DEPARTURES TRAVEL GOOD
DEPARTURES TRAVEL GOOD LUXE 24 ALEXANDRA SOJFER Walking sticks, wallets and more are on offer at this boutique, but what Alexandra Sojfer is most renowned for is her umbrellas. Bespoke designs are handmade in rare woods (Makassar ebony and snakewood, for example), finished with delicate fabrics (such as silk satin) and even embellished with crystals or shells. alexandrasojfer.com CIRCUS BAKERY There seems to be a patisserie or boulangerie on every corner in Paris, but Ortogni makes a weekly pilgrimage to this timberframed bakery for a special reason: it sells “the best cinnamon buns in the world”. The crusty sesame sourdough is just as heavenly, and house-made apple-andpear jam spreads beautifully on a still-warm loaf. flyingcircusparis.com – John O’Ceallaigh ME Dubai Inside the cosy Kulture House DUBAI’S EVER-GROWING SKYLINE welcomes yet another architectural standout, The Opus by Omniyat, home to the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid’s final hotel project, ME Dubai. A startling glass cube with an eight-storey organic-shaped void in the centre, the space is vintage Hadid, with the highly photogenic hotel lobby and atrium featuring futuristic curves and sharp angles. With access to three restaurants in-house and 15 in the adjoining Opus, such as the contemporary Japanese Roka and local favourite The Maine Land Brasserie, guests will never go hungry. The iconic Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Dubai Opera are all on the doorstep, but the Suite ME offers exceptional indulgence in private as well, including a dining-cum-pool table and spacious jacuzzi. melia.com Left: ME Dubai’s Zaha Hadiddesigned lobby; below: Villa 515’s electic interior VILLA 515 An oasis of frangipani and rose-scented fountains, this emporium showcases niche fragrances with extraordinary stories behind them. A collaboration between Emirati entrepreneur Dhaher bin Dhaher and Italian nose Alessandro Gualtieri, the collection includes homegrown brand Tola and Nasomatto, whose Blamage perfume is described as “an unwise and unfortunate creation caused by bad judgment and care”. House-blended bukhoor and oud are also available to burn at home.shop.villa515.com KULTURE HOUSE Part-concept store, part-cafe, this converted villa in the upscale Jumeirah neighbourhood with mosaicclad ceilings and black and white arches immerses you in a kaleidoscope of colours. Sip a Desert Rose latte made with pistachio milk and matcha as you ponder purchases such as Moroccan ceramics, floaty kaftans, Rwandan basketry, beaded Kenyan belts and Uzbek ikats. instagram.com/ kulturehousedubai MONTROI “Celebrating nomadism” is the philosophy behind the small, exquisitely made collection of items at the brand’s flagship store in d3. Handmade leather bags individually painted to order sit alongside the M1 safari chair, fully crafted in the UAE using camel leather from the country’s last remaining tannery, and rose-water sourced from Jabal Akhdar in FROM TOP: © KULTURE HOUSE, FRANCISCO NOGUEIRA, © VILLA 515
FROM TOP: © SAUCE ROCKS; © FOUR SEASONS HOTEL BANGKOK, PIA TORELLI Earrings from Sauce Rocks the Omani mountains, with each bottle containing the equivalent of 1,000 rose petals. montroi.com SAUCE ROCKS From the purveyor of Dubai’s leading beachwear comes this collection of fine jewellery items by designers from the Middle East and around the globe. Arabic calligraphy in rose gold, diamond and sapphireencrusted evil eyes, and blingy bangles all add some sparkle to your desert wardrobe. shopatsauce.com FBMI There are carpets aplenty in Dubai’s souks, but for some of the best around, head to Fatima Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI) in the Dubai Design District. Hand-woven in Afghanistan as part of a sustainable programme to empower low-income communities, as well as providing healthcare and education, designs range from traditional to contemporary collaborations with international designers. Not only do they look good, but you’ll feel good about your purchase too. fbmi.ae – Nicola Chilton Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok The Jean-Michel Gathy-designed Presidential Suite at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River THE NEW FOUR SEASONS is hardly short on style, with its Jean-Michel Gathy interiors, sleek infinity pool and impressive art collection. But more than any design detail, the hotel’s location is what offers guests a world of Bangkok discoveries. Set along historic Charoen Krung Road, it’s at the centre of the city’s burgeoning Creative District, where avant-garde designers, of-the-moment artists and talented tastemakers come together in one hotbed of ingenuity. Chief concierge Thanarat Menbangphung has connections with all the top purveyors – and he can even send you off in the hotel’s boat to visit them. fourseasons.com Below: FBMI’s colourful showroom SHAKA STYLES After a day or two in the Bangkok heat, you’ll be ready to stock up on this shop’s colourful, lightweight dresses and functionally tailored pieces in bold prints and breathable silhouettes – just what you need to stay cool in the sizzling night markets. shakastyles.com WAREHOUSE 30 Menbangphung calls this abandoned warehouseturned-community-arts space “industrial-chic” for its eclectic mix of design shops, ranging from a graffiti-art gallery by Britain’s DJ Goldie to P Tendercool, which specialises in bespoke furniture crafted from rare and exotic woods. warehouse30.com THAI HOME INDUSTRIES Jaivid Rangthong’s housewares are on display in an old Thai house near the Chao Phraya River. Alongside indigo-dyed cotton fabrics and pottery, find the designer’s iconic stainless-steel flatware – inspired by the traditional Thai tools used to slash through rice paddies – which is included in the permanent collection at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. 35 Charoen Krung Soi ATTA GALLERY This sleek shop exhibits and sells wearable sculpture from local and international designers. Featured artists include Switzerland’s David Bielander – known for avant-garde pieces such as his DIY series of gold rings and bracelets that resemble folded cardboard – and Thailand’s Apinya Oo Boonprakob, who combines wood and other organic materials with precious metals and crystal in brooches, necklaces and double-finger rings. attagallery.com – Jackie Caradonio 25 DEPARTURES
