s own words from speeches he’s 

given in the past, which is effective in 

portraying events that have shaped 

everything from his work ethic to his 

perspective on diversity.” Dealerscope, 

in its review, writes, “Whether you’re a 

fan of Apple’s products or not, [this] is 

a very engaging, quick read that pulls 

back the covers on one of the most 

interesting and influential companies 

of all time.” 

The memoir Notes from a Young Black 

Chef by Kwame Onwuachi (the executive 

chef at Kith and Kin and owner of the 

Philly Wing Fry franchise in Washington, 

DC) “Is engaging and well crafted,” says 

Michael Kleber-Diggs at Star Tribune. 

“The narrative is largely chronological, 

and Onwuachi’s life is so full of 

adventure and fascinating detours that 

the story never drags. The memoir is 

written with restaurant critic Joshua 

David Stein, and while the seams 

between one writer and the other aren’t 

evident, there are moments when 

emotional urgency seems diminished 

by an arm’s length presentation.” Kirkus 

weighs in that, “Recipes following each 

chapter show the range of Onwuachi’s 

talents while [he] is forthright about the 

obstacles he faced: kitchens ‘poisoned 

by racism’... Grit and defiance 

infuse a revealing self-portrait.” 

Onwuachi “Might have called his memoir 

‘Making It’, suggests Jonah Raskin 

at New York Journal of Books. “The 

book is also majestic when the author 

chronicles the lives of his peers from 

the projects in the Bronx who are locked 

‘in the prison of no opportunity.’ The 

story of his climb up, with its attendant 

pitfalls, is masterful. The closer to 

the top, the more the story falters. 

Readers might linger over the first half 

of this book, turn those pages slowly 

and savour the spicy stew that the 

author serves.” 

“Saying anything is the ‘best ever’ 

is a dicey proposition. Everything is 

subjective, right?” quizzes Newsday’s 

Jason Diamond of Best. Movie. Year. 

Ever. “Brian Raftery looks to convince 

readers that the final 365 days of 

the 20 th century were, well, the best 

movie year ever... The films from that 

year – The Blair Witch Project, Star 

Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace, 

American Beauty, Being John Malkovich 

and about a dozen others – may not 

have changed how movies were made 

or packaged or talked about on their 

own. But together, as Raftery shows in 

this painstakingly researched, highly 

enjoyable book, 1999 is pretty stiff 

competition.” Recalls Barbera Vancheri, 

for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,“The book 

is subtitled How 1999 Blew Up the Big 

Screen; a takeoff on what he calls the 

internet’s ‘preemptive critics, who 

would look at a lone leaked costume 

photo or read a secondhand review of a 

trailer and immediately declare BEST. 

MOVIE. EVER.’” Kirkus Reviews say 

the book “Offers plenty of interesting 

trivia – e.g., Brad Pitt’s then-girlfriend, 

Jennifer Aniston, shaved his head for 

Fight Club. Other interviewees include 

Reese Witherspoon, Kirsten Dunst, 

Steven Soderbergh, Sarah Michelle 

Gellar, and ‘the man who played Jar Jar 

Binks.’ It’s fun, light entertainment for 

devoted moviegoers.” 

20

Critique 


Art 


Arles Abend Deep, 2017 by Sean Scully. Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris © Sean Scully. Photo: courtesy the artist 

e in doubt. Scully is a 

“Bphenomenon,” writes Rachel 

Campbell-Johnston for The Times, (as 

a preamble to her review of Sea Star 

– Sean Scully, at the National Gallery 

until 11 August). “A newly released 

biopic tells the story of a boy who, 

born to an impoverished family in 

Dublin and brought up rough in south 

London, rose to artistic fame through 

the sheer pugilistic power of his selfbelief... 

We find him shuttling... to his 

international openings in a private 

jet.. We watch one of his canvases 

fetching a million at auction. Yet 

he remains relatively overlooked.” 

“This show, like Scully, is highly 

recommended,” says Martin Gayford 

for The Spectator. “It’s a beautiful 

exhibition of a magnificent painter.” 

Clarifies Eddy Frankel in Time Out, 

“You’ve got two options. You can either 

try to read a bunch of hefty conceptual 

meaning... or you can take them for what 

they are: big bloody stripy paintings. 

The second approach sits a bit more 

comfortably with me. He’s a blustery, 

no-nonsense painter, smashing out the 

abstraction without too much fuss.” 

“The artist’s lush, detailed images 

are filled with aloof, snooty, art school 

layabouts. The real dregs of creative 

society; blue rinse beauties and hip 

young things in vintage sportswear... 

It’s like being at the worst party in 

Camberwell ever,” quips Time Out’s 

Eddy Frankel of Chloe Wise: Not That 

We Don’t, at Almine Rech London. “But 

they are really good paintings. Wise 

has an incredible skill, and a wonderful 

compositional eye. All these soft 

young faces are surrounded by bodies; 

lost, isolated in seas of humans. Each 

figure is somehow totally alone despite 

the humanity and affection they’re 

engulfed in.” Says Maelstrom, “For 

someone so young, Wise has already 

made a serious name for herself in 

the art world. She’s made fans far and 

wide with her work that plays largely 

on themes of consumer culture and 

social media trends.” Vulture writer 

Jessica Pressler interviewed the 

artist: “Wise’s social-media following 

skyrocketed, and she started getting 

offers from brands asking her to model 

or wear things on Instagram. ‘It was 

weird because I was kind of embraced 

by the fashion world at the same 

time I was critiquing it,’ she said.” 

“It is more than four decades since 

William Eggleston insisted that fineart 

photography didn’t have to be 

black-and-white...” recalls Alastair 

Sooke in The Telegraph review of 2¼, at 

David Zwirner until 1 June. “Today, of 

course, Eggleston’s pictures no longer 

flabbergast anybody – if anything, in our 

era of smartphones and social media, 

in which ephemeral colour photography 

is so ubiquitous, it is surprising that his 

work seemed startling as recently as 

the Seventies.” Chris Waywell explains 

in Time Out that, “The title refers to two 

and a quarter inches. Medium-format 

cameras use 2.25in square negatives. 

You can blow them up real big, and the 

quality is amazing... These pictures, 

taken in 1977 are as glowingly, troubling 

beautiful as any of his work, doused 

in a light that’s sweet and sickly as 

barbecue glaze.” Reports Louisa Buck 

in The Art Newspaper, “When asked why 

he never captioned his photographs, 

he replied: ‘Words and photographs 

don’t mix. You cannot express the 

meaning of a photograph in words.’” 

22

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24

Art & Design 


art sphere reflects the 

complexity of our time, with 

“The 

innumerable entry and focal 

points. Embroidery is creating inroads 

within fine art, though is still underappreciated 

and undervalued,” reflects 

Michelle Kingdom, contemplatively 

choosing her words as she does each 

of her carefully-placed threads. 

“My own work doesn’t easily fall into 

an established art category. I am not 

part of a movement. I work in isolation, 

and have found a supportive audience 

mostly by happenstance. I’m trained in 

drawing and painting yet I’ve pursued 

another medium with the visionary 

approach of an outsider,” she adds. 

It feels an odd approach to quiz an 

artist about why, more often than 

not, their niche is neglected by 

the wider art world. But in this case, 

it’s a way of unspooling why Kingdom’s 

majestic miniature masterpieces 

should be admired. 

Still, Kingdom admits that the 

obscurity of embroidery was a place 

in which to find creative shelter, and 

she started out by creating in secrecy. 

“I never showed my work to anyone 

because I didn’t think it would be of 

interest,” she shrugs. “So often, textile 

work was overlooked as mere craft, 

and needlework especially was fraught 

with stigma. It was for grandmothers 

or colonial school girls; small in scale, 

fussy, domestic, nostalgic, and deemed 

irrelevant. This was precisely why I 

adored it and found it to be the perfect 

channel to tap into the murky world of 

the psyche.” 

An art lover who grew up in a 

“creative house”, Kingdom studied 

drawing, painting and traditional fine 

art at university in the early 1990s, 

when the art world “Was dominated 

by work that was oversized, highly 

conceptual, ironic and impossibly 

clever. It mostly left me cold and I never 

thought art was a viable career path,” 

she recounts. “I dabbled in various 

textile mediums on my own, and it was 

around that time that I started creating 

these odd, tiny stories in thread.” 

Those early pieces were mainly “A safe 

refuge off the judgmental radar of the 

‘serious’ art world”, Kingdom confesses. 

“It was a chance to create something 

solely for me. I fell in love with 

figurative embroidery immediately. 

Something about it was primitive, 

From the 

Periphery 

The woven vignettes of Michelle Kingdom have 

made an underappreciated art medium her own realm 

WORDS: CHRIS UJMA 

strange and awkward, which struck me 

as compelling, raw and honest; there 

was something beautifully fragile, odd 

and otherworldly about it. Figurative 

embroidery seemed tailor-made for 

expressing secret thoughts.” 

Years later, she defines her 

contemporary output as, “An 

exploration of psychological 

landscapes; an attempt to illuminate 

thoughts left unspoken or that are 

unable to be expressed adequately 

with words. By creating tiny worlds in 

thread, I hope to capture elusive yet 

persistent inner voices. Symbolism 

and allegory examine the juxtaposing 

dynamics of aspiration and limitation, 

expectation and loss, belonging and 

alienation, truth and illusion.” 

While appearing as dreamscapes, it is 

literary snippets, memories, personal 

Opposite: Primavera, 2019 

Above: Without Question, 2018 

mythologies, and art historical 

references that all inform the imagery. 

She looks to medieval manuscripts, 

ancient art, symbolism and outsider art 

for inspiration. 

As for the technique, sometimes 

Kingdom has a clear concept from the 

beginning, but more often has several 

vague images and ideas that she wishes 

to investigate. Her stitching is done 

with a “dense, intuitive, fluid approach 

and each piece stays in flux until the 

very end,” she explains. 

“More and more I move away from 

traditional stitch technique and prefer 

to play with intuitive ways to recreate 

the genre. Fulfilling a fixed idea in my 

head doesn’t interest me because it is 

the process that I find intriguing.” 

Through exhibitions her work has 

risen to prominence, and Kingdom’s 

25


26

Opposite: The Descent of Beauty, 2018 

Below: All in a Row, 2019 

All images courtesy Michelle Kingdom 

We live in a time where everything is made by machines 

or exists in thin air, and for some there is a longing for 

handmade, tactile and personal work 

earlier point – about the tangible, 

‘touch me’ appeal of her work – serves 

as an antidote to the constant interact 

with cold, tempered glass screens. 

“The last few years have seen a 

more positive reception to fibre,” she 

confirms. “We live in a time where 

everything is made by machines or 

exists in thin air, and for some there 

is a longing for handmade, tactile and 

personal work. What has traditionally 

been perceived as ‘women’s work’ and 

a dying art holds a kind of nostalgia 

and exoticism. It is ironic because 

part of fibre’s success is due to our 

contemporary fascination with social 

media and online forums.” 

Indeed, Kingdom’s stunning pieces 

have drawn a sizeable online following: 

Instagram posts of her finished works, 

100s of hours in the making, draw 

(emoji-laden) gasps of appreciation for 

this authentic, time consuming craft. 

“The myopic lens of the internet 

draws viewers in and equalises 

what may have previously been 

overlooked,” she relishes. “It highlights 

the intricacy and depth of mediums 

that the established art world has 

long ignored.” 

Still, there’s also a timeless appeal of 

viewing art in person: the irresistible 

opportunity to study up-close every 

brush stroke, contour, or in the case 

of Kingdom’s work, every considered 

stitch. This month her latest show, 

Peripheries, graces the bG Gallery in 

Santa Monica. Yet given the miniature 

nature of her pieces, she admits that 

manipulating the scale of a white 

walled gallery space is “a challenge.” 

The artist shares, “Part of what 

initially drew me to embroidery was 

the minute intimacy, that requires 

leaning in to hear it whisper. I find my 

work hangs most successfully when it 

embraces the contradiction between 

my work and the space, between the 

cloisters of the interior world and the 

expanse of the stark gallery walls. It 

requires the viewer to slow down and 

take pause, or not participate at all.” 

It allows for deep dialogue to 

accompany the deft design, too, 

building a construct around each little 

scene. “I made a conscious effort to 

accurately explore my evolving state 

of mind for this show. The overriding 

feeling was a kind of weary descent,” 

she divulges about the theme. “That 

youthful feeling of staying up all night, 

believing everything was important 

and imminent and bound for a prompt 

flurry of resolutions... but then things 

just slowly trail away in the dark 

hours before dawn. That feeling when 

the party is finally over – when the 

last guests leave – when you are alone 

with all the stains and residues of the 

night before.” 

Thus the theme Peripheries took 

shape: “The outermost edges. The 

boundaries. The circumference. It 

is a space occupied on the outskirts, 

deemed relatively minor. Irrelevant. It 

is the area in which nerves end. It is all 

that is visible outside of your focus. The 

oblique narrows of the mind’s eye.” 

It is from the creative fringe where 

this artist emerged, and the beauty 

of her work is coming into focus 

– justly attracting both collectors 

and social media clicks. Using both 

thought-provoking narrative threads 

and actual thread itself, Michelle has 

unquestionably made embroidery her 

very own corner of the art kingdom. 

The solo exhibition ‘Peripheries’ is now 

showing at bG Gallery in Santa Monica. 

For details, visit michellekingdom.com 

27

OBJECTS OF DESIRE 

AIR X ROGER DUBUIS 

With a special series of its Excalibur, Roger Dubuis ‘dares to be rare’ 

by drawing inspiration from the coveted Huracán supercar


ROGER DUBUIS 

THE EXCALIBUR HURACÁN COLLECTION 

In 2005, Roger Dubuis debuted its 

distinctive Excalibur timepiece – a watch 

that soon became synonymous with bold 

design, as well as an ability to house even 

bolder haute horology complications. A 

decade later, Italian marque Lamborghini 

unveiled its sensational Huracán – a 

stunning V10 supercar capable of 

blistering acceleration. Today, the crisp 

form and elite function of these two 

icons combine in an adrenaline-fuelled 

Excalibur release; a series of timepieces 

imbued with the virtues and expertise 

that have earned Roger Dubuis the 

coveted Poinçon de Genève – the 

Hallmark of Geneva. 

1



ROGER DUBUIS 

EXCALIBUR HURÁCAN PERFORMANTE / YELLOW 

Roger Dubuis and Lamborghini first 

joined forces in 2017, and the pair are 

pioneers geared for success: both embrace 

code-breaking design, driven by a passion 

for their respective craft. So too, the 

Excalibur timepieces represent the best 

of both ingenuity and indulgence, tactile 

masterpieces to be admired. The materials 

alone are a statement of intent: titanium 

casing keeps these skeltonised timepieces 

feather light, hour and minute hands are 

PVD coated gold, while the bi-material strap 

has a soft Alcantara inlay, with the titanium 

clasp incorporating a ‘quick release’ system. 

2

3

4


ROGER DUBUIS 

EXCALIBUR HURACÁN PERFORMANTE / RED 

These 45mm timepieces are distinctly 

Excalibur, yet harbour clever design 

cues in homage to the Huracán – from 

the hexagonal details, right down to the 

crownb (shaped like the nuts affixed to a 

race-ready wheel). The aesthetics of the 

movement itself are also inspired by the 

automotive world. The self-winding rotor 

on the rear of the watch is designed like 

a supercar wheel rim, while the mechanism 

is engineered to mimic its engine – with 

air intakes across the openwork dial, a life 

cell protection unit, and strut-bars akin to 

those found on the real V10. 

5


ROGER DUBUIS 

EXCALIBUR HURACÁN / BLUE 

The beating heart of the Excalibur 

Huracán Collection – the masterfully 

crafted RD630 – is special indeed, 

marking the second calibre developed in 

partnership with Lamborghini Squadra 

Corse. The timepieces are driven by this 

automatic calibre, which comprises 233 

components and 29 jewels. A key technical 

development is the balance escapement 

sitting at a 12° angle; an incline that 

sounds slight, yet makes a marked 

difference in accuracy, over time. The 

calibre’s twin barrel power supply allows 

it to reach a power reserve of 60 hours. 

6

7


ROGER DUBUIS 

EXCALIBUR HURACÁN / PINK GOLD & TITANIUM 

‘Dare to be rare’ is the ethos that defines 

this Swiss watchmaker’s spirit, and the 

Excalibur Huracán Collection certainly 

emulates that, with a racing aesthetic 

backed by sensational watchmaking 

performance. When Lamborghini’s 

visionary engineers join forces with these 

incredible watchmakers, a magical synergy 

always occurs – for instance, the Roger 

Dubuis name is proudly bestowed upon 

the supercars themselves, during the 

Super Trofeo track series. In the horology 

stakes, the result is a suite of limited edition 

timepieces that truly set the pulse racing. 

8

ROGER DUBUIS 

Regional Stockists 

Dubai 

Roger Dubuis boutique 

Grand Atrium, Ground floor, 

The Dubai Mall 

Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons 

Four Seasons Resort Dubai 

at Jumeirah Beach 


Burj Al Arab 


Mall of the Emirates 

Abu Dhabi 

Al Manara Int’l Jewellery 

The Galleria Mall 

Saudi Arabia 

Roger Dubuis boutique 

Kingdom Tower, 

Riyadh 

Ali bin Ali Watches & Jewellery 

C Center Mall, 

Riyadh 

Ali bin Ali Watches & Jewellery 

Jameel Square, 

Jeddah 

For a private viewing, please contact 

+971 4 3308228 (UAE) 

or +966 112111285(KSA)

Timepieces 



Forever 

and a Day 

The retro-styled Calatrava Weekly Calendar by Patek Philippe 

taps into the wider horology trend for steel cases – yet 

pioneers with an innovative new complication 

WORDS : CHRIS UJMA 

In the watchmaking world right 

now, stainless steel cases are 

‘c’est populaire’ (as they might 

say in Geneva). 

Of late, collectors have developed 

quite a proclivity for this metal as 

a ‘daily wearer’ on the wrist – and 

swimming with the tide, a host of major 

horology brands have busily released 

timepieces in sumptuous steel. 

Still, at the upper echelons of 

haute-anything, it’s fascinating to 

see how the world’s best artisans 

interpret trends in their own unique 

way. Addressing the tendency toward 

steel, Patek Philippe has arrived with 

a strong horology offering in its 

5212A-001 Calatrava Weekly Calendar. 

Stylistically, the manufacture has 

turned back the clock with a retro-look 

timepiece, and its instantly distinct 

detail is the handwritten text on the 

dial; among a slew of Baselworld 2019 

releases (from both Patek and its 

rivals), the nostalgic typography alone 

ensured this self-winding timepiece 

stood out at the Geneva-based fair. 

Patek Philippe president Thierry 

Stern explained that the designer’s 

handwritten typeface reminded him 

of his old school calendar: thus the 

decision was made to implement it, 

over a more formalised font. 

Aesthetically there is nod to history 

in this round-cased watch’s design; 

the new Calatrava is inspired by the 

30

31

32

The performance-optimised 5212A 

Caliber “ 26-330, which premieres in this 

timepiece, is the apex of reliability 

” 

All images: 

Patek Philippe 5212A 

Calatrava Weekly Calendar 

one-of-a-kind Ref. 2512, which was first 

created by the brand in 1955. 

The 2512 was actually also produced 

in steel, and this was a feather in 

Patek’s cap at the time – for most, 

limited production methods of the day 

made steel too complicated to work 

with. The brand’s coveted sports watch, 

the Gérald Genta-designed Nautilus, 

was a steel stronghold at that time. 

With a present day scarcity of those 

steel Caltravas to satisfy collectors, 

the 2019 iteration will likely be in 

high demand. (In a casual, post- 

Baselworld video recap, Hodinkee 

founder and respected watch savant 

Ben Clymer revealed, “I can tell you, 

based on feedback from a few retail 

friends, that the demand for this 

watch is ‘bananas.’”) 

The 1955 original had a large, 46mmsizing, 

and a sign of the modernity of 

this travel-friendly interpretation is its 

more restrained 40mm case size. 

Remaining with aesthetics, the dial 

is worth further inspection. From 

centre-out, the four facets indicate the 

day, week number (up to 53), date and 

month, while the indexes are, in fact, 

blackened 18k white gold. “Stacking 

the five hands [hours, minutes, 

sweeping seconds, day and week] was 

a technical challenge,” admits Philip 

Barat, Head of Watch Development at 

Patek Philippe. 

The truly modern element is the 

Calatrava’s all-new new function for 

calendar watches: a semi-integrated 

mechanism which, in addition to the 

day of the week and the date, displays 

the current week number. 

The latter detail holds more 

functionality than it may first seem. 

The timepiece could have particular 

appeal, for instance, in numericallyinclined 

cultures such as Sweden where 

weeks – among other measurements 

– are referred to by number. (For 

orientation, this month’s edition of AIR 

was printed in Week 18 of the year). 

Meanwhile, the need for a 53 rd week 

inclusion is due to an additional week 

occuring every five to six years; the 

Calatrava’s timely release date of 2020 (a 

year when the extra week pops up) will 

cater to this occasional calendar quirk. 

Powering the timepiece is the 

5212A / Caliber 26-330, which has a 

minimum of 35 and a maximum of 45 

hour power reserve, and also caters to 

unidirectional winding. 

Barat describes the “performanceoptimised” 

movement which premieres 

in this timepiece as “the apex of 

reliability.” A friction spring, just one 

of the changes, “reduces seconds-hand 

chatter,” he explains. “Friction costs 

torque and energy.” 

In all, it’s an idiosyncratic release 

from one of the masters of the dress 

watch, and though historically inspired, 

the 2019 Calatrava is a bold direction 

for the fabled brand (which, along 

with Audemars Piguet and Vacheron 

Constantin, is among the ‘Holy Trinity’ 

of luxury watchmakers). 

Granted, the omission of precious 

materials means that the new steel 

Calatrava may not be the rarest of 

them all, but it’s easy to see how 

this charming Patek release has left 

industry observers ‘week’ at the knees. 

33

Jewellery 


Delightful 


Disruption 

How the fledgling maison of 

Tatiana Verstraeten is re-energising 

haute joaillerie with the elegance of couture 


34

35


drawn between my 

work and couture probably 

“Parallels 

arise because my pieces are 

designed to merge with the body,” says 

Tatiana Verstraeten. 

“Like a dress, they’re made to be 

worn – to be enjoyed, not to stay in a 

window. They move and come alive on 

the body. I design an aesthetic – not 

an object,” outlines the Belgian-born 

founder, who launched her brand 

during Paris Couture Week. 

Her work, she enthuses, “Is inspired 

by everything – but not jewellery. I’m 

influenced by the extraordinary volume 

of work of Alexander McQueen; by 

nature; by sophisticated embroidery from 

Lesage (the Chanel atelier)...” 

The latter influence is of particular 

note. Not to anchor Verstraeten too much 

to her past, but gosh, what a prestigious 

past it is: part of her background 

experience was honing high jewellery 

skills under the watch of the late, 

great Karl Lagerfeld. 

“He somehow taught me to trust my 

own creative instinct, to honour my 

differences and to try not to belong to 

a ‘trend.’ He also taught me to shape 

my ideas into something very generous, 

luxurious and magnificent,” she 

remembers, fondly. 

Verstraeten embraces the lineage. 

When asked about striking it out on her 

own – and having to develop a signature 

look for her namesake maison – she 

considers, “I guess my style is quite 

influenced by my background in fashion/ 

costume jewellery at Chanel. At that 

time, I could create big volumes, with 

all kind of materials, production was 

swift and the Chanel ateliers and 

craftsmanship were amazing, and I could 

really test any ideas I had: creativity 

had no limit. Consequently, nowadays 

in the high jewellery world, everything 

is different with precious material as it’s 

slow, complex and expensive to create. 

However, I have been trained enough 

to challenge shapes and forms and take 

creative risks, and I like to do so while 

maintaining the very essence of high 

jewellery tradition.” 

What sets her maison apart from its 

Place Vendôme neighbours, the designer 

has observed, is that “Today the grandes 

maisons mainly opt for the ‘anonymous 

studio’ of creation – with no identifiable 

‘head of design’, such as with those 

associated with their fashion arm.” (She 

does note Dior’s Victoire de Castellane 

“ 

I like to create sizeable pieces 

but without being choking or clownish 

– because elegance is crucial 

” 

as an exception; “She actually began her 

career in the same way as me, starting 

as a fashion designer at Chanel”). 

In general, though, Verstraeten feels the 

historic jewellery houses, “Are starting 

to focus on entry-price pieces and must 

have branding. I’m going the other way: 

I want to design strong splendid pieces 

and sign with my name, revealing the 

designer – and the mind – attached 

to the collection. I think people want 

splendour, but also to know who is 

behind the scenes.” 

Without a century of history as a 

foundation, the founder had to steel 

herself for the competition. “The high 

jewellery business is an industry where 

you fight with very few maisons, as 

compared to fashion, but encounter 

real heavyweights,” she admits. “They 

have enormous marketing budgets – an 

enormous weapon to stop you. I hadn’t 

exactly understood the full force of 

that, back when I started out with 

my ideas and my passion.” 

She has armed her brand with an 

arsenal of sublime haute jewellery to 

fortify the hubris, including her fringed 

earrings: “My signature piece. I feel 

they are remarkable, but without being 

boastfully shown-off, and the style really 

suits every woman of every age. They’re 

magnificent against grey hair, cut short, 

and are a style I’ll revisit every season.” 

Within the five collections (thus 

far: Barbara, Vienne, Rain, Stars and 

Tzigane), the Barbara necklace is truly a 

statement maker. “It’s a complex volume 

to shape because it adorns the shoulders 

like a feather boa, seemingly not touching 

the skin,” says its creator. “From a 

production sense it’s also a nightmare, 

because the volume had to be cut in 

numerous pieces, moulded, and brought 

back together like a puzzle. It’s very 

challenging to shape the form you want.” 

Of the brights sparks that have 

accompanied her meteoric ascension, 

Verstraeten cherishes seeing her 

jewels “Come to life upon a woman. 

My favourite conversations are when 

women tell me how fantastically 

beautiful and special they felt wearing 

my jewellery – when all eyes were 

on them.” 

She “dreams” of designing a piece 

for Beyoncé, or to see Sharon Stone 

wearing one of her creations, and vows 

do more red carpet wondery with the 

likes of Natalia Vodianova, Zoë Kravitz, 

Charlotte Casiraghi, Cara Delevigne, 

and Adwoa Aboha. 

Verstraeten recalls a pre-event 

instance with Phantom Thread actress 

Vicky Krieps. “At first she was afraid 

that the volume of the piece might be 

too big for her, but as soon as she wore 

it, she loved it,” the jeweller recalls. 

“After all, I like to make sizeable pieces 

of jewellery; outstanding, but without the 

need to be choking or clownish – because 

elegance is crucial. I find inspiration 

from women themselves, and I only 

think about how to embellish their 

beauty.” Spoken like a true couturier, 

one might say. 

36

37


Fame is in the family for 

Lily Collins, however she is 

forging her own path – with 

personal experiences that 

have shaped both her 

character, and those 

she portrays 

INTERVIEW: LUCY ALLEN 

ADDITIONAL WORDS: CHRIS UJMA 

38

39


It’s been a busy year so far for 

Lily Collins. The actress, model 

and writer kicked off 2019 with 

the premiere of the Ted Bundy film 

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, 

and Vile at the Sundance Film Festival. 

She then stopped off at the Television 

Critics Association press tour in 

California to promote the TV miniseries 

Les Misérables in the US, while 

this month, Collins is back in the 

spotlight, staring alongside Nicholas 

Hoult in Tolkien – a new movie about 

The Lord of the Rings writer. “Because 

I filmed three things back-to-back last 

year, now they are all seemingly coming 

out at the same time,” she laughs. 

Collins, the daughter of musician 

Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman, was 

born in England but moved to the 

USA before she turned six and, 

now 30, resides in Los Angeles. 

Initially, she went to University of 

Southern California (USC), attending 

for Broadcast Journalism before 

changing to Communications. Of 

her formative ambitions, she laughs 

about wanting to be, “The youngest 

talk show host – and my love of 

journalism comes from my love of 

meeting new people. Writing is just 

a way I get to explore that, while still 

acting. I never wanted to fully close 

the door on journalism, even though 

I’m following the path of acting now.” 

While she is a published author 

(more on that later) she diversified into 

acting as a career avenue, and parental 

nurturing played a role in guiding her 

toward a career playing characters. 

“My love of acting just came from 

when I was younger,” she reminisces. 

“My mom and dad would read books 

to me before bed, as a lot of parents 

do, and I would just kind of disappear 

in this dream world in my head, I 

guess, about what the movie would 

look like. And my dream became 

to take people with me on that 

journey and become those people.” 

Now, in adulthood, she loves 

“Getting to learn more things about 

myself with the characters that I play, 

whether that’s a fairytale princess, 

or a literary heroine, or someone that 

feels closer to home to me, or someone 

who’s completely foreign. I think I 

choose characters that are going to 

teach me a lot about myself along the 

way, and that will challenge me.” 

Does she prefer television or movies? 

“It’s completely different,” she admits. 

“Les Misérables was really great 

because it was a six-part miniseries, 

so it felt like a mini movie each time 

we filmed. Even though we didn’t have 

a huge budget, the production value 

was just incredible. So everything 

felt of quality – almost a film in and 

of itself. And I liked that you got to 

really live and breathe the character 

for longer than a movie would allow. 

But I still love movies. So I think 

now there’s less of a line between 

the two. I think so many actors are 

doing both, because so many amazing 

characters are on the small screen, 

and they have such epic qualities.” 

The acting route led to her attendance 

at Sundance Film Festival back in 

a freezing cold February (not her 

first appearance at the Utah-based 

event). “It was really fun this year,” 

she says. ‘I went up for only one day 

of press, dressed really warm, ended 

up not needing my jacket as much 

as I thought – because when I was 

there two years ago, it was like a 

white-out snowstorm. So this year 

was relatively tame,” she smiles. 

“I ran into so many friends and it’s a 

very interesting pocket of experience at 

Sundance. Everything happens 

within such a small space and 

everyone’s freezing cold. It’s 

camaraderie. And to attend in order 

to show a movie that is controversial, 

in the sense of its subject matter… 

Well, Sundance is an amazing 

platform for storytellers to 

talk about things that perhaps 

other places wouldn’t risk.” 

There, she bumped into other old 

friends: “People that you see in 

passing, and it’s a reunion of 

sorts; a very casual festival. 

40

41


42

Interview: Lucy Allen / The Interview People. Images: Getty Images 

Everyone is just there for the love 

of their project or movies.” 

However she has her fair share 

of high-profile associations on 

set itself, having recently worked 

with Zac Efron on Extremely 

Wicked… as well as David Oyelowo, 

Dominic West and Oscar-winner 

Olivia Colman in Les Mis. 

West, (she concurs with Keira 

Knightley), “Is wonderful… He’s such 

a jokester. We’d be shooting these 

intense scenes and he would lighten it 

up so much in-between takes, but also 

just switch into an intense vibe right 

away,” while Colman, “Is just so lovely 

and warm and funny. So to see her 

play this character, to switch it on and 

off between takes, was wonderful to 

witness. She has a wit and a charm and 

a nurturing quality that are so rare.” 

A “big thing” for Collins, is “Watching 

how people interact with the crew – it’s 

not just the cast, the crew are the ones 

who are there before you and leave 

after you; they’re the ones that make 

it all possible. I feel so fortunate to 

be able to work on sets where there is 

no difference between cast and crew; 

everyone treats everyone equally, and it 

really sets a good, positive vibe on set.” 

But her life is not all cinema sheen, 

nor has it always been; Collins is 

accustomed to challenge – personally, 

as well as professionally. Yes, she 

has a famous father, but hers is not 

a storybook road to fame – as her 

first literary outing, titled Unfiltered: 

No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, 

attests. The book delves into her 

experiences of addiction and eating 

disorders. “Both of my parents were 

really proud of me for writing it, for 

being brave to go do that,” she says. 

Collins found the process, “Extremely 

therapeutic. I learned so much 

about myself in that process and I think 

it allowed me to come to terms with a 

lot, and to dig deeper into things that 

help me now with character work. It 

allowed me to let go of a lot as Lily, but 

also gain a lot of knowledge for every 

character that I play from thereon out.” 

Of the book’s outreach, she ponders, 

“Everyone has their own journey and 

their own process, and I think writing 

about it was just a very therapeutic 

way for me to be introspective about 

my journey. Also, knowing how it 

didn’t only affect me butalso my 

peripheral friends and family. I better 

understand the domino effect.” 

Though the writing process and 

book release were cathartic, she is 

not one to impart guidance simply 

because of the journey she travailed. 

“I feel like I’m not one to give advice,” 

Collins confesses. “It’s hard, because 

I’m someone that just knows my own 

experience. People have come up to 

me and asked for advice, but I do say 

I’m really not one to give advice.” 

The experience of ‘letting go’ has 

stood her in good stead when it comes 

to shutting off from character, and 

returning to herself. “Luckily, I’ve 

not yet had the problem of taking 

things home with me,” she reveals. 

“I think I like the idea of entering 

into that work space, becoming that 

character and that person, and then 

leaving that behind at the end of the 

day. It helps me compartmentalise 

more. But that being said, I also use 

my surroundings to help better the 

development of the character.” 

She thinks back to filming 

the gut-wrenching demise of 

Fantine, still sharp in her memory 

from the making of Le Mis. 

“When we started, it was in the 

dead of winter. There is a scene where 

I’m being dragged through the streets, 

and it was minus 13; it was snowing; 

it was the dead of night. I had no 

hair; there was no warmth; there 

was nothing. So, for me, I couldn’t 

necessarily not take some of that home, 

because it was just freezing where we 

were, and it was quite a depressing 

part of the story,” she explains. 

“But I do everything I can just 

to go back to being ‘me’, be it 

FaceTiming friends or anything 

like that. I crave that separation. I 

think it helps me stay more sane”. 

43


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 


CAMP 

The Costume Institute delves into the parody, 

pastiche and theatricality of camp, exploring 

how this once private code has been embraced 

by mainstream style in myriad ways 

44

45


“To talk about Camp is 

to betray it”, posited 

Susan Sontag in the 

introduction to her seminal and 

controversial essay on the topic. 

The late American writer penned 

her Notes on ‘Camp’ back in 1964, 

and it was a sensation. As her first 

contribution to Partisan Review, the 

prose served as a comprehensive pulse 

check, an explanation of subtext, a 

charting of camp's evolution, and 

secured Sontag intellectual notoriety. 

Her essay took the form 

of 58 notes, and included a list of 

"random examples of items that are 

part of the canon of Camp" – among 

them Tiffany lamps, Aubrey Beardsley 

drawings, Swan Lake, certain turnof-the-century 

picture postcards, 

and the Cuban pop singer La Lupe. 

“At the time she wrote her essay, 

camp was largely ‘a private code’ and 

‘a badge of identity’ among small 

urban cliques,” explains Andrew 

Bolton, the curator of a current 

exhibition at The Met, which is 

using Sontag’s insight as the axis 

for an immersive investigation. 

It changed the privacy of camp 

“irrevocably,” he elaborates. 

“She essentially catapulted camp 

into the mainstream, where 

it’s remained ever since.” 

“ 

Sontag wrote 

that if you look at 

art through camp 

eyes, a Caravaggio 

painting has the 

same visual appeal 

as a Flash Gordon 

comic 

” 

At the press introduction to the 

exhibition, held at Teatro Gerolamo, 

the curator noted that, “The word 

camp first entered the hallowed and 

sanctioned ‘space’ of a dictionary – 

Ware’s Dictionary of English Slang 

and Phrase – in 1909. The entry read: 

‘Actions and gestures of exaggerated 

emphasis. Used chiefly by persons of 

exceptional want of character.’” 

There have been moments when 

camp has come to the fore “to 

become the defining aesthetic or 

sensibility of the times, reflecting the 

zeitgeist,” says the fashion expert. 

“The 1960s was one such moment, 

as were the 1980s, and, arguably, the 

times in which we’re now living.” 

He told The New York Times that 

"Whether it’s pop camp... high camp 

or political camp – Trump is a very 

camp figure – I think it’s very timely." 

This year The Met is grabbing 

the bull by its feathered boa. For 

starters, it has selected ‘camp’ as 

the theme for its annual Costume 

Institute Benefit: the showstopping 

society-soiree also known as 

The Met Gala, held on 6 May. 

Previous themes have been as diverse 

as ‘China: Through the Looking 

Glass’, ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion 

In An Age Of Technology’, and ‘Rei 

Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art 

of the In-Between’. This time, the 

invitation-only attendees have been 

tasked with capturing the parody, 

pastiche and theatricality of camp. 

Then there is the immersive 

exhibition titled Camp: Notes on 

Fashion, made possible by Gucci, 

which serves as the topical reflection 

behind the red-carpet regality. 

“It’s an examination of how fashion 

designers have used their métier as 

a vehicle to engage with camp in a 

myriad of compelling, humorous, 

and sometimes incongruous 

ways,” Bolton enthuses. 

A simple understanding of camp’s 

far-reaching influence could be gleaned 

simply by reading the line-up of 

the designers whose ensembles will 

be featured. They include heavyweights 

46

47


48

Opening Pages: Ensemble by 

Jeremy Scott for House of Moschino, SS18, 

courtesy of Moschino, United States; 

Alessandro Michele for Gucci, FW16–17, 

courtesy of Gucci Historical Archive 

Previous Pages: Bertrand Guyon for 

House of Schiaparelli, FW18–19 haute 

couture, courtesy of Schiaparelli 

Opposite: Jeremy Scott for House of 

Moschino SS17, courtesy of Moschino. 

All images courtesy of The Metropolitan 

Museum of Art / © Johnny Dufort, 2019 

such as Giorgio Armani, Cristóbal 

Balenciaga, Jean Paul Gaultier, 

Nicolas Ghesquière (for Louis 

Vuitton), Bertrand Guyon (for House 

of Schiaparelli), Demna Gvasalia 

(for Balenciaga), Karl Lagerfeld (for 

House of Chanel, Chloé, and Fendi), 

Mary Katrantzou, Alessandro Michele 

(for Gucci), Yves Saint Laurent, Elsa 

Schiaparelli, Hedi Slimane (for Saint 

Laurent), and Donatella Versace. 

The Met, of course, seeks to delve 

deeper – and the language used by 

Sontag in her concise observations are 

the key to unlocking understanding. 

Another influential text is that of 

David Isherwood, who in his 1954 

novel The World in The Evening 

first introduced the concept of 

camp as an aesthetic sensibility, 

by presenting it as a dichotomy – 

High Camp versus Low Camp. 

“For Isherwood, High Camp 

‘is the whole emotional basis of 

the Ballet’ and ‘of Baroque art,’ a 

sophisticated connoisseurial mode 

by which ‘to discuss aesthetics or 

philosophy,’” quotes Bolton. 

“Isherwood regards it as ‘much 

more fundamental’ than Low Camp, 

which he considers as ‘an utterly 

debased form’. Sontag expanded on 

Isherwood’s concept of camp as an 

aesthetic sensibility in Notes on ‘Camp’, 

which is the heart of the exhibition 

both physically and philosophically.” 

In the introduction to her essay, 

she asserted that, “The essence of 

Camp is its love of the unnatural: 

of artifice and exaggeration.” 

She goes on to argue that camp “has 

an affinity for certain arts rather than 

others” – giving fashion as an example 

because of its emphasis on “texture, 

sensuous surface, and style at the 

expense of content.” (Incidentally, 

Sontag only gives two examples of 

Like most fourletter 

“ words, camp 

invites debate. 

But unlike most 

four-letter words, it 

evades definition 

” 

fashion in her aforementioned list: 

“women’s clothes of the 1920s” and 

“a woman walking around in a dress 

made of three million feathers.”) 

For this show, which will be divided 

into two parts, Sontag serves as the 

ghost narrator. In the first, she is the 

ghost of camp’s past, tracing both its 

etymological and phenomenological 

origins and taking visitors on a journey 

that begins in the court of Louis XIV – 

where the word camp was first 

used by Molière in his 1671 play 

The Impostures of Scapin, to mean 

'theatricality.' Then, in the second 

part, she plays the role of ‘the ghost 

of camp’s present and future’. 

The design, masterminded by 

scenographer Jan Versweyveld, is 

also twofold; while the first part 

will be presented as a series of 

narrow corridors with low ceilings 

‘to underscore the clandestine, 

underground nature of camp before 

Sontag outed it in the 1960s,’ the second 

part will be presented as a large, open 

piazza ‘to highlight its acceptance and 

integration into mainstream culture.’ 

“In the first part, Susan’s voice will be 

heard as a quiet whisper, while in the 

second it will be heard as a deafening, 

earsplitting scream,” Bolton clarifies. 

Sontag was actually no stranger to 

The Met. She would visit “religiously” 

every Sunday, and many artworks 

that she mentions in her 1964 essay 

are taken from The Met’s collection, 

such as Crivelli’s Madonna and Child. 

“As in her essay, they’ll be presented 

randomly to underscore her concept 

that camp has an equalising and 

democratising effect on art – that 

if you look at art through camp 

eyes, a Caravaggio painting has 

the same visual appeal as a Flash 

Gordon comic,” illustrates Bolton. 

What’s more significant to 

understanding and appreciating 

fashion as a vehicle for camp is Sontag’s 

analysis of its modes of expression. 

These include irony, humour, parody, 

pastiche, duplicity, ambiguity, 

theatricality, extravagance, and 

exaggeration, among many others. 

“Sontag in her essay argues that the 

‘Camp eye has the power to transform 

experience’ but ‘not everything can 

be seen as Camp. It’s not all in the 

eye of the beholder.’ That’s not been 

my experience,” counters Bolton. 

“When it comes to fashion – or rather 

when it comes to looking at fashion 

through a pair of camp spectacles – 

it’s all in the eye of the beholder. It’s 

this subjectivity that underpins its 

mutability and capriciousness.” 

Indeed Bolton admits that he is not 

helming an omniscient survey. “Like 

most four-letter words, camp invites 

debate. But unlike most four-letter 

words, it evades definition,” he says. 

“For this reason, the exhibition raises 

more questions than it answers. For 

example: ‘Is camp kitsch?’ ‘Is camp 

political?’ And ultimately, ‘What 

is camp?’ The only answer to these 

questions is – as the historian Gregory 

Bredbeck has suggested – a camp one: 

‘Only one’s hairdresser knows for sure.’” 

The Costume Institute’s spring 2019 

exhibition – 'Camp: Notes on Fashion' 

– shows from 9 May to 8 September 

this year. metmuseum.org/camp 

49

INSIDE THE 

London’s Design Museum honours the 

directorial brilliance of Stanley Kubrick – 

by unpacking the master storyteller’s methods 



Johnny!” grins a 

maniacal Jack Nicholson, 

‘Here’s 

peering through the 

splintered hole he’s hacked into 

the bathroom door, ready to hunt 

down his cowering female prey. 

This fraught scene from 1980’s The 

Shining became a meme so iconic 

it burst from the cinema and into 

popular culture. But do audiences 

remember the wood grain of the door 

itself? Or the exact shape of the axe? 

Across his directorial portfolio, Kubrick 

poured just as much attention into the 

minutiae of building a scene as he did to 

developing complex character arcs, or 

honing astute dialogue. While known for 

embracing cutting-edge film techniques, 

the Manhattan-born director was not 

averse to some good old tireless research. 

For 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut, he 

spent a year photographing every 

house doorway in the Islington, 

London, postcode to find a perfect 

candidate for an fleeting scene. For the 

ominous underground beatdown 

in A Clockwork Orange, he tasked 

different crew members with taking 

thousands of photographs of London’s 

tunnels, after which he studied every 

single image (eventually plumping 

for Wandsworth Underpass). 

These anecdotes are symptomatic 

of Kubrick’s meticulous attention to 

every detail – however obscure. 

Each frame of his 16-film career was 

painstakingly crafted, drawing the 

audience into an immersive visual world. 

To honour the 20 th anniversary 

of his passing, London’s Design 

Museum hosts a six-month stint of 

Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition. 

“Featuring more than 500 objects, 

projections and interviews, the 

exhibition brings to the fore Kubrick’s 

innovative spirit and fascination 

with all aspects of design, depicting 

the in-depth level of detail that he 

put into each of his films,” executive 

curator Alan Yentob surmises. The 

respected TV executive helped shape 

the journey along with Deyan Sudjic, 

director of the Design Museum, 

and co-curator Adriënne Groen. 

“When I delved through his 

extensive archives, one of the things 

I uncovered was his fascination with 

stationery,” says Groen, opting for 

a Kubrickian-level example of her 

most interesting curatorial find. 

50

MIND 

51


52

Previous Pages: Stanley Kubrick on set during 

the filming of 2001: A Space Odyssey, (1965–68; GB/ 

United States). © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. 

These Pages: Kubrick directs a scene of his 2001: A 

Space Odyssey © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc 

53


“Kubrick wanted to use a particular 

type of paper to write upon. There’s a 

page we found where the director typed 

upon it, with a typewriter, ‘This is how 

it types’, and a fountain pen annotation 

that says ‘This is how it draws ink’. It 

shows his character – tirelessly looking 

for just the right paper, to ensure the 

ink was absorbed in the way he wished.” 

Through the filmmaking process, 

“Kubrick was ‘hands on’ from start 

to finish, even sitting at the editing 

desk with just a pencil and an eraser. 

Everything had to be ‘just right’, and 

his obsession for perfection drove 

him to embrace advanced technology 

and techniques,” says Groen, of his 

method. “His remarkable canon 

comes from a time before films were 

made digitally – pre-CGI, before 

access to technology was easy.” 

For instance, to simulate gravity-free 

weightlessness in his 2001: A Space 

Odyssey, the director had a giant 

rotating centrifuge – essentially a 

38ft Ferris Wheel – purpose-built by 

the Vickers Engineering Group; 

astute camera work completed the trick 

of the eye. (The Design Museum has 

one, as part of the exhibit installation). 

Staying with Space, Kubrick famously 

purchased a f/0.7 lens (and the custommodified 

Mitchell 35mm) from 

NASA itself, in order to shoot Barry 

Lyndon with an ethereal, candlelit-style 

patina true to the story’s 18 th -century 

setting. The lenses had been used by 

the space agency in the 1960s to take 

low-light photos of the dark side of the 

Moon, and aided Kubrick’s filming of 

actors by the light of flickering flame. 

Groen enthuses how the films, 

despite belonging to that pre-digital 

era, “Are still current and exciting. 2001: 

A Space Odyssey in particular 

redefined the science fiction genre, 

and doesn’t look like it was made 

back in the 1960s; his films are 

still able to fascinate audiences as 

they did when first released.” 

He was deeply committed to finding 

the right way of doing something, even 

if it took years to realise. He possessed 

creative vision, but with it incredible 

patience; a keen chess player in his 

spare time, Kubrick was a strategist. 

In the case of A.I: Artificial 

Intelligence, says Groen, it was 

about a move he chose not to make. 

“ 

If you can get people to the point 

where they have to think for a moment 

about what it is you’re getting at – and 

then discover it – the thrill of discovery 

goes right through the heart 

” 

“Kubrick bought the rights to the 

Brian Aldiss’ story in the 1970s, but 

held off on its creation as he felt that 

there wasn’t sufficient camera and 

computer technology to do justice to 

his vision for the script,” she explains. 

He acquired stories (usually middling 

novels, which he made great) and 

– be the genre crime, war, thriller, 

romance or sci-fi – went to any lengths 

to visually unfurl the narrative. 

He cultivated patience in his audiences: 

the director is synonymous with slowpaced, 

protracted (yet enthralling) 

scenes. The role of music, for example, 

was so important to setting the mood 

that he would often extend a scene 

to allow the score to finish in full. 

Kubrick’s perspective was underpinned 

by that insatiable hunger for detail. 

Groen cites the prep he put into a 

film project that did not even get 

made: a proposed biopic on 19 th - 

century French emperor and military 

commander Napoleon Bonaparte. 

“He embarked on this massive 

journey to gather all the information 

he could find about a leader he 

greatly admired,” she says. 

“Kubrick compiled his findings 

on date cards, with each assigned a 

chronological day in Napoleon’s life 

accompanied by research about what 

happened to him on that day – who 

he met, what he’d eaten etc. It was all 

handwritten, stored in a filing cabinet; 

in a way it’s Kubrick’s paper version of 

a Google search, or a Wikipedia page. 

It’s fascinating to see the amount of 

information and research he acquired” 

– before the internet age, no less. 

“Nobody could craft a movie better 

than Stanley Kubrick,” praised fellow 

film great Steven Spielberg (who Kubrick 

eventually endorsed to direct the 

aforementioned A.I., released in 2001). 

“He is an inspiration to us all. Stanley 

was a chameleon with the astonishing 

ability to reinvent himself with each 

new story he told. I defy anyone who 

just happens upon a Kubrick film 

while channel surfing to try with all 

your might to change the station – I 

have found this to be impossible.” 

Every detail was a step closer to his 

endgame: producing a cinematic work of 

art the viewer just can’t turn away from. 

Of his method, Kubrick imparted, 

“If you really want to communicate 

something, even if it’s just an emotion 

or an attitude, let alone an idea, the 

least effective and least enjoyable 

way is directly. It only goes in about 

an inch. But if you can get people to 

the point where they have to think a 

moment what it is you’re getting at, and 

then discover it, the thrill of discovery 

goes right through the heart.” 

For its showcase, the Design Museum 

has upheld this beguiling spirit. “We’re 

dissecting his process, rather than 

showing all the material per film,” 

explains Groen. “We worked very 

closely with the Kubrick archives 

[which is housed at University of 

the Arts London] and it’s so vast 

– with boxes upon boxes of notes 

and material – that this exhibition 

is based on a relative fraction.” 

For the guest, then, these 

thoughtfully curated slivers of his 

legacy are a thrilling opportunity 

to discover the man behind the 

movies – whose genius goes right 

through the heart of cinema. 

Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition shows 

at The Design Museum until 15 

September, while the British Film 

Institute screens his masterpieces 

during its ‘Kubrick season at BFI 

Southbank’, throughout May. 

designmuseum.org/exhibitions/ 

54

Top: Matthew Modine and Stanley Kubrick on the set of 

Full Metal Jacket, © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. 

Below: Stanley Kubrick and actor Jack Nicholson on the 

setof The Shining – which was directed by Kubrick (1980; 

GB/United States).© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc 

55


This page: The final stage was 

the resplendent, complete look 

being presented to the world at 

the Paris - New York 2018/19 

Métiers d’art runway show, on 

4 December. Look 77 is available 

at Boutique Chanel, on Fashion 

Avenue at The Dubai Mall 

56

An AIR-exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the 

artisanship of Chanel’s stunning ‘Look 77’ – one of 

the final Metiers d’Art pieces masterminded 

by the late, great Karl Lagerfeld 

Maison 

MASTERCLASS 

57

Right: (1) Once the embroidery sample had been validated by Karl Lagerfeld, the 

design was created first on tracing paper according to the pattern provided by the 

Chanel RTW ateliers, in order to respect the proportions and the cutting details. At 

Lesage ateliers, the organza was then embroidered all over with beads and sequins 

in tones of coral, chalk and gold to create a tweed motif. To finish, an embroidered 

plastron was made and positioned onto the embroidery. Completion time: 726 hours 

1 


2 

Above and right : 

(2) At Lognon and Lemarié ateliers, five metres of black tulle were accordionpleated 

by the House of Lognon and then gold threads were inserted by the 

House of Lemarié. These pleats embellish the lower part of the dress. 

Completion time: 40 hours 

58

3 

4 

Above: 

(3) At Chanel Ready-to-Wear ateliers, 

the embroidered pieces were delivered 

gradually by the Lesage atelier to 

the Chanel RTW ateliers so that the 

seamstresses could start to assemble 

the dress. Strips of leather worked in 

relief for an exotic skin effect were added, 

and highlight the embroidery. Finally, the 

pleats made by the houses of Lognon and 

Lemarié were sewn onto the lower part of 

the dress. 

Above: 

(4) The Mercer Hotel, New York, 3 December. The final fitting of the 

dress and its accessorising took place the day before the runway 

show under the close observation of Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie 

Viard. The dress was accessorised with earrings in the shape of 

scarab beetles, a necklace with a large CC pendant, a belt adorned 

with a buckle, cuff bracelets worn in duo and gold leather sandals 

made by the house of Massaro for Chanel. 

59


60

Motoring 


Veloce 

The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ is a last, 

super fast blast before the bull is tamed 

WORDS : JEREMY TAYLOR 

61


The Nürburgring Nordschleife 

in Germany is regarded as 

the ultimate proving ground 

for a car’s performance. Known 

as ‘the Green Hell’, the 20.5km 

former grand prix circuit is fast, 

narrow and scorched with the skid 

marks of the many drivers who have 

failed to cross the finishing line. 

There are speed records for racing 

cars, motorbikes and non-road-legal 

motors, but the most coveted is for 

production cars that you and I can drive 

on the road — and that’s the title the 

new Lamborghini Aventador SVJ seized 

last year. It went round in just under 6 

minutes and 45 seconds, a lap record. 

For now, the Aventador SVJ has 

bragging rights over every other car 

out there. But how on earth do you test 

something this fast on a public road? 

Capable of achieving 0-100km/h in 2.8 

seconds and a top speed of 349km/h, 

the SVJ looks as menacing as a great 

white shark on its lunch break. 

Certainly, the SVJ is the most powerful 

Lamborghini to leave the company’s 

Sant’Agata production facility near 

Bologna. It is likely to be a swan song 

for the company’s old-school V12 engine 

too. That’s because a technologically 

advanced, greener hybrid is set to 

be unveiled as supercar makers turn 

their attention to battery power. 

To mark what could be a defining 

moment, then, Lamborghini tuned 

and modified the outgoing V12 to 

extract every last ounce of power. 

The changes included titanium valves, 

a redesigned cylinder head and a lighter 

flywheel — the sort of stuff that makes 

motoring geeks salivate. These help to 

boost power and reduce the weight of 

the low-slung SVJ by more than 50kg to 

a trim 1,525kg – not that much heavier 

than a bog-standard Ford Focus. 

Consequently, the SVJ revs noisily 

to beyond 8,500rpm and offers a 

wider band of torque, transferred 

to the road through a permanent 

four-wheel-drive system that has 

been modified for more rear-axle 

bias, thus improving the handling. 

I doubt many Lambo owners 

lift the rear-mounted, carbonfibre 

cover to peep at the engine. 

If they did, they would discover 

some exquisite architecture. 

Perching above that lot is the latest 

version of Lamborghini’s active 

aerodynamic spoiler system, which 

For sheer spectacle and sonic boom, 

‘ the Aventador SVJ rivals Concorde 

’ 

attracts attention like a radar beacon. 

The huge rear wing isn’t there just 

for show. It increases downforce 

by more than 40 percent compared 

with the previous Aventador SV. 

This is ingenious stuff that really 

requires a PowerPoint presentation 

to explain properly. On a fast corner, 

the forces created by the rear 

wing can be deflected left or right, 

increasing grip over the inside rear 

wheel, where it is most needed to 

keep the SVJ glued to the road. 

It works brilliantly, but also attracts 

a trail of nerdy car-spotters in your 

wake, smartphone cameras pressed to 

their windscreens. Expect to go viral 

on social media if you crash — it’s that 

sort of machine. But at least you won’t 

be able to see most of your pursuers 

— the central pillar that supports the 

spoiler is so bizarrely placed, it blocks 

visibility. You might as well throw 

away the rear-view mirror and shave 

a few extra ounces off the weight. 

Stabbing the throttle unleashes a 

guttural snort like Brian Blessed 

having an asthma attack. There’s 

no neighbour-friendly setting for 

those awkward, early-morning 

starts either, so don’t expect another 

barbecue invitation from No 17. 

However, for sheer spectacle and 

sonic boom, the SVJ rivals Concorde. 

It’s tight for space inside, once the 

wing doors have been swung up 

to reveal a gaudy mix of imitation 

suede and leather in the cabin. 

The bucket seats are painful on a 

long journey, while visibility and 

headroom were an afterthought. 

There’s nowhere to stash a phone, 

let alone my spotted handkerchief, 

and the eccentric dashboard layout 

appears to contain switchgear stolen 

from the original Tardis. A flip-up 

cover protecting the starter button 

is borrowed from a Top Gun fighter. 

The wow factor for new passengers 

is undeniable, but the flap, when 

left open, can catch a shirt cuff at 

the most awkward moments. 

At least Lamborghini has dispensed 

with those silly indicator buttons fixed 

62

to the steering wheel on the Huracan, a 

wild sister car that is equally deserving 

of the raging bull badge. Impossible 

to operate at night, the tiny switches 

have been replaced with a conventional 

column stalk in the Aventador. 

There’s nothing easy or 

straightforward about any Aventador, 

of course – even climbing in and out 

is a Houdini-style feat designed to 

scalp all 6ft-plus passengers,, and 

the restricted luggage space under 

the bonnet needs to be supplemented 

by stuffing the passenger footwell. 

Worst of all, the single-clutch gearbox 

is almost comically antiquated. At low 

speed, occupants will be doing a headnodding 

workout worthy of Jane Fonda, 

usually accompanied by cries of: “It’s 

not my rubbish gearchange, honest.” 

Matters improve dramatically at 

higher velocity, when the shift is 

smoother. Not that you’ll notice, 

because harnessing the SVJ on a 

public road demands full attention. 

Straight-line performance in the 

SVJ is stupendous. And when you’re 

heading into a corner, each highrevving 

downshift on the huge 

paddle-shifters is pure drama. 

This amount of performance and 

grip takes some getting used to. 

With all this set off by an old-fashioned 

V12 soundtrack and outlandish 

styling, the Aventador delivers a 

sensory overload rarely found in any 

car these days. Modern, efficient 

Ferraris and soulless McLarens can’t 

hold a candle to the vibrations and 

resonating thrills of the supersonic 

SVJ, which really sticks the boot in. 

Of course, for more than USD450,000 

you might expect nothing less. 

If you want to make an entrance, 

there’s very little on the road that 

shouts as loud as a Lamborghini. 

And that price doesn’t include some 

of the optional equipment on my 

test car, including a “viola” paint 

job at USD12,000 and a carbon 

engine rocker cover for USD5,400 

(I said it was beautiful). 

In any other circumstances it would be 

right to suggest the Aventador is a twoseater 

that’s reached its sell-by 

date. But what Lamborghini has done 

here is turn an ageing, outrageous 

supercar into something even 

more spectacular. Just for one last 

fling, for old times’ sake – and if 

only to annoy the neighbours. 

63

Gastronomy 


French 

Twist 

Mathieu Viannay arrives on Dubai’s shores with 

Rue Royale: a bold concept of traditional French 

fare, masterfully tailored to a UAE audience 


Pointe, a little dining and 

entertainment distinct that sits 

pretty on The Palm Jumeirah, 

AIRThe 

is a microcosm of the culinary options 

found across Dubai: from fast food 

choices through to refined cuisine. 

Still, it was something of a coup 

when Rue Royale, helmed by acclaimed 

chef Mathieu Viannay, was announced 

as part of The Pointe’s opening lineup 

– and to understand why, a little 

European history is required. 

Back in 2008, Viannay – now holder 

of the ‘Meilleur Ouvrier De France’ 

(the nation’s highest creative honour) – 

acquired the former glory known as La 

Mère Brazier. Not short on sentiment, 

he deems it “A moment of destiny”. 

The Lyon-based bistro dates back 

to 1921, and was founded by Eugénie 

Brazier, herself a titan of the culinary 

world: Brazier was the first lady to 

win three Michelin stars and, in the 

restaurant’s heyday, her self-titled 

eatery was the place to dine. By 2008, 

though, it had become a “tired” (frankly, 

dilapidated) version of its former self. 

“When I first visited the restaurant it was 

old and broken but it had an enduring 

spirit, and soul, so I decided ‘Let’s go; 

let’s acquire it,’” Viannay recalls. 

Settling ownership matters with the 

department of Trade and Commerce 

in Lyon, he went to work and, to get 

to the point, turned Mere Brazier 

into a two Michelin Star-experience 

with a stellar reputation for sublime 

renditions of traditional French fare. 

The Pointe, conversely, is the exact 

opposite: history in the making, and 

place where Viannay was tempted to 

lay the foundations of a new dining 

concept. “In Lyon I was building 

on storied heritage, whereas the 

restaurant in Dubai is a different 

prospect entirely,” he buzzes. “That 

is why Rue Royale is not called ‘La 

Mère Brazier Dubai.’ There is a new 

story to be told.” 

There are subtle links, though. Rue 

Royale is the street on which La Mère 

Brazier is located. The décor, too, 

draws inspiration from the bistro 

concept, and Viannay brought some 

of the design touches with him. The 

aesthetic of the entryway, the glass 

façade to the kitchen and the silk 

fabric – which graces details of the 

dining area – were all imported 

(literally, or stylistically) from Lyon. 

He calls it “A touch of France with 

design notes from Dubai”. 

Still, there should be no confusion 

that Rue Royale seeks to copy the 

French icon. (The menu is not the 

same, for starters). “I live in Lyon, 

and have cultivated La Mere Brazier 

as two Michelin-star cuisine, with 35 

people crafting cuisine to delight only 

45 covers – it’s a very special concept 

64

65

“ 

Flavours are exquisitely balanced, 

while being sensitive to local 

cultural requirements 

” 


that cannot be replicated,” Viannay 

notes. “This concept is ‘prêt-à-porter’ to 

La Mère Brazier’s ‘haute couture.’” 

Rue Royale is pretty much a whole 

new wardrobe. It’s decidedly ‘sans 

vin’: alcohol-free, with region-friendly 

modifications to interpretations of 

French culinary staples. “I accepted the 

challenge to impart my ideas as some 

families here – Emirati in particular 

– want to eat exceptional fine dining 

in an environment that conforms to 

their cultural dining preferences,” he 

enthuses. “We have to respect culture 

and because we are in the UAE, I 

thought it was an exciting to try and 

develop a menu this way.” 

While being fine dining, Rue Royale 

is for a different palate; “Inspirational 

French cuisine with signature dishes” 

such as Pate en Croute (of farm chicken 

breast, veal, duck liver foie gras and 

sweet bread); Pain de Brochet (pike fish 

from the River Quiberon, in Hormandine 

sauce); Farm Chicken Fricasse de 

Volaille (in creamy sauce, accompanied 

by pilaf rice). This is real French bistro, 

sensitively done. 

Even for an awarded master such 

as Viannay, circumventing non-halal 

ingredients was an all-consuming 

adventure. There is no ‘Big Book of 

Alternatives’ for him to turn to 

for answers; Viannay had to write it. 

“For months I put a lot of thought into 

this chemistry,” he admits. 

For instance, his Beef Filet Rossini 

with truffle sauce traditionally 

incorporates red wine and cognac. 

The chef worked on a replacement 

sauce that combines beetroot jus, 

balsamic vinegar and cranberry jus. 

Another signature dish on the menu is 

Pain de Brochet, ordinarily made with 

a sauce of pastis or Absinthe, but for 

which Viannay crafted a jus of fennel, 

reduced with anise – a sauce that 

deliciously mimics the original. 

“In each instance the taste 

is exquisitely balanced, while 

being sensitive to local cultural 

requirements,” he beams. “Guests 

will be delightfully surprised by the 

unexpected versions of the dishes. I 

debuted the first halal version of Pate 

en Croute over a decade ago, and it 

was a huge success; the absence of 

certain non-conforming ingredients is 

counterbalanced by a blend of tastes 

that can rival the original.” 

He admits that there is “Not much” 

in the way of relevant produce from 

Dubai to help, and most ingredients 

are flown in fresh from France (as 

66

well as the likes of Australia, Africa 

and New Zealand). “I did want to 

incorporate some touches from the 

region – the Hot French Madeleine 

dessert, for instance, is accompanied 

by camel’s milk ice cream,” he smiles. 

Experience was ‘imported’ too, with 

staff – from the restaurant manager 

and operations manager, through to the 

entire kitchen complement – becoming 

acquainted with Viannay’s methods by 

spending time in Lyon. The chefs are 

French, they know French cuisine, and 

each are accomplished in their role. 

“It’s an exceptional location,” says a 

contemplative Viannay, gazing across 

his terrace to the waters of The Palm 

that shimmer beyond. ”The area has an 

intimate feel; it’s a well-realised 

vision by Nakheel,” he adds. “I feel that 

our restaurant team and the aura of 

Rue Royale takes care of exceptional on 

the ‘inside’, and The Pointe – with its 

breathtaking views – takes care of the 

grandeur on the ‘outside’.” 

67

Travel 



68

40 

Four Seasons Hotel 

Dubai International 

Financial Centre 

69


70

The seasons they are a-changing, 

and as UAE residents gear up 

for toasty summer swoons, the 

Four Seasons brand proves that it too 

can adapt to the moment. 

The Four Seasons Hotel DIFC 

moderates a different climate to its 

coast-dwelling sister resort over on 

Jumeirah Beach. This is the sleek 

city slicker; suave suites and poolside 

pomp nestled in the heart of Dubai’s 

financial community. 

The hotel has all the luxury clout of 

an internationally-renowned brand, 

and all the cosy charm of a highlyexclusive 

boutique property. 

Refreshingly for Dubai, this is not a 

cloud-kissing colossus: it’s a modest 

eight storeys tall and, in this case, less 

is definitely more. There’s an elegant air 

of a private member’s club, as modern 

art pieces grace the public spaces, 

which are hued with cool marble and 

soothing chocolate-box tones. 

As the property celebrates just 

its third anniversary this year, the 

freshness is still apparent. The seventh 

floor is this hotel’s leisure haven (or 

as the hotel itself deems it, a ‘seventh 

heaven’), and its glass-walled pool 

is a picture perfect creation for the 

Instagram-era – besides being tempting 

for a dip to beat the heat. 

The specious trio of the Penthouse, 

Terrace and Deluxe Terrace – the hotel’s 

Specialty Suite collection – are another 

fine example of its contemporary 

appeal. The latter is generously spread 

across the 5 th and 6 th floors, while the 

ample Penthouse proffers 180° views of 

bustling city avenues or lush Zabeel Park. 

Each of these premier abodes has 

a King Bed to wake up in, and a 

limestone bathroom in which to prep 

ahead of an evening in stylish garb. 

First port of call of an evening is the 

Adam Tihany-designed Luna Sky Bar, 

which resides on the topmost floor – 

as does the Churchill Club, an ideal 

enclave in which to sink back into a 

Chesterfield with a cigar. Naturally, this 

vantage boasts views of the soaring Burj 

Khalifa and mesmeric skyline. 

At podium level is the chic Penrose 

Lounge, while further relaxation awaits 

in MINA Brasserie, which doubles 

as both an eatery to tuck into hearty 

sharing plates and a Manhattan-vibe 

setting for pre-dinner craft cocktails. 

It would be remiss to not mention 

that another appeal of the Four Seasons 

Hotel DIFC is the assortment of off-site 

restaurants, bars and art galleries 

that sit (theoretically) within walking 

distance – heat permitting, of course. 

One certainty is that in a district 

where money matters, this impeccable 

hotel represents a wise investment for 

guests looking to reap the dividends of 

comfort, convenience and class. 

For VIP arrangements (such as guest 

transfer from the airport to DIFC by 

limousine), contact the concierge via the 

dedicated line: +971 (0) 4506 0222 

71

What I Know Now 



Navid Negahban 

ACTOR 

The whole journey to Hollywood has 

been a crazy adventure – and remains 

so; I’m still following the Yellow Brick 

Road, to help this Tin Man find his heart. 

Growing up during the Iranian revolution 

and Iran/Iraq war taught me one thing: 

you have to live in the moment because 

tomorrow might never arrive. 

I also believe that the only thing that 

is impossible is the impossible itself. 

I was in my twenties when I arrived 

in Germany (via Turkey and Bulgaria), 

and couldn’t speak German or English 

– but I wanted to be an actor. 

Now I’m 50, I can say that for sure the 

industry is not the bathing in milk 

and honey that most people may assume. 

But I arrived with no expectations; I just 

wanted to tell stories. 

What surprised me early on was how 

some creators, trying to tell a story about 

my part of the world, didn’t discern 

between Farsi, Arabic or Turkish. Some 

didn’t concern themselves with knowing 

the difference, because they were all 

considered the ‘same’ language as long 

as the words sounded foreign enough 

to scare the audience. I’m proud to see 

that changing. 

I love the psychological challenge of 

playing a multi-layered character, as it 

allows you to learn more about yourself. 

I compare the process to diving into a 

swimming pool, sitting at the bottom 

while holding your breath, getting to 

know your limits, and hoping that you 

have enough air left to swim back up and 

get out of the pool. 

All the screen personas become part of 

your library, but you should never forget 

that you are the librarian. You have to 

monitor that all the books are checked 

back in, and are put away when you are 

done reading them. If not, it will make 

you lose your sanity. 

When it comes to advice received, I 

could write a book about all the wisdom 

I have been given. From my grandma 

to my parents, I have been given so 

much incredible guidance – and I 

believe everyone who crosses your 

path is there to deliver a message: you 

just need to be open to receive and 

decipher it. 

A pertinent lesson my father used to tell 

me was, “Pesaram (my son): when you 

are unhappy about where you are in 

your life, look down, as there are 

hundreds of people who would like 

to be where you are. And when you 

are feeling so full of yourself, look up: 

there are millions of people above you.” 

Navid stars as The Sultan in Disney’s 

live-action remake of Aladdin (in 

cinemas this month), while in June 

he reprises the surpervillan role in 

X-Men spinoff series Legion 

72

The cultural 

emirate 

awaits you

Perlée Collection 

Rose gold, yellow gold 

and diamond bracelets, 

yellow gold ring. 

Haute Joaillerie, place Vendôme since 1906 

The Dubai Mall - Mall of the Emirates - The Galleria Al Maryah Island 800-VAN-CLEEF (800-826-25333) 

Etihad Towers +971 2 681 1919 

www.vancleefarpels.com

AIR May 2019

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