As part of the Spring/Summer 21 collection, Roi Du Lac introduced the Pharaoh print in tribute to Egypt and the Middle East culture.
The print is developed and hand painted in-house using water colors and with an advanced high-technology practice is then printed on fabric.
Stay home and join the cosy club with this edit. From comfy casual clothes to activewear and beauty goodies to pamper the day away, chilling out has never looked so good. Keep your ‘stay home’ outfits super comfy with a matching brushed rib top and joggers lounge set. Or nail that effortless off-duty combo with an oversized sweater and sporty side stripe leggings. From casual but chic to super cosy essentials, find a selection of stay at home outfits in this edit. Amp up your heart rate and insert a quick sweat session into your day at home with our selection of activewear. Whether you prefer to stretch or sweat it out in style, find the perfect workout clothes to wear at home this season. Whether you’re enjoying a well-deserved break or working from home, keep your look on-point with this edit.
A comprehensive collection of best-selling styles, triumphant modern classics, and transitional pieces, The Visions of the Future Collection also nods to resort-wear in several playful, lightweight crêpe de Chine styles, such as the Casablanca Queenie Contessa, Indya Sienna, Casablanca Sienna, and the Casablanca Jet Black. This is what Olivia von Halle presents; an opportunity for the wearer to celebrate, be uninhibited, confident, unrestrained, and free. There is hope that 2021 has newfound freedom; there is hope this freedom can be found, in part, within Olivia von Halle’s SS21 collection.
As part of its mission to preserve and protect Emirati cultural heritage for future generations, Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council has joined hands with Italian jewellery brand, Bvlgari, to explore and analyse practices surrounding the curation and documentation of cultural heritage and to share this knowledge through a series of virtual sessions with experts in the field.
Accordingly, Irthi, an affiliate of the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, recently organised its second panel in the series titled ‘Cultural Sustainability through Intangible Heritage and Architecture’, in collaboration with Bvlgari.
The discussion was led by HE Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth; HE Reem BinKaram, Director, NAMA; Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO, Bvlgari; Nora Aldabal, Arts and Culture Programming Director, Royal Commission Saudi Arabia; and Noura Al Sayeh – Holtrop, Head of Architectural Affairs, Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiques (BACA). Fatema Deemas, Senior Executive Projects Research and Documentation, Irthi, moderated.
Reviving and modernising traditional crafts
Commenting on the UAE’s efforts to preserve and sustain its heritage for future generations,HE Noura Al Kaabi, said: “The UAE has been keenly promoting its unique heritage globally through well-designed initiatives, policies and legislations. Our efforts have led to elements representing Emirati heritage being added to the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and we are working closely with local and international partners to ensure that more are recognized in the future.”
Noura Al Kaabi added: “What is most fascinating about these traditions is that they are being preserved through ongoing cultural practices, rather than been confined to a museum setting. In the UAE, entities such as Irthi are playing a pivotal role in fostering a dialogue between contemporary design, traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage, and thereby transcending the goal of just preserving it.”
HE Reem BinKaram highlighted Sharjah’s strategy of investing in human capital to create the necessary infrastructure for preserving its cultural heritage. She said: “Irthi has taken forward the UAE’s and Sharjah’s vision by creating synergies between contemporary and traditional elements that help retain the distinctive Emirati identity of our crafts while also enhancing their international appeal. Additionally, commercial collaborations with global designers and local artisans are inspiring new ways of incorporating these into our daily lives.”
She continued: “At Irthi, a 360-degree approach governs its efforts in preserving our tangible and intangible heritage. When we first began, our artisans were mostly in the 50-65 age group. Today, we are attracting artisans as young as 24 years, and their craft practice is empowering them socially and economically.”
Enabling knowledge transfer
Describing the lack of focus on manual skills in the western world as the inspiration behind the evolution of the Bvlgary Academy, Jean-Christophe Babin said: “Every year, we train around 120 talents who are passionate about learning the lost skills of crafting exquisite pieces of jewellery. These handcrafted pieces evoke strong emotions and help preserve our cultural heritage.”
“The only way to revive a dying craft is to involve and train the youth,” added BinKaram, elaborating on Irthi’s strategy of enabling knowledge transfer to the young generation. “We collaborate with sister entities and other organisations that support youth to nurture their interest in the crafts. We also created custom design programmes such as Design Labs, to enable them to experiment with different mediums and craft practices.”
Cultural programming
Nora Aldabal offered an insight into the AlUla region, an archaeological treasure at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s heritage programme. Describing AlUla as “an open living museum”, she said: “We are currently developing Madrasat Al Deera, an exciting new project and the first girls’ school in AlUla that was abandoned around 20 years ago. The school is being renovated as a cultural hub and will focus on upscaling artisans’ skills in everything from ceramics and jewellery making to design foundation.”
She added that under the programme, when elderly women infused newly learnt contemporary elements into their crafts, it attracted the attention of both youngsters and hospitality and development projects who are keen on incorporating these into their projects.
Preserving art and architecture
Citing the example of Bahrain’s conservation project, Pearling Paths, Noura Al Sayeh – Holtrop elaborated the role of architecture in resolving the issues of tangible and intangible heritage which, she described as being “two sides of the same coin.”
She said: “Pearling Paths is a tangible heritage that we are safeguarding and conserving and is very much the product of an intangible heritage of the pearling economy. These two aspects are intimately linked.”
Holtrop further explained: “The buildings are the physical testimony of a thousand years of the pearling economy that is largely intangible. To conserve them, we needed to understand its varied intangible elements, specifically the stories behind the buildings, how they were used, the crafts used to build them, and how and by whom they were built. This process was essential to not disrupt the intangible connections that the local community had forged with these buildings and the city.”
Babin emphasised why Bvlgari – a 136-year-old Italian company, felt duty bound to pay tribute to the city of Rome and help preserve its monuments by making them accessible to the public. He said: “We believe that cultural heritage has real value only when it is shared by people and made accessible to all. For instance, Bvlgari is funding the restoration of Largo di Torre Argentina in collaboration with the City Council of Rome and the Ministry of Arts and Culture of Italy. Dating to 4th century BC, this historical site once housed temples and theatres and is the site of Julius Caesar’s assassination. Although the site was excavated about a century ago, it was not maintained or opened to the public.”
The closing weekend at SHOETOPIA is one you don’t want to miss.
And Level Shoes, the globally recognised retail omnichannel concept and destination dedicated to the world of footwear and accessories, will be there.
This weekend, visitors to Shoetopia can expect a full program to keep them busy. With Level Shoes will bring exciting designers – from African footwear designer Titi Adesa who champions ethical production and empowers young girls living in underserved communities within Africa who aspire to be fashion designers to consciously-made Italian brand Piferi, the Shoetopia Talk sessions will speak about the latest 2021 trends, shoe stories, sole fashion and sustainability.
In a continuous effort to bring unique offers and experiences to its members across the UAE, MUSE, the loyalty programme by Chalhoub Group, has partnered with Retail Abu Dhabi (RAD) on a campaign titled “Unlock the Extraordinary”. MUSE members can shop at participating MUSE stores in Abu Dhabi from Jan 21 – Feb 13 and have the chance to win 1 of 6 brand immersive experiences – from shopping sprees, tailored dining experiences, wardrobe refresh and more, with loved brands L’Occitane, Tryano, Max Mara, Tanagra, Swarovski and Lacoste, all in conjunction with Retail Abu Dhabi One, the new membership platform from Retail Abu Dhabi.
With this unique activation, MUSE holds true to its promise to members to provide them with thoughtful and tailored experiences delighting in moments truly special to them. These benefits extend to nonmembers shopping during Abu Dhabi Shopping Season as well, with a simple download of the MUSE App. The App makes it all possible – an adaptive and responsive platform to collect & redeem points; unlock exclusive benefits like MUSE concierge, valet parking, home delivery, partner offers and more; and, book & enjoy experiences from luxurious spa days to contest get-aways.
Ready for the next season? Get inspired with Net-A-Porter’s new edit. Beautiful fabrics, natural colors, comfortable fits and perfect jewelry. Which trend is your favorite?
In its original form, the modest fashion industry was a grassroots movement borne out of a growing generation of young women wanting to celebrate their identity. Since then the sector has expanded beyond traditional elements such as the hijab to include loose-fitting and less revealing clothing. And while many brands world-wide are beginning to situp and take notice of the needs of Arab Women there is still far to go and an urge to encourage those brands not to dictate the modest “rules” of dressing.
Saudi label Leem celebrates the significant strides made by women in the region, celebrating them rather than their decision to dress modestly or not. What does this mean for Arab women? Leem is dramatically altering the landscape of contemporary design for the region, and indeed women worldwide, creating trend-led pieces that can be worn throughout the season and allow its wearer to take a more traditional approach, for example, an abaya or jalabiya, or a more modern take on modest dressing through the likes of free-flowing kaftans, maxi skirts and dresses, the timeless trench, tailored power suits with fluid, ambiguous layers, all distinguished by their sleek structure and elegant lines. However, it doesn’t stop there, why can’t that maxi dress, that modestly drapes the silhouette brushing the ankles and wrists, be pulled down to an off the shoulder piece when a woman feels comfortable? It can, and it should! We should celebrate, applaud and not dictate the boundaries of dressing, and rather design without preconceived notions of what modest fashion is or indeed should be.
As a brand Leem is not about defining the boundaries of modest fashion but rather supplying the modern Arab woman with a wardrobe that suits her, the occasion, and the ‘feeling’ of the day. Leem’s vision is to redefine modest wear with global appeal. Specialising in essential staples with an air of luxe that form the building blocks of any modest wardrobe, Leem’s stylish silhouettes carefully mark the intersection of conservative fit and modern flair, elevating the fashion quotient of its all-inclusive clientele-base, whether they choose to conceal for culture or as a personal preference of style.
In an exciting and timely move for the brand, Michael Kors is pleased to announce the re-release of the Watch Hunger Stop LOVE T-shirt for Valentine’s Day. With its red heart patch spelling out the word LOVE, it’s the perfect way to celebrate this special day on both a personal and global scale. Show your loved one just how much you care for them, while also giving back to a great cause: Watch Hunger Stop, the brand’s philanthropic campaign dedicated to combatting world hunger. Because after all, food is love.
Now in its eighth successful year, Watch Hunger Stop supports the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in their mission to achieve Zero Hunger and provide much needed meals to children in food insecure areas. To date, we’ve helped WFP deliver more than 20 million school meals, but there’s still work to be done.
Made from 100% organic cotton, the unisex pocket T-shirt retails for $40 and will be available for purchase online and in select Michael Kors Lifestyle stores beginning in February 2021. For every LOVE T-shirt sold, Michael Kors will donate all profits to children in need through WFP.
Forty years of fashion, forty years at the side of women, teaching them how to love themselves every day. In 1980, Marina Rinaldi designed the first collection that would reach the public the following year with a clear objective: eliminate prejudices that saw elegance as a matter of size.
From that point onwards, the brand has always stayed loyal to that objective and to a vocation for timeless, high quality items, stylish icons to be loved and worn, like the beautifully designed outerwear.
To coats, therefore, Marina Rinaldi dedicates a mini capsule collection of 4 styles – one per decade – that celebrates this product category as a symbol of the brand’s impeccable savoir faire, though reinterpreted with an unusual twist.