Issuu

A MOTIVATE PUBLICATION

DHS25 RO2.70 BD2.60 KD2.10 SR25

LOOK SMART, LIVE SMARTER

Hazza Zaal CEO, Al Barari Group and Founder of Elemental Developments FALL / WINTER 2026

EM_102026_P01_Cover.indd 1

28/09/2026 11:57 AM

- LHP.pdf

9/28/26

3:56 PM

- RHP

CMY

EM_102026_P04_Flannel Panel.indd 4

30/09/2026 11:58 AM

- RHP.pdf

9/28/26

3:56 PM

EM_102026_P04_Flannel Panel.indd 5

30/09/2026 11:58 AM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Obaid Humaid Al Tayer MANAGING PARTNER AND GROUP EDITOR Ian Fairservice CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER Anthony Milne SENIOR EDITOR Jessica Michault jessica.michault@motivate.ae SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Olga Petroff SENIOR REPORTER Aminath Ifasa DESIGNER Vibha Monteiro FASHION AND EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Riya Kumar GENERAL MANAGER PRODUCTION Sunil Kumar PRODUCTION MANAGER Binu Purandaran ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER Venita Pinto GROUP SALES MANAGER Chaitali Khimji chaitali.khimji@motivate.ae SALES MANAGER Sarah Farhat sarah.farhat@motivate.ae WEB DEVELOPER Firoz Kaladi CONTRIBUTORS Alice Holtham-Pargin, Lindsay Judge, Mariam Khawer, Mark Mathew, Naomi Chadderton, Rob Chilton, Vaarunya Bhalla, Vama Kothari

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) 2 677 2005, Fax: (+971) 2 677 0124, E-mail: motivate-adh@motivate.ae SAUDI ARABIA Regus Offices No. 455 - 456, 4th Floor, Hamad Tower, King Fahad Road, Al Olaya, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tel: (+966) 11 834 3595 / (+966) 11 834 3596, E-mail: motivate@motivate.ae LONDON Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK, E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae

EM_102026_P04_Flannel Panel.indd 4

24/09/2026 4:02 PM

A L AU G H A M I N U T E Dubai Comedy Festival returns 9 October for its seventh edition. The line-up is a full court press of funny. And at a moment when we are all in desperate need of a laugh, this event arrives just in the nick of time.

EDITOR’S LETTER

Built to Last

omething that continues to impress me is how resilient the UAE is. The people who call this country their home have a sense of national pride that is unmatched. This fact is highlighted within the pages of this issue through a series of profiles that underline the many ways leaders in different fields are continuing to forge ahead with big plans, grand visions, and generational dreams, as we all look to brighter days ahead. Perhaps there is no better example of this than our cover star Hazza Zaal. As the CEO of Al Barari Real Estate Group and the Founder of Elemental Developments, he is redefining what luxury real estate means in the UAE. He is creating spaces where wellness, sustainability, and visionary design are at the heart of his business. In In His Element (page 22) he discusses the prosperous future he is helping to build. Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East & Africa, Luxury for Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Global Leader for Design Hotels at Marriott International, is also all about making people feel at home – no matter where they find themselves. In Memory Maker (page 56) Walia shares

MAN UP why helping guests make lifelong happy memories has been the driving force of a career that spans three decades. And in Tracing the Past, Shaping the Future (page 60) Ammar Albanna, the Associate Curator at Zayed National Museum, reveals how he is bringing the rich history of the UAE to life, one object at a time. Also worth exploring in this issue are the hottest new timepieces to come out of Geneva Watch Days, Time to Play (page 46), a heartfelt think piece on the male loneliness crisis, Lost Connection (page 70) and a line-up of some of the season’s more stylish menswear designs. The series kicks off with a deep dive into the latest Hermès collection, Into the Gloaming (page 26). Happy reading.

Danny McBride has finally unleashed his private fiction on the world. Dark, brutal and yet unexpectedly moving, Thrilling Tales of Modern Men is a book of stories that explores many facets of masculinity.

M A N’S B EST F R I E N D

Senior Editor jessica.michault@motivate.ae

Brad Pitt plays a Special Forces veteran and his only ally when a plane goes down in the Alaskan wilderness is his combat dog, Odin. David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast is an unflinching study of the bond that no amount of wilderness can break.

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P05_Eds Letter.indd 5

28/09/2026 4:00 PM

CONTENTS FA L L / W I N T E R 2 02 6

The Monitor

p.08 Monitor News p.10 The Boys Toys p.12 Well Groomed p.14 Time to Check-In – Heritage patterns return for AW26, bringing a new sense of polish to menswear

p.16 Red Reign – Feeling the heat this season p.18 Best of Both Worlds – Power and panache are perfectly packaged in the redesigned Aston Martin DBX707 p.20 It’s a Mood – Sonos ups the ante with its new Beam

Fashion & Watches

p.22 In His Element – After more than two decades with Al Barari, Hazza Zaal is applying the lessons of the family business to Elemental Developments, his own vision for a more boutique approach to real estate

p.26 Into the Gloaming – Twilight transforms everything between day and night this season; Hermès explores that tension of perception

p.32 Man on the Street – MR PORTER proves once again that casual attire can look sophisticated with a little effortless cool p.40 Elegance Incarnate – Ferragamo’s latest

Ultra soundbar and Sonos Ace Ultra headphones

collection channels a sartorial sophistication for men who always prioritise taste p.46 Time to Play – Geneva Watch Days has some fun with its haute horlogerie

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P06-07_Contents.indd 6

28/09/2026 12:40 PM

p.52 Somewhere in Time – Smaller cases, vintage references and expressive dials shift timekeeping to a more personal endeavour p.54 Longines is Listening – The Swiss watch brand is riding high on recent successes that show how closely it listens to collectors

Lifestyle

p.56 Memory Maker – Sandeep Walia, chief operating officer for Middle East & Africa and Luxury Europe at Marriott International, on 30 years of creating moments that last p.60 Tracing the Past, Shaping the Future – Ammar Albanna, associate curator at Zayed National Museum, on turning objects into stories that bring the UAE’s rich history to life

p.64 Body of Work – Dior Award laureate Mayed AlMheiri, 21, turns his own body into a language for anxiety and masculinity

p.74 An Icon Rediscovered – Beyond the Grand Prix and the glitter, discover Monaco at an entirely different pace

p.66 A Balancing Act – Nader Gammas on finding beauty in contradiction and building a gallery without boundaries

p.78 Mindfulness in the Mediterranean – A hilltop stay in Rabat, Malta, pairs natural stone and wellness facilities with proximity to the Silent City of Mdina

p.70 Lost Connection – As careers and family take over, many men are quietly losing something just as important: close friendships

p.82 The Essential Journey – Berluti pays tribute to The Little Prince with a collection that celebrates craftsmanship

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P06-07_Contents.indd 7

28/09/2026 12:40 PM

The Crossover Sell

T H E H E R O B U YS

Objects and accessories designed for the wardrobe moments that fall between one mood and the next WO R D S : A M I N AT H I FA S A

Titanium Ryder Sunglasses Dhs4,700 Jacques Marie Mage

Mariniere cotton T-shirt with Ami de Coeur Dhs1,200 Ami Paris

B E YO N D T H E H U M A N G A Z E

Named for the falcon that crossed the sky above Ermenegildo Zegna during his Saturday climbs to San Bernardo, ZEGNA’s newly launched Falcon jacket carries the founder’s mountain landscape into its bellows pockets, back gusset, and leather undercollar. Every piece bears the 232 Road mark, tracing the route he built through the Alps, and sits within ZEGNA’s Su Misura world, fronted by Mads Mikkelsen as a piece built to last.

Black large elasticated wool bermuda shorts Dhs2,350 Ami Paris

Tote Bag in Cotton Canvas Dhs800 Tommy Hilfiger

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P08_Monitor News.indd 8

Spiritual Beads 18kt gold bracelet with onyx Dhs41,800 David Yurman

Sea of Green Perfumed Hand Cream Dhs130 Unvanish

SuperComp Rebel Dhs899 New Balance

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

T H R E E TO OW N

THE MONITOR – NEWS

23/09/2026 4:10 PM

CMY

EM_102026_P04_Flannel Panel.indd 6

30/09/2026 11:58 AM

JENGA SET

There is a version of Jenga built for a childhood living room, and then there are those made for more adult play. Case in point, Bottega Veneta’s version in walnut and coloured-wood blocks engraved with the house’s own monogram. It comes with an Intrecciato-woven calfskin case, which also makes clear that the game inside is not meant for small hands or casual stacking. Dhs23,000 Bottega Veneta

D R I P C O F F E E M A K E R C 75 0

This kitchen essential brings the discipline of a specialty café into a single filter machine, using a dual water delivery system engineered in Japan to hold both temperature and volume steady through the entire extraction, the kind of precision that shows up in the cup as clarity rather than the bitterness most drip coffee settles for. Three brewing modes, including an iced setting drawn from Kyoto-style cold brew, let it move between a slow regular pour and something built for warmer mornings, while its minimalist black-and-steel silhouette and a Good Design Award to its name make it as much a fixture on the counter as it is a tool for making coffee. Dhs2,340 BORK

THE BOYS TOYS

The latest objects and gadgets for inspiration and recreation WO R D S : A M I N AT H I FA S A

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P10-11_The Boys Toys.indd 10

THE MONITOR

23/09/2026 4:16 PM

TRANCOSO S I G N AT U R E B AT S

Named for the Bahian beach town that shaped its founders’ idea of leisure, this set channels the unhurried choreography of frescobol, the paddle game that has occupied Brazil’s shoreline for generations, with each bat hand-shaped from reclaimed wood so that no two carry quite the same grain, then finished in a water-resistant coating built to survive spray and sand alike. Dhs900 Frescobol Carioca

L U M I N O R M A R I N A PA M 0 1 7 07

The silhouette is unmistakably vintage, its crown-guard bridge and sandwich dial drawn straight from the maison’s 1960s archive, yet the case itself is anything but nostalgic. Cut from Carbotech, a compressed carbon-fibre composite prized among divers and collectors alike for being some 80 per cent lighter than steel while losing none of its resistance to corrosion or pressure, the 44mm case is bold without feeling bulky. The timepiece features a P.9010 automatic movement built for three days of power reserve, and comes with a supple vintage calf strap. POA Panerai

L I B R A RY B O O K E N D S

Carved to resemble a stack of rare volumes rather than announce themselves as anything more, these walnut sculptures trade in the quiet vanity of a well-kept collection, their brushed brass page edges catching light in a way that photographs of actual books rarely do, holding a shelf together with the same theatrical restraint the maison brings to its printed titles. Dhs4,590 Assouline

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

M A ST E R S O F A R T H O M AG E TO H E N R I M AT I S S E I N K B OT T L E S E T

Drawn from the colour language of a painter who thought in cut-outs and unbroken fields of colour, this set of three inks takes its rouge, vert and bleu straight

from Matisse's own palette, the kind of object that means more to someone who still associates a good letter with the particular pleasure of choosing an ink before choosing a pen, each 30ml bottle better suited to a desk drawer than a keyboard shortcut. Dhs440 Montblanc

THE MONITOR

EM_102026_P10-11_The Boys Toys.indd 11

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:16 PM

C O M P I L E D B Y: A M I N AT H I FA S A

WELL GROOMED

IMAGES: SUPPLIED; THIS PAGE: SISLEY / SISLEŸUM

Skincare, scent and the small rituals that make a grooming routine worth keeping up

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P12-13_Well Groomed.indd 12

THE MONITOR

23/09/2026 4:17 PM

From top left: Lavande Poivre Noir Roll-On Deodorant Dhs99 L'Occitane; Tomato Leaves Body Scrub Dhs350 Loewe Perfumes; Eau De Citron Noir Moisturizing Body Lotion Dhs356 Hermès; Power Active Pdrn Eye Patches Dhs150 Yudashkin; The Tragedy of Lord George Eau de Parfum Intense Dhs1,450 Penhaligon's; Black Saffron Absolu de Parfum Dhs790 Byredo; Black Rice Facial Oil Dhs89 haruharu wonder; Face Hydrating Lotion Dhs275 Le Labo; 724 Scented Hand Cream Dhs275 Maison Francis Kurkdjian

THE MONITOR

EM_102026_P12-13_Well Groomed.indd 13

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:17 PM

Heritage patterns return for FW26 menswear, bringing structure, texture and a new sense of polish

TIME TO CHECK-IN WO R D S: R I YA K U M A R

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P14-17_Trend Report.indd 14

THE MONITOR

23/09/2026 4:24 PM

ZEGNA

RABANNE

THIS PAGE: DOLCE & GABBANA; LEFT PAGE: BURBERRY

LOUIS VUITTON

heck in a man’s wardrob has never really gone away. What’s different this season is the confidence. The heritage codes are all still there – tartan, windowpane, Prince of Wales – but nobody is treating them like museum pieces. They turn up in tailoring, in outerwear, on trousers, and in the layering pieces that do the actual work in a wardrobe. But the interest is in the handling. Blow a check up large enough and it stops reading as a pattern and starts reading as a graphic. Shrink it down and from across a room it behaves almost like a solid. Drop an unexpected colour into a tartan and the whole thing shifts register. That’s the shift this season, and it’s one worth exploring.

DIOR

THE MONITOR

EM_102026_P14-17_Trend Report.indd 15

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:24 PM

RED REIGN Feeling the heat this season

rom deep burgundy to vivid scarlet, menswear designers explored the potent hue across tailoring, outerwear and everyday separates. Lacoste and Celine embraced head-to-toe monochrome, while others used red as a sharp contrast against neutral palettes. The result? A season where menswear felt more expressive, confident and unapologetically colour-forward. Can you feel the heat?

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P14-17_Trend Report.indd 16

THIS PAGE: CELINE; IMAGES: SUPPLIED

WO R D S: R I YA K U M A R

THE MONITOR

23/09/2026 4:24 PM

LACOSTE

AMI

DOLCE & GABBANA

POLO RALPH LAUREN

WILLY CHAVARRIA

CELINE

THE MONITOR

EM_102026_P14-17_Trend Report.indd 17

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:24 PM

W O R D S : R O B C H I LTO N

Best of Both Worlds Power and panache are perfectly packaged in the redesigned Aston Martin DBX707

uxury brands that are finding success today are those that are able to be versatile. Zegna’s bestselling product by a country mile, for example, is not a piece of formal menswear but its super casual Triple Stitch sneaker. Louis Vuitton saw a giant sales surge when it allowed Virgil Abloh and later Pharrell Williams to inject colour, energy and a streetwear vibe into its previously rigid output. Aston Martin’s contribution

to this emerging new sector of luxury is the DBX707, a luxurious super-SUV that is roomy and comfortable yet absolutely devastating when it comes to performance. This versatility can also be applied to modern footballers. Defenders used to employ agricultural tactics to stop fleet-footed attackers. But with the evolution of tactics in the last 10 years, defenders are now required to glide around the pitch like ballet dancers, before exchanging intricate passes

with teammates to set up precise attacks. Take Erling Haaland, for example. The 6’5” Manchester City juggernaut striker is not only capable of bullying opposition defenders with his sheer size and brawn but can also produce a finessed moment of deft skill and speed that leaves his opponents in a puzzled heap on the floor. This duality is perhaps why Haaland was chosen to be the A-list ambassador of Breitling, a watch brand that shows its versatility by blending high levels of technical skill with flamboyant use of colour and design. If we extrapolate out from this argument it makes perfect sense then that Breitling would be an ideal creative partner for Aston Martin. It’s a notion that became a reality earlier this year when the two brands announced a major multi-year deal. Haaland, Breitling, DBX707… all provide style and power in one perfectly engineered package.

With the DBX707, Aston Martin straddles the two sectors by offering hair-raising speed with sumptuous luxury. This superSUV recently had a cabin makeover that provides even more comfort and sensory pleasure than its predecessor. The new cabin architecture was debuted in the DB12 and Vantage and now finds its way into the Dhs1

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P18-19_Aston Martin.indd 18

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

SOOTHING INTERIOR

THE MONITOR

23/09/2026 4:21 PM

million SUV marvel. Originally launched in 2022 and now comprehensively updated, the DBX707 offers next-level comfort. The seats embrace you; the top-quality materials are gorgeously tactile; the sweeping curves of the dashboard create a soothing cockpit. Performance cars often mean small windows, but DBX707 provides the kind of excellent visibility you would expect in a mainstream SUV. Along with the redesigned interior comes a new bespoke tech system created by Aston Martin. The main driver’s instrument cluster is a 12.3-inch screen, while a second 10.25-inch central infotainment screen slots into the central console. Yes, there

are touchscreen controls, but Aston Martin have purposefully installed sturdy buttons for suspension, lane keep assist and park distance control, plus textured rollers for air conditioning fan speed, temperature and audio volume to keep drivers connected to the real world. Just let your hand slide down the steering wheel and it finds the volume wheel easily. Gear mode is changed with a chunky up/down lever; drive mode (GT, Sport, Sport+) is selected with a satisfying click of a rotary wheel. The DBX707 has good manners by the way – while pairing with a new phone, the touchscreen tells the driver politely: “Thank you for your patience.” Speaking of the DBX707’s fresh look, Marco Mattiacci, global chief brand and commercial officer of Aston Martin says, “Now upgraded with state-of-the-art technology and a completely new interior, the DBX707 moves the game on once more, further elevating the standard by which all competitors are judged”. This being an Aston Martin, the performance is, of course, fantastic. There’s a genuine crackle of excitement when you push the engine start/stop button bearing the famous winged marque and see it glow red. A second later the engine comes to life, and the sound is undeniably exciting – more of a purr than a growl. The hardware inside the new DBX707 – 707PS/900Nm 4.0-litre V8 engine mated to 9-speed wet clutch gearbox and carbon ceramic brakes – is unchanged. While Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren put all their eggs into the performance basket, other brands such as Bentley and Rolls-Royce go down the comfort route. With its DBX707, Aston Martin, however, shows a mastery of both and demonstrates a versatility that is designed for the modern luxury world.

THE MONITOR

EM_102026_P18-19_Aston Martin.indd 19

SPEED AND DETAIL Georges Kern, the CEO of Breitling, is a stickler for details and doesn’t collaborate with just anyone. Kern has taken Breitling onto the Formula One grid by inking a major deal with Aston Martin and its F1 team. “Aston Martin builds cars that are as much about presence as performance,” says Kern. “We share that same heritage of iconic design: every line, finish, and proportion has purpose.” The first piece marking the collaboration is the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team in lightweight titanium. Breitling and Aston Martin have moved in similar circles for many years. Sean Connery wore a Breitling Top Time chronograph as James Bond in 1965’s Thunderball while a year earlier, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 appeared in Goldfinger. “Aston Martin and Breitling have crossed paths at key moments in design and culture,” says Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Aston Martin. “The partnership is a perfect showcase of excellence, design mastery and performance, something that is integral to everything that Aston Martin puts its name to.”

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:21 PM

Sonos comes out swinging in the battle for sound dominance with the launch of its new Beam Ultra soundbar and state-of-the-art Sonos Ace Ultra headphones W O R D S : J E S S I C A M I C H A U LT

ound does something uncannily similar to scent. A particular track can, in an instant, drop someone back into a specific moment from years ago. A feeling hits the listener even before they have even consciously registered the song. Sonos has always understood this. On a cold day in Berlin, inside a chic top-floor apartment, the brand gathered journalists to lay out its clearest argument yet for how it intends to make that emotional connection not just more powerful, but more continuous.

20 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P20-21_Sonos.indd 20

The visceral and instant sense of connection that sound can have on a person is certainly something that Harry Jones, a Sound Experience Engineer at Sonos, can relate to. Jones, who came to the company from a career working in the award-winning sound department at Twickenham Film Studios, feels what Sonos does can have a huge emotional impact. “It’s interesting you mentioned scent, because I find it’s a very similar reaction I have with music,” he admits. “We all just want to be there – in the moment. I think what Sonos does actually

SOUND THAT FOLLOWS YOU

What makes both products more than the sum of their specs is the aforementioned Sonos Fabric – the connective layer that lets every device in the ecosystem sense the others and adapt accordingly, to act in perfect harmony. It’s the clearest expression of what the company is actually sell-

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

It’s a Mood

so well is create a system where you can do that very easily.” That sentiment of creating a powerful auditory bond, sits at the very heart of everything Sonos decided to present in Germany. Sure the news about the impressive new hardware and software launches is exciting from a purely technical standpoint but in practice those elements are there in service to the deeper challenge that the brand is trying to address – its heartfelt exploration of how a home should feel. But first, the announcements. The brand introduced Sonos 27, the newest version of the audio operating system the company has spent two decades building, and it arrives as a free software update to all S2 products. It is built on four parts: the platform, which pulls 100plus streaming services into one place; the control layer, now spanning app, web, voice and – new this year – pretty much any AI on the market today, via an open Model Context Protocol connection. Then there is Trueplay, which tunes each speaker to the room it is actually standing in; and Sonos Fabric, its name a clear indication of what the company is trying to create from a sound perspective. More on that later. Alongside it come two products. Beam Ultra, a powerful mid-size soundbar with nine custom drivers – four more than the Beam it succeeds – including two up-firing drivers that give it (wait for it) true 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos from a single bar, even before you add anything else. It has a redesigned centre channel and an impressive four levels of AI Speech Enhancement for those in need of a bit more auditory support when dialogue feels like it’s battling with its environment. And let’s not forget Night Sound, designed for the hours when the rest of the family is sound asleep. Also launching is the compelling Sonos Ace Ultra. It’s the company’s new flagship over-ear headphone. Besides a design that makes for a much more comfortable fit for those who have bejewelled (or bigger) ears, the headphones feature a Sonos-designed 40mm driver and adaptive noise cancellation running off ten microphones that will adjust its sound to its physical environment. It offers 35 hours of battery with ANC on, and, perhaps most importantly, new hardware that ties the headphones directly into the wider system.

THE MONITOR

23/09/2026 4:24 PM

most excited about. “Introducing a feature that can change a speaker from a portable into a surround in seconds, and then remove it again, is super powerful,” he says about the impact this update will have on future sound experiences for Sonos customers. The second is how the new Sonos Ace Ultra headphone will be able to interact with the brand’s other products. With just one press of a button on the side of the headphones listeners can pull the music from, for example, the portable speaker in the kitchen, into the headphones, and then walk into another room with the same music in their ears. Once there, with just another touch, they can transfer the music to another speaker or a soundbar. It’s a smooth and seamless transfer of sound so that the mood never breaks, and listeners don’t even need their phone in the room for it to work. Put those two sound novelties together and what Sonos is trying to shape becomes obvious. This is not a soundbar and a set of headphones that happen to share an app. It is one continuous surface of sound that reorganises itself around wherever someone happens to be standing – it adapts to the listener and the environment.

IS THIS THING ON?

“THE REASON WE DO THE TECH IS TO MAKE THE TECH DISAPPEAR. WE DON’T WANT YOU LOOKING AT TECH. WE WANT YOU TO BE IN THE MOOD, IN THE MOMENT”

ing. In Berlin there were two notable ways the company underlined how they wanted to make staying connected to sound as frictionless as possible. The first is portable surrounds. Place a pair of compatible Sonos speakers into position behind the sofa and it instantly creates a striking surround sound experience with one of the company’s soundbars. No need to adjust anything via an App or any

online recalibrating. Watching the demonstration of this transformation in real time – well the word that springs to mind is effortless. Done watching a film and it’s time to make dinner? Just take one of those speakers into the kitchen and it goes back to being a portable. No wiring, no reconfiguring, no sound levels to commit to memory. Jones, who led the acoustic work on Beam Ultra, called this feature the thing he is

THE MONITOR

EM_102026_P20-21_Sonos.indd 21

That said, none of this continuity matters if you cannot hear what people are saying – which is why the dialogue work on Beam Ultra deserves more attention than the spec sheet might suggest. Rather than simply lifting the centre channel, the system reads the signal continuously and intervenes only where intervention helps. Jones describes it as “a very artistic approach to dialogue enhancement”, closer to remixing the voice out of the crowd than turning it up. He does admit that mixers are not, as a rule, thrilled by speakers second-guessing their work, but he believes that the company has had to earn the right to try. “The amount of work that we do with creators, I think, buys us a pass to experiment in that area.” The brand also consulted with hearing-impaired individuals to fine-tune the AI Speech Enhancement feature – it’s a tool that will come in handy for more people than one might expect. For Jones the scent analogy that kicked off our conversation holds up in terms of what he feels the company has always tried to accomplish. A Sonos system acts as something closer to a fragrance diffuser than a stereo. It should move with the listener, accompanying them, surrounding them, and ultimately support the way they want to feel. “The reason we do the tech is to make the tech disappear. We don’t want you looking at tech. We want you to be in the mood, in the moment,” he says.

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:24 PM

IN HIS ELEMENT

After more than 15 years of working in Al Barari, Hazza Zaal is applying the lessons of the family business to Elemental Developments, his own vision for a more boutique approach to real estate WO R D S: L I N D SAY J U D G E S E N I O R E D I TO R : J E S S I C A M I C H A U LT PHOTOGRAPHER: SHEENA GOLANI

s CEO of Al Barari Real Estate Group and son of the group’s founder, Zaal Mohammed Zaal, Hazza Zaal has spent 15 years with the family business, starting in sales and gradually gaining exposure to every part of the operation. That longevity has provided a valuable training ground for launching a company of his own. “I’ve been lucky enough to see different leadership styles during very different market conditions and how my brother, my sister, and my father dealt with external pressures that were outside their control,” he shares. That exposure is central to how Zaal now operates as he branches out with his own property development company, Elemental Developments. Working together with his family to build a successful business in the sector has given him first-hand lessons in resilience, customer experience, and the importance of staying close to the product. “Things don’t always go the way they are planned, so you have to be able to adapt,” he says.

22 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P22-25_Cover Story.indd 22

Al Barari was founded in 2005, and over the past two decades, it has evolved into one of Dubai’s most distinctive residential communities, with nature, wellbeing, and a strong sense of community embedded into its identity. Surrounded by extensive greenery and landscaped spaces, it offers a sense of escape from the pace of city life. Integral to how Al Barari operates is the belief that the business doesn’t end when it sells a property. The company has built its reputation around the resident experience, continuing to listen to residents’ needs and feedback long after they move in. “The way we have established the community and the ethos behind how we have sold and marketed ourselves has really been through word of mouth. We’ve built that reputation over 21 years,” Zaal explains. Central to his role as CEO is his commitment to building customer relationships. Many residents become repeat customers, while others bring relatives and friends into the community. “We don’t simply sell a product and move on.” Zaal

COVER STORY

30/09/2026 11:42 AM

EM_102026_P22-25_Cover Story.indd 23

30/09/2026 11:42 AM

explains. You sell it, deliver it, and then there’s post-handover. What happens two or three years later? You have to reinvest in the community because these are your customers for life.” It is from that position that Elemental Developments, Zaal’s own development company, emerged. Rather than trying to distance himself from Al Barari, he is explicit about building from it. The new company is his own venture, but the experience behind it is inseparable from his role and experience at Al Barari. Rather than simply building properties, Elemental was created to build a way of life, with every project rooted in wellness and the intention of creating a community environment. “My first priority is to the family and to the Al Barari brand,” he says. “My first responsibility is to preserve that legacy, what the brand means and the value it has created for its customers. Second to that is growing

24 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P22-25_Cover Story.indd 24

Elemental and applying the same love and passion that has gone into Al Barari to my own brand.” But Elemental is not about scale and speed.“With Elemental, I wanted to create less supply and something much more boutique: fewer units, a real focus on attention to detail and exceptional products, but at a more accessible part of the market,” he explains. That difference is perhaps clearest in Elemental 78, the company’s first completed project in Jumeirah Garden City. Rather than launch purely off plan, Zaal chose to build first, using the project almost as a physical prototype for the brand. “Because it is a new brand and because of Al Barari’s reputation and my role as CEO, I felt we had to get it right. The only way to do that was to build the pilot. You can’t just design something and sell a dream.” The decision came with its challenges. Zaal says the project could have reached

the market earlier if Elemental had followed a more conventional off-plan model, but he preferred to test the proposition in real conditions. “I told the team this is the way we would do it, even if it took another year. I refined the materials, walked through it, felt it and experienced it. I brought people in to use the gym and children to play in the playground so we could test whether it was safe and fun.” Zaal’s involvement extends well beyond the bigger decisions. “I’m very hands-on. Spatial planning is key. You need to understand how the space feels and what it looks like,” he says. “Even when I think we’ve reached the end, there is always something that needs tweaking.” Elemental 78 has 45 residences on a built-up area of 112,000-square-foot, but Zaal wanted the amenity offering to feel closer to what buyers might expect from a larger community. Outdoor yoga areas, a playground, barbecue facilities, and even a

COVER STORY

30/09/2026 11:42 AM

VIDEOGRAPHER: ALEX SUHORUCOV; EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: RIYA KUMAR

“THERE ARE MATURE, LARGE TREES ON THE PODIUM LEVEL THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM A DISTANCE, CREATING SHADE AND ATTRACTING BIRDS. THE SAME APPLIES TO THE ROOFTOP”

koi pond sit alongside extensive landscaping and mature planting. “We’ve added so much greenery to Elemental 78 that we’ve effectively made the neighbouring buildings greener too, because we’re giving them green views,” he says. “There are mature, large trees on the podium level that you can see from a distance, creating shade and attracting birds. The same applies to the rooftop.” The completed building has also informed Elemental 22, a second residential property currently under construction in Jumeirah Garden City. The two projects share a similar footprint and structure, allowing the team to use Elemental 78 as a working template. “Being ahead with 78 gave me an opportunity to learn from it. Now, when we are doing the finishes for 22, I already know what it is going to look and feel like. The team can also build more quickly because they have a working template. We have already proven the concept and taken much of the trial and error out of the process.” Jumeirah Garden City itself was a considered choice. Its lower-rise planning, community parks, and central location aligned with the lifestyle Elemental was designed to deliver, while offering proximity to many of the city’s popular areas including City Walk, Old Dubai, Downtown Dubai and DIFC. “When I first saw Jumeirah Garden City, it ticked all the boxes,” Zaal says. “There are community parks, padel courts and football pitch. Then there is the location. You are at this crossroads between Old Dubai and New Dubai.” For Zaal, the goal is to create a lifestyle for his residents, and he believes true luxury shouldn’t be about excess or exclusivity. “It is about creating a sense of community:

how you feel when you go outside, the people who are there, the social atmosphere, and the environment,” he says. And what’s special about Elemental is that, despite its location, every apartment is incredibly spacious. “The amount of space that each resident has at their disposal, in this location, is unheard of”. This outlook inevitably leads back to the original vision of Al Barari. The community, he says, spans around 18 million square feet, with approximately 1,200 existing residences and another 300 under development, figures that demonstrate the low-density philosophy established by his father. “When my father first envisioned Al Barari, it was about asking what people really want. People want space,” Zaal says. “Giving

people space to breathe, as well as greenery and nature, is in itself a luxury.” And that is exactly what Zaal is doing with his own company. Creating spaces that are more than just a place to live, they bring a sense of community, happiness and wellbeing. For all the talk of legacy, however, Elemental is also evidence of Zaal’s ambition to build something recognisably his own. He wants it to remain boutique, detail-driven, and rooted in the lessons he has spent more than two decades absorbing. But he also sees it as a platform through which he can contribute to a wider evolution of Dubai. “I genuinely have a love for nature. It isn’t simply something I’m selling,” he says. “With the government’s initiative to green the city, I would like to be part of that journey.” And in the end, that is how he measures the value of what he builds. “My goal is to create value for people. If I’ve done that, then I’ve won,” he concludes. “That is what real estate development is about.”

“MY GOAL IS TO CREATE VALUE FOR PEOPLE. IF I’VE DONE THAT, THEN I’VE WON. THAT IS WHAT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT IS ABOUT” COVER STORY

EM_102026_P22-25_Cover Story.indd 25

emiratesman.ae 25

30/09/2026 11:42 AM

INTO THE GLOAMING

EM_102026_P26-31_Fashion Hermès.indd 26

23/09/2026 4:35 PM

FAS H I O N

EM_102026_P26-31_Fashion Hermès.indd 27

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:35 PM

IN THE FLEETING MOMENTS BETWEEN DAY AND NIGHT, TWILIGHT TRANSFORMS EVERYTHING INTO A TENSION OF PERCEPTION. THIS SEASON, HERMÈS EXPLORES ITS NUANCES

28 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P26-31_Fashion Hermès.indd 28

FAS H I O N

23/09/2026 4:35 PM

FAS H I O N

EM_102026_P26-31_Fashion Hermès.indd 29

emiratesman.ae 29

23/09/2026 4:35 PM

IMAGES: ALL HERMÈS EM_102026_P26-31_Fashion Hermès.indd 30

23/09/2026 4:35 PM

FAS H I O N

EM_102026_P26-31_Fashion Hermès.indd 31

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:35 PM

Celine

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 32

30/09/2026 11:48 AM

P H OTO G R A P H E R: B RYA N L I STO N ST Y L I ST: B E N E D I CT B R OW N E ART DIRECTOR: LEWIS MALPAS

MAN ON THE STREET Once again, MR PORTER proves that casual attire can look sophisticated. All it takes is a little bit of effortless cool

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 33

30/09/2026 11:49 AM

Both pages: Saint Laurent

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 34

30/09/2026 11:49 AM

FAS H I O N

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 35

emiratesman.ae 35

30/09/2026 11:49 AM

36 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 36

FAS H I O N

30/09/2026 11:49 AM

FAS H I O N

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 37

Stone Island

emiratesman.ae 37

30/09/2026 11:49 AM

38 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 38

FAS H I O N

IMAGES: ALL MR PORTER

This page: RRL; Right page: ssstein

30/09/2026 11:49 AM

FAS H I O N

EM_102026_P32-39_Fashion Mr Porter.indd 39

emiratesman.ae 39

30/09/2026 11:49 AM

EM_102026_P40-45_Fashion Ferragamo.indd 40

30/09/2026 11:48 AM

EM_102026_P40-45_Fashion Ferragamo.indd 41

30/09/2026 11:48 AM

The latest collection from Ferragamo is channeling a sartorial sophistication that will speak to men who always priorities taste

ELEGANCE INCARNATE

42 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P40-45_Fashion Ferragamo.indd 42

FAS H I O N

30/09/2026 11:48 AM

FAS H I O N

EM_102026_P40-45_Fashion Ferragamo.indd 43

emiratesman.ae 43

30/09/2026 11:48 AM

IMAGES: ALL FERRAGAMO EM_102026_P40-45_Fashion Ferragamo.indd 44

30/09/2026 11:48 AM

EM_102026_P40-45_Fashion Ferragamo.indd 45

30/09/2026 11:48 AM

TIME TO PLAY

Geneva Watch Days has some fun with its haute horlogerie

46 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P46-51_Geneva Watch Day.indd 46

WATC H E S

23/09/2026 4:28 PM

ALTO ART 02 Creative director Raphaël Abeillo, formerly of Cartier, has released the ART 02, ALTO’s second watch, which treats its titanium case, integrated bracelet and clasp as one continuous architectural form. The striking geometry continues across the dial, where concentric octagonal lines frame the hour markers. The result is a study in precision, visual lightness and legibility. The seconds hand retains ALTO’s signature counter-clockwise rotation – a small but deliberate rejection of convention. It is the kind of design-led experimentation that independent watchmaking does particularly well.

WORDS: VA A R U N YA B H A L L A

ompared to the larger, more established watch fairs, Geneva Watch Days feels like something of a spiritual counterweight. Founded in 2020, when the world was turned topsy-turvy by the Covid pandemic, its deliberately decentralised format allowed participating maisons to present themselves across the city, rather than in a single convention centre. From the outset, it was designed to feel very different from its larger peers. For a start, it has always accommodated brands of very different sizes and resources, allowing

smaller independents and young watchmakers the opportunity to stand alongside the industry’s biggest names; something that can be considerably harder to do at the larger fairs. This combination lends the event a certain dynamism. I know what you’re thinking. ‘Dynamic’ isn’t one of those words commonly bandied about when it comes to horology. This is, after all, an industry that trades heavily in pedigree and provenance, where tradition and heritage are not merely virtues but are often built into the product itself. Wonderfully reassuring though that continuity is, it can also make the entire enterprise feel a tad formal; forbidding, even. Which is perhaps why you tend to see some of the more daring, interesting and envelope-pushing releases at Geneva Watch

Days. Brands have room to make slightly less conventional, more collector-oriented moves. It also sets the stage rather nicely for releases that are a little more playful and experimental. Several of the trends we’ve been seeing across the industry make an appearance here, too: stone dials used in exquisite ways; the continued miniaturisation of serious watchmaking; and a renewed appreciation for the classic, dress-watch aesthetic. But above all, technical mastery and innovation are reimagined and reinterpreted for an audience increasingly gravitating towards timepieces that communicate authenticity and feel self-assured. Without further ado, here are (just) some of our favourite releases from Geneva Watch Days 2026.

(Left)

BVLGARI OCTO FINISSIMO X VIANNEY HALTER The wonderfully bonkers collaboration that shouldn’t work but somehow just does. Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani called the collaboration with Halter “a personal achievement”. Halter spent his early career restoring antique clocks and watches and worked alongside people who would become giants of independent watchmaking, including François-Paul Journe. His steampunk aesthetic combines surprisingly winningly with what is unmistakably the signature of the Octo Finissimo. Not one but two modern classics reinterpreted. This dual-time reference is limited and available in titanium and in pink gold.

WATC H E S

EM_102026_P46-51_Geneva Watch Day.indd 47

emiratesman.ae 47

23/09/2026 4:28 PM

ZENITH CHRONOMASTER SOLO SPORT Another super interesting reveal. The first three-hand watch in the Chronomaster line. Wait, so it’s the iconic Chronomaster without a chronograph? The iconic three-coloured subdials are gone? This one opens up a new chapter for Zenith and the El Primero, albeit one that is grounded in the very essence in which it was conceived. Introduced in 1969 as the world’s first automatic integrated high-frequency chronograph calibre, the El Primero established its reputation around 5Hz precision. Now, Zenith has distilled that defining quality into a three-hand watch. The chronograph is gone; the high-frequency heart remains. It’s a daring move and deserving of our attention. It also places the Solo Sport in fascinating company. Grand Seiko, for instance, has long made high-frequency, time-only watches a proposition in their own right.

48 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P46-51_Geneva Watch Day.indd 48

WATC H E S

23/09/2026 4:29 PM

MB&F’S M.A.D.3 Based on the legendary and iconoclastic 82-year-old watchmaker’s Baladin jumping hour timepiece but reimagined to feel like a natural fit in the MB&F oeuvre. It’s a jumping hour complication with a Calabresian twist; the circular jumping hour window makes its way around the dial, indicating the minutes as well. Calabrese was inspired to create it to minimise the abruptness of a conventional jumping hour and more naturally evoke the passage of time. MB&F’s M.A.D. Editions tend to offer the brand’s trademark maverick creativity at prices that are relatively accessible and this is no exception. Beneath the charming elegance of this lies a technically accomplished calibrethat has been meticulously adapted to ensure improved stability and efficiency. It will be available in two versions: a blue dial and a pink.

EM_102026_P46-51_Geneva Watch Day.indd 49

28/09/2026 6:23 PM

GERALD GENTA GENEVA MINUTE REPEATER GOLDEN OBSIDIAN How could we not include it? After all, it’s named after the city. I jest. But the minute repeater is genuinely one of my favourite complications. My other favourite, the moonphase, is romantic, mechanically beautiful and, gloriously, rather useless. The minute repeater is all of those things, only amplified: it chimes the hours, quarters and minutes on demand, transforming the passage of time into sound. It’s a feat of imagination, artistry and ingenuity that no machine could conceive. And this one is rendered with a golden obsidian dial, in a case of yellow gold. Technically, this is sublime. The bezel is hollow and the sapphire crystal is intentionally thin, as are the walls of the case, to improve the acoustics.

EM_102026_P46-51_Geneva Watch Day.indd 50

23/09/2026 4:29 PM

(Left)

DANIEL ROTH EXTRA PLAT ROSE GOLD GILT

(Bottom right)

ORIS PROPILOT X GONZO

Daniel Roth is one of the pioneers of independent watchmaking and a champion of traditional techniques. The brand has been revived with the support of La Fabrique de Temps Louis Vuitton and has been doing some truly noteworthy work. If you haven’t already seen it, look into the extraordinary lengths to which it goes to preserve traditional techniques, including the restoration of historic engine-turning machines for hand-executed guilloché. This new execution takes the Montre Objet d’Art further with a true gilt dial, requiring an elaborate multi-stage process. A pinstripe guilloché is painstakingly executed by hand on a rose gold dial. Successive stages of masking and electroplating then create the deep black surface, while the Roman numerals and brand signature are revealed from the gold beneath, rather than applied on top. The result is a wonderfully compact dress watch in Roth’s signature Double Ellipse case. Restrained magnificence and understatement.

Here’s yet another example of a serious watch that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I have long admired Oris timepieces for their build-quality and attention to detail. And in this instance, the third Oris × Muppets collaboration (following Kermit and Miss Piggy), charm and whimsy are available in spades. It’s a skeletonised ProPilot X with a 10-day power reserve, with Gonzo’s face laser-etched onto the mainspring, gradually appearing and disappearing as the watch winds down. Even the power-reserve hand takes the form of a red chilli, while the colour palette echoes his flamboyant wardrobe.

(Above)

NAOYA HIDA TYPE 8A Just a stellar example of obsessive Japanese craftsmanship, distilled into beautifully restrained and unusually compact proportions. Every aspect of this 31mm case ‘modern vintage’ dress watch feels considered. From the hand-engraved Breguet Arabic numerals to the blued steel hands with the tip of the minute hand bent by hand to align precisely with the minute scale(!) At 31mm, it feels almost radical in an era accustomed to 41mm and 42mm men’s watches. Produced in an edition of approximately 20 pieces across 2026 and 2027, it has also been nominated for the final round of the Time Only category at GPHG 2026. This really is less watch, more watchmaking.

WATC H E S

EM_102026_P46-51_Geneva Watch Day.indd 51

emiratesman.ae

23/09/2026 4:29 PM

Somewhere in Time

Smaller cases, vintage references and expressive dials shift timekeeping to a more personal endeavour Cartier Privé Tank Normale in platinum

who has recently moved to the city, and the watch turns out to be every bit as interesting as it first appeared. The case is battered with the small dings and scratches that watches acquire when they have been properly lived with, and at no more than 36 or 37mm it looks almost diminutive by the standards of recent years. But it is the dial that stops me. The colour is extraordinary. He cannot say much about its provenance. He bought it online from another collector, who believed that the original had been painted over during a restoration. It isn’t, in other words, quite what Jaeger-LeCoultre intended it to be (surprise, surprise!). The owner doesn’t seem particularly bothered. He likes it precisely because of that. It is, in a small but meaningful way, unique. I have begun noticing watches like this everywhere these days. Not necessarily hand-painted green Jaeger-LeCoultres, but older, smaller, sometimes even slightly eccentric pieces that seem imbued with personality. These are watches that don’t

WO R D S: VA A R U N YA B H A L L A

n a dimly lit living room in one of Dubai’s tonier apartment buildings, I find myself on the fringes of a dinner party, watching a roomful of people who seem to know one another better than I know them. I have just arrived and am standing at the bar when I notice something on a wrist – a mid-century JaegerLeCoultre, with a hand-painted dial. It’s a peculiar Lincoln green, set on what looks like a vegetable-tanned leather strap. I have never seen one quite like it. I asked the owner about it. What follows is one of those conversations watches sometimes make possible. He is a lawyer

52 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P52-53_Somewhere in time.indd 52

Rami Malek wears a 1992 Cartier Crash watch, crafted in platinum with a sapphire crystal and leather strap, at the 2026 Met Gala

WATC H E S

23/09/2026 4:26 PM

IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES AND SUPPLIED

announce themselves from across the room, but they certainly do seem to confidently assert the wearer’s taste and individuality. In New Delhi, an artist friend of mine has a ‘watch guy’ – a dealer of pre-owned timepieces that he restores and sells for a modest profit. He operates not from a boutique but a watch-repair stand, which somehow makes the whole enterprise feel more authentic. My friend buys these vintage, cushion-shaped, HMT watches with whimsical, unbelievably saturated dials and then he takes a keen interest in sourcing matching straps to pair them with. An inexpensive way to create a collection that is so uniquely his own. He doesn’t wear these because they are pristine, perfect examples of rarity. These are pieces to be lived with, possibly with intriguing past lives of their own. For the better part of the last decade, watch culture has been living through an extended love affair with the steel sports watch. The integrated bracelet became an object of fascination; angular cases, brushed surfaces and industrial geometry acquired the kind of cultural currency once reserved for fine tailoring and sports cars. Some of the more elaborate executions of these watches announced their presence loudly. The irony is that the sports watch became so successful that it ceased to be particularly sporty. Watches conceived for racing, diving or life aboard a yacht found themselves accompanying people to restaurants, offices and weddings, where their supposed ruggedness was rather like wearing hiking boots to dinner, simply because they were expensive hiking boots. The dress watches I’m seeing now have none of the armour plating or the familiar

sameness of a code designed to help their owners fit in. Their virtues are smaller and, in some ways, harder to photograph: proportion, thinness, a beautifully balanced dial, the way a polished bezel catches a stray shaft of light. I do not think that the sports watch is disappearing. It is far too entrenched for that. It’s just that, after years of watches becoming larger, louder and more overtly luxurious, there is perhaps room again for

Above: Pedro Pascal wears a classic Chanel Boy-Friend watch, featuring a sleek rectangular gold case and a black leather strap, at the 2026 Oscars

Jaeger-LeCoultre limited-edition Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai

WATC H E S

EM_102026_P52-53_Somewhere in time.indd 53

a bit of restraint, a bit of personality or uniqueness. Now there seems to be a growing appetite for things that are harder to advertise: craftsmanship, provenance, materials, design and the pleasure of owning something that rewards closer inspection. A key indicator of this shift is the downsizing of cases spotted at this year’s Watches & Wonders. A number of brands returned to more modest proportions, with 36–39mm cases becoming one of the more noticeable themes. Industry observers described the change as a move away from the 40–43mm norm that dominated the previous decade. But perhaps even more interesting than the shrinking case diameters is what these smaller watches represent. For a while, luxury seemed to speak increasingly loudly: ubiquitous logos, limited editions, eyewatering prices and watches whose scarcity was almost as much a part of their appeal as the design itself. A vintage Cartier Tank, a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso or a simple Omega Seamaster DeVille may speak primarily to people who know what they are looking at. Their appeal is not necessarily diminished if nobody notices them. In fact, that may be part of the pleasure. When everybody can recognise the logo, the logo becomes a rather blunt instrument for signalling taste. A more obscure reference, an unusual dial, an independent watchmaker, or an old watch with an imperfect history can work differently. Its value depends upon knowledge. Perhaps that is the appeal of these watches now. They give the wearer a little more freedom to decide when, and to whom, an object reveals its value. Some things are made for the people who know what they are looking at. That is enough.

emiratesman.ae 53

23/09/2026 4:26 PM

Longines is Listening

The centuries-old Swiss watch brand is riding high thanks to a number of recent successes that have shown how closely it heeds the desires of collectors WO R D S: VA A R U N YA B H A L L A

pend five minutes in any watch forum, or in the comments beneath a new Longines release, and you’ll notice something interesting. Whether it’s the Spirit Zulu Time, the Legend Diver, the Conquest or the recently redesigned HydroConquest, the reaction has been remarkably consistent – Longines is on a roll. It is an unusual consensus in an industry that thrives on disagreement. Collectors can spend hours debating the benefits of one calibre versus

EM_102026_P54-55_Longines.indd 54

another, finishing, dimensions, and whether a watch is worth what its maker is asking for. Yet Longines seems to have found a rare sweet spot. Over the past few years, release after release has been met with a notable level of enthusiasm. The company occupies an unusual position in Swiss watchmaking. Its timepieces are historically significant enough for experienced collectors, beautifully considered enough for aesthetes and accessible enough to become someone’s first

serious mechanical watch rather than a distant aspiration. I confess. I have a particular affection for Longines, so perhaps I am predisposed to notice its recent winning streak. When I began working in the luxury business many years ago, the brand from Saint-Imier was my introduction to mechanical watchmaking, long before I understood the subtleties of escapements, finishing or chronometry. Saint-Imier was, in a sense, my university of horological excellence. Each visit to the Manufacture

23/09/2026 4:26 PM

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

taught me something, although it is only with hindsight that I have begun to appreciate what those visits were really telling me about the brand. At the heart of this venerable institution, beyond the pristine workshops, bathed in natural light from windows overlooking the Bernese Jura valley, sits one of the most remarkable archives in the history of Swiss watchmaking. Visitors enter it through a wood-panelled room with shelves that are lined with burgundy-bound ledgers, recording generation after generation of Longines production. The records stretch back to 1867 (the year that all their operations were brought under one roof in this very spot, known as Les Longines (‘long meadows’). The ledgers contain meticulous records of serial numbers and details allowing the manufacture to trace the history of individual watches. At first glance, it presents as simply an impressive piece of corporate history but I think its significance is rather more interesting. For a brand that has been producing watches for almost two centuries, there is so much heritage to dip into that this abundance of inspiration can sometimes run the risk of becoming daunting. In the 2000s and early 2010s, Longines’ catalogue grew increasingly broad, with collections and references sometimes overlapping and the sheer volume making it harder to see what the brand stood for. Today, there is a much clearer design language and a noticeably more disciplined product strategy. Longines seems to have become much more selective about what it puts its name to. Its archive is central to that. The records and the immense depth of accompanying material remain an active resource for the watches Longines makes today, in more ways than one. The expected outcome is that rather than producing generic vintage-inspired watches, the brand is able to frequently return to specific historical references, preserving proportions, typography, hands and dial layouts with remarkable fidelity. Authenticity, in other words, becomes a design process rather than a marketing exercise. Yet perhaps the even more remarkable thing about Longines’ archival culture is that it isn’t reserved for the brand itself. The same records that inform today’s watches also remain available to collectors. A vintage Longines can be sent back to Saint-Imier for examination, with the manufacture able to trace its production history and, following examination by its watchmakers, issue a Certificate of Authenticity. There is something so wonderful about that continuity; the fact that a timepiece could have left Saint-Imier more than a century ago and

Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium; Opposite page: Longines HydroConquest Exclusive Edition

still have a relationship with the place that made it. Indeed, I came across a number of such interactions between the brand and its collectors. That relationship also extends to restoration. Longines maintains dedicated capabilities for historical watches, including the restoration of vintage pieces and the servicing of historical calibres. Where original components are no longer readily available, the manufacture can draw on its archive and accumulated expertise to help keep these watches alive. The point I’m trying to make is that collectors notice these things. Most importantly, they’ve clocked that this channel of communication runs both ways; that Longines seems willing to listen. The Spirit Zulu Time is a great example of this fact. When the original 42mm model appeared, enthusiasts quickly began asking for a smaller version. A 39mm model followed the next year, with Hodinkee noting at the time that the original had been an “immediate hit” and that the smaller size was already being requested by enthusiasts. It sounds like a small thing, but for someone who spends hours thinking about how a watch wears on the wrist, a few millimetres can be the difference between admiring a

WATC H E S

EM_102026_P54-55_Longines.indd 55

watch and wanting to own it. Go down the rabbit-hole of Reddit watch discussions or comments on social media and you’ll see versions of this played out in ways that seem genuinely rare in the luxury industry today. There are other examples of this in the catalogue too. Over the past few years, enthusiasts have repeatedly praised the brand for refining successive releases in response to genuine feedback. Case sizes have become more wearable. Date windows have been removed where they seemed to disrupt symmetry or alter original aesthetics. Proportions have become cleaner. Details like these seem to matter to seasoned collectors. This dialogue between the brand and its clients has become one of its greatest strengths. Longines actually feels attentive. That may be the real secret behind Longines’ recent run. These decisions suggest something important about the relationship between Longines and its enthusiasts. Perhaps that is what collectors really mean when they say Longines is on a roll. Perhaps, after a period of trying to speak to everyone, Longines seems to have found its authentic voice again and, judging by the response, collectors are once again enjoying what it has to say.

emiratesman.ae 55

23/09/2026 4:26 PM

EM_102026_P56-59_Sandeep Walia.indd 56

24/09/2026 4:05 PM

MEMORY MAKER

Sandeep Walia, chief operating officer, Middle East & Africa and Luxury Europe, Middle East & Africa, and global leader for Design Hotels at Marriott International, has dedicated 30 years to creating moments designed to last a lifetime W O R D S : J E S S I C A M I C H A U LT

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P56-59_Sandeep Walia.indd 57

he word that comes to mind when meeting Sandeep Walia for the first time is gentleman. Walking down the hall of Grosvenor House in Dubai to greet me, in a beautifully tailored suit, with an assured stride and a warm, welcoming smile, he exudes a kind of easy poise I have experienced only twice before: when I met Tom Ford and, years later, Bill Clinton. That might sound like quite a heady comparison, but as my conversation with Walia progressed, it’s one that tracks. All three men possess that rare combination of old-school gentlemanly charm and quiet authority that both disarms and cultivates a sense of instant camaraderie – even with someone they have just met. We end up ensconced inside Indego by Vineet, the hotel’s famed Indian restaurant, which has opened early to give us a quiet place to chat. There, over piping-hot tea, we discuss Walia’s decades-long career in hospitality and how the field is evolving as the tastes of world travellers continue to shift. And if anyone understands what globetrotters are looking for, it’s Walia. He is endlessly criss-crossing the planet, overseeing more than 410 open properties and over 200 projects across Europe, Middle East and Africa with a big focus on the luxury portfolio that includes some of the most prestigious names in the business – Bulgari, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W, and Edition among them. Since the start of this year, he has also taken on the global leadership of Design Hotels. He describes it, with a shrug, as having “three hats”. Walia’s lifelong love of exploration and travel was formed at an early age. His father was in the Indian Air Force, which meant the family moved constantly, though never beyond the country’s borders. “But I think for me the treat used to be Sunday, when we would go to the officers’ mess,” he recalls. The whole base would gather for a festive night of revelry – an entire week’s anticipation compressed into one evening. “And imagine being on the other side of creating that fun for people. That’s how it really started,” he says of his desire to build a career around giving people experiences that would etch themselves into memories. Initially, Walia dreamt of working in the front office as the best jumping-off point for his career. He saw it as the position with the most visibility, and therefore the fastest route to advancement. Instead, the general manager at his first hotel placed him in butler service, and the future chief operating officer thought his hospitality career had ended before it began. It turned out to be the making of him. Among the formative moments: a stint as Michael Jackson’s butler during the singer’s stay at the hotel. Walia was so good at the job that the pop star invited him to be his guest at the concert he was playing in the city. “I think we judge too often,” reflects Walia of that first job, and of his belief that people should create their own opportunities, no matter where they find themselves. “You

emiratesman.ae

24/09/2026 4:05 PM

just need to always push yourself out of your comfort zone. Go above and beyond, towards spending on experiences over luxury goods – and be open to change. I think that agility is required to work in this field, and forgoing a tangible luxury in favour of unforgettable being adaptable is something which has really, really helped me.” moments that can be more emotionally sustaining. That openness eventually took him out of India, to a role with Oberoi Hotels Walia believes it is a shift that is “going to stay forever”. in Egypt. “When I moved to Egypt, I was totally breaking out of that comfort From that same impulse comes the growth in event zone. It was my first time out of my own country and getting to really experience a travel, with people choosing a city specifically for a different culture,” he says of his first international move. From there he spent more sporting event or a concert. Walia sees it becoming a than five years as general manager of the Ritz-Carlton in Moscow, followed by a major business driver, and it is what prompted Marristint in Europe, then the Gulf. Walia still remembers with total clarity the transott Bonvoy’s partnerships with Taylor Swift and FIFA. Then there are branded residences, which began as an formative phone call telling him he had landed the general manager role in Russia. “I closed the door of my office and I said, ‘I’ve done it. I’ve achieved all I had to American idea and have found their truest expression in the Gulf. Developers can command a premium, do in my life,’ ” he recalls with feeling. And there were other calls: vice president, Marriott grows its brands, and the buyer gets a life chief operating officer, and this year the call about Design Hotels. “You remember with a certain level of luxury service built in. “So it’s these things because they make you feel rewarded and special,” he says. Which is precisely why he now relishes making these sorts of calls to other Marriott employees. “You’ll always remain a part of that person’s life.” “YOU JUST NEED TO ALWAYS PUSH YOURSELF OUT OF Ask him how luxury hospitality YOUR COMFORT ZONE. GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND has evolved over his career and Walia BE OPEN TO CHANGE. I THINK THAT AGILITY IS REQUIRED points first to Covid, the ripple effects TO WORK IN THIS FIELD, AND BEING ADAPTABLE IS of which are still being felt across the industry. Most notable is the shift SOMETHING WHICH HAS REALLY, REALLY HELPED ME”

58 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P56-59_Sandeep Walia.indd 58

LIFESTYLE

24/09/2026 4:05 PM

Left page: The Lake Como EDITION; This page: (clockwise from top left) W Riyadh - KAFD; JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp; Sandeep Walia

a win for all three parties,” Walia says. “We used to do it attached to hotels, but now we do it standalone.” And AI, the topic of conversation at every industry dinner this year? Walia’s view is that the technology will take over the friction, not the feeling. “AI will facilitate it; it’ll help make it easier,” he says of the more mundane hospitality tasks it can streamline. “I think it’s going to enhance more than anything else. It’s going to create that capacity and the time for people to focus more on the guest and building lasting relationships with them.” Because underneath it all, the fundamentals haven’t changed much since the first traveller knocked on the first door at dusk. “It’s a hot shower, a good meal, perhaps a great conversation,” Walia says of hospitality’s origins. Strip away the technology and the tiers and the apps, and “what people want is authenticity back”. But possibly the most telling story about how Walia views hospitality – and, by extension, perhaps a clue to his rise through the ranks at Marriott – is the one he tells about water. Water at 99°C is simply hot water. Add one degree and it boils, creating steam, which can power engines. “It’s that one degree which made all the difference,” he explains. It is a one-degree shift he applies to everything he does: one more book, one more general manager called each day to check in, one more bucket-list place to visit. For Walia it comes down to always going the extra mile, because you never know if the next page of that book, the next catch up conversation, or the next destination will open up all sorts of new possibilities.

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P56-59_Sandeep Walia.indd 59

emiratesman.ae 59

24/09/2026 4:05 PM

TRACING

EM_102026_P60-63_Zayed National Museum.indd 60

THE

PAST,

30/09/2026 11:42 AM

SHAPING

THE

FUTURE

W O R D S : A L I C E H O LT H A M - PA R G I N

AMMAR ALBANNA, ASSOCIATE CURATOR AT ZAYED NATIONAL MUSEUM, ON TURNING OBJECTS INTO STORIES THAT BRING THE UAE’S RICH HISTORY TO LIFE

EM_102026_P60-63_Zayed National Museum.indd 61

30/09/2026 11:42 AM

s someone who has devoted his professional life to uncovering the history of the UAE and telling it with care, curiosity and conviction, Ammar Albanna is acutely aware that every piece inside Zayed National Museum, where he currently serves as an associate curator, is part of a much wider narrative. “We would visit old Dubai a lot, we’d go around looking at the houses in Bastakiya, looking at old forts in the UAE,” he recalls of his formative years. “I had a very practical, outdoorsy childhood, where we’d go look and find and dig.” Those early explorations laid the foundations for a career

in archaeology and curation, one that now places him at the heart of how the UAE narrates its own past to the world. He attended university at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, drawn by its programme in archaeology and art history. Yet as he moved deeper into his studies, he noticed a gap. “A lot of focus was on the very generic topics of archaeology and art history, and it was prominently Western or European,” he explains. “Coverage of this region or the Arabian Gulf was very brief.” That brevity was a turning point that ignited a determination to fill in the blanks. “It led me to want to take the initiative to focus more towards something more relative to me.”

That passion now finds its fullest expression at Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the UAE, located within Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District. “It is our duty now to showcase the whole history of the UAE,” he says proudly. “You need a place where you can portray all these stories that stem from the great values, the principles, the lessons we always learn and extract from Sheikh Zayed.” As an associate curator, Albanna’s day-to-day work is a careful balance between scholarship and storytelling. Zayed National Museum is not a traditional, object-in-a-case institution. It is, as he describes, a place where scientific research, oral history, and multimedia interpretation are woven together. “We’re a very narrativebased museum, where we mix between the scientific and the, let’s say, oral history, where you have many different forms of sending the ideas through, whether it’s visual, audio, media.” For Albanna, the real power of his role lies in bridging the gap between specialist knowledge and public understanding. “A piece of pot can easily be displayed,” he explains, “but it is much more important to find out where it came from, why it was made, who was using it… extracting all of that information from a simple object is our main goal to better understand the people using the pot, other than just the pot itself.” Beneath the exhibition design and research lies a clear conviction: protecting the past is essential to understanding who we are now, and who we might become. “Safeguarding our history will always be a priority,” Albanna affirms. “It’s evidence that we do have settlements, we do have history, our people have settled in the region here for thousands of years.” He sees Zayed National Museum as a space where younger generations can reconnect with their roots. “We use the word roots a lot, but there must be a place where these roots dive deep in,” he reflects. “Human practices and human nature don’t really change; they just keep advancing and evolving. But our values, whether they’re from our community, from our leadership, from our ancestors, they’re always linked.” For Albanna, the responsibility of his work is matched by a deep sense of pride every time he watches visitors encounter the museum’s collections. Seeing

“HUMAN PRACTICES AND HUMAN NATURE DON’T REALLY CHANGE; THEY JUST KEEP ADVANCING AND EVOLVING. BUT OUR VALUES, WHETHER THEY’RE FROM OUR COMMUNITY, FROM OUR LEADERSHIP, FROM OUR ANCESTORS, THEY’RE ALWAYS LINKED.” 62 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P60-63_Zayed National Museum.indd 62

LIFESTYLE

28/09/2026 12:21 PM

Ammar Albanna

IMAGE: SUPPLIED

Left page: Magan Boat; Right from top: Zayed National Museum exterior; Reconstructed Neolithic bead necklace

people who arrive with only a vague notion of the UAE’s past walk away with a richer understanding is, he admits, quietly affirming. “It’s really relieving, and it gives you a sense of accomplishment,” he says. Those moments act as a “slight pat on the back,” as he puts it, and fuel his determination to keep going: to expand the narratives, to refine how stories are told, and to ensure that the country’s history is not just preserved, but truly felt by those who experience it. What does Albanna hope is the key takeaway for visitors? “I’d say definitely to learn more,” he says. “I personally would like curiosity to push people to find out more, take in the information and delve deeper into their own domain.” At the end of our conversation, we move away from Albanna’s work at Zayed National Museum, into his interests beyond archaeology and history, which feel like a natural extension of his professional preoccupations. “I enjoy film photography, analogue photography,” he says. “It’s that idea and concept of documenting your day to day, documenting general architecture, so it’s a mix between the archival, archaeological, and a bit of art history.” Even in his downtime, he is archiving, framing, and composing, capturing the present as tomorrow’s memory.

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P60-63_Zayed National Museum.indd 63

emiratesman.ae 63

28/09/2026 12:21 PM

BODY OF WORK WO R D S: R I YA K U M A R

EM_102026_P64-65_Mayed Almheiri.indd 64

23/09/2026 4:45 PM

Mayed AlMheiri, the 21-year-old Sharjah-based artist representing the UAE among this year’s Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award laureates, is turning fragments of his own body into a language for anxiety, masculinity and everything a face can’t say

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

ayed AlMheiri did not set out to be a photographer. But the 21-year-old has built a body of work so distinctive that it has just carried him, and the flag of the UAE, onto one of the most closely watched stages in contemporary art. This summer, his work was on show at LUMA Arles, as part of the Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents, held alongside Rencontres d’Arles, the influential photography festival that takes over the south of France every year. AlMheiri’s route into photography was never obvious. He studies multimedia art at University of the Arts Sharjah, a degree built on sculpture, painting and the full breadth of fine art, and had barely picked up a camera with any real seriousness before his professor pulled him aside. “He kept telling me he saw something in me,” AlMheiri remembers. “I thought, let me trust him, let me see what he sees in me.” It worked. Now in its ninth edition, this year’s competition was chaired by British photographer David Sims, alongside Dior’s Peter Philips and LUMA Arles founder Maja Hoffmann. Among ten laureates chosen from some of the world’s leading art schools, including Central Saint Martins, the Royal College of Art and Tokyo University of the Arts, AlMheiri turned out to be the only artist selected from the UAE, and, by his own account, from the Gulf entirely. “I can’t even begin to tell you how unreal this is,” he says. “It’s such an honour to know I’m carrying that flag to an international level of prestige, where we’re getting recognition from people all over the world.” His submission, a triptych titled Somatic Anxiety & Not Myself, is built entirely from self-portraits: fragments of his own body set against black, studded with small metal tubes, it’s a continuation of a series he began in 2025. There is no single, legible face anywhere to be found. Instead, there are

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P64-65_Mayed Almheiri.indd 65

limbs: isolated, disembodied, reassembled into something closer to a nervous system than a portrait. “It wasn’t something I even considered at first, to be honest,” AlMheiri says of the concept. “A lot of the emotions we feel internally, they surface on the body. When you’re excited, you get shaky hands but also when you’re anxious, you get shaky hands. I felt like the body was a portal to those internal feelings. It was the best way to show that through my work.” The specific parts he chose to isolate are deliberate, too. “I talk about masculinity a lot in my work, and male body image, especially in the Gulf and the UAE,” he explains. “These are body parts I felt should be seen as more masculine. So why aren’t they?” This year’s theme was, fittingly, Face to Face but in a counterintuitive move AlMheiri’s key images do the opposite of what the title suggests. His face never fully appears; where it does, it is blurred, distorted, deliberately withheld. “I know my experiences aren’t just my own. A lot of Emirati people have walked in the same shoes I have. If I’d included my face clearly, it would have made the work too personal and put a wall up between the viewer and the piece. This way, they can look at it and see themselves in it instead.” AlMheiri had already shown work at Sikka and at Al Jalila Cultural Centre during World Art Dubai, regional platforms he credits with building in him the confidence to stand in front of an international jury. “Your work is being exhibited, and then there’s the viewer, and you’re the portal in between,” he says. “If you’re not there to explain it, or talk for it, people might not understand.” Even so, he found Arles taught him something new: how to speak about his work to viewers who had never encountered anything from the Gulf before. What AlMheiri hopes his work adds to that wider conversation is an Emirati perspective. Something he says is sadly still too rare on the international arts stage. At just 21, and still completing his bachelor’s degree, AlMheiri was the youngest laureate in Arles this year, a fact that briefly rattled him. “Everyone else there was much more experienced than me,” he recalls. “At first I felt so out of my depth, like I didn’t belong there. But the longer I thought about it, the more I realized achieving this at a younger age than anyone else there makes me just as strong, just as powerful.” Being named among the laureates has already opened doors: connections with the nine other finalists, exposure to work from across the world, and a growing list of opportunities that is still unfolding. His work so far has been life-sized. “Now,” he says, “I want my work on a building.” “There’s no such thing as a small opportunity,” he shares. “Never say no to one.” In fact, this one very nearly didn’t happen. When the Dior Award callout first landed in his inbox, his instinct was to scroll past it. “I thought, I won’t get accepted, my work isn’t good enough. But my professor pushed me; he told me he trusted what he saw. And it turned out amazing, because sometimes, the unexpected happens.”

emiratesman.ae 65

23/09/2026 4:45 PM

A N A L A B ING C ACT ion a t A c i H d K IAM ntra s o AR c M S: RD ty in ndarie u WO a e bou gb t n i u d o h in on f ller y wit s a mm g a ga a G in er Na d build R WE

EM_102026_P66-69_Nader Gammas.indd 66

23/09/2026 4:44 PM

N LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P66-69_Nader Gammas.indd 67

emiratesman.ae 67

23/09/2026 4:44 PM

Left: Secretary Desk by Raphael Italy, 1950; Right page: Vintage daybed /desk wall unit paired with a midcentury modern teak chair, and The Woaw floor lamp

alfway through our conversation, Nader Gammas reaches for a cabinet made in 1955. Rather than telling me about its provenance or who designed it, he points to its legs. The cabinet itself is almost monolithic, with a square, solid form that is distinctly masculine. He gestures towards the slender, tapered legs supporting it. “It’s very masculine,” he says, “but it’s also very feminine at the same time if you look at the legs.” Gammas is drawn to objects that balance seemingly opposing qualities, whether that’s function and sculpture, weight and delicacy, or restraint and expression. It’s an aesthetic instinct that surfaces throughout our conversation. Discussing several insectinspired works in the gallery, the designer talks about their anatomy with the same enthusiasm, interested in the innate equilibrium of strength and grace in the pieces. It’s that tension that captures his attention and ultimately determines whether an object earns a place in his collection.

68 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P66-69_Nader Gammas.indd 68

And it’s an instinct that has shaped every chapter of his career. Trained as an architect before specialising in lighting design, Gammas has gradually expanded his practice from bespoke lighting into collectible furniture and most recently, Gradient, his newly opened gallery at Alserkal Avenue. Gradient brings together Gammas’ own designs, vintage furniture, contemporary objects and artworks spanning decades. They’re connected less by period or geography and more by instinct. “If there’s a clear enough taste palette,” he says, “everything falls into place.” Long before Gradient took shape, the designer found himself at a crossroads. During his final year at university, he watched a fellow architecture student present their graduation project and realised he needed to rethink his own future. “I knew that I wouldn’t be able to achieve that level of perfection,” he recalls. “I thought ‘If I can’t excel in architecture, then I have to find another field to pursue.’” That field became lighting, almost by elimination. As the discipline closest to

architecture, it felt like a natural next step, but it soon opened the door to furniture, sculpture, interiors and eventually the objects themselves. And as his practice evolved, labels became increasingly meaningless. “Whether they’re collectibles or not is irrelevant,” he says. “As long as the object is compelling to me.” Gammas isn’t interested in collecting objects because they’re rare or valuable. For the designer labels are irrelevant – it is the qualities of an object that matter most in his eyes. When asked what makes a piece memorable, he talks about proportion, materiality, texture, scale and patina. Each aspect matters in isolation but it’s the interplay between contrasting elements that gives an object its character. He believes a beautifully resolved piece is not one-dimensional. It contains a juxtaposition of opposing forces that create a unique symmetry of tension. The same thinking informs his relationship with lighting, a discipline he still considers the foundation of everything he creates. When talking about lighting Gammas isn’t referring to brightness or illumination in the practical sense. Instead, he speaks about light as something that articulates volume, reveals texture and introduces nuance to a space. Two identical interiors can evoke entirely different emotions simply because one has been thoughtfully lit while the other has not. Architecture provides the structure, but lighting determines how that structure is experienced. “Lighting is always magical,” he says. “Nobody ever looks at lighting and says, ‘That’s boring.’” That architectonic way of thinking extends naturally to Gradient. Rather than treating it as a showroom, Gammas has approached it as an exercise in curatorship. Vintage furniture, contemporary lighting, art and collectible design occupy the same vernacular, even when separated by decades. The common thread between objects isn’t a period or movement. It’s a curatorial instinct that trusts compelling objects to converse with one another. However, the confidence to open a gallery didn’t come overnight. “There are things that I was doing three years ago that I wouldn’t have been confident enough to show,” he admits. Years spent designing lighting, sourcing furniture and refining his own aesthetic gradually gave him the conviction to stand behind his choices. Gradient became the

LIFESTYLE

23/09/2026 4:44 PM

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

From top: Cord chair designed by Jacques Guillon; The Spear-Lite table lamp by Spearing Lighting Fixture Mfg. Co. (1955); Blue-upholstered chrome wire mesh Beaubourg chairs by Michel Cadestin and Georges Laurent (1977)

natural culmination of that process rather than a sudden business decision. Gammas is refreshingly resistant to overcomplicated narratives. The gallery’s name reflects that philosophy as well. He laughs at the suggestion that there might be an elaborate backstory behind “Gradient”. To him, the word simply captures the spectrum of aesthetics, periods and design movements that interest him. At the same time, it carries an obvious reference to light.

A gradient guides the eye from brightness to shadow, revealing form through subtle shifts instead of abrupt contrast. That’s exactly how he hopes visitors will experience the gallery, moving organically between different zones and discovering unexpected connections along the way. If opening Gradient is a personal milestone, the designer hopes it also signals something larger for Dubai’s design landscape. Pieces are often judged by their visual impact before anything else, a tendency Gammas neither criticises nor romanticises. To him, it’s simply a reflection of a market that’s still evolving. Provenance has traditionally carried less weight here than it does in more established collecting circles, where the story behind an object can be just as significant as the object itself. But he believes that’s beginning to change. Pointing to a growing appreciation for aged craftsmanship and patina, qualities that were once overshadowed by immaculate finishes and pristine surfaces. “Dubai is ready for patina,” he says without hesitation. Gammas’ fascination with design has never been confined to aesthetics. He is equally interested in the process that precedes the finished object, the decisions and experimentation that gradually give

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P66-69_Nader Gammas.indd 69

form to an idea. Every chair, cabinet or light carries traces of that journey, whether immediately visible at first glance or not. When the conversation turns to the future of design in the UAE, Gammas spends surprisingly little time talking about designers. Instead, he talks about local, under-the-radar artisans. The region, he explains, has no shortage of creative talent or ambitious ideas. What remains difficult is finding the network of specialist workshops capable of translating those ideas into reality. That ecosystem is still developing, particularly when it comes to highly skilled makers working across different materials and techniques. “We need artisans,” he says plainly. “We need people who can customise things.” It’s the least glamorous part of the design world, but in his view it is also the most fundamental. Before we finish speaking, my mind returns to the cabinet from early on in our conversation. It would have been easy for Gammas to describe who designed it or why it mattered. Instead, he noticed the way its slender legs transformed an otherwise solid, geometric form. His attention is drawn to the details that most people overlook, because in his words, those are the details that stay with you.

emiratesman.ae 69

23/09/2026 4:44 PM

As careers, family and responsibility take over, many men are quietly losing something equally important: close friendships. Sound familiar?

EM_102026_P70-73_Lost Connection.indd 70

30/09/2026 11:47 AM

WORDS: NAOMI CHADDERTON

EM_102026_P70-73_Lost Connection.indd 71

30/09/2026 11:47 AM

here was a time when making friends happened almost by accident. School, university, sport, first jobs – life naturally placed us alongside the same people, day after day, and friendships grew in the background. As we get older, however, those opportunities begin to disappear. Careers become more demanding, families take priority, and weekends fill up with scheduled playdates rather than spontaneous plans. Before long, the friends who once felt like a constant presence are people you only catch up with every few months, then once a year, until one day you realise it’s been far longer than you intended. For men in particular, that gradual drift appears to be happening at an unprecedented rate. While the idea of a loneliness epidemic has dominated conversations around mental health in recent years, researchers are increasingly warning of something more specific: a growing decline in close male friendships. According to a 2021 survey, for example, just 26 per cent of men reported having six or more close friends, down from 55 per cent in 1990, while almost one in five said they had no close friends at all – a fivefold increase over the same period. As to be expected, such striking statistics raise an important question. Why, at a stage of life when work, relationships and family responsibilities become increasingly demanding, are so many men finding themselves with fewer people to lean on? And what does that loss of connection really mean beyond simply having fewer social plans? While that natural movement of adult life is partly to blame, Rita Figueiredo, licensed psychologist and managing director of Dubai’s Peninsula Psychology, also points to the fact that men are frequently socialised to be self-reliant. “Growing up they are rewarded for managing alone, meaning many boys grow into adults who feel responsible for solving problems before sharing them,” she explains. “As adults, many men reserve intimacy and vulnerability almost exclusively for their partner, with whom they share their fears, insecurities and emotional world. Friendships gradually stop being the main place where emotional intimacy happens. In a context of expatriate communities, this becomes even more evident, as people leave behind decades of accumulated friendships and the repeated familiarity that naturally helps relationships grow.” It is this reluctance to show vulnerability around other men that led Tom Kinsey to co-found Menathon, Dubai’s first male-only fitness support group dedicated to championing men’s physical and mental health while building a community. “When my second son was born, I developed postnatal depression,” he explains. “And while from the outside my life looked great, I convinced myself I had to deal with it alone. It made me realise that most men don’t lack people around them – they lack meaningful connection.” So, while Menathon uses movement as the excuse to get men together, community is the real goal. “Whether it’s running, strength training or simply grabbing a coffee afterwards, it’s about creating genuine friendships where men know they don’t have to carry everything on their own,” he explains. It’s easy to think of friendship as a nice-to-have rather than a necessity. Yet psychologists argue that close friend-

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P70-73_Lost Connection.indd 72

“FRIENDSHIPS GRADUALLY STOP BEING THE MAIN PLACE WHERE EMOTIONAL INTIMACY HAPPENS. IN A CONTEXT OF EXPATRIATE COMMUNITIES, THIS BECOMES EVEN MORE EVIDENT, AS PEOPLE LEAVE BEHIND DECADES OF ACCUMULATED FRIENDSHIPS AND THE REPEATED FAMILIARITY THAT NATURALLY HELPS RELATIONSHIPS GROW”

ships play a far more fundamental role in our lives than many people realise. Beyond reducing loneliness, they help anchor our identity through the different stages of adulthood. “One benefit that receives much less attention is that friends remember versions of ourselves that current life can make us forget,” says Dr Figueiredo. “The friend from university, the football teammate or the person who spent countless evenings playing GTA reminds us that we are more than our current responsibilities. Without friends, many men slowly become only their different roles in life: the employee, the husband, the single guy, the father, or the provider. Friendship reminds people who they are outside those responsibilities.” If that all sounds rather bleak, there is some good news. While making friends as an adult may no longer happen by accident, it is still entirely possible – it simply requires a little more intention than it once did. “Firstly, understand

LIFESTYLE

30/09/2026 11:47 AM

movement, conversation and shared experiences. With events in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, its sessions can attract up to 50 participants for beach runs, strength workouts, dads-and-children activities and, perhaps most importantly, coffee and conversation afterwards. @menathondxb; @menathonauh

THE MAN CAVE PROJECT

IMAGES: AI GENERATED AND UNSPLASH

Founded by Adil Hussain, The Man Cave Project is aimed at men looking to build meaningful connections alongside personal and professional growth. Through weekly meetups, workshops, co-working sessions, comedy nights, runs and social events across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, members are encouraged to have honest conversations, support one another and develop friendships that extend well beyond the events themselves. @mancaveprojectofficial that you’re not the only one,” says Tom. “Almost every man who comes to Menathon tells us afterwards they nearly didn’t turn up because they felt awkward. Secondly, don’t think of it as trying to ‘make friends’ – think about joining a community instead. Friendships are usually a by-product of shared experiences, not the objective. Be consistent, too – you can’t expect deep friendships after one event. And finally, put your phone away and be genuinely curious. Ask questions. Listen. Remember people’s names. Follow up.” As Tom sees it, meaningful friendships are rarely built through one big conversation, but through countless small interactions repeated over time. Showing up regularly, whether that’s for a weekly run, a padel match, or simply a coffee afterwards, is often what transforms familiar faces into genuine friends. After all, while friendship may become harder to find with age, it doesn’t become any less important – or any less possible.

THE BEST MEN’S GROUPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Looking to expand your social circle? These groups are proving that making friends as an adult doesn't have to feel awkward

MENATHON Co-founded by Tom Kinsey and Dayle Hallam, Menathon brings together men of all ages and backgrounds through

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P70-73_Lost Connection.indd 73

MEN OF THE MILE Dedicated to improving men's mental health and wellbeing, Men of the Mile combines movement with meaningful connection through regular social events and sporting activities. Alongside its popular padel tournaments, the group organises football matches, hikes, wellness events and informal meetups, creating opportunities for men to build friendships in a relaxed, pressure-free environment. @men_of_the_mile

emiratesman.ae 73

30/09/2026 11:47 AM

emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P74-77_Monaco.indd 74

LIFESTYLE

30/09/2026 11:43 AM

AN ICON, REDISCOVERED Beyond the Grand Prix and the glitter, consider this your invitation to experience Monaco at an entirely different pace W O R D S : A L I C E H O LT H A M - PA R G I N

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P74-77_Monaco.indd 75

emiratesman.ae

30/09/2026 11:43 AM

Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel

76 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P74-77_Monaco.indd 76

a morning shower comes with views of the shimmering water, and a balcony that gazes towards Monaco’s iconic cityscape, a picture-perfect backdrop for a morning coffee. Despite its petite size, four restaurants cater to gourmands. Elsa serves as a breezy spot for alfresco breakfast by the water, where eggs cooked to order are available alongside fluffy French toasts and indulgent

pastries baked in-house. By night, it transforms into the Michelin-starred restaurant of Marcel Ravin, serving as an intimate tribute to a childhood spent by the sea. Here make sure to sample flavour-packed lobster beignets, delicately grilled squid and XOaged tuna in a delightful miso beurre blanc. Back at the pool, Le Deck is where guests drift for lunch, a crowd wearing billowing

Pavyllon Monte-Carlo, a restaurant by Yannick Alléno

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

here’s a rhythmic serenity around the Olympic-sized swimming pool at the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel. Here, you won’t find thumping DJ beats, magnums of spirits encased in sparklers or energetic guests dancing on tables. Instead, three generations of a French family who’ve frequented the hotel for decades can be spotted splashing in the shallows. A Monegasque gentleman swims lengths with intention. A couple bob nonchalantly in the shimmering waters on pool floats plucked from the pier. Here, a holiday moves with the same languid speed as it has for the last nearly100 years. Since 1929, The Monte Carlo Beach Hotel has been a magnet for sun-seekers and glamorous socialites, envisioned as a crown jewel in Monaco’s statement-making tourism push at the end of the Roaring Twenties. In the decades that have followed, it’s welcomed a who’s who of Hollywood A-listers, royalty and high society – everyone from Sir Winston Churchill to Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor. But if they come to Monaco for the opulence and energy, they retreat to the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel for its effortless serenity. A boutique collection of 40 rooms and suites creates an air of refined exclusivity, adorned in oceanic-inspired hues and all facing the sea. A porthole from the bathroom is a thoughtful touch that ensures even

LIFESTYLE

28/09/2026 6:19 PM

Elsa by Marcel Ravin

kaftans and tailored two-pieces as welcome as those in glamorous daywear who make lunch at Le Deck the main occasion. Set under a white and beige striped awning in a building painted in Monte Carlo Beach Hotel’s iconic terracotta, Mediterranean flavours take centre stage in a space that was reimagined last year by architect Dorothée Delaye, breathing new life into a space that’s warm and visually striking, yet still befitting of its breezy poolside setting. New this year, the acclaimed chef Simone Zanoni debuts La Vigie Zanoni MonteCarlo, bringing a taste of La Dolce Vita to a peninsula a short stroll from the rest of the hotel. Here, the chef of Four Seasons Paris fame celebrates the good life through signature dishes and generous recipes meant to be shared. Beyond its culinary credentials, the hotel playfully marries sport and style: a Jacquemus takeover brings branded loungers to its famed pier, while a pop-up poolside boutique features an edit of holiday staples. From the shoreline, watersports are a popular pursuit for those looking to get a closer look at the yachts that dock nearby, while back on dry land, Mat Pilates and Hatha yoga classes provide an energising start to the morning from a sun-kissed pontoon that overlooks the Mediterranean. The hotel’s duo of Lamborghini-branded padel courts is an in-demand destination for both hotel guests and beach club members. When you’re ready to dip back into the electric pulse of Monaco, take advantage of the hotel’s shuttle service or, better yet, the complimentary boat that places you in the

Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel

yacht-filled Port Hercules in under 15 minutes. From here, Monaco’s wealth of worldclass shopping, dining and leisure delights are at your fingertips. For people watching in the heart of the action, a coffee at Café de Paris in Casino Square is the perfect start to the day, before some retail therapy at Metropole Shopping Monte Carlo, or the array of designer boutiques that line the fringes of One Monte-Carlo, where 40of the biggest names in fashion sit in a leafy enclave. Monaco’s unadulterated glamour is perhaps best experienced after sunset, when the bright lights of this enigmatic city draw you to gastronomic gems. On the rooftop of the Hôtel Hermitage sits Pavyllon, the one Michelin Star restaurant by Yannick Alléno that gazes out over the glittering Marina and across to Monaco’s famous old town, Le Rocher. Here, hospitality unfolds as theatre: the team move like an expertly choreographed ballet between tables that pepper the terrace, delivering course after course of delicately plated Mediterranean cuisine that pays homage to local flavours, from a tender beef to an ornate lobster tail. For post-dinner drinks, follow the cinematic sounds of a live pianist at Bar Améri-

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P74-77_Monaco.indd 77

cain, an alluring drinking den at Hôtel de Paris that’s as much about music as it is master mixology. Here, well-heeled guests sip libations like Condamine, a sophisticated serve of Champagne and Monaco orange liqueurand the signature dry martini to live renditions of everything from John Lennon’s Imagine to L’Americano by Renato Carosone. Monaco’s appeal extends beyond shopping and dining, with cultural treasures at every turn. The Princess Grace Rose Garden, with its 450 varieties of fragrant blooms, is an awe-inspiring botanical showcase; as is Monaco’s Japanese Garden, a seafront gem where Japanese minimalism and Mediterranean flair come together in total harmony. For racing enthusiasts, the Collection of Cars of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco is a masterclass in automotive excellence, proudly displaying almost 100 legendary vehicles just steps from the famous Monaco Grand Prix street circuit. And when its high-octane social calendar, culinary delights and cultural crown jewels have been thoroughly savoured, the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel is where you come to catch your breath and find, perhaps, the best version of the principality yet.

emiratesman.ae

30/09/2026 11:43 AM

MINDFULNESS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN WORDS: VAMA KOTHARI

In Rabat’s quiet corner of Malta lies a hilltop stay that combines natural stone, proximity to the Silent City of Mdina, and wellness facilities that appeal to those seeking a slower, more considered kind of luxury

78 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P78-81_Malta.indd 78

LIFESTYLE

23/09/2026 4:38 PM

The waiting lounge at the V Spa; Left page: Verdala Wellness Hotel Lobby

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P78-81_Malta.indd 79

emiratesman.ae 79

23/09/2026 4:38 PM

he Mediterranean has long been an exquisite vacation spot: a destination for both party lovers and sun seekers. What fewer realise is that Malta sits apart from all of it, a serene, removed pocket of the region built for people who want to tap into something quieter and slower – for a period of quiet repose. Sitting at the narrowest waist of the Mediterranean, wedged between the southern tip of Sicily and the northern coast of Tunisia, this small archipelago has spent millennia being everybody’s most coveted piece of restful real estate and the evidence is written into every stone, every fortress and every winding village lane. Centuries of conquest and sieges have left their mark on Malta, but the island still remains warm, unbothered, and entirely itself, nowhere more so than in Rabat. The nation’s former capital, it is the quieter cousin to the young energy of St Julian’s or the postcard bustle of Valletta, a residential stretch known mostly for its stillness. Just beside it, Mdina holds the silence even closer. On the edge of Rabat, behind a fine sprawl of honeyed stone, sits Verdala Wellness Hotel, an adults-only retreat for those after something closer to grounding than getaway.

taking over from anything that asks for even the slightest bit of effort. Evenings belong to the energy lounger, twenty minutes under red light that leave your muscles convinced they have just finished a full workout rather than having done nothing at all. The hour before dinner is yours to build however you like, a dip in the cold plunge first or the hot pool, since your body tends to know the order even when you have stopped consciously deciding anything. And when it is over, the elevator runs straight from the spa back up to your room, sparing you the walk past other guests in nothing but a bathrobe.

THE ROOMS

There are 46 rooms at Verdala, from Comfort Rooms up to two Penthouse Suites and a Designer Suite, and each one feels less decorated than excavated. That’s the wabi-sabi philosophy at work, less a design brief than a quiet act of removal. The palette stays close to the earth: plaster the colour of wet sand, raw timber left honest rather

From left: The Griffin Brasserie; Comino Island in the Maltese archipelago; The Junior Suite at Verdala Wellness Hotel; An evening view of the hotel

THE SPA

The Verdala Wellness Hotel’s spa spans 1,500 square metres, carved from soft, rounded local stone with vaulted ceilings that do a lot of the calming before a single treatment begins. It is unhurried in scale: a hammam, a traditional sauna, an infrared cabin, a salt cave, and a thermal circuit that moves you between hot and cold, ending at a 0°C plunge that clears every last thought from your head. Seven treatment rooms and two consultation rooms sit alongside a studio for yoga, Pilates, and meditation, plus two energy loungers built for the in-between moments, the ones after a treatment when you are not ready to leave the quiet yet.

THE ROUTINE

A gong sounds in the yoga room to mark the end of each session, a small Mediterranean nod to a much older tradition, and it is a mercy that they announce it, because a few minutes deeper into that kind of quiet and you would lose track of which country you were in. Mornings lean toward movement, yoga before the short walk into Mdina, the Silent City, just ten minutes on foot. By afternoon the pace drops again, sound healing and breathwork

80 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P78-81_Malta.indd 80

than polished, stone with texture enough to remind you it came from somewhere real. The valley does the only loud thing in the room, framed through floor-to-ceiling glass like it was commissioned for your view alone. The bed sits low and wide, dressed in linen heavy enough to feel indulgent, and between the soundproofing and the blackout curtains, the outside world simply stops existing. Small rituals are folded in everywhere: a wellness minibar instead of the usual chaos of miniatures, a tea station stocked with herbal blends, vegan skincare that actually smells like something you’d buy for yourself, a yoga mat rolled and waiting by the window. Move up to a Junior Suite or Penthouse and the room grows

with its own terrace, a hot tub, a hammock strung up for the hour after lunch, a sofa for nothing but watching the valley change colour as the light drops.

THE DINING

The Living Room Lounge plays the same game as the rest of the hotel, wellness and indulgence sharing a plate without apologising for either. Cured seafood arrives in a trio, clean and cold and faintly briny. Beef tartare comes dressed in fermented mushrooms and seaweed, more umami than you expect from a wellness menu. Bigoli with local prawns leans heartier, the kind of dish you order when the spa circuit has earned you something substantial. The terrace and

LIFESTYLE

30/09/2026 11:46 AM

IMAGES: SUPPLIED AND UNSPLASH

the firepit outside do the rest of the work, with Malta’s landscape rolling out right in the background. On the same floor, The Griffin Brasserie trades plates for a view, 180 degrees of it, sweeping enough to make a morning smoothie feel like an occasion. A superfood salad at noon, afternoon tea stretched out longer than it needs to be, a cocktail at sunset looking far more decadent than the rest of the menu lets on. Health and indulgence aren’t really competing here – they’ve agreed to share the room.

LIFE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

Most mornings began as an aimless wander into Rabat, past St Paul’s Catacombs, just

800 metres off, easy to walk by without ever quite going in, content just knowing it was there. A short drive to Ta’ Qali, three kilometres out, expecting a tourist trap, ended instead with a piece of hand-blown glass and zero regrets about the trip. The Mosta Dome, 6.5 kilometres farther out, came recommended by a taxi driver who turned out to be right, worth standing under longer than planned. Golden Bay, 11 kilometres away from the hotel, lived up to its reputation entirely, and Valletta, 13 kilometres and half a day away, felt like a different country after Rabat’s quiet. Marsaxlokk, 16 kilometres by car, was saved for a Sunday on purpose, fish market and all. The Blue Lagoon and Gozo

LIFESTYLE

EM_102026_P78-81_Malta.indd 81

came last, a short ferry beyond Cirkewwa, because no trip to the Mediterranean is quite complete without a swim in the Blue Lagoon and a day on Gozo.

A CONSCIOUS WAY OF LIVING

A slow life in Malta teaches you something you probably already knew: that to feel fully satisfied, most of what you need was already in you to begin with. It shows up in the unhurried attitude of people on the street, in hotel staff who anticipate rather than simply serve, in taxi drivers who talk to you like they’ve known you longer than the ride has lasted. Verdala, more than the island around it, is where that lesson actually sinks in.

emiratesman.ae

30/09/2026 11:46 AM

THE ESSENTIAL JOURNEY Berluti pays tribute to The Little Prince with a collection that celebrates craftsmanship, curiosity and beauty that is found beyond the surface

82 emiratesman.ae

EM_102026_P82_Backpage.indd 82

MOST WANTED

23/09/2026 4:37 PM

new_motivate studio v1_EMAN_PRINT.pdf

12/19/24

4:14 PM

EVERYONE

has a STORY to tell

+971 4 427 3000 podcast@motivate.ae

BOOK YOUR STUDIO C

CMY

Calling all podcasters and content creators! Whether you are looking to record, edit or manage your podcast, our fully equipped podcast and video recording studio has it all.

motivatemedia.com

EM_102026_P04_Flannel Panel.indd 7

30/09/2026 11:58 AM

Address EW Final.pdf

27/08/2026

5:40 PM

LUXURY FAMILY GETAWAYS Create unforgettable family moments at Address Beach Resort, where spacious stays, family-friendly dining and memorable experiences await. ZETA Seventy Seven, where children are welcome during designated family-friendly hours, offering the whole family the chance to swim, relax and enjoy the experience together. BOOK NOW

BOOK NOW: +971 4 879 8899 StayAtBeachResort@addresshotels.com ADDRESSHOTELS.COM

EM_102026_P04_Flannel Panel.indd 8

It’s time to #CelebrateU, join our loyalty programme at UbyEmaar.com

30/09/2026 11:58 AM