LOOK SMART, LIVE SMARTER
Evgeny Kuzin – The Hospitality Mastermind FALL / WINTER 2021
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Ideas start the future.
There’s nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. Welcome to a new kind of energy. Introducing the new, fully-electric Audi e-tron GT.
#FutureIsAnAttitude audi-me.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Obaid Humaid Al Tayer MANAGING PARTNER AND GROUP EDITOR Ian Fairservice EDITOR/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Amy Sessions amy.sessions@motivate.ae SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Olga Petroff DIGITAL EDITOR Olivia Morris JUNIOR DIGITAL STYLE EDITOR Sarah Joseph GENERAL MANAGER PRODUCTION Sunil Kumar ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER Binu Purandaran PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Venita Pinto CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER Anthony Milne GROUP DIRECTOR Andrew Wingrove DIGITAL SALES DIRECTOR Sabir Khodabux GROUP SALES MANAGERS Bindu Gupta bindu@motivate.ae Chaitali Khimji chaitali.khimji@motivate.ae SENIOR SALES MANAGER Neha Kannoth neha.kannoth@motivate.ae GROUP MARKETING MANAGER Joelle Albeaino WEB DEVELOPER Firoz Kaladi CONTRIBUTORS Andrew Wingrove, Varun Godinho, David Ndichu, Guido Duken
HEAD OFFICE Media One Tower, Dubai Media City, PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE, Tel: (+971) 4 4273000, Fax: (+971) 4 4282261, E-mail: motivate@motivate.ae DUBAI MEDIA CITY SD 2-94, 2nd Floor, Building 2, Dubai, UAE Tel: (+971) 4 390 3550 Fax: (+971) 4 390 4845 ABU DHABI PO Box 43072, UAE, Tel: (+971) 2 6772005, Fax: (+971) 2 6770124, E-mail: motivate-adh@motivate.ae LONDON Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK, E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai
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WORDS: VAR UN GODINHO
A M aste r cl ass: C h ar l i e W atts Everyone has a different memory of the Rolling Stones drummer – none of which question his greatness
The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are rock ‘n’ roll institutions in themselves. But can anyone doubt that the enormity of the band’s drummer, Charlie Watts, was any less? The passing away of the legendary musician last month gave rise to a litany of tributes not only from fans, but also from the world’s music royalty including the likes of Paul McCartney (“fantastic drummer, steady as a rock”, U2 (“you make a grown man cry”) and Elton John (“the ultimate drummer”), among hundreds of others. One of the world’s most successful rock bands of all time with estimated album sales of over 200 million, Watts stuck with the band right from 1963 until his death at age 80 at a London hospital last month. While it was rock that Watts made a career of, it was indeed jazz that was at the soul of this very musician who was born in 1941 and grew up saving money to buy 78s of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Watts could have had a career as an artist too – he attended art school – and was a professional graphic designer who even helped design the artwork
for some of the band’s early records. Thankfully, the musician in him prevailed. His utter devotion and loyalty to the band meant that from 1963 until his last live concert in 2019 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, he never missed a single gig. He, besides Richards and Jagger, is the only other member to appear on every Rolling Stones discography – 30 studio albums, three extended play singles, 33 live albums, 29 compilation albums, 32 box sets, 121 singles, 77 music videos and 48 video albums, if you were keeping score. Unlike Richard and Jagger though, Watts maintained a relatively low profile not allowing the shenanigans and off-stage theatrics of his bandmates to influence his own modest image. It was a singular focus on his craft that showed through brilliantly on many of the brand’s greatest hits including “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, “Angie”, and “Paint It, Black”. One of the most telling compliments, and one that Watts perhaps would have been most proud of, came from Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor who took to
Twitter to say, “Most of all, despite being in the greatest rock and roll band of all time, his self-effacing manner and humility was a shining light for all of us in the world to follow.” That light burns bright. REMEMBERING CHARLIE WATTS “A very sad day. Charlie Watts was the ultimate drummer. The most stylish of men, and such brilliant company” – Sir Elton John
“Charlie Watts was a groove-master. An elegant, beautiful groove-master who was as kind to my drummers as he was to me. What a gift to have gotten to play with him and the Rolling Stones on multiple occasions” – Sheryl Crow “A unique rhythmic personality, he’s unique, he’s irreplaceable. There’s only one guy with that sound” – Stewart Copeland “RIP Charlie Watts, one of the greatest rock drummers ever and a real gentleman” – Bryan Adams
“To me, Charlie Watts was the secret essence of the whole thing” – Keith Richards
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E d i tor ’ s L e tte r Welcome to Emirates Man FW21. Watch obsessives will enjoy the latest This is your guide to being in the know. installment from The Watch Addict on page From grooming to tech we’ll ensure you’re 18 while The Elements of Time on page 30 ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest highlights the pieces you should be investing gadgets. If you’re into watches, our resident wisely in. We also have exclusive interviews watch geeks will deliver all the details you need with the CEOs of Swiss watchmaker H. to make the right investment, we interview the Moser & Cie in The Rise of the Independents guys making moves on a global on page 46 and Breitling in and local scale and we’ll tell you Shaping Time on page 40. The LOOK where the coolest places are to coolest kit you can buy is curated SMART, hangout. Welcome to the club. in The Boys Toys on page 14, the For the cover we have chosen essentials for a modern man’s LIVE Evgeny Kuzin in The Innovators beauty regime in Well Groomed SMARTER. on page 74. on page 20 and the best edit of This issue looks to a fresh FW21 fragrances in A Fine Fall season ahead with timeless tailoring for FW21 on page 60 to give you staying power, even from Loro Piano in The Gentleman on page 26, after you’ve left the room. the latest drops from OUNASS in The Time In terms of excellence, we look at the Is Now on page 50, and off-duty essentials winning mindset and how it drives physical from new brand By Smiths in Downtime on performance in Speed & Spirt on page 72 with page 58. Damien Paul, Head of Menswear at Puma’s Brand Ambassador Ahmas Daham MATCHESFASHION tells us how we should and speak to the F&B moguls and Founders approach dressing in Bold Choices on page of Kitch-In in The Innovators on page 74. 42 and we speak to Max Girombelli about Style and substance are intrinsically bringing Italian sartorial heritage to the UAE linked, Emirates Man delivers both. in Making Tailoring Great Again on page 54. Look smart, live smarter.
Amy Sessions EDITOR / ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
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CALIBER RM 33-02
RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUE DUBAI | ABU DHABI | RIYADH | KUWAIT | DOHA | ISTANBUL | MOSCOW
www.richardmille.com
CONTENTS FA L L / W I N T E R 2 02 1
The Monitor
p.14 The Boys Toys – The back to the office cool kit
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Fashion & Watches
p.20 Well Groomed – The modern man’s regime
p.23 Monitor News
p.24 The Edit – Classic FW21 essentials
p.40 Shaping Time – Interview with the CEO of Breitling
p.26 The Gentleman – Timeless tailoring at Loro Piana for FW21
p.42 Bold Choices – Interview with MATCHESFASHION’s Head of Menswear
p.38 The Art of Auctions – Interview with Sotheby’s Managing Director of Global Luxury
p.60 A Fine Fall – The best edit of fragrances for FW21 p.62 Where Icons Are Made – The place to go to optimize the mind & body
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p.22 A Gentleman’s Word
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p.30 The Elements of Time
Fitness & Grooming
p.18 The Watch Addict
p.46 The Rise of the Independents – Interview with the CEO of H. Moser & Cie
p.64 The Precision Surgeon – Interview with the Founder of 111SKIN and leading Harley Street cosmetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides
p.50 The Time Is Now – The latest drop from OUNASS for FW21 p.54 Making Tailoring Great Again – Max Girombelli is bringing Italian sartorial heritage to the UAE p.58 Downtime – By Smiths delivers off-duty essentials
p.68 The Finer Notes – CEO of Henry Jacques p.72 Speed & Spirit – Ahmad Daham on surpassing boundaries
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Features
p.74 The Innovators – Interview with Founders of Kitch-In including Evgeny Kuzin and Chef Izu Ani p.78 A Determined Approach – Interview with Deliveroo’s General Manager Anis Harb p.80 A Fighting Spirit – Interview with Ahmed Seddiqi, Co-Founder of the Round 10 Boxing Club p.82 The Superlative Stay – Interview with Vladislav Doronin, CEO, Owner and Chairman of Aman p.86 Icon Status – The Senturion Key is a supercar on your wrist p.88 Open Spaces – Interview with UAE photographer Anthony Lamb
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Lifestyle
p.92 The Pad – Iconic investment pieces
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p.94 Omakase – H seki offers a truly unique dining experience in Dubai
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p.96 The Wanderlust – An exceptional edit of where to escape to this Autumn
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You rediscovered yourself during the COVID quarantines. You worked out, learned Latin and thanks to endless hours of YouTube cooking shows, your culinary repertoire now
extends beyond a boiled egg. With full office return, ensure your workspace reflects the new you and that you’ve invested in pieces that will pay off in the productivity stakes.
THE BOYS TOYS Back to the office cool kit
WORDS: DAVID NDICHU
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STYLING: AMY SESSIONS
THE MONITOR
8/30/21 3:20 PM
Mi L E D D ES K L A M P
You may have guessed it but that fluorescent light hanging from the ceiling does no favours to your eyes. Instead try the Mi LED Desk Lamp, a smart desk lamp with four light profiles that adjust to whatever you are doing. Its minimalist elegant profile, wrapped in a durable metal casing, is a sight for sore eyes.Table Lamp Dhs371 Mi LED
B E N Q B U S I N ES S M O N I TO R
Make room for multitasking with the Benq Business Monitor with Eye Care Technology (BL2480T), which, despite its mouthful of a name, is one of the best professional monitors out there. This bad boy comes with IPS (In-Plane Switching) technology which delivers accurate colour and image reproduction from any angle while its styl-
ish frameless edge-to-edge design will make you the envy of the entire office. Benq has perfected blue light elimination technology, effectively diminishing eye fatigue and irritation. As a bonus the BenQ BL2480T is certified by Energy Star, a global standard for environmentally friendly electronic equipment. D-Sub Display monitor with eye care technology BL2408T Dhs1,749 BenQ
COLMIA DUMBBELL SET
When is a dumbbell not a dumbbell? When it’s a COLMIA luxury dumbbell set from Pent. The Silver Edition is available in stainless steel in combination with five wood options and five leather colours. The wood options include black ash, natural ash, natural oak, natural walnut, dark walnut while the leather version is available in five colours. Pent products are hand-made for you, so allow for production lead time of between 8 and 12 weeks. Dumbbell Set Dhs20,370 Colmia
THE MONITOR
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BOSE SLEEPBUDS II
FITBIT SENSE
You upgrade your phone each year but your smartwatch is still stuck in 2015. Since then, wearables have progressed beyond calculating your footsteps. Take the Fitbit Sense, the closest you’ll get to a medicalgrade smartwatch. The Sense comes with features for stress management, heart health, oxygen saturation, skin temperature and more. It also comes with 20 activity modes plus a healthy week-long battery life. Watch Dhs1,399 Fitbit available on virginmegastore.ae
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Your neighbour, for whatever reason, decides to rearrange his furniture every night at 11 o’clock while sporting cement shoes. Meanwhile, his stereo seems stuck at 50’s country, the golden age of yodelling. You’ve had enough. Consider Bose Sleepbuds, a set of tiny and comfortable earphones that work with the Bose Sleep app to deliver relaxing sounds to help you fall asleep. The Sleepbuds come with noise-masking technology, so you stay asleep all night. Unlike ordinary headphones, Sleepbuds don’t stream music or podcasts; they play content only from the Bose Sleep app. Sleepbuds II Dhs1,049 Bose
R A X A LUXU RY B OX I N G BAG A N D G LOV ES S E T
Your self-care should extend to your home and your workout deserves an upgrade this year. The RAXA Luxury Boxing Bag and Gloves Set from luxury equipment fitness equipment maker Pent produces the most luxurious training setup. These are durable handmade leather goods that will instantly upgrade your home gym. Don’t let the premium look fool you, this is professional boxing equipment. Luxury Boxing Set Dhs9,240 Raxa
THE MONITOR
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LO G I T EC H W E B CA M
Upgrade your international Zoom efforts with the Logitech C930e Business Webcam that delivers HD video even in low-light and harshly backlit settings. A generously wide 90° field of view helps frame yourself and your workspace perfectly. C930e Business Webcam Dhs477 Logitech
DYS O N D RY E R
Consider this a PSA. You remember your SO’s last birthday don’t you? You put off buying her a gift and then it finally dawned on you on your way home that it was HER birthday. You remember her reaction when you presented a withered bunch of roses and generic box of chocolate you picked up at the petrol station on your way home. You convinced yourself you are better than that. And you are. This year get your stuff together early and order this Dyson Supersonic hair dryer well ahead of time. The digital motor in the Supersonic spins up to 110,000rpm, propelling 13 liters of air up to the amplifier every second. Dyson says this stylish hair dryer helps prevent extreme heat damage to protect natural shine. The air temperature is measured 20 times every second, keeping the temperature under control. Supersonic Hairdryer Dhs1,574 Dyson available at OUNASS
R AC K A STA N D
Continuing with the luxury theme is this RACKA stand from Pent that consists of a beautiful stand and sophisticated fitness accessories. The catalogue includes skipping rope, push up bars, fitness mat, a 65 cm fitness ball, a balance ball, and a stretching roller. This set will look at home even in your living room. Fitness Set Dhs19,005 Racka available on ninjoo.com
THE MONITOR
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WORDS: ANDREW WINGROVE
T h e R oad te st: B r e m ont M B Sav anna
If you’re looking for a battle-hardened timepiece that has been put through its paces, then this is the watch for you
The arrival of the new Bremont Savanna was greeted with great excitement in the office as many of us had watched the international livestream launch. The Savanna is a new version of their legendary MB pilot’s watch and comes with a unique titanium case. The MB (Martin-Baker) range is best known for being the only watch tested and capable of withstanding a fighter jet ejection, making it the real deal. Subsequently (and if you don’t believe me, check it out yourself on BremontMilitary Instagram) the MBs are often the choice of serving fighter pilots from around the globe who all sit on a Martin-Baker ejection seat in the hope they don’t have to use it, yet in the knowledge that it may also be the thing that saves their lives. The pilots are also given comfort that should they have to eject, their watch will still
function. So, for us mere mortals it most certainly ticks the shock-resistance box. The MB Savanna-coloured, desert-inspired model boasts a grey dial and a case featuring a matte tactical coating. With a grade 5 titanium upper case and caseback and an aluminium barrel that makes up the Bremont Trip-Tick case construction (if you ever see a Bremont MB with a red barrel, then chances are you are looking at a pilot who has survived an actual ejection). The 43mm MB Savanna sits comfortably on the wrist, so light is the titanium case that the tan rubber strap seems almost heavy. As a civi, and one unlikely to see any real action, I would swap the strap for Bremont’s Hambleden or NATO option, but if you want the genuine military look and feel, you will be pleased to know that the tan-grey colour palette works extremely well.
The knurled pushers have a great grip (reflecting the seat material of an MB ejection seat), and when turning the Roto-Click bezel you are treated to an extremely satisfying sound as it clicks around the dial. There is great legibility to be enjoyed on the grey dial with the date at 3, a few red accents and the traditional yellow-and-black MB ejector seat loop on the second hands counterbalance marking the Martin-Baker seal of approval. The 43 mm Trip-Tick case of the Savanna has a nice slim, neat silhouette when the watch is turned on its side. The base lugs although sharp in appearance, sit comfortably on the wrist. Whilst the screws on the caseback are noticeable, they are small, thereby not giving the watch an unnecessary industrial feel. There is a lovely clear view of the automatic (Bremont BE-36AE) ETA-based winding system with a Bremont skeletonised rotor. The movement mount protects the movement making the Savanna one of the most shockresistant watches on the market. If you are looking for a genuine fighter pilot watch that has been tested to the max in altitude, vibration, temperature variance, salt and fog, and one that is also incredibly reliable (chronometer-certified), then this is the watch for you. It also looks incredibly cool with a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt. Like the dive watches before it, how many of us really need a gas escapement valve when all we do is wear the watch to the beach? But isn’t it great to know that the watch on our wrist has capabilities beyond anything we can put it through, which in itself gives amazing peace of mind when it comes to the reliability of a watch. It’s not just cool marketing, it’s the real deal and a fraction of the price when compared to certain Swiss brands that invest a lot of marketing budget to make it look like they are worn by fighter pilots.
The Basics: Diameter: 43mm; Case material: Grade 5 titanium, aluminium middle barrel; Dial colour: Grey; Indexes: Painted; Lume: Yes; Water resistance: 100 meters; Strap/Bracelet: Tan rubber strap; The Movement: Caliber: Bremont BE-36AE (base ETA 2836-2); Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date; Diameter: 25.6mm; Power reserve: 38 hours; Winding: Automatic; Frequency: 28,800vph; Jewels: 25; Chronometer certified: Yes, ISO 3159; Additional details: Bremont skeletonised rotor; Pricing and availability: Approximately Dhs25,200; Rivoli MoE, Rivoli DIFC and Rivoli Dubai Mall
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THE MONITOR
8/30/21 3:56 PM
Exclusive paintings, sculptures and photography from award-winning international artists.
Painting by Jassim Al Awadhi
The 50th Anniversary Arabian Falcon Navigator Clock by David Galbraith Photograph by Anthony Lamb
Liddington Clock by David Galbraith
WORDS & STYLING: AMY SESSIONS
WELL GROOMED The modern man’s regime
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THE MONITOR
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The Face Scrubber - Firm Dhs45 Toiletries available at MR PORTER; A+R Soap, 130g Dhs44 Triumph & Disaster; Dichotomy Eye Serum, 15ml Dhs241 Triumph & Disaster; The Awakening Algae Marine Salt Scrub, 300ml Dhs532 Seed To Skin available at MR PORTER; The Bath Nectar - 1000 Tuscan Flowers, 100ml Dhs389 Seed To Skin available at MR PORTER; Gameface Moisturiser, 100ml Dhs179 Triumph & Disaster; DRx SpotLite Blemish Reducer Dhs272 Dr Dennis Gross Skincare; Concealer 5g Dhs80 War Paint for Men; Boost Advanced LED Light Therapy Bib Dhs1,765 The Light Salon
THE MONITOR
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A Gentlemanʼs W or d Opinions on the prevailing state of affairs WORDS: ANDREW WINGROVE
ON AFGHANISTAN So, 2021 continues not to disappoint as an absolute shocker. We all bear witness to the scenes of people fleeing Afghanistan. So desperate were some, that clinging onto a moving airplane was considered a better option than staying under the rule of the Taliban. Thoughts and prayers go to the Afghan population as people and countries open their doors and homes to those lucky enough to flee the country. Let’s hope that for those who remain, they stay safe and that the Taliban who themselves look to be taken seriously on the worldwide stage respect the lives of those who live under their control. Lots of local initiatives are being set up, so we can all donate clothing and money for those in need.
ON TRAVELLING DURING A PANDEMIC Covid-19 and vaccinations seem to be becoming a part of our normal day to day and makes the return of travel a whole new lottery. Particularly if you find out that you are positive whilst planning your return flight home. We have heard countless stories of people being forced into hotel quarantines whilst on holiday. So, my only advice would be to make sure you take your work laptop with you. That way, at least you are taking steps to not get fired on your return.
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We received some good news from the UK which prompted the amazing advert from Emirates with the announcement of the UAE moving onto the Amber List. This is great, but still frustrating as the UK continues to only acknowledge European and US vaccination programmes – which is odd given the Oxford-AstraZeneca batch that we all received is the same batch that 5 million Brits also received. Let’s hope that the UK gets over itself and acknowledges the hard work that has been done by the UAE to make us one of the most vaccinated countries in the world.
ON FOOTBALL With all that is going on in the world, the start of the football season has brought plenty of distraction with Messi moving to PSG and the whole drama surrounding Harry Kane on a potential move to Manchester City. There were lots of rumours as to why Kane was late for training, and I am sure we will find out more about his desert island vacation if the GBP150m transfer does go ahead. One thing we do know about Spurs, and the very shrewd Daniel Levy, is that they will have calculated the potential revenues lost if Kane does depart and so will not release him if the P&L does not end in a profit – which explains the price tag and negotiation tactics employed. Sadly, for Kane, he will probably miss out on an opportunity
to play in one of the best footballing squads ever assembled and will be left to hope that this year, more than any other year, the Spurs will win some form of trophy.
ON COMEDIAN SEAN LOCK I was very sad on hearing about the passing of the English comedian Sean Lock. The comic world went into mourning on hearing the news that the 8 Out of 10 Cats star died aged 58 of lung cancer. If you are not aware of Lock’s work, it is well worth a Google search. Lots of his fans have been resharing his funniest moments, so celebrate his passing and give it a watch. It will make you smile and remind you that life is for living, so enjoy every moment. Keep an eye out for the spoof book The Tiger Who Came for a Pint which fans are pushing to get published in Lock’s honour.
ON EXPO 2020 With Expo 2020 now fast approaching, we are all eager to see what the global event and its pavilions representing countries from all over the world have in store for us. The delay of the event has meant that Expo’s opening coincides with borders opening up and puts Dubai at the epicentre of a post-Covid global business recovery. Exciting times and history in the making as we get ready to welcome the world to our door.
THE MONITOR
8/30/21 3:24 PM
C O M P I L E D BY: A M Y S ES S I O N S
T H E H E R O B U YS
T h e U p d ate The latest launches, new openings and hero buys
Faux Shearling Blouson Jacket Dhs2,605 A.P.C.
Olio Jacquard-Knit Sweater Dhs664 Folk
THE MONOGRAM Create a visual statement with Jimmy Choo’s vintage-inspired Monogram collection for FW21.
Tapered Belted Cotton-Blend Corduroy Trousers Dhs864 Altea
L E AT H E R LOV E R A falconerʼs leather glove is the starting point of Matiere Premiereʼs Falcon Leather eau de parfum. The aroma of tanned nubuck is drawn out by a combination of saffron and Ciste Labdanum, while benzoin absolute from Laos adds a carnal undercurrent. Fa lcon Leather Eau de Parfum (100ml) Dhs933 Matiere Premiere
Ribbed Shetland Wool Socks Dhs146 Thunders Love
THE MONITOR – NEWS
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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: TOD’S
THE EDIT
Denzel Wool-Blend Sweater Dhs2,182 Massimo Alba available at MR PORTER
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Leather Belt Dhs1,818 Tod’s
Cotton-Twill Chinos Dhs1,830 Burberry available at MR PORTER
Desert Boots Dhs2,479 Tod’s
FAS H I O N
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WORDS & STYLING: AMY SESSIONS
Classic details, FW21 essentials Molino Tortoiseshell Acetate Sunglasses Dhs2,299 Jacques Marie Mage
Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt Dhs235 MR P. available at MR PORTER
Slim-Fit Pleated Stretch-Wool Tweed Trousers Dhs1,265 Incotex
FAS H I O N
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Leather Tote Bag Dhs18,725 Tom Ford
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WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
THE GENTLEMAN TIMELESS TAILORING AND A CONTEMPORARY ATTITUDE AT LORO PIANA FOR FW21 EM_0921_P26-29_Lookbook Loro Piana.indd 26
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ALL AVAILABLE AT LORO PIANA
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FAS H I O N
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T H E E L E M E N T S O F T IM E WORDS: VAR UN GODINHO
Earth, water, air and fire are a few of the indispensable elements and the very building blocks of nature itself. These timepieces can in many ways be considered extensions of these elements, and equally inseparable for true connoisseurs EM_0921_P30-37_Watches.indd 30
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Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition
Hublot Big Bang Unico Sorai
E ar th Rooted firmly in terra firma, these watches are a reflection of the land itself and all its varied flora and fauna. Intrepid explorers and nature enthusiasts, step this way.
Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari
Rolex Explorer Ref 124273
WATC H E S
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver 42mm
TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300 Calibre 5 Automatic Ref WBP208B
Omega Seamaster 300m Black Black
W ate r Much of the deep blue and its contents remain a mystery to this day. To go deep, you need a watch that can keep up. The only thing that repeats itself on loop in your mind when you strap on one of these? “Dive, dive, dive.”
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WATC H E S
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Panerai Lumior Marina eSteel PAM01356
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Urwek EMC TimeHunter Stormtrooper
Breitling Super Chronomat B01 44
A ir It’s been a little over a century since we went from experimental aircraft that soared for a couple of seconds a few feet above the ground to supersonic sound-barrier-smashing air travel across continents and flights to the distant corners of space too. These watches are a fitting tribute to the heroic achievements we’ve made in all things aviation.
Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic
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IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar
WATC H E S
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Bremont MB Savanna
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Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat
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Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Rad Limited Edition
Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two in 18K Red Gold
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon Glow Me Up
F ire It’s the element that’s feared and revered in equal measure. It’s one that has fundamentally altered the history and future trajectory of mankind like none other. Can we dare to say the same of these wristbound pieces?
WATC H E S
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WORDS: VAR UN GODINHO
T h e A r t of A ucti ons
Josh Pullan, Managing Director of the Global Luxury Division at Sotheby’s, is successfully broadening its product categories, implementing a digital-first approach and is introducing a brand-new approach to auctions itself – all at an institution that is over 277 years old That the sneaker resale market is a multibillion-dollar business was never in question. But apart from a motley crew of online websites and a few individuals globally, no one had quite attempted to recognise or formally address that segment – that’s until Josh Pullan, managing director of the Global Luxury Division at Sotheby’s, decided to change the game earlier this year. In April, Sotheby’s sold a pair of Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototypes that he wore to the 50th anniversary Grammys in 2008 for a staggering $1.8m – making it the most expensive pair of sneakers ever publicly sold, and the first pair to command over a million dollars in a public sale. “The sneaker business has really exploded, and the resale market is at an all-time high. In 2019, the resale market was about $6bn globally. It’s estimated that it could reach about $30bn by 2030. What I think is driving this category is that it resembles many other traditional collecting categories like jewellery, watches or fine art, because ultimately, sneakers have an element of design, craftsmanship and quality. At Sotheby’s, we offer two types of sneakers, the game-worn sneakers worn by some of the NBA greatest players, and then there are the models which people are chasing because they’re the red hot,” says Pullan. For the 277-year-old New York-headquartered auction house, the writing was already on the wall when it decided to dwell on categories like sneakers that traditionally appeal to an audience aged 40 and below. Last year, Sotheby’s introduced its first-ever hip
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hop auction where a signed Biggie K.O.N.Y. (King of New York) crown hammered for $594,750 and The Wall of Boom installation by DJ Ross One fetched $113,000. That auction notched $2m, around 20 per cent higher than Sotheby’s itself estimated. The luxury division, managed by Pullan, was created a year ago and incorporates jewellery, watches, wine and spirits, 20th-century design, handbags and accessories, sneakers, books and manuscripts, as well as autos. “Last year, the luxury division did around $650m worth of sales. The biggest category in the entire division was the jewellery business – we had sales in excess of $310m. And our watch business was the second largest, [followed by] wine, design and books. But jewellery takes up the lion’s share of the revenue.” There are interesting insights to gather from Sotheby’s performance within the jewellery and watches category. Thirty-five per cent of the buyers within the jewellery category were new to Sotheby’s, an increase of 32 per cent from the year prior. It could come as little surprise that 90 per cent of the jewellery lots sold in 2020 went to online buys, double that of the previous year. The Cartier Tutti Frutti bracelet sold for over $1.3m in May last year, becoming the most expensive jewel ever sold in an online auction at the time, but was followed by other star pieces later in the year including a 102.39-carat D Colour Flawless Oval Diamond that sold for $15.7m in Hong Kong in October and a 14.83-carat Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink Internally Flawless diamond that auctioned for $26.6m in Geneva shortly after.
Apart from jewellery, watches are the next biggest performer within the luxury division. Global auction sales of watches at Sotheby’s reached $97.5m in 2020. Over 140 online sales netted $47.4m year-to-date – almost eight times the number of sales and five times the value over 2019’s watch sales. Covid-19 notwithstanding, demand for preowned luxury watches remained robust. In 2020, Sotheby’s first-ever online sale dedicated to pocket watches gathered $9.1m. The momentum carried over into this year as well. In Sotheby’s Geneva Luxury Week sale in May, across a series of six auctions dedicated to jewellery, watches, handbags and sneakers, it attracted sales worth $70.2m, over 14 per cent more than the last season. In Geneva, its jewellery sales commanded $61.5m, followed by $9.9m in watch sales (a 1990 Patek Philippe Ref 3974 in yellow gold achieved $390,000). Meanwhile, an Air Jordan 1 worn by Michael Jordan in his rookie season fetched $151,544. Interestingly, nearly a third of the buyers in the Geneva sale were first-time bidders at Sotheby’s, and 50 per cent of the overall number of participants were under the age of 40. Pullan’s decision to push new product categories within the luxury division that appeal to this younger mindset seems spot-on. “Half of the bidders we had overall were under the age of 40, but yet the average item value was $200,000,” notes Pullan, emphasising that a younger audience doesn’t necessarily imply one with smaller wallets. “The younger audience is something which is a critical focus for us in the broader luxury group. We are really
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focused not only on cross category presentations, but also how do we make Sotheby’s more relevant and approachable for new audiences,” explains Pullan. To make Sotheby’s attractive and ripe for those new audiences, Pullan realises that he has to go beyond pushing new products categories, and recalibrate the way the auction house reaches its audience itself. To that end, Sotheby’s introduced an online platform called Buy Now last December, that offers items for instant purchase rather, than via the traditional bidding route. “We offer over 5,000 items that are available for instant purchase. The reason that we wanted to create this platform was to meet the needs of our clients 24x7, as opposed to episodic auctions which is an event-based business. We now have the capability where clients can come and shop or collect all day, every day,” says Pullan. The platform which went live in the US at the end of last year, began shipping to 75 countries in the first quarter of 2021. Loosely modelled on the fashion world’s ‘see now, buy now’ principle, Sotheby’s enviable collection of products can be instantly purchased without having to worry about counter bids via its digital Buy Now platform. And while it may be an entirely new experience for many collectors to swipe their credit card online for a $100,000 Sam Saidian Emerald Diamond Ring, Pullan is keenly aware that the average selling price of items on the platform demonstrates the appetite to consume luxury today via digital platforms. “Our average item is around $10,000 on the platform. I spent 10 years building and developing our digital business out of New York. We’ve seen a 600 per cent increase in our online sales by value in the luxury [division] last year.” Overall digital adoption among its clients has been booming over the last few months at Sotheby’s. Within the jewellery category, for example, over 47 online sales took place last year digitally realising $69.2m – double the number of sales and almost eight times the value for 2019. The highest bid placed on its app was $3.8m for a 12.38-carat pear-shaped pink diamond ring. At its Geneva Luxury Week sales in May this year, over 75 per cent of participants in the live sales placed their bid online. He adds that part of the digital strategy also involves using the right tools to connect with its audience, and it’s these tools that differ from one country to the next. “[We have to] use the right digital tool. So [for example] we have a WeChat programme in China, and it's a great way of reaching our audience, to have content and to speak in the local language, culturally as well.” Apart from building its digital platforms and reach, having physical spaces for its auction isn’t something that is being ignored at Sotheby’s. To that end, it opened what it called The Emporium in the lobby of its New York City HQ in May, which
is considered a physical extension of the Buy Now platform. “The Emporium is focused on how do we capture the traffic that’s coming into our New York headquarters, and help make them aware of our Buy Now business. This is a window into our digital marketplace, using our physical footprint to bring people into it. It is our first omnichannel retail store,” explains Pullan. The Emporium invites one leading guest curator to determine which items from its Buy Now marketplace go on physical display. Over May and June, it invited Gucci Westman to curate her selection of items which included a $95,000 David Webb gold, platinum and diamond necklace, a $30,000 stainless steel Rolex Submariner, and even a Porsche 356 as its centrepiece. Apart from The Emporium, Sotheby’s other global physical display spaces include the East Hampton gallery, another one in Palm Beach and also a London New Bond Street gallery dedicated to direct purchases. A major focus for Sotheby’s is to ensure that counterfeits do not make their way into its portfolio. In its watch category, for example, ahead of the Geneva Luxury Week Sotheby’s collaborated with Swiss major watch and jewellery retailer Bucherer on the physical display of its merchandise ahead of
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the auction. “We had displayed some of the property from our auction in their flagship stores in [Geneva’s] Rue Du Rhone. They also offered a number of their watches as part of that Geneva Watch Auction that came from their certified pre-owned programme, which is a guarantee that the watch is not just authentic, but that it’s been serviced, that it comes with a two-year service warranty and that the parts are from an authorised dealer.” Sotheby’s like other auction houses around the world has also in recent years been forced to navigate the sticky subject of restitution. It’s a topic that Pullan doesn’t shy away from. “We’ve operated at the top for over 275 years. And part of that is because we take all of these things – ethics and understanding ownership and restitution very seriously. In fact, we have a department in house, which is a restitution department to make sure that we only sell items where we have clear title and provenance, even if those ownership records go a very long way back. The restitution department is focused on making sure that if there is a title claim or dispute around an item, it is investigated and that it’s absolutely okay to be sold.” Luckily, proving provenance of a $1.8m pair of sneakers worn by a billionaire musician is hardly ever going to be a challenge.
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Breitling lovers of the recent past,” says Kern in an exclusive interview. It’s the raw numbers that have proved the merit of Kern’s strategy. In an annual report published in March by Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult, sales by the entire Swiss watch industry is estimated to have shrunk by one third in 2020, with figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry stating that exports dropped 21.8 per cent during the same period. Still, Breitling climbed from 13th position in terms of overall retail sales in 2019, to 11th place in 2020. That report estimates Breitling’s turnover in 2020 to be CHF479m, occupying 2.4 per cent of the global Swiss retail market share. It adds that the Grenchen-headquartered brand sold an estimated 147,900 pieces, at an implied average retail price of CHF5,254 a piece. “We make roughly
WORDS: VAR UN GODINHO
Sh ap i ng T i m e Georges Kern has a track record of turning around the fortunes of a company. He’s repeating that winning formula as CEO of Swiss watchmaker Breitling
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160,000-170,000 watches a year,” confirms Kern. “We’ve gained market share last year. In many countries like the UK, Japan, the USA, and Germany, we are among the top three. In the Middle East, we are part of the top five brands in turnover.” The Middle East has been a historically strong market for Breitling, and under Kern, it has only accelerated. “In the last twelve months, we have opened new boutiques in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In the coming months, we have plans to modernise the existing point of sales and further expand our distribution network across the region. This includes new boutiques in Bahrain, Riyadh, the UAE, India and Turkey.” Breitling’s audience over the last few years has been getting younger, and among them, the issue of sustainability is of paramount importance. It’s one that the watchmaker’s CEO has been proactive about rather than reactive. In 2018, Breitling collaborated with Outerknown, an American sustainable clothing company founded by surfing champion Kelly Slater, which recycles discarded fishing nets to create the Econyl yarn from which NATO straps can be made. Last year, the watchmaker also introduced a packaging box made from upcycled reclaimed PET plastic bottles, with the packaging itself completely recyclable should the customer wish to do so after they have received their timepiece. Kern has shown a razor-focused business-like approach to the issue of sustainability. “Our focus right now is on gathering data and establishing clear baselines to inform ambitious, yet realistic targets. To this end, we recently completed carbon accounting across Scopes 1–3 of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, focusing on key impact areas such as purchased goods. Further, we are working with our key suppliers to complete annual EcoVadis sustainability assessments. These provide an independent review of sustainability performance across dimensions: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. Sustainability is an increasingly important factor in supplier selection, and in 2020 Breitling joined the Swiss Better Gold Association (SBGA) to contribute a positive social impact along our value chain,” notes Kern. This year, there have been a number of new timepieces from Breitling. It includes the Super Chronomat collection, among whose several references included a UTC model and Four-Year Calendar references that feature a moonphase. There’s also the new Premier Heritage Collection which includes the Premier B09 Chronograph, one of which has an unusual for Breitling pistachio green dial; a Premier B25 Datora which is a reincarnation of the brand’s triple calendar chronograph from the 40s; and the Premier
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When Georges Kern became CEO of Breitling in 2017, it was apparent that disruption was on the card. A let-it-be-as-is approach never did cut muster with the former CEO of IWC, and he wasn’t going to change his ways at Breitling. Just how dramatic those upheavals would be – overhauled product lines, fresh ambassadors, an all-new brand aesthetic and a radical change in its messaging – caught many off guard. “I think we made a couple of changes, and from the outside, it certainly looks major. But the reality is that we stuck to the roots, the DNA of the brand. Many clients know Breitling in the last 20 years [as a brand] with big, loud pilot’s watches. But the brand is much more than that. We looked into the history of the brand, in particular the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 80s. We wanted to bridge in a way the Breitling lovers of the 40s, 50s and 60s with the
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B15 Duograph 42 that tellingly features an all-new in-house manual-winding Breitling Manufacture Calibre 15 COSC-certified spilt-seconds chronograph movement. And 2021 held another surprise with a very limited 25-piece Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42 Bentley Limited Edition in April to mark the nearly two-decade partnership between the car manufacturer and the watchmaker. However, last month, the two brands announced that following a 19-yearpartnership, they would be parting ways. But while severing some ties, Kern has also guided the watchmaker to forge new ones. In July, Breitling announced a long-term partnership with British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph. It would give rise to a limited-edition watch as well as a customised motorcycle which is expected to be revealed next year. To keep the brand’s visibility high, Breitling has steered clear of sports that are otherwise saturated by watch sponsorships. “We are going into fields which are not tennis, not Formula One, and not golf. As a brand, we need to be approachable, so we need to be involved in sports or activities which are approachable. Therefore, we were the first luxury brand that really went into surfing. We have a surfing squad with Kelly Slater, we went into triathlon with Jan Frodeno and Chris McCormack, and we sponsor the Kona Ironman world championship in Hawaii.” As Breitling builds on its product offerings and partnerships, it is also pushing out digital tools to showcase its products. Kern says that roughly 70 per cent of the brand’s media budget is spent on online media, and the remaining offline, because as he explains much of the decision making and discovery of their products happens online. “At the end of the day, the consumer doesn’t care if he buys from a retailer or your own store or through e-commerce – the appearance and the quality have to be impeccable to run this multi-channel strategy,” says Kern. Part of the digital push also means the brand exploring technology such as blockchain in its operations. A few months ago, it showcased a system whereby all new watches are offered with blockchain-backed digital passport technology that can trace the entire lifecycle of a watch and will have all its purchasing, servicing and resale history stored on an immutable platform. It’s a smart way to counter the grey market. To manage any excess inventory and to prevent it from slipping into unauthorised retail channels, Breitling also has roughly 10 factory outlets of its own around the world in the US, Europe, and Asia from where it sells watches at a discount of approximately 30 per cent. “We always try to help our retailers in taking back stock and refreshing their stock [so that they] always have the newest Breitling
collection. The most important thing is that we fight grey markets, [ensure] that retailers don’t sell these watches on grey market platforms and [that we] control the prices so that the value of the brand remains stable.” Apart from the blockchain technology, another innovative rollout is the BreitlingSelect subscription programme which the watchmaker introduced earlier this year. It allows customers, for a monthly fee, to try up to three different Breitling pieces over the course of a year before deciding on a watch they’d want to buy. It was initially made available only to customers in the US, and the pool of watches include the Superocean, Navitimer and Premier pieces. “We are not addressing people who want a discount,” says Kern about the programme. As he explains, a participant in the programme must pay a monthly rental fee for the timepiece as well as a subscription fee, in addition to the actual price of buying the watch at the end of the 12 months. “We have a pool of watches that all participants in that programme are using. So the watches in that pool becomes pre-owned products,
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and customers can then buy them at a price advantage.” With an overall focus on a modern retro theme for its collection, Breitling loyalists have been waking up to the price advantage of not only the current collection and its potential future appreciation, but also that of the brand’s historic models that are now gaining increasing attention at auctions. “We’ve always had a close relation with auction houses providing them with relevant historical information on the Breitling watches, as well as extracts from the archives. We are also a regular buyer at auctions to build the brand’s heritage collection. We observe a growing interest in vintage Breitling watches overall, driven also by our recent re-editions and in general due to our modern-retro positioning,” says Kern. He doesn’t reveal exactly what’s coming up next for the brand, but says enough to keep Breitling collectors engaged. “In terms of new male offerings, we will be introducing a capsule collection inspired by our archives from the 1960s. Expect a modern interpretation of a stylish chronograph, with an exciting twist.” It’s the twist that Kern does best.
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BOLD CHOICES MATCHESFASHION’s Head of Menswear, Damien Paul, on investing in luxury for the long-term WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH
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IMAGES: RAEY AND LEMAIRE AT MATCHESFASHION
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FAS H I O N
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IMAGES: RAEY AND LEMAIRE AT MATCHESFASHION
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? I like to start my day in a fresh, positive way with a green juice. I’ll then check my work emails and respond to anything urgent that may have come through overnight from the different global territories we operate in. If I’m in London I’ll then head to the gym, if in the country, I’ll head outside for a morning run. Once I’m back, I choose my outfit for the day so I’m ready to start work between 8:00 – 8:30am. What drove you to work in the fashion and retail industry? Menswear is all I’ve ever done and aspired to careerwise. Both of my parents have always been interested in fashion and I grew up in a creative household. I have always been fascinated by designers presenting challenging and innovative collections and as a result, my first job as a student was in a luxury store and upon graduating, I secured an internship with another luxury department store. I then spent three years in the Middle East working my way up in the menswear buying industry at a large luxury group before moving to MATCHESFASHION where I am now Head of Menswear. What does your role as Head of Menswear entail? Being in tune with emerging trends and seasonal shifts is a vital aspect of my role. We constantly evolve our buy, meaning I attend regular meetings with designers both in market and virtually, to look for those whose design aesthetic we want to champion and to uncover new and inspiring pieces to excite our customer each season. What are the key investments for FW21 that will stand the test of time? Historically, there has always been a trend for embracing fashion following times of uncertainty and the idea of dressing up is a mood lifter. We’ve seen a huge uplift in pieces that speak to craftsmanship, with a focus on tactile fabrications, bright colours and prints, with an emphasis on the finishing touches, whether it’s more discreet to complement the look of our modern purist, or by making a bold statement for the dressed-up bohemian. Alongside this optimism is a continued mood for the comfort we have grown to appreciate over the past year. Fine jewellery has also prevailed. Fine jewellery or a watch instantly elevates an outfit and our customers are looking to these as investment purchases. Whether a piece of jewellery is timeless and discreet or makes a bold statement, men with different tastes and styles are experimenting with jewellery, confident that they will wear it far beyond a season or two and that is the mood for now. Our customer quickly connected with specialist pieces, and as a result we have introduced fine jewellery designers including Bleue Burnham, Spinelli Kilcollin and Tom Wood to our edit. What are a gentleman’s key wardrobe investments? The shirt remains a staple in every man’s wardrobe, largely due to its versatility. Depending on the fabrication and design construction, the classic shirt, by design houses including Bourrienne Paris X and Charvet, can be styled
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both for milestone life events, or worn day-to-day casually over a vest or loosely buttoned for enjoying the longer summer evenings. A relaxed leg trouser is a great example of minimalist ease – clean lines and a loose structure create a flattering and timeless silhouette. Look to brands such as Brunello Cucinelli, E. Tautz and Jil Sander. Can you describe your approach to daily dressing? I tend to look to high-low dressing – interspersing casual comfort with statement hero pieces to create a relaxed yet chic uniform. High-low style is the amalgamation of dressing to both look and feel great, teaming luxe separates from the likes of Lemaire and Edward Crutchley with more casual, comfortable pieces by Another Aspect or Raey. How do you stay a step ahead of the curve as a business in such a competitive market? Having a personal approach and listening to our customers has always been very important to us. MATCHESFASHION was founded over 30-years ago as a brick-and-mortar concept with physical stores in London, but we have been able to grow as a digital luxury business integrating this point of view into everything we do. Customers can keep up to date with the latest trends from our expert team of journalists and fashion editors and we work closely with our network of designers to produce exclusive content for our community, we’ve some exciting projects coming up this month with our innovators so keep an eye out. We also launched five Carlos Place, our townhouse in Mayfair a few years ago – the space has brought to life our content and showcases our exclusive collaborations with designers. We host designer installations, cultural events and even private dining experiences. We want our customers to come to us to be inspired and to be able to find the best version of anything through our unique edit. Which new brands have you introduced to the buy? Our customer comes to us for our curation of both the best established and emerging designers, we love that our customer is confident to mix both and enjoys experimenting with their personal style – pairing Tom Ford and Gucci with new, emerging designers such as Ludovic de Saint Sernin and Ahluwalia. Are there any new brands that we can expect to see online on the platform? Championing emerging talent has always been at the heart of MATCHESFASHION, in 2020 during the pandemic we built on our existing Innovators Programme to include menswear and developed it into a programme that really helps futureproof their businesses. We’re delighted to be continuing the initiative for 2021-22 and welcome two really exciting menswear designers – Maximilian and S.S.Daley (who we will be launching exclusively). Maximilian celebrates Black history and identity through elegant tailoring and S.S.Daley challenges menswear stereotypes whilst working in an environmentally conscious and sustainable manner. A few other highlights new for the season include Auralee which offers sophisticated yet functional wardrobe staples, and ERL, recognised for presenting classic Americana with a subversive twist. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? I would say to take things more slowly. It’s so important to take stock of things as they happen and appreciate work and life in the moment. Working in an environment where you are constantly on the move, it’s easy to just focus on the next task, trip or deadline, without taking a moment to appreciate the most fantastic experience you have just had in amazing locations all over the globe.
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THE RISE OF THE INDEPENDENTS
WORDS: VAR UN GODINHO
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Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie, led by CEO Edouard Meylan, is on a bold path to ensure that its independence is reflected in everything it does – from the products it makes to its marketing strategies
“I didn’t protect the brand – I put it at stake. I could have jeopardised the future of this brand by going too far.” It’s a rare admission from one of the Swiss watch industry’s leading voices of a business strategy that backfired. Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie, reveals the fallout of the Swiss Icons Watch from 2018 whose construction resembled a mashup of the design characteristics of several leading watchmakers including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Panerai, Hublot and Girard-Perregaux. Within 48 hours of unveiling the watch, Moser pulled the plug on it. Meylan explained why. “The watch industry is an ecosystem where we all live together, use the same suppliers, the same retailers, [and participate in] the same fairs. Bigger groups have a lot of impact, influence and power. If they decide that a supplier doesn’t work with you anymore, if they decide that you’re not allowed to go to a fair anymore, or if they decide [to tell a retailer] that if you want to keep my brand, then get that [other brand] out of the retail store – they do it.” The possibility of the independent watchmaker becoming a pariah within the industry and being muscled out of the conversation permanently forced a rethink. “My father came to me and said, ‘Next time you should present these ideas to the board and myself, so I can give you honest external feedback, rather than doing everything on your own. Maybe I would have told you to be careful had you asked me,’ ” adds Edouard. That was sound advice coming from Edouard’s father, Georges-Henri, an industry veteran and long-time CEO of Audemars Piguet who subsequently established a company called MELB Holding that acquired Moser in 2012.
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In under a decade, Moser – under Edouard – has grown at an accelerating rate. “In 2013, the first year I was in charge, we did about 500 watches. This year, we [will produce] above 1,500. Our sell out retail value is around CHF70m. We have about 70-75 employees – we just hired 20 people this year,” says Meylan. In the past decade, there have been a few watches that have elevated this brand from an obscure entity, to one where brand recall is the least of its concerns. There was, for example, the Swiss Mad Watch which had a case made from Vacherin Mont d’Or cheese and backed by an HMC327 mechanical calibre. There was also the Swiss Alp Watch from 2016 whose case shape resembled that of an Apple Watch, but which was backed by a mechanical calibre. This year, Moser
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closed the chapter on that collection when it released the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade with a vantablack dial, under which is packed not electrical components, but a hand-wound HMC 324 manufacture calibre. The other core collections in Moser’s arsenal include the Endeavour, which is its largest collection and includes perpetual calendars and perpetual moonphase timepieces, while the Pioneer is its sporty collection and the Heritage includes timepieces inspired by Moser’s historic collection. It also has a Streamliner line that brought to the table the brand’s first steel sports collection. This year, Moser unveiled new pieces within the Pioneer collection including the Mega Cool and the Tourbillion Mega Cool that features a double hairspring tourbillon. The Endeavour Centre Seconds Con-
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cept x seconde/seconde meanwhile features a pixelated eraser on the dial. “The artist seconde/seconde has been playing with vintage Patek and Rolex, and he created the eraser [on this watch]. It expresses what we stand for, this constant search for minimalism. And when you try to reduce a movement function or design to its essence, it’s usually a very intuitive process where you draw something, and then erase it,” says Meylan. The Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Tiger’s Eye meanwhile is limited to just 50 pieces, and sees Moser exploring the use of gemstone dials. The success of Moser is evident in the demand for their watches. “We have people today who have paid the deposit and are waiting 18 months for their Moser watch. We would have never thought even two years ago that that would happen.” As Meylan adds, the demands for Moser’s pieces go down not only to its innovative creations, but to the fact that it is an independent relatively small-sized operation where acquiring a Moser is mostly still the pursuit of collectors. “I think there’s this demand now for independent watch brands because there’s this whole generation that used to collect sneakers or baseball cards and stuff like that – they are now moving to other things. Some go towards NFTs or others go towards watchmaking, and then they look at what’s rare. Of course, there’s the Patek 5711, or the Rolex, but then what’s next? Once you’re on the waitlist for seven years, what’s next? And that’s where independent brands come in. I think we are at the beginning of the golden era of independent watchmaking because the supply is so limited.” At Moser, most of the movement construction has been internalised at the watchmaker’s manufacture in Schaffhausen. Unusual for a brand of its size, Moser also manufactures its own balance wheel and hairsprings – the latter being an indispensable component of mechanical watches and one that Moser produces in excess of its own requirement. “We do 200,000 hairsprings, but we only keep about 1,500 for our watches – 99 per cent goes to other brands,” says Meylan, citing the example of the recent fellow independent brand MB&F with whom Moser co-created the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon H. Moser x MB&F that features a cylindrical hairspring and the limited-edition LM 101 MB&F x H. Moser with an aqua blue fume dial that was created for Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and was built using a double hairspring. Moser has a well-established relationship with the Dubai-headquartered retailers Seddiqi. Edouard credits Seddiqi’s Dubai Watch Week (DWW) – the next edition will be held in November this year – as being a
Previous spread and above: H. Moser & Cie Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade; Below: H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Tiger’s Eye
launchpad for the brand within the region. He says that when Moser first entered the region around eight years ago, its watches were little known to collectors. DWW changed that dramatically, as it has for several other independent brands. “These are the kinds of fairs that contribute to educating the local
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market. We need customers – and we need retailers like Seddiqi who invest in educating their customers. They’ve invested, every two years, a huge amount of money in getting us to develop concepts and explain to the people what we are doing. And that’s probably why independent brands are doing so well in the Middle East at the moment.” The Middle East, Meylan says, accounts for around 15 per cent of his brand’s business. Within the region, the UAE is its biggest market with four points of sales. It also has a presence in Kuwait and Qatar, and is currently discussing entry into Saudi Arabia. Part of the current strategy for Moser is to take Moser from points of sales to standalone boutiques, the process of which has already begun. It has started opening its first two boutiques in China and Japan, in Ginza, with its sights now set on the US in Miami and New York, and possibly the Middle East as well. Going forward, Moser’s expansion will be measured. Meylan hopes to double production over the next decade, without diluting the brand’s exclusivity. “We need to remain as this small family independent watch manufacturer. We want to grow a little bit, but not triple or quadruple [our production]. I think there is space for way more than what we do today, but it takes us around 12 months to train a watchmaker. We have four new watchmakers that we are training.” As production at Moser increases, its timepieces are also showing up across platforms more widely – and some of these include the grey market as well. “I don’t think you need to fight the grey market, you need to monitor and work with it. You need to make sure that retail is selling at full retail – so we control discounts. We monitor the secondary market to see that what’s available on it are real watches and not stolen. “The result is that the demand and the prices are going up. So today, on average, a Moser watch like a Streamliner is selling at 30 per cent above retail. That’s why in the UAE we have a waitlist on this watch of over a year.” For now, Meylan has his work of safeguarding and future-proofing his brand cut out for him. “With the hype there is behind independent brands [at the moment], there’s going to be a lot of new independent brands coming up. So, we need to stay relevant and that’s not easy. For me, it’s all about trying to make things as lean as possible and leave less space for uncertainty. In the past, we needed to do things differently because it was more of a firefighting mode. What I want now is to have a base that is so strong that we know every month what’s going to come out, what’s going to sell and what we need to do – that’s the minimum. And then, let’s have fun and do other things on top of that.”
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P H OTO G R A P H Y: J E R E M Y Z A ES S I N G E R
THE
TIME
Seize the day in FW21’s latest drop from OUNASS
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IS
NOW
WORDS & STYLING: DAN ROBINSON
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Previous spread (from left): Full look Prada; Full look Valentino; Shirt, T-shirt and pants Nanushka, bag Bottega Venetta, sandals Birkenstock, necklace Tom Wood. All available at OUNASS
This spread (from left): Full look Gucci; Full look Valentino; Full look Gucci. All available at OUNASS
PHOTOGRAPHER: JEREMY ZAESSINGER; SENIOR EDITORIAL & FASHION MANAGER: DAN ROBINSON; FASHION ASSISTANT: KAVISHA KHANDELWEL; GROOMING: AMANDA KAYE; MODELS: ALFONSO @MMG. SAJID @BAREFACE
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M ak i ng T ai l or i ng G r e at A g ai n Third generation Italian tailoring specialist, Max Girombelli, owner of Duca Sartoria, has also co-founded Duca & Das in Abu Dhabi to bring some of that Italian sartorial heritage to the UAE WORDS: VAR UN GODINHO
For many, the start of the pandemic and the stay-athome orders issued at the time meant ditching sharply cut suits and settling for sweatpants and hoodies instead. That was then, this is now. With business furiously roaring back on track globally, and face-to-face becoming the norm rather than the exception, it has also meant that fine tailoring is making a strong return. There to shepherd that resurgent interest in tailoring is Max Girombelli the owner of Duca Sartoria and cofounder of Duca & Das in Abu Dhabi. What are your earliest memories of your family’s trade? My father Orlando started to sell pants at street markets after the Second World War. He then expanded and started the concept of industrial tailoring. When my older brother joined the company, he started to switch to high fashion with top designers. Is it true that your uncle discovered Gianni Versace? My uncle (my father’s brother) did discover Gianni Versace – he was a young designer, and his first big job was to design for Genny, my uncle’s company. The business relationship was doubled when Versace became very famous, but he was still designing for Genny, and Genny was also producing his top line. My family was focused only on men’s attire production, and we had various collaborations including Valentino for his Oliver line. We were also licensing designers like Enrico Coveri and Moschino. Did you ever consider a career outside tailoring? Unfortunately, or very fortunately, I was always attracted by fabrics and the way our tailors were transforming them into sartorial products. I never liked numbers enough to become a banker. Tell us about the decision to start Duca Sartoria and some of the early goals you had for it. When we sold our main company, I decided to go back to the roots of fashion: tailoring. At that point, my passion for fabric transformation became my business. I started our first atelier in Milan and then crossed an ocean and expanded to the US, while the UAE came years later. Give us a business overview of Duca Sartoria. Duca Sartoria operates in Milan with an atelier that is the logistics base for the Traveling Tailor Concept across London, Geneva, Monte Carlo, or wherever the clients request our services in Europe. I am based full time
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in New York where I have my showroom. From there, I travel to Washington, Miami, and Aspen to see my clients. Ten years ago, I started to travel to Dubai and I had a full-time pop up at the Capital Club in DIFC. More recently, when I co-founded Duca & Das, I moved Duca Sartoria operations to Abu Dhabi. We produce approximately 2,300 pieces per year. Our line of products ranges from custom made-to-measure suits, jackets, pants, coats, and shirts to a younger new line of outerwear like hoodie jackets, travelling pants and technical over jackets. During the pandemic, I also developed a line of fully customisable tracksuits, a very innovative and exclusive service for a very comfortable product. We offer custom made-to-measure clothes for men and women. We also design and produce some high-level uniform concepts for companies. From where do you source your fabrics and which are the tailors you work with? I always like to say that we don’t make fabrics, we just select the best ones in the market. Our own tailors are based in Ancona, Italy, and are manufacturing our products out of Loro Piana, Zegna, Cerruti fabrics as well as a few selected British suppliers, especially for hunting attire. Apart from made-to-measure, do you focus on bespoke as well? We are specialised in custom made-to-measure – it is a faster process and more accurate as far as making the client understand what he will get at the end. Our level of customisation, especially in overall details and pockets is our forte. On request, we can also do bespoke, but we are not pushing that super time-consuming process. Our custom made-to-measure suits starts at $3,500 and will go up with the quality of the materials (up to $15,000) and we deliver in five weeks. Bespoke will start at $6,500 and will take as long as the client takes to be happy. I would not recommend it for people who fluctuate a lot on their weight throughout the year.
“Our kanduras are made with Loro Piana, Zegna or Cerruti fabrics.” FAS H I O N
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avoid sharing them on social media. We value more the relationship with them, than a moment of publicity. I can tell you that you have watched some of them competing in sports or you have listened to their music. Have you looked at product collaborations and celebrity sponsorship deals for Duca? Products collaborations are a great way to grow and do business in the new world of fashion. We are slowly looking at some ideas but nothing is ready at the moment. Celebrities are often our clients, and they pay for our products like every other customer. Having sponsorships to give free suits is not my business. Which are some of the new business areas that you are planning on expanding Duca Sartoria into? The pandemic significantly affected the capability of several people to maintain their weight. I have been asked to do wardrobe consulting to see what a gentleman can save, add, or donate to keep his selection always impeccable. Iltuoguardaroba.com will be starting soon and open to a new non-Duca clientele. The idea is to not only check what will be kept in the wardrobe, but also help design the physical space in the client’s homes or yachts. Are you actively training the next generations of tailors? We are already training the young generation of tailors in the US and, of course, in Italy – it’s a very important step to keep the craftmanship always alive. What can we expect next from Duca Sartoria over the coming months? The next few months are very important for me. We will have a full return to a New York normal life and that will keep me busy, but also the Expo starting in Dubai. It will require my presence more in the region. So expect to see me a lot in the airports and always ready for detailed Italian elegance.
“Saudi clients love European details like collars and cuffs when it comes to kanduras so we hope to be successful there.”
IMAGES: SUPPLIED
Tell us about your JV for men’s clothing in the UAE and the Duca & Das concept. Salem [Al Mheiri], first of all, was a friend who became a Duca Sartoria client in Dubai and trusted our products. During the many years of friendship and fitting meetings, we started to talk about a potential JV. He is the owner of Das Tailoring, a very old tailor company based on the island of Das. Duca & Das was the natural way to collaborate, and we put our minds into a new tailoring entity that started with a beautiful Mercedes Tailor Van – perfect to visit our local clients in their palaces and villas. Right after, we opened a beautiful showroom in the centre of Abu Dhabi with a spectacular view of Qasr Al Hosn. Our idea was, and still is, to bring the Italian attention to details and expert craftsmanship to the classic kandura, using different fabrics combining the best of both cultures. Salem is an expert on kandura history. Our kanduras are made with Loro Piana, Zegna or Cerruti fabrics. Also, a collection of Koots (jackets) made of the finest fabric is produced in Italy by my tailors. We also collaborate on designing iconic items like technical hunting (falcon) vests to wear on top of the kandura. To complete the offer, we have a collection of unique under kandura, Royal Wizar is a very innovative idea of combining the classic Wizar with a special boxer brief stitched inside. What are some of the plans to expand beyond the UAE into other countries in the region? We started in Abu Dhabi and are expanding into Dubai and the other emirates first. Saudi is an exciting next destination for us where we can bring both Duca Sartoria creations and Duca & Das’ innovative kanduras. Saudi clients love European details like collars and cuffs when it comes to kanduras so we hope to be successful there. How does the appetite for fine tailoring among men in the Middle East compare to that of other markets like the US and Europe? Middle Eastern clientele have a great appetite for learning and exploring fashion and products outside of the traditionally famous brands that can be easily found in shopping malls. Starting a relationship with a high-end tailor, especially if Italian, is an important way to spend their money. It is a journey through education, beauty and quality. The spending power does not come from the local spending culture – there are big spenders also in the US and Europe – but the approach is different. What is one of the biggest learnings for you as a businessman through this pandemic? The tailoring business in general has been one of the most affected, together with hospitality and travel. No one was in need of a new suit or jacket for the day-long Zoom calls. The learnings have been hard, but also led to creativity. Be patient, start to think out of the box and develop new alternative products, without compromising your values. This is how my tracksuit project was born. Tell us about Duca Donna which is aimed to appeal to women. Duca Donna is the answer to the requests of my clients’ wives, partners, or family members to enjoy a few of our masterpieces. Women like to try and shop daily, but they also like to find those perfect items to have in their wardrobe like a beautiful tuxedo, a classic blue blazer, or a sharp business suit which are sophisticated, powerful and feminine at the same time Who are some of your most famous clients? Every client is important to us, but we do protect their privacy and
FAS H I O N
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WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
New off-duty brand By Smiths delivers all your off-duty essentials. We spoke to the founders to find out how they kept looking cool so simple
What do your first 30 mins of the day look like, your morning routine? Every morning I consider how I want to dress for the coming day. Our appointments vary for example meeting with a lawyer in DIFC, to more casual meetings such as a creative agency to discuss social media content. These different individuals and environments appreciate a slightly different style, yet still with the By Smiths DNA. How did the concept of By Smiths originate and what would you describe as its core values/ DNA? We identified a large gap in the Middle East market for a premium quality casual wear product, which bridges the gap between the business and weekend wardrobe. Using our extensive styling experience, we feel we have created a collection using only superlative quality fabrics to build a refined look for day to night. In such a competitive space, how challenging was it to refine the first set of samples and what did it take to optimize these to achieve the final products? The concept of By Smiths has been in the works for well over a year and it’s been a long process for us to get to a place where we are satisfied with not only the look and vibe of the brand, but also the premium quality of products we are offering. Can you tell us about the materials you’ve honed and how they differ to those in the market? We have spent a considerable amount of time sourcing the highest quality products possible, and this has meant creating relationships with suppliers all over the world. Our sneakers are sourced from Spain, and our Sea Island cotton tops are from Italy. We’ve been blown away with the initial feedback we have received from our clients on the quality of the pieces. Which pieces from the collection are ‘The Hero Buys’ that suit everyone? From the start, we have been conscious of building a collection that easily and effortlessly works with our clients varying styles and
wardrobes. At this stage, we believe that all the pieces in the By Smiths launch could be considered as a hero buy as we’ve refined the initial collection to the essentials. Have you needed to partner with different manufacturers globally for different pieces throughout the collection and how challenging is it to align the process remotely? It’s been a lengthy process, though we feel we have now found the suppliers who are at the top of their game for each product offering. Our ties originate from Macclesfield in England, the home of silk as do our cufflinks. Spain, Italy and Ireland are also locations we’ve sourced production from across our offering. What have been the biggest challenges to date since launching and how did you overcome them? As we were very clear in our brand vision from the start, finding the quality of product we were happy with was a longer process than expected. Our years of experience in the industry meant that we were very specific with the quality of fabric that we would use to create the best product we possibly could. The fine tuning of the collection was more time consuming than we predicted, however it was a valuable learning process that we wouldn’t change.
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In addition, what has been the biggest learning curve? Even with a huge amount of time and money, perfecting the product offering takes patience. Some of our manufacturing partners are dealing with some of the most prestigious and world renowned brands – at some points it was challenging to get some of the biggest players in the game to take us seriously as we were at the beginning of our journey, but we have now built strong connections which we will continue to build on in the future. Which has been the best piece of advice you’ve had in business? Never compromise on quality. Set the business up in a way that it can be scaled, so that as the company grows the quality of the product is never compromised. What has been your approach to scaling the business to date? At this stage of By Smiths, our main goal is to source the best quality product in terms of the look, fit and the quality of material used. We offer a core collection, which we will add pieces to seasonally, so we are constantly evolving our product offering. What do you believe is the value of social media in business growth relating to luxury and which platform do you feel will next drive most success? Social media has been instrumental in the growth of our business, and we will always fully invest in this as a brand. Different platforms reach different sections of the market – the clients we reach on Instagram will always be different to our clients who interact with us on LinkedIn for example. We will continue to focus across varying social platforms for engagement. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in the current market? To be successful in business, you have to have a genuine passion and interest in the brand and a vision for what you are trying to achieve. Being an entrepreneur has an enormous range of highs and lows – having a strong passion and drive will keep you going and be the driving force when odds are against you.
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C O M P I L E D BY: S A R A H J O S E P H
A FINE FALL The best edit of fragrances for FW21
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This luminous scent is enhanced by citrus notes combined with enveloping hints of Oud and spice tones including cinnamon. Oud & Spice Dhs1,018 for 100ml Acqua Di Parma
An olfactory pyramid of bitter orange as a top note, sage at its heart, and wood as the base note, the hallmark is a moody, alluring undertone. Bois Blanc Dhs840 for 100ml P Frapin & Cie
Emulating an aromatic woody scent, this fragrance carefully fuses bergamot and blue iris for a subtle sense of power. Gentleman Eau de Toilette Intense Dhs475 for 100ml Givenchy available on bloomingdales.ae
With a combination of vivifying ginger, white suede and exotic Maninka fruit, this is a new take on classic notes. Scent - Pure Accord Dhs436 for 100ml Hugo Boss
Filled with rich leather accords this fragrance gives way to the woody sensuality of cedarwood and subtle yet inviting fruity notes. Ombré Leather parfum Dhs842 for 100ml Tom Ford
A contemporary masculine elegance is exuded with an unprecedented attraction of amber and tea through an energy nurtured by travel. Imagination Dhs1,180 for 100ml Louis Vuitton
With warm tonka bean at its core, this fragrance highlights curls of tobacco and burnished wood for a refined, masculine feel. Orphéon Eau de Parfum Dhs656 for 75ml Diptyque
This fresh scent masterfully blends the sophisticated sensuality of bergamot, and the contrasting essence of vetiver. Luna Rossa Ocean Dhs440 for 100ml Prada
Hero was crafted by infamous nose, Aurelien Guichard. With a top note of bergamot juniper and black pepper sit as middle notes alongside Atlas Cedar for a truly outstanding addition to your collection. Hero Eau de Toilette Dhs388 for 100ml Burberry
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How did the concept of StudioRepublik come about, and how does it differ from founding location FitRepublik? FitRepublik has made its name as a place that brings ‘Power to the People’ – where anyone can belong and be strong. On this promise, it has built an exceptionally diverse customer base – from all ends of the spectrum in terms of age as well as from keen amateur fitness enthusiasts to semi-pro and professional athletes. We wanted to create a space that was inviting, not
cold. Empowering, not clinical. Aspirational, not just functional. Elite, but not elitist. The result is a place that is entirely original and yet instantly feels like home. A space buzzing with diverse programs run by world-class craftsmen across two platforms: The Podium and The Arena. As we refined our model, we realized that we’re defined by our values – the values that guide us, the values that drive our members rather than by a physical place or a specific offering, which meant that
FitRepublik was just a launchpad of many possible worlds. StudioRepublik is the newest member of the Republik family. It follows the same values, standards and mission, but with three new platforms: The Stage, The Arena, and The Lab. Each facility caters to a specific community and yet actually complements each other in the entire offering. What would you describe as the core values/ DNA of StudioRepublik? We only do what works for the community and the company.
WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
W h e r e Icons A r e M ad e StudioRepublik is an immersive, state-of-the-art environment where you can optimize mind & body
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We are transparent and equitable internally as a company and with our community. We provide a sanctuary where people of all ages and abilities come to express, come to evolve, and come to life. You offer an all-encompassing lifestyle approach from training to eating through to learning a new skill. Can you expand on this? We wanted to be a destination that gave people more than just a space to work out. So, we brought in an entire range of programs that would help build themselves holistically and eventually help them evolve. That’s why we focus on lifestyle hours. Our time is valuable, but it is also limited. Between work, sleep, commute and eating, we’re only left with 3-4 hours for ourselves. To maximize this time, one should be given the widest range of lifestyle options so they can expand their experiences and live a full life every day of the week. That’s how we empower people to do what they love – be it in performing arts, fitness, or sports. And outside the studios and screens, we provide services for self-improvement – such as sports massage therapy, rehab, or nutrition consultation. A good ambiance at our in-house restaurant to socialize and build new connections was key, meaning you can easily plan an entire
day in StudioRepublik, where you can balance your personal and professional goals. How challenging was it to stand out and remain different from the competition in such a competitive space? Our challenge was that we compete with specialized boutique studios in each discipline. There is not one competitor that sits across all levels. So, each room and discipline competed with the best in the industry. Putting all these specialized studios at a very high standard and unifying them through one system of CRM, finance and marketing was the main work. Can you tell us about your classes and how they differ from those in the market? We only have expert craftsmen heading every program and class – and we go far and wide to make sure we bring in the best. Classes take place in specialized studios – with the best equipment, world-class acoustics, and sensory audio-visual experience. Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach that we generally see in the industry, we consistently listen to what our members want and pay attention to the data we get through our intelligent access gates. We make the members a core part of every decision, always rating sensation of each class, and progress in every program. What have been the biggest challenges to date
since launching, and how did you overcome them? Like other businesses, the pandemic’s impact and the lockdown have been the biggest challenge we’ve had to face to date. We launched StudioRepublik in Jan 2020 and had to shut doors in March due to the lockdown. We overcame this challenge because our facility was already equipped to adapt to the ‘new normal’. Social distancing was easy because of the spacious areas, access to every zone, and studios were controlled with our smart wristbands. Our app to book classes and sessions helped us regulate footfalls without creating a crowd. We continue to follow the same processes to make sure our members are safe whenever they’re in the facility. What has been your approach to client retention and scaling the business to date? We have a high retention rate by the industry standard, and we aim at growing that number. We are member-centric, and we put the community as part of the decisionmaking. We are constantly looking for ways to improve, so we listen and adapt. We don’t compete in the discount market, but we do focus on the best value proposition. We aim to provide a consistent level of quality in all disciplines and a level of standardization that you won’t see in other fitness facilities.
“Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach that we generally see in the industry, we consistently listen to what our members want and pay attention to the data we get through our intelligent access gates.” FITNESS
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T h e P r e ci si on Sur g e on Founder of 111SKIN and leading Harley Street cosmetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides specializes in facial reconstructive surgery. We discuss what it takes to launch an iconic skincare brand and push the boundaries of surgery
What do the first 30 mins of your day look like, your morning routine? I always get up with my wife and sons around 7am before we all have breakfast together and then we walk with the boys to the station as they then head off to school. Afterwards Eva and I have some time together and that will be spent talking or working out together, and this of course includes a morning walk with Sparky (the family dog). Following that I head to Harley Street and at Harley street I will do consultations or treatments with my patients, I then split my time between Harley St and the 111SKIN offices – I think I can now make it across in seven minutes! You’re originally a surgeon, how did launching a skincare brand originate? As a surgeon, my primary goal has always been to ensure the very best results for my patients – we weren’t satisfied with what was available to surgeons at the time, so we set about finding healing solutions. Working with a team of scientists, we pioneered the brand signature healing complex NAC Y2. NAC Y2 was infused within the brand’s inaugural healing serum, which proved so effective that patients were seeking the products for everyday use. From there, 111SKIN was born. What is at the core of 111SKIN, the DNA and how has it grown so quickly to iconic status globally? To develop skincare treatments that both recreate and complement aesthetic treatments in the clinic for a more holistic approach to beauty. It’s about beauty and quality of skin and understanding the ageing process inside and out. We had little budget for marketing and so our business grew organically – largely by engaging with artists that work on a practical level – makeup artists, hair stylists, facialists, fashion designers & models. How did you retail 111SKIN from the outset and what have been the challenges scaling this globally? In June 2012 and starting with selected products from our now established Reparative range we launched in the beauty halls of Harrods, London. We started with a singular shelf at the back of the beauty hall and two members of staff that were dedicated to establishing the brand with Harrod’s clientele. For the first 3/4 years we were exclusive to Harrods and were focused on delivering the passion and research behind the brand, so much so that we created an extended family of clients that wanted more from 111SKIN. With our customers being the focus behind our range and their feedback being fundamental to the growth of the brand, we developed a range that grew from their feedback such as the light version of our bestselling product the Y Theorem Serum. With the strength of our range and the demand from our customers, my wife and co-founder, Eva Alexandrides put in the research to develop our sheet masks after a trip from Asia. Starting with one mask, the Bio Cellulose Facial Treatment Mask, we then developed the Gold Mask that successfully turned into the Rose Gold Brighten-
WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
GROOMING
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“My whole philosophy side of my skincare brand, 111SKIN is based on enhancing the powerful mechanisms the skin possesses to heal.” ing Facial Treatment Mask in a hydrogel texture. From our journey in Harrods, we then grounded ourselves in America and Asia and from there have gone from 2 to 80 members of staff in the last seven years that are located both in stores and head offices. Today we stand proudly in the Beauty Hall at Harrods with a renowned counter and window display celebrating the fundamentals of 111SKIN. Positioned in leading luxury spaces and an international presence that is coveted by fashion designers, make-up artists and supermodels alike, 111SKIN formulates its skincare to deliver a no filter confidence. We are located in some of the most prestigious retail spaces like Harrods, Neiman Marcus, Mecca and Lane Crawford. We also offer aesthetic performance face and body treatments with our revolutionary spa concept that is present in the world’s leading spa resorts and hotels like Sandy Lane, Jumeirah, Four Seasons and Bvlgari. The focus for the future is to continue to deliver unprecedented quality and results to our clients and customers as well as positioning ourselves as the leading global skincare brand that is surgically inspired, science led and drives clinical results. I am still learning when it comes to building a brand, and with 111SKIN and my practice it is a work in progress and it’s a fantastic feeling if you can do it successfully. You do need a bit of luck because there are so many uncontrollable forces that can make or
break you which you cannot wholly anticipate. Personally, I find it is about having a vision and knowing what you want. How do the research and commercial sides of the business work together and do you feel particularly drawn to one side of the business? The research and commercial sides of the business go hand in hand – both Eva and I have our strengths and use these to the best of our abilities. I am a surgeon and therefore provide the medical expertise, bringing innovations and pushing the possibilities of skincare efficacy for the brand. Eva takes these innovations forward, imagining how they can be delivered in the most compelling manner, and creating personal connections to the products that extends to ingredients, sensorials, new product development and packaging. What has been the biggest challenge since launching the brand and how did you overcome it? To be unstoppable means to be utterly determined to succeed, and not to give up because of adversities, problems or bad luck. I can recall many moments that have been challenging, although the one that sticks out was when Eva and I were in the States trying to secure our first attempt to sell 111SKIN products outside of London. We had an interview with the CEO of Bloomingdales, after presenting the skincare line the CEO said to sell a beauty line in the US one had to have $50 million to sup-
port the venture. I took one look at Eva, and we both knew this wouldn’t deter us. We most certainly did not have $50 million to bankroll our business ambitions, although we knew this wouldn’t discourage us. We continued our pitches with buyers tirelessly until we met the Chief Beauty Buyer at Barney’s. The rapport was fantastic – she was very impressed with the line and committed to launching 111SKIN with our full assortment at the time, courtesy of an impactful countertop in-store. We were thrilled. Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what has been the best advice they have imparted to you? I have met so many mentors along the way, it would be impossible to choose one. I think the best advice I received was that you are only as good as your team. The people you employ to support your business need to be passionate about the company, good at what they do and loyal. Ensuring they are integral to the fundamentals, success, and destiny of the company will produce the best outcome. You not only motivate them to excel but also create an environment of mutual respect. Where do you stand in terms of investment? Would you advise entrepreneurs to avoid asking for investment at the outset of their business and is it important to remain in control? Investment is a very important decision in the history of the company, the Founder should carefully consider if they need an investment.
Above: Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser, 120ml Dhs256; Vitamin C Brightening Booster, 20ml Dhs443; Right page: Celestial Black Diamond Serum, 30ml Dhs1,678; All 111SKIN available at MR PORTER
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They should only acquire one if it is absolutely necessary or should consider if they can continue building and expanding the business without outside investment and support. If though, the decision has been made that investment is necessary there should be clear goals around where this investment should go. A very detailed, three-year business plan is paramount, advocating the use of funds to recruit talent and acquire potential expansion according to the business intentions. Finally, the Founder needs to really consider who the investor is and what their goals are. Your interests must be aligned. Often, they can bring much more than financial support – contacts, ideas, strategic planning and experience in other fields. Finally, I would never give control away as this takes away decision making, character and personality of the business. The only case when this is acceptable is towards the exit stage of a company. Last year was a time that saw brands change strategy. Have you had to pivot as a business? Definitely. As customers were only able to shop online, we had to find ways to educate customers virtually – we launched virtual consultations, a subscription service, and a loyalty programme. Our clientele were also looking for products that would give them the same outcome as a clinical treatment – we spent extensive time creating products, such as our Concentrates that would provide these benefits. Which is the 111 Skin hero product? Our first product, the Y Theorem Repair Serum. Formulated with NAC Y2, it accelerates skin healing, optimising cellular health and functions and restores the dynamic balance of skin. It contains a powerful combination of amino acids, peptides and antioxidants to restore skin’s health. You also focus on facial reconstruction – can you expand on what this involves and does this extend to antiaging techniques? Facial reconstruction in the broad meaning of the phrase, means the correction of deformities that the face may have. This may be from an accident, or a burn, or congenital anomalies. Facial reconstruction has advanced tremendously the past 20 years, with the apogee being the facial transplantation where complete facial reconstruction has been visible in cases where before we had no other means of achieving results. However, in most of the cases of aesthetic surgery aesthetic reconstruction means rejuvenating the face into a state of where it was 10, 20 or even 30 years before. In this case, the techniques and knowledge of reconstructive surgery can be very helpful in aesthetic surgery and the two subspecialists overlap.
“It’s about beauty and quality of skin and understanding the ageing process inside and out.” This kind of knowledge has been very helpful for me when I look to rejuvenate the face as I understand the deep structures and ageing mechanisms that have led to these changes. What is the most challenging surgery you have ever performed? The diverse specialty, and amount of surgery I have performed is very high. However, I do recall a very difficult reconstruction surgery that I performed whilst at the University of Pittsburgh. In this case, three quarter of the face needed reconstruction after a gunshot injury which had removed the central part of the face and jaw. Multiple surgeries were performed, and this patient stayed in the intensive care unit for over a year until they were able to be released. However, at the end we had a successful outcome. Are you always amazed by how the body heals and how can we optimize this? My whole philosophy side of my skincare brand, 111SKIN is based on enhancing the powerful mechanisms the skin possesses to heal. We see this in daily life in how powerful the body is in overcoming injuries, surgery, burns and are only starting to understand the inherent mechanism of healing in scientific ways. By enhancing the healing mechanisms of the skin, we have the ability of maintaining youthfulness by reversing the ageing signs, as supporting the healing mechanism of the skin on a daily basis may hold back the ageing mechanism. What effect do you see social media having on the requests you receive in terms of surgery?
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Social Media is playing a major role on how people perceive themselves; frequently younger people compare themselves with influencers and the like which can have an unhealthy effect on mental health. Social media has the potential to purvey an unrealistic ideal of aesthetics. I believe it is important for plastic surgeons and dermatologists to understand the psychology behind patients seeking some of these procedures, and whether they require proper counselling ahead of committing to procedures, ensuring they have a full grasp of the implications and motivations. Who or what to you is iconic? My icon is Professor of Plastic Surgery, Ralph Millard. Ralph was one of the pioneers of facial reconstruction, particularly cleft lip and palate surgery. He is one of the professors I learnt from whilst studying in Miami who inspired me then and continues to inspire me in my work with patients today. In addition to the above, I was also inspired by my Grandfather who I was very close to as a young child. He taught me a lot about life and his achievements – starting from a small village in the island of Crete he became a leader in society, and one of the foremost figures in modern Crete. He had not completed his education but had harnessed a set of personal skills and emotional intelligence to set him apart. This tenacity inspired me to dedicate myself in what I want to do in life. I understood that with kindness and hard work nothing is impossible.
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As Henry Jacques gets ready to open its second boutique within the UAE, in Abu Dhabi, CEO Anne-Lise Cremona reflects on the longstanding association of the brand with the region’s rulers and how she put the French perfumery on the global olfactory map WORDS: VAR UN GODINHO
T h e F i ne r N ote s It started as a well-guarded secret. Those that knew did, and those that didn’t… that was by design. When world traveller and overall aesthete Henry Cremona struck a friendship with a fifth-generation “nose”, little did he know that it would birth Henry Jacques which would grow into a legendary French perfume brand that would secure favour among world leaders and tycoons. “At the time there were no perfume schools, and the know-how was transmitted from one generation to the next,” Anne-Lise Cremona, Henry’s daughter and now CEO of the company, says of the “nose”. As Cremona explains, this man was an unhappy perfumer in the Seventies when he witnessed the transition of the perfume industry from an artisanal pursuit to something more mass market, where essences were being replaced with chemicals. Uncomfortable with being part of the establishment, the “nose” teamed up with Henry and they began building their own laboratory not far from Grasse in the south of France. “Building a laboratory like ours takes decades. We work with 100-1,000 mainly natural components, and you have
to source each one, know the people behind them, their harvest cycles, etc.,” says AnneLise of the complex process involved in setting up the laboratory, a process to which her mother Yvette contributed immensely. While the “nose” set about creating and experimenting with essences, Henry travelled across the globe to meet with discerning clients. Among them was Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the UAE and its first president. Henry would frequently travel to Abu Dhabi and was commissioned to work on several bespoke creations for the UAE ruler. Over the course of decades, Henry created 64 different fragrances for Sheikh Zayed. Some of these were used for the ruler’s personal collection, while others were used as gifts. One of his favourite essences was said to be White Safran, a perfume he ordered repeatedly. The perfume had notes of saffron, orange flower, jasmine and Rose Damascena, white musk and ambergris. The ruler’s other favourite perfumes from Henry Jacques included Dar Zayed, Princess of the Night, Abu Dhabi and An Evening in Taif, which was named according to Sheikh Zayed’s wishes.
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The relationship with the Abu Dhabi family is one that Anne-Lise has cultivated to this day. “We still have a very close relationship with the family. This is what is even more beautiful because they know us… they know me, and we have this long-term relationship which is exactly what the Henry Jacques brand represents. When we have a chance to meet, it’s always on a very simple basis around perfume, discussing our favourite components and how it makes them feel,” says Anne-Lise. Apart from Sheikh Zayed, another powerful regional ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the former ruler of Oman and the longestreigning monarch in the Arab world at the time of his death last year, was also a prolific customer of Henry Jacques. “We created hundreds of perfumes for Sultan Qaboos. Every year, we would have a collection for him. And this is also what contributes to the strength of the brand here in the region, because it’s perhaps not well known by many consumers, but it is known among those at the very top,” says Anne-Lise. Joining her father in the perfume business was nearly a foregone conclu-
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mentor. Richard Mille, whose eponymous watch brand has become a roaring success, is her mother’s younger brother. “He’s always been a source of inspiration to me, and I think that my parents have also been a great source of inspiration for him. He was very impressed with what I had done with Harrods. He came to me and said, ‘If you wish, I would love to be on your side and decide the future of the company.’ And for me, that was fantastic because he is a businessman and has a really interesting network and distribution model. Having him on my side gives me confidence. He is a very respectful person, and he’s never really overly involved in Henry Jacques,” explains Anne-Lise. Anne-Lise says that she also ran by Richard a product from Henry Jacques that was four years in the making, one that they will release this quarter, which she says is a lifestyle accessory without offering any other details. Apart from the upcoming lifestyle accessory, she also confirms that a cologne collection for men is also in the works. While the brand expands its products and distribution network, Anne-Lise reiterates that bespoke will remain at its very core. The process of creating bespoke perfumes includes multiple consultations with a client which starts with a sample tray for the client to understand which smells they identify most with, in a method that Anne-Lise likens to a psychology session. “The idea is to push them out of their comfort zone and to try to understand what they feel when they smell certain components. Following that, we present three perfume test samples for the client to choose from, and they usually end up picking one of them. Once it is selected, we start processing that bespoke perfume.” The entire process to craft a bespoke perfume takes four-eight months and can cost around Eur85,000. For the moment, Henry Jacques is still operating from its historical laboratory. However, Anne-Lise is in the process of setting up a new laboratory within a castle on a vineyard 15 minutes away from their current location in France. The new lab is expected to be completed by July 2022. Henry Jacques is a family business, and Anne-Lise prefers it stays that way. She has three children. Her eldest son is a musician but is also involved in the communications for the business, while her daughter is an architect who might join the business someday, while the youngest child will be attending a perfume school and working part-time at Henry Jacques while he completes his education. “This company is just like an old house that we built. My father had a role for a certain period, now I have one and I hope it will carry on like that. I strongly believe that the only way ahead is for it to remain as a family company.”
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sion for her, one of three daughters of Henry and Yvette. As she explains, since both her parents were involved in the business – they still are to this day – Anne-Lise spent her entire childhood surrounded by conversations around perfumes. “I finished my studies and began working with him when I was 20. He let me be very free in my ideas. I steered the brand in a new direction, positioning it as even more high-end, and I focused on the packaging which is why we started using Baccarat Crystal,” notes Anne-Lise. But being involved in the family’s business for her entire childhood, and then into her early working years, became more than she wanted at the time. “He wanted his daughters to be in the business, but sometimes in a family, you just need a bit of freedom,” she says. Leaving the family business, she moved to Paris, got married and had children. She started working with a big perfume group within the communication department. “In 2010, unfortunately, my father decided to retire, and he left the company for three years. The company instead of growing, began undergoing difficult times. I came back to help, and I never left,” says Anne-Lise. Unable to see her parent’s life’s work diminish, a decade after she left the business she decided to leverage her expe-
rience of having worked in a big group, and bring those best practices and firm vision to her family business. One of Anne-Lise’s priorities when she returned to the family business in 2010 was to open up the distribution system without compromising the brand’s exclusivity. At the time, Henry Jacques didn’t have a single boutique and was still mainly making bespoke perfumes. Anne-Lise spent two years studying the nectars and determining which ones would be available in the boutiques that they would eventually open. Those gave rise to the Classiques – the 50 of them that can be applied directly on the skin and which can be found in any of its boutiques. Once the basics were ready, it was time to go global. Initially, Harrods approached Henry Jacques with the offer to open in a corner of their store, but Anne-Lise wasn’t impressed. “We refused to be in any [boutique] corner, refused to be in travel retail and refused to be in all those more mass retailers. At that time, for a perfume brand to have a boutique of its own was very rare,” says Anne-Lise. Harrods returned to Henry Jacques six months later and offered the brand a place in their prestigious Salons de Parfums instead, which led to the perfumer opening its first boutique on the sixth floor of Harrods in 2014. Since then, Henry Jacques has scaled rapidly. “We will soon be at 10 boutiques. We have a new boutique opening in Abu Dhabi in September 2021, and we have a new 400-square-metre boutique opening in Paris too. We have plans for China, and also to open five boutiques in the US in 2022. We plan to increase the number of our boutiques to between 15-20 by 20222023,” reveals Anne-Lise. Henry Jacques opened its boutique in Dubai in 2018, located at the Fashion Avenue of The Dubai Mall. Its interiors were designed by Christophe Tollemer, the brand’s creative director. Tollemer has also worked on the Abu Dhabi concept opening in September. Exclusive to the Dubai boutique, are essences like the Dar Abu Dhabi, an oud fragrance with cedarwood, vanilla and saffron that retails for $3,340 for 15ml, as well as Mandala and Deep Forest essences. These essences are also available as Brumes, sprays that are lighter than the Classique essences. Recently, it introduced Les Boites à Parfums, handcrafted chests to house the Classiques perfumes in combinations of 2, 6 or 10 flacons. Meanwhile, the Les Toupies perfume collection uses very rare ingredients and are among the brand’s more high-end boutique offerings, presented in hand-blown crystal bottles. While Anne-Lise has shown steely business acumen to open up the brand to a global audience, she counts one famous uncle in particular as being her sounding board and
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“We refused to be in any [boutique] corner, refused to be in travel retail and refused to be in all those more mass retailers.” GROOMING
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Sp e e d &
Sp i r i t
Puma’s Brand Ambassador Ahmad Daham discusses breaking boundaries in his high-speed role with Red Bull What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? An early morning starts with a glass of lemon and water, followed by a 20-minute outdoor jogging session, ending with a cold shower is what most of my early mornings comprise of. What elements do you think are key to a winning mindset? A healthy and energized mindset with an intrinsic motivation are definitely key components in contributing to a winning mindset. What is drifting and how did you become involved? Drifting is a type of motorsport that is based on oversteer. It’s the art of moving sideways in a controllable manner. Puma’s DNA consists of taking risks, what is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career to date? We take risks at every event, where sometimes I could be going sideways at 160+ km/h towards a wall in order to put
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on a good show and win. As a single risk, I’d say that I took drifting as a profession, in a place where the sport is very new. How do you think the brand has effortlessly combined technology with design for utmost comfort? Two big elements in drifting are weight and grip. Similar to the Puma shoes I’ve been using which are incredibly light and offer a very good amount of grip. What keeps you motivated and driven to achieve? The impact of success in my life makes me look forward to what I can achieve next. And also setting goals to achieve makes me push even harder. My next goal is to win a global competition. You’re performance driven. Do you expect the same output from the kit you use? I am definitely performance-driven, so I always go with performance driven kits. How do you maintain any kind of routine when you travel? I have programmed myself to have a mental and physical routine to maintain and increase my strength in all aspects, so it’s all about consistency. As an athlete your body is a tool. How do you fuel this for optimal success? Training and goal setting. What helps you to keep focus if you have an ‘off’ day? Detoxing and disconnecting help. Family also plays a big role. Have you had any mentors along the way who have helped to shape your path? The support of my family is number one. I have been my own mentor when it comes to drifting as practice makes perfect. I also have a performance coach who keeps me in an optimal state of mind. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice is to never give up and keep chasing your dreams.
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WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH
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T h e Innov ator s
Two of the most famous faces in F&B in the Middle East, Evgeny Kuzin and Chef Izu Ani teamed up with Accor earlier this year to launch Kitch-In, an innovative new concept developing a unique approach to augmented hospitality. Emirates Man sat down with the moguls alongside Accor’s Mark Willis and Yigit Sezgin to find out more WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS
EVGENY KUZIN Co-Founder of Kitch-In & CEO of Bulldozer Group How did you come to launch Bulldozer Group? Bulldozer Group began in 2011 when we made our first venture into the nightlife and entertainment industry in Dubai. We started by importing internationally recognised brands, such as Cipriani, to raise the profile of the dining and entertainment landscape in the UAE. We wanted our friends and family to realize how up and coming the region was, to know that they could come to Dubai and enjoy the same luxury experience and service as they could expect in key markets around the world, such as Europe, the UK and the US. The restaurant, nightlife and entertainment industries are very fast paced, and it is important to remain agile and ensure you are ahead of trends. I am really humbled and proud of everything we have learned and achieved. It is really amazing to know that our brands have played a significant role in the development of the UAE into a globally recognized tourist destination. Now, as the UAE market has matured, we are focused on
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developing unique and authentic concepts to export them from Dubai to the world, as well as using our expertise for digital concepts and technological innovations. Can you talk us through all of your ventures in the region? We own and operate premium dining destinations and entertainment concepts Gaia in Dubai & Monaco, Cipriani DIFC and Cipriani Dolci in Dubai Mall, Shanghai Me and Scalini, as well as digital concepts Izu Burger and many more through our new cloud kitchens platform Kitch-In, a partnership with Bulldozer group, Chef Izu Ani and Accor that brings acclaimed chefs and food scientists together to deliver premium cuisine, high-quality flavours and affordable prices through Accor hotels kitchens. We have significant expansion plans for the next few years, including a number of concepts set to open in Saudi Arabia and Europe, as Gaia will open in London’s Mayfair next year. In Dubai, we have a few new exciting projects, including a beach club, café concept and premium restaurant in DIFC all planned to open before the end of the year. How does the F&B industry here differ from other global locations? The UAE is an amazing place to build a brand, the cosmopolitan blend of nationalities and expats from all corners of the world forces us to consider our audience and tailor our offering to suit them. We try to incorporate flavours, tastes and attributes that resonate with a wide range of cultures so that each guest feels catered for and looked after. Dubai has given us an incredible platform to grow, expand and develop our skills, it really is unlike anywhere else in the world. The UAE aims to build a better future and I feel very lucky to call it home. We are dedicated to the development of Dubai into one of the best dining and
entertainment destinations in the world, and I am excited to see how the region grows. What are the hurdles you’ve experienced during your career? Challenges are an opportunity for our growth and expansion. We get our most important lessons and redirection from our most difficult moments, and they give us the time to slow down, restrategise and see what can be improved. Listening is one of our greatest values, we hear what our clients want and need, and we adjust accordingly. Our relationships are integral to our business, both with our clients, our suppliers and our team. It is through building honest relationships that people feel comfortable enough to share their true feedback, and this is so important to our brands and concepts. On the opposite end of the spectrum, what have been the key milestones? We are always looking ahead, planning the next big thing and living in the moment, so it is important to stop and take a look at everything we have achieved. I am always so humbled and grateful for the support of the UAE Royal family. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum are regular guests at Gaia and Shanghai Me and we are thankful for the endorsement and approval they have shown us. Some of our best moments and greatest milestones can be seen in the smiles of our guests, and the clients and customers that have become our loyal friends. The feeling of sitting in one of our restaurants, surrounded by happy people, talking, laughing and enjoying their cuisine and experiences has got to be one of the best things I can imagine. You recently launched Kitch-In under the Bulldozer umbrella. Can you talk us through this
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venture? Kitch-in is the first and only food technology platform that enhances the lives of its users and transforms room service across the hotel industry worldwide. We are honoured to partner with Accor on this project, one of the world’s leading hospitality brands, and gain insight from their knowledgeable and talented team. We plan to improve the home-delivery and in-room dining experience through an intelligent infrastructure that maintains consistent quality control at every stage. Our goal is to simplify cooking, nutrition and sustainability by providing convenient access to great cuisine, prepared by industry experts. Through Accor’s global network, we are excited to touch people’s lives with our great cuisine. How does it differ from any other ventures you’ve launched in the region? Kitch-In is a completely new concept, both for me and the technology verticals that we are working on, so it has been a fascinating project since the beginning. With a physical venue or restaurant, our experience has given us a deep understanding of each project and we know what to expect. Kitch-In has given us the opportunity to use our skills and knowledge to explore new possibilities. We have spent the last few years working on research and development for this unique platform. We wanted to improve the standards of delivered cuisine and serve restaurant-quality dishes developed and endorsed by talented chefs. By studying, understanding and managing each aspect of the business chain, we can maintain consistent quality control and ensure it is scalable. Kitch-In is the first and only F&B platform that has the capacity and technology to effectively monitor quality control across the entire ecosystem. This gives us the ability to scale each vertical quickly and skillfully, from the development of illustrious digital restaurant brands endorsed by celebrity chefs to efficient delivery. With Accor’s extensive hotel network, there is no limit to our scalability, and we have ambitious plans for a worldwide expansion. What’s next for Kitch-In? We have ambitious plans for a fast and dynamic expansion and are on track with our growth strategy. In April 2021, we launched Kitch-In with 4 virtual restaurant brands and one central kitchen. Today, we have four kitchens in Accor properties in Dubai. We will launch a new delivery location in Dubai very soon, as well as two kitchens set to open in Abu Dhabi to serve our customers there. Our strategic international roll-out will begin in Saudi Arabia next month, followed by the opening of 70 kitchens across the GCC, UK and France in 2022. We aim to serve cuisine from over 1,000 digital brands worldwide in just one year. We have quadrupled our offering in less than six months, and this is something we are really proud of, especially considering the time and dedication required for the quality at this level and menu development.
CHEF IZU ANI Co-Founder of Kitch-In & Concept Creator of GAIA & Carine Can you talk us through your career history? At the beginning of my career, I focused on absorbing all of the knowledge and experience I could. I spent a lot of time in France, working my way up through kitchens and from there I travelled to Spain. I offered my services at the Mugaritz, one of the world’s best restaurants located in San Sebastián. By working for free, I earned more in knowledge than I ever expected and learned more than I could have imagined. I believe that in life, we do have to
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invest in ourselves and in our passions. Invest our time, our efforts and our dedication. My travels and experiences continue to shape my understanding of cuisine and have enabled me to translate this through the menus I work on. As a Chef, I am a storyteller through food. I think it is important to remember that food belongs to the culture it comes from. By understanding the culture, we have the privilege of knowing how to extract the experience and tell each story from the source. My aim in life is to keep adding to my life journey through food and to be able to share this with people who are as keen as I am to explore how we can push the limits of creativity. How do you believe your restaurant ventures set you apart from others in the industry in this region? I believe that what sets us all apart, as individuals, is not what restaurant or business ventures we embark on, but who we are inside. The philosophy of who we are binds what we do. There is a cause and effect behind everything in life, a reason for being, for wanting certain things and this is reflected in our work and our passions. Our values can be seen in everything we create, and I have a very conscious approach to food. As restaurant owners and concept creators, we have a responsibility
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“I believe that in life, we do have to invest in ourselves and in our passions.” – Chef Izu Ani to consider the health and social consequences of our cuisine. Our kitchens and menus are carefully curated to reduce wastage, the spare ingredients from one dish can often be incorporated into another so that we make the most out of our produce and products. Similarly, when it comes to health, I believe we should enjoy everything in moderation, fuel our bodies with essential ingredients, the best quality meats and fish as well as beautiful fruits and vegetables. Of course, have a burger or a pizza, but enjoy one made with clean ingredients, cooked with methods that ease digestion and use it to fuel an active and exciting lifestyle. You’ve recently begun to diversify your offering in the F&B space in the Middle East. What was the inspiration behind this? Inspiration, to me, comes when I am constantly moving, learning, searching for more information. It’s like a river. When a river flows, it breathes new life, fish swim, wildlife grows, there is energy. If a river is stagnant, it becomes murky, fish are unable to swim there, it dies. Keeping still kills creativity. I am constantly looking for new experiences and opportunities to learn and evolve. This is why I find the delivery space so interesting, it has seen such vast growth in a short period of time, and there has been a level of experience that people accept because they enjoy the ease and accessibility of home delivery. Why can’t we order a meal at home and it be of the same quality as a restaurant? We aim to provide a better service, excellent cuisine, efficient delivery and affordable pricing. Can you talk us through all of your ventures in the region? Most recently, we launched Izu Burger, a virtual brand serving dirty burgers made with clean ingredients. We also launched Kitch-In in April 2021, an innovative food technology concept, Kitch-In encompasses a research atelier, developing new virtual restaurant brands, as well as a technology platform that utilizes the Accor kitchen framework to deliver excellent quality cuisine made with conscious ingredients and cooking methods, reduced wastage and transport times. Gaia opened in DIFC, Dubai in 2018 and just celebrated its second anniversary in Monaco. A Greek-Mediterranean concept, Gaia combines warm hospitality with intricate details and alluring aspects, creating a journey of discovery in each and every visit. Our cuisine showcases the core elements of Greek culture, humble, simple yet flavoursome dishes that are served in layers and designed to be shared between friends and family. Carine is our French-Mediterranean restaurant located in the Emirates Golf Club.
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Named after my wife, I wanted to develop something that represented a part of me, for the person that has been by my side throughout my career. Carine is elegant, yet adventurous and edgy, and these elements make up my journey with her. The French culture woven throughout the restaurant stems from her and everything I learned in France, from where we met and what we have built together. Kitch-In is a first of its kind in the Middle East. Can you tell us the story behind the venture? Everything we eat is a reflection of who we are and how we are feeling. When we order at home, we aren’t in the mood to go out and socialize, it is often when we are feeling tired or relaxed. We created Kitch-In to become a part of your daily routines. Food is a comfort to us, and we want to nurture people and make them feel cared for with home-cooked meals, delivered to their door. Our culinary team works really hard to curate new menus for our digital brands, using their skills and understanding of culture, cuisine and ingredients. We have developed a thorough training and education system to help onboard new members of staff and maintain the same level of quality as we grow. Since moving to Dubai, what have you learned about the industry that you wouldn’t have learned anywhere else? Dubai enables us to see the world with the eyes of a child, to explore and build our dreams into our realities, and for that, I will always be grateful. The UAE holds a special place in my heart, it is an incredible place to have the opportunity to grow and develop. Dubai has a way of accelerating our creativity, its ever-evolving nature gives us the ability to expand our skills and learn about different cultures, tastes, flavours and people. What has your transition been like from chef to concept creator, restauranteur and entrepreneur? I live by the philosophy that life is not about ownership. Everything is loaned or borrowed in some way. When you learn that nothing belongs to you, you can consider that you have learned only a small portion of what there is to learn in life. This inspires me to keep learning, keep moving forwards. I am humbled and grateful for everyone who has supported my growth and the experiences that have shaped my journey so far. What are the hurdles you’ve experienced during your career? There is a lesson in every situation, and challenges give us valuable knowledge that we may not have been aware of otherwise. The trick is to pay attention. It is all information, and information is everything. The more we know, the greater our
spectrum of understanding, which leads us to better opportunities and experiences. On the opposite end of the spectrum, what have been the key milestones? When we work with passion, we can enjoy the art of dedication and practice. By focusing on improving every single day, we can see how much there is to achieve and really embrace the process. I believe that the milestones are often found in the small moments. I find the most pride and pleasure when I am consistent and striving towards my goals every day. What’s next for Kitch-In? My aim for growth and expansion is consistent across all of the brands, restaurants and concepts that I work on. It is about maintaining the same honesty and approach that it had when we first opened, making sure that our philosophy doesn’t get diluted. Our goal is to grow as a business while keeping the ethos and quality intact.
MARK WILLIS CEO Accor Middle East Can you talk us through the team behind KitchIn? We have been really fortunate to work with such an inspired team for this project, and I believe that the passion of the people we are working with, combined with the skills of our internal team, gives us the strength and ability to grow at a remarkable rate. Kitch-In brings together the knowledge of food scientists for optimal delivery, in-house nutritionists for health advice, expertise from award-winning restauranteurs and hoteliers as well as the skills of a celebrity Chef. Each person is dedicated to the success of the project, which is evident in the quality and creativity found in every dish, menu and delivery. It’s a very unique venture to be a part of – how did the idea come about? At Accor, our focus in recent years has lain in our aim to create a lifestyle, with hospitality that feels like an extension of the home. Advances in technology, social media and online shopping have created an urgency for us to manage and stay ahead of. Consumers and our guests have an expectation for the best rates, quick confirmations, the best cuisine and fast delivery times. This is a really
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dynamic and exciting time for hospitality, and I think the changes we make now will have a huge impact on the future of the industry. With Kitch-In, we wanted to change the way we look at in-room dining, raise standards across our properties, and create something so good that people want to order the same dishes at home. The digital infrastructure aligns with our network perfectly, allowing us to create a truly wonderful service that can be delivered wherever you are. What does this partnership for Accor mean? How does it differ from something that’s ever been done before? In the past, in-room dining has often been overlooked and accepted based on the timings. Kitch-In offers something very different, the kind of in-room delivery that guests look forward to. It is perfect for business travellers, who may be tired after a day of meetings in a different country and would rather dine in their room and relax with a beautiful meal, and for families that can order dishes from different cuisines and flavours to ensure everyone can choose something that they like. How do you believe UAE and the Middle East differ from other places when it comes to the hospitality industry? The UAE can be described as an innovation hub when it comes to the hospitality industry. The leadership of the country has made it a priority to offer entrepreneurs and brands the opportunity to “think outside the box” and come up with new concepts that have not been seen anywhere else in the world. This push for innovation has made it possible for Accor to bring some new lifestyle brands into the market, such as the newly opened SLS Dubai, which has already proven to be a hit with guests and residents alike. Another premium example is the launch of KitchIn which already shows great signs of success! What are the hurdles you’ve experienced during your career? “I’m not sure as I jump them all!” On a more serious note, of course, throughout my career, there have been many professional hurdles that has affected the way we work, the most recent one would be having to navigate through COVID 19 while ensuring our teams were as safe as possible and offering them as much support as possible. I am a strong believer that no matter what hurdle comes your way, a positive attitude and a desire to succeed helps you overcome anything, a smile on top of that always helps, especially in our industry. On the opposite end of the spectrum, what have been the key milestones? All the big steps that I have had through my career have been milestones, from working at my first Michelin star restaurant to my first General Manager role, to completing my MBA and taking 1 year off in 2005 to refocus and align my goals for the next years. I am very privileged to be able to say that I have had the opportunity to move into a large variety of roles in various locations
around the world, each of these moves has definitely been a milestone. Most recently moving from my role in Thailand, as President for Asia for Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, to joining the Accor team in Dubai as CEO for the IMEA region, this has absolutely been my latest milestone.
YIGIT SEZGIN Chief Commercial Officer Accor What’s the story behind Kitch-In and its partnership with Accor? The pandemic gave us a unique opportunity to review our internal processes and the ways in which we operate. We asked ourselves how we could improve our services, streamline our approach, and utilize our infrastructure while the travel and hospitality industries were put on an indefinite pause. We wanted to create a positive impact on the lives of those in lockdown. During that time, everyone was heavily reliant on home deliveries. Having a beautifully prepared meal delivered to our homes was a huge source of joy, something to really look forward to. We were speaking to our good friends Evgeny Kuzin, Bulldozer Group and Chef Izu regarding their plans to launch an elevated food delivery service. We thought, why not combine our skills and expertise and build something completely groundbreaking? We knew we had the kitchens, the team, the manpower and the framework. This, combined with the creativity of Chef Izu and the expertise of Evgeny Kuzin, felt like an extraordinary opportunity. As a fully integrated digital concept, Kitch-In further develops our approach to augmented hospitality. It is not just about planning for tomorrow, it is about designing tomorrow. Through KitchIn, we have the ability to enhance and improve in-room dining, giving our guests the exclusive opportunity to enjoy exquisite, restaurant-quality cuisine without needing to leave their room. Our digital approach means that we can quickly and efficiently upgrade culinary options for our destinations and extend the experience of our hospitality outside of the premises of our hotels.
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It’s a very unique venture to be a part of – how did the idea come about? When we are surrounded by like-minded people, we bounce ideas off each other and brainstorm opportunities. It is really inspiring and exciting. I have always liked to think ahead, plan our next project or campaign and remain active. We started with a clear aim, a few objectives, and the idea of an excellent-quality delivery service. From there it just kept building and growing. We realized how much of an impact this could have on our operations across all of our hotels and properties, as well as how easily it could be scaled and implemented across the Accor infrastructure worldwide. How do you believe the UAE and the Middle East differ from other places when it comes to the hospitality industry? The UAE, especially Dubai, is a global hub that welcomes, encourages and embraces innovation. New dining concepts, hospitality products and services, alongside art & culture and lifestyle remain a priority. It is clear to see that the city attracts new dining concepts which provide a high level of services both when dining in the restaurant as well as dining at home. Over the past years, a large number of brands have entered the market which has proven to be very successful, which has been driving innovation levels to ensure concepts remain fresh and original to be able to compete in such a competitive market. The same can be said for other countries throughout the Middle East, such as in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where we are seeing more international chefs and brands entering the market. What are the hurdles you’ve experienced during your career? Throughout my career I have dealt with a number of adversities, however, I am a firm believer that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! The way I look at adversities is that they can “paralyze you or fuel you”, personally I choose for them to fuel me! As they say “it’s in the flames of adversity that our greatness is forged.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, what have been the key milestones? I think from almost every challenge I have encountered, I have managed to come out on the other side stronger, for this reason, I actually believe that each adversity has resulted in a milestone for me. The last 18 months have definitely brought a large number of milestones with them due to having to “think outside the box” and create new innovative ways to do business. Some key achievements include: forming the Kitch-In partnership; creating a new bookers program with Accor; completing tenders around the FIFA 2022; increasing our activities and focus on a dining and lifestyle platform; and F&B earn and burn platform for our loyalty members of ALL. In addition, a personal highlight for me was conducting my own Ted Talk in August 2020 – Polar bear in the desert.
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A D e te r m i ne d A p p r oach
Deliveroo’s General Manager Anis Harb on strategy, growth and superlative service 2015 in London, and later that year moved to Dubai to launch the business here. From day one it’s been non stop, but the role has definitely evolved. At first I was laser focused on executing to build liquidity on all sides of the marketplace. I was selling to restaurants, hiring riders and experimenting with various (very unscalable) marketing initiatives. As we continue to grow and lay the foundations for a larger business, I spend a lot of time collaborating and prob-
IMAGES: GETTY AND SUPPLIED
WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? I start my day with some quiet meditation and stretching. I choose to do this first thing in the morning to help me kick off my day in the right mindset. I then drink a cup of hot water with lemon before jumping into the shower. Breakfast is usually a healthy smoothie or freshly brewed coffee on the go on my way to work. How has your role changed since you started at Deliveroo? I joined Deliveroo in early
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lem solving with a world class team with whom I love spending time. I’m very lucky to be able to do this day in and day out. You were previously based in London with Deliveroo. How different is overseeing the logistics there compared to the Middle East? The Middle East and London are both very different markets. Until the time that I was in London, food delivery was still a ‘weekend treat’ for customers. This has changed in the last few years. However in the case of the Middle East, delivery is embedded into people’s lifestyles so that is a complete change in mindset if you compare to other markets. Our structure in the Middle East is also different compared to the UK when it comes to our riders. In the UAE, we work with 3PL companies to work with riders in compliance with country regulations. The coordination of rider operations, training and onboarding is a much more formalized process in the UAE and has helped us contribute towards more job creation in the market. It’s also a very different culture and as a multinational business, Deliveroo has grown in this market by respecting its local traditions while working closely with local concepts and creatives to truly embed ourselves in the lifestyle of the customers here. Do you have any mentors or guides and how did they help you navigate the right path? Being originally from the region definitely helped. I had a network of friends in the UAE that helped guide me in the beginning and connected me with the right talent to build Deliveroo’s team. We are also lucky to have an amazing network of GMs across our international territories. We all utilise each other’s learnings to develop and perfect strategies in our own markets. What are the main challenges that you faced amid the pandemic and how did you manage to overcome them? Food delivery became an essential service during lockdown not just in this region. This meant that riders were seen as frontline workers who continued to keep the city healthy and moving during the pandemic. Their safety, security and onboarding became our number 1 priority during this time. Due to the surge in demand we had to recruit large numbers of riders, train them and initiate them into our fleet within a matter of days. Our next priority was to support restaurants. In 2020 alone, we onboarded 2,600 new restaurants in the UAE. This included concepts that had never implemented home delivery before so ensuring that we provide them with the right advice and infrastructure become crucial for us. We also introduced other initiatives like weekly cash payments to help improve cash flow for restaurants. Our Editions kitchens became
essential for businesses relying on delivery and looking to expand their radius. Deliveroo was a lifeline for many during lockdown – did the growth during this time surpass projections and what did you need to implement to scale so quickly? The onset of the virus saw customers concerned about the health and safety of food deliveries, while with people forced to work from home, our corporate clientele was reduced significantly. There was a significant decline and then recovery. By Q4 2020, we had rebounded to pre-Covid levels and have been seeing rapid growth since. We also used this time to introduce services to better facilitate customers. This included Deliveroo’s Express Mart launch for groceries. We are very proud to have been the lifeline for a number of people during lockdown and are pleased to have been able to reach and supply so many. ‘Proper food, proper delivery’ is the core message – how do you manage to constantly achieve this? Great service lies at the heart of our business. Our vision for efficient service is what prompted us to make a bet on the cloud kitchen space in 2017 with the launch of Editions, a collection of bespoke delivery only kitchens. We were the first to bring this concept to the UAE, and over the years, have continued to perfect this model for the optimal delivery experience. With an entire infrastructure in place dedicated to delivery, we ensure quicker dispatch and delivery times with the chance of minimal error which overall adds to the customer’s experience. Such initiatives have trickled down to all aspects of the business, ensuring quality and consistency at every step. Deliveroo is known for providing a seamless delivery system. How do you manage to stay on top of the game? Investment in technology, priority for service and great teamwork. As a leading logistics operator in the region, our technology does the job of connecting all the links of a delivery efficiently. Our in-app experience is seamless and user friendly. Our restaurant partners and riders work together to deliver the best service and food. Our account managers work closely with restaurants to help them utilise our full suite of delivery services. Anyone in the aggregator business will tell you that a lot of people come together to make one perfect delivery happen. At Deliveroo, with quality checks and accountability at every level, we aim to make this the case for every delivery. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? Before jumping into learning hard technical skills, take a job where you need to sell. The importance of selling doesn’t
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“Don’t forget the mental health of your team members who are giving it their best. Empathy makes you a better leader and a better person.”
go away in life. Spend more time learning new languages. Then immerse yourself in new experiences to practise those languages. What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs in the region? Don’t be so hard on yourself when you fail. The falls are inevitable, so be clear on your learnings and move forward. Be persistent, brave and patient – because everything takes time. Also, don’t forget the mental health of your team members who are giving it their best. Empathy makes you a better leader and a better person. Who or what to you is iconic? Dubai. Everything about this city. Its diversity, its ambition and its constant evolution. It was also our first entry into the Middle East and a huge decision for the business. Deliveroo’s success so far and any further expansion in the region has been because this market understood what we had to offer and chose to grow with us.
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A F i g h ti ng Sp i r i t
Co-Founder of the Round 10 Boxing Club, Ahmed Seddiqi is on a mission to champion the spirit of boxing in the Middle East
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IMAGES: GETTY AND SUPPLIED
WORDS: ANDREW WINGROVE
Can you tell us about the boxing gym you opened? It’s going very well. I left my family business four years ago and refocused my entire time on it. So, the gym overall is doing well. As a gym we have been producing a lot of fighters from this region as well. In terms of homegrown UAE athletes, what proportion do they make up? We have a few locals, two who will be fighting specifically for this upcoming fight are Sultan Al Nuaimi and Fahad Al Bloushi, both professional boxers. It must be very rewarding when you see homegrown talent climb to a professional level? It’s extremely rewarding because firstly, the Emirati population is very small and to find a boxer is quite a task, as it is a less common sport here. Arabs have always been warriors. When we delve into the history and my dream was to make Arabs stars in the boxing world as well. Is the strategy to groom and grow as many professionals as possible or are you also looking at the amateur side of things with a view on the Olympics and people representing the UAE? We are supporting the UAE government and the UAE Boxing Federation to do exactly that. Sultan Al Nuaimi, the boxer who’s fighting on the undercard, he also fights for the amateurs and he fought in the Asian Champion Amateur Championship that happened a few months ago here and he did quite well. He fought against the top ten fighters in the world, in his weight class and personally a lot of people saw him winning, but unfortunately, he didn’t get the win. However, our focus is more on the professionals and the professional side of the sport. The next event is a big promotion with a national global television audience watching it, is this the way you see the business going forward? Are you the new Middle East - Eddie Hearn? I wouldn’t say Eddie Hearn, as those people have been in the business for a long time, so I can’t even compare myself to them, but we’re doing quite big things for our side of the world. In April we had a big world
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title fight at Dubai’s Caesar’s Palace. Even when it was at a time when restrictions were there, we still went ahead with that and we had a lot of fights that were happening, but this is a bit more special to me personally because first it was going to be a world title for this event, but eventually it had to be called off. It’s now Asian WBC and our Dubai based fighter is heading that show, which is indeed a very big achievement for us as promoters here in Dubai to have that. Congratulations, and obviously having the support of a brand like Hublot is no bad thing, correct? Yes, of course. Hublot being abroad has helped us a lot in the past. As you know, it’s a family business and they’re supporting us too. Then you have our other sponsors Kinetik, they do oil lubricants and have been supporting us from the beginning, too. So, that’s increasing as well, as finding sponsors has always been challenging because they say boxing’s not important here, but it’s big now. The activities are growing, and the attention is growing, for us here in the UAE. We want to bring the international fighters to the region and on the flip side we also want to produce our own local fighters. On the main ESPN show, out of the five fights there will be three locally based, which is Hasibullah Ahmadi from Afghanistan and Faizan Anwar from India, who’s a very talented young boxer. Then you have a Jordanian boxer, who’s quite talented and has a solid amateur background. What do the next 10-20 years look like for the sport in the region? To have world title events hosted here in Dubai with UAEbased fighters, those who grew up here, started their careers here and trained here – this is the goal.
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T h e Sup e r l ati v e Stay
Unique locations, original architecture and interiors, an unparalleled level of service and privacy all make up the DNA of Aman. Vladislav Doronin, CEO, Owner and Chairman of Aman tells us what it takes to deliver consistently at this level.
WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
What do your first 30 mins of the day look like, your morning routine? I am quite protective over my morning routine. My days are incredibly busy, so it’s important for me to find time to look after myself and I’ve developed a morning routine that works for me. I practise qigong, yoga and meditation in the morning for around an hour after waking up. I then take my SVA herbal formulas, which we launched in 2020. Named after the Sanskrit word for health ‘svasthya’, these Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulas were developed with Dr Ning Ma who has over 30 years’ experience within Traditional Chinese Medicine. I’ll also work with my trainer several days a week, perhaps doing a strength workout or HIIT to get my heart rate up. If I have time, I will also do some watersports – I particularly love kitesurfing and always feel so energised when I’ve been out on the water. Ensuring I have some time set aside to look after my wellbeing each day is vital and I prefer to do this first thing in the morning, not only to ensure I feel healthy, but it also means I’m at my best throughout my working day too. How did your time working in commodity trading support your role as Chairman of Aman now? My time working as a commodities trader definitely shaped my approach to business, as it gave me strong foundations, as well as excellent experience. I was always the first in the office and the last to leave – I was driven to succeed and knew working harder than anyone else would enable me to do that. I have learnt over the years that balance is important, but I do have an incredibly hardworking approach when I am in the office and am very focused. I also noticed that great attention
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to detail leads to success – if you’re attentive to every element of what you’re doing, your work is both considered and accurate, which is something I stand by and expect from both myself and my teams today. What is your approach to business and building a work culture? I think you must lead by example when it comes to work culture. There’s no point creating policies or guidelines to build a business culture, but then not embodying them yourself. This only means no one in the business adopts the approach, as culture filters down from the leadership team. I believe strongly in identifying a clear vision, principles and goals for the business, especially when you have a large or international business. At Aman, our teams are located all over the world, but this clarity over the vision means the whole company is working together, driving forward to achieve our mission. The energy and camaraderie that comes from working together in person is incredibly important. Globally, our teams have relished being back in the office, as it’s a more dynamic environment in which creativity can really thrive. I believe the best
ideas don’t come to life through a screen or over Zoom, but in person – similarly, if I’m working on a deal with someone, I want to do this in person, with a handshake. Ultimately, and particularly in luxury hospitality, it’s all about building connection with your team, partners and clients. What was the catalyst for investing in Aman and what have been the biggest hurdles you’ve had to overcome? I had been developing mixed-use real estate projects for some time and I knew that it would be a great benefit to bring a hotel brand into my portfolio. Hotels have incredibly vast infrastructure which creates an opportunity to provide services for apartments and their owners – however, I knew the number of apartments in each project needed to be very limited in quantity to guarantee the level of luxury I was looking to incorporate within my projects. Aman had long been one of my favourite hotel brands – I had visited each property as a guest already – and it happened to come to market while I was considering the expansion of my portfolio, so it was the perfect fit. Time has become such a commodity – no one ever has enough of it – and branded residences with managed services for owners is of great value. People want to have Aman experiences and seamless management in their homes, as they have no time to manage staff or prepare their home for arrival, but with an Aman Residence everything is done perfectly, with Aman’s unrivalled service and standards. I’m now seeing this ambition come to life, for example, at Aman New York, USA which will open later this year. We have just 22 residences in addition to the hotel, but owners will benefit from the extensive services and amenities, such as the 2,300sqm Aman Spa, our signature restaurants – Nama, our Japanese restaurant, and Arva, our Mediterranean restaurant, the subterranean Jazz Club, plus the unrivalled 24-hour Aman service. The two-floor Cigar Lounge with terrace, renowned Aman Spa and Wine Room, will be available for Aman Club members only – our new concept, the Aman Club is an ex-
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clusive community of like-minded individuals who have access to members-only Aman experiences and amenities. The value added via property management, priority access to Aman hotel amenities and the newly launched Aman Club, of which owners are nominated as Founder Members, means Aman Residences command a premium compared with traditional apartments. How do you approach challenges? It depends on the challenge – generally, my approach is to work with the team to try and find a solution which means you don’t have to compromise your vision, but I also feel it’s important to know when to take stock and change direction if something fundamentally isn’t working. During the development of a new project we often come across challenges. Amanyangyun, Shanghai is an example of this – it is an exceptional property that was an ambitious feat of architectural conservation. We moved antique Ming and Qing Dynasty villas stone by stone from Fuzhou to Shanghai, protecting the historical architecture, as well as the camphor trees which were also rescued and now sit within the property. It took 15 years to develop – it was exacting work and needed uncompromising attention to detail to achieve the vision, but it was a series of challenges that were well worth figuring out – the hotel is incredibly special. How do you think last year affected the growth of the travel industry and have you made changes in light of this? We are fortunate that Aman’s core principles since the brand’s conception mean our hotels and resorts are perfectly set up for social distancing – we’re hugely generous with space and focus upon privacy as an integral part of the experience. Given each of our villas, suites and pavilions has its own private butler, if you choose to, when staying at an Aman property you can see no other guests during your stay with us without compromising your Aman experience. We were also very agile, quickly changing our focus to domestic markets for each of our hotels, so each of our guests could continue to enjoy an Aman experience, just closer to home than they perhaps would have done usually. These two combined has meant we have seen incredibly strong performance across
several of our locations throughout 2020 and 2021 with Amanyara and Amanera in the Caribbean, Amangiri and Amangani in the USA and Amanpulo, Philippines to name a few seeing even stronger performance in 2020 than previous years. These locations are performing well as they are within countries where travel is permitted, so we’re seeing very high demand. I strongly believe this demand for international travel will only increase in the coming months and we’ll see a travel boom, as people are tired of being at home. We are already seeing this – as soon as restrictions ease in our different destinations, we see an immediate spike in requests and bookings. Did you have any mentors in the early days and how did this help navigate the right path? I had great career aspirations from as young as I can remember and always had a drive to succeed, however throughout my career I have learnt from mentors and others I have worked with. I think it’s important to have people in your life who you can trust as advisors or as a sounding board, as it can bring a different perspective, which can add real value to your decision making and broader business ventures. Which has been the best piece of advice you’ve had in business? Trust your instincts and learn to feel comfortable with taking risks – sometimes you need to take the risk to deliver success. Also, hire a strong team and make sure everyone is aligned to the company vision and purpose, then you have total trust that the decisions being made are in the best interest of your overarching goal. What has been your approach to scaling the business to date? My key focus is to keep the guest experience at the heart of everything we do and develop. I also want to protect the core DNA of the brand – its privacy, design, service and feeling of being in a good friend’s home – even as we expand our collection of hotels. This has also seen us take Aman hotels from the horizontal resort experience to the vertical, in cities. We opened Aman Tokyo to great success in 2014 and are looking forward to opening Aman New York this year, as well as Aman Miami (2024) and Aman Nai Lert Bangkok (2023). This enables us to offer a sanctuary and all the hallmarks of
the Aman experience but within the beating heart of dynamic urban environments. Led by the demand from our guests, we’ve also developed several products, including our Aman Spa Candles, Aman Skincare, Aman Fine Fragrance and more recently SVA (taken from the Sanskrit ‘svasthya’ meaning health), which is our range of Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulas. As with everything we do, these products need to be the best quality and so we took a long time to develop each range, working with the best experts globally to make sure they match the quality of the Aman experiences, but in people’s own homes. What do you believe is the value of social media in business growth relating to luxury and which platform do you feel will next drive most success? Social media of course has a place in our business, as a means of sharing our offering with our clients, but our focus for connection is much more personal. We created the Aman Private Office which is how we connect with our clients – each client has an individual point of contact and the way in which we interact with them is entirely personal and bespoke, based on their enquiry and needs. When you bought Aman it boasted 27 properties, many located within UNESCO heritage sites. You’re now at 33 and have plans for seven more. How do you go about securing the locations and how careful are you in selecting partners to bring your vision to life in terms of interior? When looking at new destinations, it is our core values and offering, as well as the guest experience which is front of mind. The Aman proposition can be brought to life in an urban, jungle, desert or oceanfront destination, but the potential location must be unique to the rest of our collection, and it must also be exceptional. For example, our two forthcoming Aman properties in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be located in AlUla, a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage with UNESCO Heritage sites of archaeological significance. This is integral to our pathfinder spirit – we have a continued mission not only to curate resorts of architectural distinction, but also to explore new destinations and cultural experiences and currently have 14 properties located close to UNES-
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CO Heritage Sites. Architecture and design are passions of mine and I have a clear vision of what we’re looking for from each project, as well as great attention to detail. I think like our guests, who also expect every detail of the Aman design experience to be considered. We have some partners who we have worked with often and understand the brand incredibly well, but that said, I am always looking out for new talent in architecture and design who understand the Aman philosophy and could bring a fresh take on the Aman experience within our new locations, drawing inspiration from the property’s unique surroundings. Ultimately our partners need to understand our approach – we design to celebrate our surroundings, not to commandeer them. The service at Aman is unparalleled. Do you tailor each stay to the individual and how do you approach this accurately? The Aman service is something we pride ourselves on. We have a very uncompromising attitude towards personalisation and the level of detail that our teams deliver is unparalleled. Our service is intuitive. It’s not about a cookie cutter approach but training and enabling our teams to be intuitive, think about each guest individually and understand what they are looking for before the guest needs to ask. This level of consideration of one’s needs and wants is to me the absolute marker of a luxury experience. Where do you see Aman in five years? My vision for Aman in five years’ time is to grow the brand offering and our collection of properties, but always in line with our core values and the expectations of our guests. I plan to continue our expansion into global cities and I’m currently exploring opportunities in London, Paris, Milan and L.A. This year, we have launched several new verticals for Aman, born out of the demand from our guests. This includes The Essentials by Aman, our first clothing collection, a curated edit of timeless pieces available at our on-property boutiques, which were designed with the Aman experience in mind. Looking further forward, my vision is to further cement the reputation of Aman as the ultra-luxury lifestyle experience. I use the word experience purposefully – our guests are getting younger and their expectations are different to the generation which travelled before them. The experience economy is booming, and Aman is proud to create experiences which are enriched by the local culture of our destinations and build meaningful and lasting memories for our guests. Experiences like the guided meditation within the world’s largest Buddhist temple, Borobudur, which we offer at Amanjiwo, Indonesia, are other-worldly and create incredibly special moments our
guests will remember forever. We also recently launched Janu, the sister brand to Aman. Janu means ‘soul’ in Sanskrit, compared to Aman, meaning ‘peace’. This encompasses the difference between the two – Janu will have a different energy to Aman, focused upon connection, togetherness and being effortlessly social, in comparison to the sanctuary and privacy of Aman destinations. We have announced Janu Montenegro (2023), Janu Tokyo (2023) and Janu AlUla (2023) and have a more extensive pipeline of hotels I’m excited to announce shortly. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in the current market? I think there is great power in acknowledging the cyclical nature of the economy and I encourage entrepreneurs to be resilient and maintain the core offering of their businesses, but also to look ahead and have a plan in place for economic recovery. I also believe the moments for pause we have had at different points over the last year and a half also create great opportunity for reflection and creativity. I suggest being proactive and bold, act upon those ideas and try to create exciting opportunity from a period of challenge. When you travel – how do you maintain any kind of routine and what do you always need to travel with? I am fortunate to be in the
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position to be able to travel with my trainer. This helps me to maintain my morning routine, which I find then sets me up for the day ahead. It’s also in my nature to be relatively disciplined, especially if I’ve found something that works for me, so I enjoy my morning meditation and workouts whether I am on holiday or about to embark on a long day of meetings. Where do you love to escape to? My location of choice for an escape varies depending on what I’m looking for. Amanpuri, Thailand is the first Aman resort I ever visited, back in 1990, and remains one of my favourite places in the world to this day – there is a very special energy here which to me is the ultimate escape and perfectly encapsulates the Aman experience. I love to come here with my family to switch off and relax together in total privacy and sanctuary. Amandira, Aman’s flagship yacht, is a custom-built two-masted Phinisi sailing yacht, which sails around the remote islands of Indonesia’s Flores Sea. As I love watersports, spending time on board Amandira is a real escape for me, where I can enjoy scuba diving in the coral reefs of Raja Ampat – which is home to the most diverse marine life – as well as sailing through the incredible scenery of these remote islands. More recently, we have opened urban locations and I really enjoy the buzz and energy at Aman Tokyo. Tokyo is one of my favourite cities in the world, it’s so dynamic and I feel re-energised when I visit, especially when I enjoy the Aman experiences which are so immersed in the local artisan culture.
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What do your first 30 mins of the day look like, your morning routine? They vary day to day, however there are a few constants – I love my morning coffee as it gears me up for a busy day ahead. Senturion is 24/7 and we have clients from all over the world, so my inbox is full of emails that I deal with first thing, especially matters regarding overnight new orders being commissioned. I’m either on the road, travelling to meet clients, in which case I grab a banana or a power bar for a morning boost, or in London (where the Senturion
showroom is) in which case, after 30 minutes are up, I’m in a car and heading to Berkeley Square in Mayfair and grab breakfast in the area or with my colleagues. How did the concept of Senturion Key originate, and can you describe its core values/ DNA? The main concept of Senturion Key came from the desire to create a brand that combines the passion for supercars and wrist wear, showcasing the very best of performance and fashion. The company wanted to do something no one ever has and that’s why it’s known as the first and only creator of limited-edition luxury wristwear that’s capable of synchronising with supercars and acting as their keys. From the core mission, it’s always been incredibly important to the brand to cre-
Senturion bracelet S177, solid gold with carbon inserts
WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
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ate unique and beautiful statement pieces for standout individuals within the supercar community, so we only work with the finest and rarest materials, be it more traditional ones like 18 carat rose gold to something truly otherworldly like a 4.9 billion-year-old meteorite! To achieve this, we have a fantastic team of world-leading experts in various fields like jewellery and RFID technology, helping integrate materials from space with Swiss watch movements on an all-British assembly line. In such a competitive space, how challenging was it to refine the first set of samples and what was optimized to achieve the final products? When dealing with an ultra-luxury item, there will always be obstacles to overcome, however our task was even more strenuous as the technology we have created was initially deemed to be impossible to manufacture. This is why our company has existed as a pure R&D entity for 4 years before ever talking to a single client or even creating a finished product, as we had to work out the feasible ways to create something truly complex. Now, 8 years into our journey, we have two strategic patents for our supercar key technology in all key markets like the UK, EU and the which that enable all of our watches and bracelets to open, close and start your supercar, along with any other functions that your existing car key has. Another incredible challenge we faced was how to manufacture a solid 3D shape from an ancient meteorite, rather than only feature slices and off-cuts that have been done by our competitors, but we’re now proud to showcase the world’s most sizeable solid meteorite wristwatch. How did your previous background equip you to work with the business and what was the catalyst for doing so? I have always had a passion for luxury wrist wear, and a deep respect for the technological complications that go into many modern-day items, this was an opportunity to merge the two. Also, I have always been interested in people and their individual stories and passions, so my role as sales director enables me to connect with so many impressive individuals around the world and find out more about their affinity for supercars and help them pick out something that enhances their lifestyle. I knew that this journey would be a challenge, as is often the case with disruptive technology and unique brands, but the seven years that I have been with Senturion have shown me that clients from around the world were ready, and excited to find a product like Senturion Key. Each Senturion Key is crafted from precious materials and, if the customer wishes, laid with a host of diamonds. Can you talk us through the craftsmanship process? Each Senturion is comprised of a minimum 250 individual parts, so to create a finished piece takes over 70 hours of production and inspection by our entirely British assembly line. Once a client
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Senturion is the world’s first and only manufacturer of limited-edition jewellery and timepieces that work as the key to your supercar. Their watch collections feature some of the world’s rarest materials and are limited to editions of 10 or 30 pieces, and all have the signature red button for supercar key operations. Each piece takes over 80 hours to manufacture by specialist craftsmen in England.
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selects a model of a particular watch or bracelet, then the manufacturing process begins, we do not sell “off the shelf” models – each piece is made to order for an individual client. In terms of the craftsmanship involved, there’s phenomenal precision and detailing in everything. There are the bespoke tiny Sshaped screws integrated into the core and bezel or indeed, the craftsmanship required to set flawless stones as you mention, as well as some other manufacturing techniques like the use of a 15-tonne press to manufacture carbon composite cores or finishing hand-cast bracelet frames to the precision of 1/10000th of a micron by a 5-axis computer numerical control machine. Once the process is finished and a Senturion Key is ready, it will be delivered to the client or they can come into the showroom to collect it, then they are able to drive off wearing their supercar on their wrist. What is the most interesting piece you’ve created and where was the client based? We have our regular limited-edition items, among which I have my favourites, however, we also do offer bespoke one-off pieces for individuals who truly wish to have something completely unique on their wrist. Bespoke Senturion Key pieces start at GBP 250,000 and depending on what exactly the client is looking to create, can go significantly higher. My favourite piece is actually one I’m not at liberty to discuss very much – for instance, I cannot reveal which country this has gone to; however, I can reveal that it featured our signature meteorite case and featured a client’s own precious stone that he wished to integrate. It was also synchronised to an extremely rare hyper-car that has actually never done any time on the road and the client only has it on display. We matched the strap of the watch to the exact pantone of the dominant colour of the vehicle. Do you see different buying tastes the globe over and how do clients in the Middle East differ to those elsewhere? Our clients are from almost every continent, though we’re sure that once supercar owners settle in Antarctica, we will get a call! I wouldn’t say that there are vast differences between them, however the Middle Eastern clients will often have hyper cars instead of supercars, we see clients with Bugattis, Paganis, and very rare edition Lamborghinis. Interestingly though, at the other end of the spectrum, we get more Mercedes-AMG G-63 Senturion Key enquiries from the Middle East than anywhere else. The watch and car world in the Middle East is stronger than Europe and America, however, individual tastes are not that far removed from other regions. What have been the biggest challenges to date since launching and how did you overcome them? The single biggest challenge the company has faced as mentioned was creating the very first Senturion piece that actually worked, as a supercar key and that had taken more than 4 years of R&D work!
Besides that, everything else felt like a much less daunting task, although whenever you’re working with something incredibly complicated and are willing to bring bespoke elements into the process, there will always be new challenges to overcome. In addition, what has been the biggest learning curve? For the company, it’s definitely been the journey of being able to integrate RFID technology into pieces featuring precious metals, as that’s a remarkably difficult task, but as I’ve mentioned above, not only have we done what was initially deemed impossible, but Senturion has secured patents in this process that help us to offer something unique from our competitors. On a personal level, I’ve actually learned a huge amount from our clients in terms of what is truly important for them in our products, as well as the little details in terms of local customs here and there in terms of how to conduct meetings and best to present Senturion Keys to new audiences. Which has been the best piece of advice you’ve had in business? When I was just starting out in the timepiece business, I remember hearing Jean-Claude Biver, the head of LVMH’s watchmaking at the time start a talk about the sector with the words: “Who cares what time it is?” and being truly blown away by it as on the surface, it seems really counter-intuitive. And yet, his point truly stands – no one in the luxury industry is selling just surface-level functionality, in this case, people’s iPhones or electronic watches will always be capable of telling the exact time to the millisecond much more precisely than a mechanical timepiece. However, you feel a connection to a brand because of their craftsmanship, their complication and their ethos – this is how you truly differentiate a brand and that’s something that I’ve always remembered along my personal journey in this field. What has been your approach to scaling the business to date? Less is more. Senturion is not a typical manufacturer that works with a network of global distributors that aims to put as many watches and bracelets on people’s wrists worldwide. On the contrary, we are happy with organic growth within the supercar community and will continue to create truly special pieces made to order for outstanding individuals. As a result, we’ll always want to know our clients personally, so the only way of getting a Senturion Key is to visit our show-
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room in London or enquire directly with us via our website, www.senturionkey.com. What do you believe is the value of social media in business growth relating to luxury and which platform do you feel will next drive most success? Social media has become more and more integral to all business around the world, with viral campaigns and influencers becoming more powerful that traditional advertising. Senturion has worked with some brilliant influencers in the supercar community to help spread news of new releases and unique pieces. For luxury companies for whom visuals are incredibly important, Instagram remains the current runaway leader, but it’s possible that others who also integrate the shopping experience into their platforms more seamlessly and naturally will take over in the future. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in the current market? Honestly, just a few words – don’t be afraid, opportunity is everywhere. The fact that the world is always changing is something to be embraced, rather than feared. When you travel – how do you maintain any kind of routine and what do you always need to travel with? With clients from around the world, many times their finished Senturion Key will be delivered by normal means, however for VIPs or bespoke watches, many times I will travel personally to deliver it. This has brought me to over 30 different countries in the past 6 years. With traveling this often it is important to keep a routine, a healthy diet, being aware of time differences and how long you are exposed to each time zone, and most importantly a small bag that is always in my carry on with ear plugs, a comfortable eye mask to sleep, and hydrating face cream. Still the best tip from excessive travel is to stay hydrated! Who or what is iconic to you? It’s a very good question. I find that the word ‘iconic’ is more easily applied to brands and products, rather than people. For instance, to give our fellow timepiece manufacturers, Jacob & Co their worthy due, they create some one-off pieces that are truly iconic in the watch market – for instance, the Astronomia series. In the supercar universe, I’d go for the Ferrari F40 – any supercar enthusiast has a special place in their heart for the last automobile personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. Likewise, there are some things that roll off the tongue in mass popular culture – look at the way Air Jordan immediately evokes emotion or how some brands have effectively entered our vocabulary as verbs – they’re all worth iconic status. And it is, of course, my great ambition that Senturion Key is also viewed as a truly iconic brand by future generations! When it comes to people, I prefer to look closer to home – family should always be a source of inspiration, regardless of any success, or achievement, a family unit is there to help, boost you in hard times, and inspire you to be the best you can be.
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P H OTO G R A P H Y: A N T H O N Y L A M B
WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH
OPEN
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SPACES
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Anthony Lamb has carved out a niche by capturing the awe-inspiring simplicity of nature’s open spaces, including the Arabian desert
Why did you choose photography as your medium? From a very early age, my family opened my eyes to the world of art as we visited galleries, exhibitions and museums. My father did a lot of painting in his spare time while my mother was interested in art and design with my grandfather being an artist all his life. When I was young, I was lucky enough to travel to some of the stunning locations such as the European Alps, North Africa, and Scottish Highlands. These trips fuelled my appreciation for nature and large open spaces, which undoubtedly influenced me to pick up a paintbrush at a very early age. These experiences and influences drove me to eventually study Art and Design at college and complete a degree in Furniture and Product Design at
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university. After completing my degree, in 2002, I decided to travel the world. While on my travels, I discovered a landscape photographer called Peter Lik. He captures vast panoramic photographic landscapes, and he opened my eyes to what was possible with a camera. The introduction of the digital age would provide me with control over the whole photographic process, allowing me to use the Photoshop skills that I learned at university. Choosing photography was a bi-product of all these influences as it combined my love of the outdoors with the opportunity to document my outdoor experiences visually and use my creativity in the digital darkroom. I took the plunge and purchased my first digital SLR camera in 2003 and have never looked back since.
What do you find particularly inspiring about landscapes to photograph? If you examine my most recent work in the last 5-6 years, I’ve deliberately concentrated on two elements which are sand and water, or more precisely, deserts and oceans. These environments align with my influences because of their simplistic form and presence in nature. They offer a clean canvas, allowing me to construct and compose photographs that reflect my minimalist aesthetic. But they also allow me to mirror the calming influence that nature has on me. Nature is a personal sanctuary, a place I can remove myself from the chaos of life. It’s important that my photographs share this message and influence others to appreciate the importance of protecting my documented locations or the planet beyond. You’ve recently documented your landscape photography in the book ‘Sand’, what inspired this? Since the beginning of my journey as a photographer, I have always had dreams of publishing a book. But my early work seemed too disjointed and lacked collaborative flow, and I didn’t feel comfortable with the quality of the images. When I first started photographing the Arabian Desert, I never intended to document the photographs in a book format. But over the years, the portfolio grew, and the work
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received honourable recognition through international photography competitions. In 2017, I began to piece together a selection of my works, initially a selection of urban, desert and ocean photographs of the United Arab Emirates. It just wasn’t working as the narrative behind the content just wasn’t strong enough. Fast forward three years and lockdown in Dubai was in full swing. A combination of free time, a more extensive tailored portfolio and a clearer perspective of how to document the work, eventually became apparent in my work. Can you expand on your method of working and when do you prefer to shoot? The first decision as a landscape photographer would usually be the choice of subject or location. Over the years, I’ve changed my approach; early on in my photographic journey, I would head out with my camera in only favourable weather. Now, I tend to select a suitable region, research the location using Google Maps and pin specific areas of interest that might provide appropriate subject matter. I will also look at tide times, sunrise/sunset times and weather conditions based on the time of my visit. This process allows me to build up an approximate schedule, reducing the risk of wasting time on location. Many of my compositions can also be ad-hoc; once I arrive in a selected location, the environment may offer something new and unexpected. When capturing the desert, conditions had to be very specific to ensure collaboration with my final edit. I would photograph the desert in cloudy flat light, as these conditions filter harsh sunlight, providing a soft-box effect likened to a studio aesthetic. But whether in Europe, the Middle East, or further afield, I intentionally head out in overcast or challenging weather conditions. Since childhood, I’ve always had the desire to immerse myself in the elements no matter what Mother Nature throws at me. So, intentionally putting myself into a multitude of atmospheric conditions seemed like one way of producing photography that may provide something honest. What have been some of the biggest milestones in your career to date and which have been the largest challenges? One of my most significant milestones is turning pro, leaping out of the corporate world, and entirely relying on my photographic profession. I dreamt of being a professional photographer but knowing when to make a move is hard to predict because you become so dependent on the preverbal corporate monthly income. Winning gold and silver awards in prestigious competitions such PX3, TIFA, ND Awards and Fine Art Photography provided me with confidence in the work I was producing. This confidence
was essential to me, as it gave me the nudge, I needed to share my work with galleries, art consultants and publishers. My most significant challenge is a trickier question. My first thought was the terrible weather conditions I’ve had to endure on many occasions in the field. I’ve placed myself into extreme desert storms on the Arabian Peninsula, executed long exposures in horizontal rain in the Highlands of Scotland and caught the sunrise on the dizzy heights of Mont Blanc. But I enjoy putting myself into these conditions due to its immersive quality; so, don’t see them as challenging. So, I would say my most prominent challenge is finding the moment. Finding the pho-
“Finding the photographic moments that capture people’s attention is all about timing, being very patient and putting yourself out there as much as possible.” tographic moments that capture people’s attention is all about timing, being very patient and putting yourself out there as much as possible. How has digital photography changed the way you work? The digital age gave me control over the whole process and allowed me to use the Photoshop skills I learnt at university. But before the digital industry switch, I had already experienced the analogue world. I learnt the darkroom development process at school and Art College. But setting up a darkroom in your house came with its difficulties, as well as cost. The digital age gave photographers the chance to upload software onto their computers, making it much more accessible. However, film photography is something I would like to return to when the time is right. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self starting out? Practice, practice, practice. Never give up; always push yourself to be better and capture honest imagery that reflects your influences and experiences. Be as original as you can without forgetting to be self-critical. Enjoy the journey, photograph for fun and keep exploring.
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Do you have a favourite image you’ve personally taken? The one image that resonates with me is a photograph entitled ‘Captivation’. I was revisiting a small, secluded desert in an area called Seih Al-Dahal in the Emirate of Dubai and there was a small intimate collection of dunes that had positioned itself on the perimeter of the cycle track. There was a storm developing on the horizon which offered the perfect contrasting backdrop for the soft-lit sand. On rare occasions, I will spot an opportunity immediately, visualising exactly how to compose and frame the subject. Walking over a dune crest, the scene revealed itself through a perfectly sculpted dune field and a balanced collaboration of congruous landforms. In the centre of the composition, as if placed there by a tentative paintbrush, a tiny desert shrub exemplifying the sense of scale and subject interest. In a split second, I knew precisely how to capture this minimalist spectacle. By using a long lens to compress the image, I used the dune layers to lead the eye through the scene. I centralised the shrub and the dash of orange between the dunes, which is the different coloured sand blown in from the desert plains. The blanket of cloud above thinned for an instant, creating the luminosity required to increase tonality as I clicked the shutter. If you were not a photographer, what other medium would you use to explore your creativity? Initially, I was going to say I would return to design because of my educational background. But the more I think about it; design never gave me the satisfaction that other art forms have. I felt it was more of a hindrance than a creative output; it didn’t give me the calming influence that I crave, while painting always did. I must have been six or seven when I first started painting small watercolours, I’d spend hours perfecting a Turner copy in the spare bedroom of my parent’s house. I’m not sure this was normal, but it felt gratifying, calming and gave me a sense of being, even at such an early age. What is the next project you will be undertaking? I’ve been working on a coastal project called ‘Coastal Connections’ since 2018, but due to the current circumstances, it’s taking longer than expected to complete. Man’s relationship with water has been written into the history books since records began and the reliance on this element is evident in the past and present. I’ve always been drawn to water and have explored the technique of long exposure for many years, using man-made structures as singular and paired subjects. The collection of images explores the relationship between man and the water’s edge, which is part of a much bigger project that concentrates on climate change and what we stand to lose if sea levels continue to rise.
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THE PAD
The coolest finds to add to the mancave WORDS & STYLING: AMY SESSIONS
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Left page: Arco Floor Light Dhs8,635 Flos available at heals.com; Above: Oscar Niemeyer “Rio” Lounge Chair POA available at 1stdibs.com
From left: Paulistano Leather Chair Dhs2,220 Paulo Mendes da Rocha available at objekto.fr; Noguchi Coffee Table Dhs8,430 available at noguchi.org; Vitra Lounge Chair and Ottoman Dhs43,080 Eames available at FARFETCH
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WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS
O m ak ase
H seki, a Japanese word which means ‘gem’ or ‘jewel’, offers a truly unique dining experience in Dubai
IMAGE: TOMMY PICONE
Having quietly entered the Dubai restaurant scene back in 2019, H seki has become one of the most exclusive dining spots in the emirate. With just nine seats available in the venue situated in the luxurious Bvlgari Hotel Dubai, guests at the restaurant dine ‘Omakase’ – pronounced oh-ma-ka-say – style. This is one of the many culinary cultures of Japan, and quite literally means “I’ll leave it up to you”. THE MENU What exactly is on the menu? Well, that’s entirely in the hands of Chef Masahiro Sugiyama. However, you can expect dishes including monkfish liver which is served in foie gras style, seared octopus tentacles, Japanese omelettes, sushi rolls and more. Open for both lunch and dinner, there are two menu options available for each meal sitting. Chef Masahiro adheres to the preference of his guests, whilst also focusing on giving them the best and freshest ingredients of the day. For lunch, there is the ‘Kohaku’ menu which includes an appetizer, a selection of sushi, miso
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soup and a Japanese omelet for Dhs700. The second lunch menu option is the ‘Hisui’ menu which includes a selection of five appetizers, a selection of sushi, miso soup and a Japanese omelet for Dhs1,000. For dinner, the same ‘Hisui’ menu is available for Dhs1,200. In addition, there is also the ‘Ruri’ menu which includes a selection of seven appetizers, a selection of sushi, miso soup and a Japanese omelet for Dhs1,700. THE VENUE Not only does H seki offer a truly unique and intimate dining experience, the venue is unmatched. The dining room overlooks the entire Dubai skyline, as guests get an up-close look at the knife skills of Chef Masahiro who is a sixth-generation sushi master. As the H seki name states, this restaurant is absolutely a gem of Dubai.
H seki is open for lunch at 1pm Wednesday to Saturday and for dinner at 6pm and 8.30pm from Tuesday to Saturday. For reservations call +971 4 777 5433 or email dine@bulgarihotels.com.
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T h e W and e r l ust DÁ LICENÇA, ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL Amongst the small countryside region of Alentejo, Portugal, you’ll find the luxurious Dá Licença hotel. What was once one of the most important olive oil production sites in 1830, 200 years later it was fully restored by Vitor Borges and Franck Laigneau, the hotel’s founders. The resort offers a 360-degree view into the surrounding area including the Serra d’Ossa forest and into the beautiful castles of Evoramonte and Estremoz. The hotel epitomizes luxury in
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Clockwise from top left: Dá Licença, Alentejo, Portugal; Mondrian LA, Los Angeles, California; METT Hotel & Beach Resort, Bodrum, Turkey
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An exceptional edit of where to escape to this Autumn
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its most exclusive form with just five suites and four rooms available for guests to stay – ideal for those looking to go truly off-grid. For more information visit dalicenca.pt/en/ METT HOTEL & BEACH RESORT, BODRUM, TURKEY Located in the city of Bodrum in the southwest of Turkey is the brand-new luxury haven The METT Hotel & Beach Resort Bodrum. What was once a quaint fishing town, now is one of Turkey’s most popular holiday destinations. The newly opened METT Hotel is located in the quiet setting of Haremtan Bay, one of Bodrum’s pristine beaches. Looking out over the Aegean Sea, the luxury property boasts unparalleled views of the Mediterranean. For more information visit mettsocialliving.com/bodrum MONDRIAN LA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA This luxury LA-based boutique hotel is located in the heart of the bustling neighbourhood of West Hollywood. For those seeking a cityscape getaway, the Mondrian LA is the place to stay. The modern establishment oozes sophistication and glamour, ideal for groups of friends and young couples looking to get the most out of the Los Angeles city life. The stylish Skybar is a hotspot in itself with sweeping views of the city where you can unwind poolside during the daytime and enjoy life to the full well into the early hours of the morning. For more information visit sbe.com/hotels/mondrian/ los-angeles
REID’S PALACE, A BELMOND HOTEL, MADEIRA, PORTUGAL Offering a refined experience of timeless elegance, this luxury hotel is located amongst the waters of Funchal Harbour and has been welcoming guests through its doors for well over a century. The hotel is full of character and history, celebrating its British heritage. With 158 rooms and suites, four restaurants, pools, a luxury spa, tennis courts and with the entirety of Funchal on your doorstep, you’re spoilt for choice of what to do at this getaway. For more information visit belmond.com/hotels/europe/ portugal/madeira/belmondreids-palace THE CAPE, LOS CABOS, MEXICO Positioning itself as the “Los Cabos boutique hotel like no other”, The Cape offers a fresh take on luxury. The modern escape entices guests to truly es-
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cape and let go and live in the moment. With sweeping ocean views, modern and minimal interiors, a signature seafood restaurant and luxury spa, it’s got everything to offer and more for that perfect Mexico getaway. For more information visit thompsonhotels.com/hotels/ mexico/cabo-san-lucas/the-cape SANTA MARINA, A LUXURY COLLECTION RESORT, MYKONOS, GREECE Beach chic meets natural luxury at the Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort Mykonos. As the only resort on the Greek island with its own private beach, it takes you to another level of luxury. With 101 rooms and suites and 13 two to seven-bedroom villas, the resort invites guests to experience true freedom and relaxation in one of the chicest settings on the island. For more information visit santa-marina.gr
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WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
Boots Dhs3,655 Tod’s
THE CLASSICS
Creative Director Walter Chiapponi furthers his reinterpretation of the classics, exploring the Tod’s lifestyle in contact with nature for FW21
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MOST WANTED
8/30/21 3:00 PM