Signe - Edition 21

S I G N É

AN UNCONVENTIONAL RISE

FOUNDER OF DE GRISOGONO - FAWAZ GRUOSI PRESENTS HIS TAKE ON FASHION, DIAMONDS AND DESIGNING JEWELRY

A FUTURISTIC RIDE

TAKING A FEW STEPS BACK IN HISTORY, WE DISCOVER HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S UNMATCHED STORY OF HERITAGE

COASTAL CHIC

DISCOVER THE SCENIC SURROUNDINGS OF MONTE CARLO WITH SIGNÉ, AN IDEAL SUMMER GETAWAY

IN THE LAP OF NATURE

Exploring the land of Namibia, Africa with the trusted travel partner for off-road driving - Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Signé joins Mike Horn for a new adventure

WALK WITH TIME He was a traveler, experiencing all hours of the earth.

Planning trips with such great care, he and Time had merged.

Grateful to the man for walking with him, not around, Time reassured he’d arrive anywhere he was bound.

#MakeTimeYourOwn

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Spirit of Big Bang All Black.

Scratch-resistant black ceramic case. Automatic skeleton chronograph with sapphire-crystal dial.

Rubber strap. Limited edition of 500 pieces.

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hublot.com

CALIBER RM 033

CONTENTS

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Savoir faire

Inspiring millions across the globe through his work and unprecedented success, Muhammed Ali leaves a legacy behind

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TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND

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EMBODYING THE ESSENCE OF FASHION Azzedine Alaia, having never followed industry norms, has made a mark through his unconventional designs and style statement

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INSURMOUNTABLE TRAILS From Amazon to the Equator, Mike Horn’s exploration spree continues breaking records.

The ever-young explorer believes in conquering the fear of the unknown

ART ON CALL Vertu collaborates with the esteemed calligraphy artist Wissam Shawkat to launch a series of New Signature Touch special edition phones

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THE AUTHENTIC LUXURY OF TIME

SIGNÉ MAN Promoter Director of Mazaya Oman LLC, Zahis Al Hosni is the perfect embodiment of classicality, passion and style

042 Presenting a luxury take on both classic and contemporary furniture, Obegi Home has more to offer through its newly opened boutique in the heart of the city. Yordan Obegi elaborates

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046 SARTORIAL FLAIR Signé brings together selected individuals who redefine impeccable dressing with an attitude.

This edition, we take a step forward and look into their lives and their untold stories

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In an interview with Pascal Raffy, owner of the watchmaking brand Bovet, Signé discovers the brand’s ideals, vision and plans of future expansion in the Middle East

POWERHOUSE OF DESIGN

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Sprezzatura

ESSENTIALS Explore the world of perfumery with the world’s longest lasting fragrance Forever Oud

by Forever Rose, and nature inspired Colonia Quercia by Acqua Di Parma

054 HAUTE HOROLOGY We take a look at two of Richard Mille’s groundbreaking launches that have taken haute horology to another level– the RM 35-02 and the RM 68-01

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IN THE LAP OF NATURE Driving the irresistible Mercedes-Benz G-Class through the forest trails of Namibia, Africa, Signé experiences the pleasure of off-road driving with explorer Mike Horn

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A MANSION OF DESIRES Bringing the famous Billionaire marque to the region, Flavio Briatore launches the Billionaire Mansion and talks Signé through his expectations with the expansion

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For Her

Fawaz Gruosi, founder of de GRISOGONO, deliberates over his unique approach to jewelry in conversation with Signé

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A HOME MAKER’S TALE Founder of Etcetera Living, an interior designing company, Leslie Zaal delves deeper on her love for interiors, her work with Al Barari and her favorite projects

DRIVING EXCLUSIVITY The team at Al Jaziri Motors, dealers of Lamborghini, sit over an exclusive chat with Signé discussing their newly opened showroom and their distinct services

Art & Design

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WHEN TEXTURE SPEAKS

THE CUSTOMIZED LEAGUE

Lilian Afshar, through her eponymous brand L’Afshar brings textured and patterned clutches to town. The box-clutch designer talks about her journey

From bikes to cars and now to homes, Tarhan Telli’s passion for personalization knows no bounds. Through TT Motors, he translates the dreams of many into reality

TRANQUILITY UNDERWATER

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Encouraging a nature centric lifestyle, Vivek Vijayan’s acquascaping brings varieties of flora and fauna into your home and lets them evolve with time and you

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CONTENTS

La dolce vita 104 WITH HIGH SPIRITS Audemars Piguet brings together a team of famous golfers to honor their long term relationship with the sport

106 COASTAL CHIC Signé travels to the land of beaches and beauty – Monte Carlo – experiencing the charm of French Riviera

Haute Société

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A TABLE OF ART Sharing his love for cooking, the Michelin Star Chef – Vikas Khanna – gears up to launch his book Utsav and the Museum of Kitchen Arts

Heritage

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094 Harley-Davidson has been producing the finest quality of bikes for over a century. We unfold layers of their exceptional history this edition

Nerio Alessandri, founder of Technogym, explains the importance of healthy living, while touching upon the Technogym Village launched recently

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Engross yourself in the realm of harmony and relaxation at the Guerlain Spa at the One&Only The Palm

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A WELLNESS RETREAT

A FUTURISTIC RIDE

A HEAVENLY PLUNGE

NEW IN TOWN From dining to shopping to fitness and relaxation, Signé selects a few newly opened outlets for you to discover this month

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FIRST MOVERS WILL ALWAYS CHANGE THE WORLD. BUT WHICH ONE? >> Discover our approach at juliusbaer.com/visionary-thinking

Julius Baer is the leading Swiss private banking group and present in some 50 locations worldwide. From Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Guernsey, Hong Kong, London, Lugano, Monaco, Montevideo, Moscow, Nassau, Singapore to Zurich (head office).

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TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND

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TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND Born Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali was a revered name in the world of professional boxing. Widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figure of the 20th century, he was an inspiration both inside and outside the ring. It was at the age of 18 that he won his first gold medal in the light heavyweight division of the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. His contribution to boxing made him earn the title of ‘The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year’ five times. Also named Sports Personality of the century by BBC, he was often addressed as ‘The Greatest’. Signé pays tribute to the legendary hero who continues to live in the hearts of many, not only for his boxing but for his activism and inspirational personality

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“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ ” MUHAMMAD ALI

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EMBODYING THE ESSENCE OF FASHION Following his own conventions and ignoring fashion schedules, Azzedine Alaia is one designer whose prodigious fashion talent has made him one of the most famed couturiers, and his designs remain the aspirational zenith for many

Diksha Vohra Over the last half-century, Azzadeine Alaia’s body-enhancing designs have been the sole reason why the world’s most fashionable and adventuresome women have chosen him over all other designers.

Thanks to the meticulous craftsman’s peerless adulation of the female form that adds a sense of beauty, sensuality and confidence to every piece he creates. He was actually the man who introduced wardrobe staples as leggings, decorative metal studs, bodysuits, bandage dresses and perforated leather. Having designed for some personalities like Michael Obama and Marion Cotillard, Alaia remains a name revered by people and designers alike.

The Tunisia born artist had a knack for art and design ever since he was young. His grandfather’s best friend operated a cinema where Alaia would watch movies multiple times in absolute excitement. Later he would re-enact the films for his school friends in exchange for crayons, which he used to make his drawings. His actual love for fashion stimulated from reading the Vogue, which he sourced by lying about his age. This was also when he understood the form of a body and other characteristics of dressing. Then, his mother’s friend Mine. Pineau discovered his creative abilities and registered him at the local school of fine arts when he was only 15, where he studied sculptures. To his luck, through his friend Leila Menchari’s mother who knew important Dior clients, he acquired a position at the celebrated French couture house. But as destiny would have it, the glory lasted only for five days as the Algerian War had just ended and his Tunisian nationality posed a hindrance.

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Following that, he worked for Guy Laroche for a while and then for Thierry Mugler, after which he opened his first atelier in Rue de Bellechasse. It was that time during the ‘60s when women would rely on skilled, nameless tailors for their wardrobes, much before ready-to-wear came in. To them, Alaia’s designs came as a sigh of relief as they became a secret weapon to ‘appearing beautiful’ for a growing clientele of artistic and aristocratic women. Where his sister Hafida oversaw his business, a saleswoman from Balenciaga introduced him to new clients. Cécile de Rothschild brought Greta Garbo to Alaïa, and director René Clair made him introduce to Claudette Colbert. He also became the dressmaker and friend of his idol, film siren Arletty, star of Les Enfants du Paradis. Alaia, apparently, never cared about money but focused on improving his technique of production to enhance every look.

In the year 1979, he was commissioned

by Charles Jourdan, a chic footwear designer, for a small ready-to-wear line. The capsule collection was composed of garments in leather, ornamented only with metal hardware such as zippers, grommets and buckles. Even though Jourdan rejected the collection as he found it too tough, Nicole Crassat, editor of French Elle, liked the collection and ended up featuring the black leather dress on the cover of her magazine and wearing it herself.

Not only did Alaia work differently but he thought differently too. According to ‘50s haute couture mannequin Bettina Graziani, Aiaia was the one who first coaxed women out of loose maternity clothes to show off ‘the most beautiful curve of all’. It wasn’t

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about clothes for him; the relationship between him and his thread is much deeper.

He understands women to the level of their intellect, emotions and biological facts, which enables him to design perfect dresses that effortlessly portray the mood behind them.

His designs continued gaining popularity and by 1988, he had his boutiques in New York, Beverly Hills and Paris. Through his seductively clinging designs, he was referred to as ‘The King of Cling’ by the media and his clients. Alaia’s moment stretched into an epic decade-long phenomenon. Whoever Alaia chose as a mannequin became a superstar.

“The shows were always a secret, never on the schedule set by the Chambre Syndicale, which he wouldn’t join. He got the coolest crowd in the world. You’d see Grace Jones, César next to Tina Turner. While prissy nose-in-the-air editors were at the Ritz eating lunch, the real news was happening at Alaïa,” says Michael Gross, a fashion writer for New York Times.

Time, however, took a major turn and changed the course of tide for Alaia. The winner of two French fashion ’Oscars’ and many more accolades had suddenly disappeared from the limelight after his sister’s untimely demise. Alaia recollects, “I was working so hard I didn’t have enough time to see her at the hospital. Afterwards, I learnt that work shouldn’t come first. It’s why the fashion calendar bothers me—editors have no time for their families. I didn’t care about losing my house. I cared about losing my sister. It’s stupid to be so crazy about clothes.”

After a decade of exile from the fashion industry, Alaia returned to the scene with a

runway presentation, of a magnum that had never been seen before, and a surprise. He sold 100% financial stake in his company to Prada.

Furthermore, as a part of the agreement, the designer and the brand formed an Alaia Foundation to preserve both the master’s personal archives and his world-class vintage

couture collection. This did, unfortunately, not go on for long as 2007 witnessed Alaia buying back 100% of the company and selling it to the Swiss Richemont Group.

Part geometer, part alchemist, Alaïa endeavors to tame material into behaving in a manner alien to its intrinsic nature. With

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knits assuming structure, leather softening to fluidity, his hands and fingers seem to have their own brains. Representing purest fashion and sophisticated designs, while making women feel comfortable, admired, confident and beautiful, his clothes continue being revered by one and many.

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INSURMOUNTABLE TRAILS From swimming across the lengths of the Amazon River unsupported all by himself to circumnavigating the globe at the equator unmortised, Mike Horn’s adventure tales are highly inspiring. An explorer, motivational speaker and an environmentalist, he believes in making everything that seems impossible, possible

Diksha Vohra Acknowledged as the world’s greatest modern day explorer, Mike Horn has taken his passion for exploration to unmatchable heights. From K2 to the Arctic Circle, to the Himalayan Mountains, Mike has seen more of the Earth than any other human has. Born in 1966 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the explorer has studied Human Movement Science at the University of Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.

His passion for outdoor activities was evident during his childhood when he would climb trees, cycle for miles and go finishing with his siblings. Even though Mike did not like the idea of wars, he believes that his army training has played an integral part in making him what he is today. Encountering and observing death and the quest for survival at the mere age of 18, he began to believe in the power to outweigh the fear of the unknown.

During his tenure in a sports science job, he felt the call of the wild. He was 24 when he quit his job and moved to Switzerland to follow his inner calling. His first ever expedition was the world’s mightiest river – The Amazon – in the year 1997. He navigated its entire length using a hydrospeed boat, hunting for food to survive and resting along the dangerous riverbanks at night. Backed by his breathtaking experience, his confidence grew as he continued scaling unprecedented peaks of adventure.

The next expedition to follow was under the banner Latitude Zero. In the year 1999, Mike embarked a journey to circumnavigate the globe around the equator without motorized transport. He began by traversing the Atlantic Ocean from Africa’s west coast to Brazil on a 28 foot Trimaran.

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Then by foot, bicycle and canoe, he negotiated the ominous Amazon jungle and the daunting high altitude of the Andes, to Ecuador. Crossing the Pacific Ocean to Indonesia, he travelled to Borneo and Sumatra through dense jungles. Back on his Trimaran, it was then time to cross the Indian Ocean, which he crossed successfully. The last leg of the expedition witnessed Mike traverse the entire African continent on foot, through the dangerous drug zones of the Congo through to Gabon. Eighteen months of strenuous endeavour finally came to an end with Mike arriving at his original starting point, completing the unimaginable expedition.

Years later, Mike decided to carve another niche for himself in the world of exploration and adventurous travel by circumnavigating the Arctic Circle by boat, kayak, ski kite and on foot. Lasting over two years, this expedition made Mike the first human being to travel the Arctic Circle without motorized transport, which also earned him a nomination for the ‘2005 Laureus World Alternative Sports person of the Year Award’. He completed a staggering 20,000km journey through Greenland, Canada, Alaska, the Bering Strait and Russia’s Siberia – all while pulling a Kevlar sledge laden with 180kg of equipment and food.

What once began as a hobby had now taken the shape of a full-time profession. The man who starts dreaming and preparing for his next goal to accomplish while working on the present one; his efforts began to be recognized as the astounding pinnacle of human endurance. However, few know that the passionate explorer is an equally passionate family man. Sharing his drive to discover untravelled roads, he has

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EXPEDITIONS 1995 COLCA CANYON Became the first man to hydrospeed the deepest canyon in the world

1997 AMAZON Swam across the length of amazon for six months, alone

1999 LATITUDE ZERO Circumnavigated the globe at the equator on foot

2002 ARCTIC CIRCLE Circumnavigated the Arctic Circle by boat, kayak, ski kite and on foot alone

2005 BYLOT With his family, he crossed the Bylot island by ski

2006 NORTH POLE Travelled without dogs or motorized transport from Russia to the North Pole during permanent darkness of the arctic months

2007 HIMALAYA Climbed two peaks higher than 8,000m within two months in Pakistan without any additional oxygen

2008 PANGAEA The four year long expedition was carried out to promote environment conservation

2013 K2 Driving his way down to Pakistan from Switzerland, he summited the mighty K2

2014 MAKALU Unsupported and without the use of additional oxygen, Mike Horn climbed Makalu in Nepal

2016 POLE2POLE Starting from Namibia, Africa, he will be on his way to travel across the two poles, which will take approximately a year and a half

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conducted two expeditions with his family too. The first was in 2005 where, along with his family, he crossed the Bylot Island on skis and the second was by ski from Barneo base to the North Pole. Following his footsteps, his teenage daughters – Annika and Jessica – have become the youngest to ski to the North Pole.

This year Mike is about to set off for another expeditions, this time across the North and the South Pole, called the Pole2Pole expedition.

He is about to begin the groundbreaking journey from Namibia, Africa and is now preparing to enter Botswana. Following that, he intends to travel through South Africa and then through Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, India, Borneo, Indonesia, Kamchatka, and finally arrive at the Arctic Ocean and Greenland. It would take approximately two years to complete this expedition. Interestingly, this trip would also unfold two intriguing stories. While Mike would be busy crossing the countries and oceans, his 110-feet sail-boat will be moving towards his exit points. The boat will act as a platform for research, education and ancillary expeditions with other world-class adventurers and athletes in seldom-explored regions of the world.

The extreme athlete has been associated with a few brands but his most notable association has been with the pioneers of adventurous automotive themselves – Mercedes. From scaling K2 in Pakistan to his ongoing Pole2Pole expedition, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been its

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dependable companion through rough terrains.

A traveller and explorer par excellence who knows nature in all of its extreme manifestations, Mike is dedicated to internationally raising awareness about the destruction of the environment and is passionately devoted to its conversation. For him, there are no limits to what people can do. Emotional barriers are countered with the question of what is possible. His motivational take on life has been an inspiration to many from the German National Football team to the IPL teams. In recognition of his spectacular achievements, he was elected as a member of the exclusive Laureus World Sports Academy in 2007. The latest addition to his to-do list is to share and impart his knowledge to younger generations, in order to educate them about environment presentation. He wants to focus on communicating the beauty and significance of what is now ‘their’ planet and preserve it for their future generations.

During the last 25 years of his life, Mike has given the world a new direction to think, act and accomplish goals. Undoubtedly unique, his unrivalled years of hands-on experience with oceans, rivers and mountains, swamplands, tundra and ice or jungles and deserts, make him the greatest modern day explorer ever. Having achieved insurmountable heights, he continues writing new chapters daily in life.

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“ The impossible exists only until we find a way to make it possible.”

MIKE HORN

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A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT Zahir Al Hosni, the director of Mazaya Oman is a man of few words. A discreet but passionate businessman, his classic tastes and minimalism is visible in every aspect of his life

Diksha Vohra Zahir Al Hosni has been associated with his family business since a young age. Grandson of the late Sheikh Saud Salim Bahwan, Zahir has been actively involved in diversifying the Bahwan brand into the hospitality sector. In an exclusive chat with Signé, Zaher opens up the pages of his untold story, redefining the legacy of success in his own terms.

As an individual, how do you define yourself? Your surroundings echo a sense of minimalism. Are you someone who prefers minimalism and strict personal boundaries?

I am a perfectionist. I like everything neat and clean, whether it is my aquarium, my office environment or my clothing. Details, to me, are very important and if you notice something present in my daily environment, there is a reason why it has been put there. While designing my office, I wanted neutral colors involving nature. It represents my taste, my personality and me. Blue is one of my favorite colors so you will come across different shades of blue throughout my home and office.

I like to be unique in whatever I do. I grew up within certain boundaries but with time I have learnt to explore, redefine and create my own ones. I like to expand my horizons, step outside the box and eventually rethink the box! I am a person who is very passionate and delves into the details of anything I do. I am passionate about art.

Modern art impresses me a lot and I don’t necessarily purchase them as an investment. Wildlife is something else I am passionate about and I am quite inclined towards it as it links back to art in a way. The color palettes that exist are such beautiful creations of God, and art is majorly derived from such natural inspirations. I have grown up observing nature rather than watching television. Connecting with nature brings me a sense of relief and calms me down. It makes me appreciate the finer things in life, which often go unnoticed.

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Where were you raised and where did you study? What prompted your decision to migrate to Dubai? I grew up in Muscat, Oman with my family. Then I moved to UK for eight years where I pursued higher studies in Global Business Management. In November 2014 when I had completed my internships in London, I relocated to Dubai and since then I have been working on different projects in the region through my venture called Mazaya Oman. I moved here because I feel Dubai is the right place in the region to launch new F&B concepts. A lot of people are of the opinion that the Dubai market is saturated but the reality is that if you look carefully there are plenty of opportunities. We have a multicultural audience here and in terms of the business vibe it exhibits, it’s transformed into a market quite comparable to London. Weslodge, our newest launch in Dubai, is filling such a gap in the market. It’s a fine dining modern American bistro restaurant concept, one that has never been seen before in the region.

Similarly, through various brand introductions, I seek to fill gaps in the market and present something the regional consumer does not have access to currently.

What was the thought process behind Weslodge? Weslodge is a concept introduced by Icon Hospitality group with their first location based in Toronto. We share a common philosophy of creating and presenting unique concepts and therefore joined hands to introduce the brand to Dubai. Everything I do has to be unique in every way and with excellence even in the smallest details. The idea behind Weslodge is to offer modern American Bistro experience to our discerning audience. We only use high quality ingredients and integrate flavors that will attract the regional diaspora. The staff are strictly instructed to make all our guests feel comfortable and at home. As far as future is concerned, we might have a few other concepts opening but I shall wait for the right time to spill the beans.

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“I grew up within certain boundaries but with time I have learnt to explore, redefine and create my own ones. I like to expand my horizons, step outside the box and eventually rethink the box!”

ZAHIR AL HOSNI

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As a family business your core specialization is in the automotive sector. What’s the reason behind the sudden diversification into F&B? Diversification into industries other than Automotive is not something new for our group. The best explanation behind diversification is to not put all our eggs in one basket. In today’s fast moving global economy, not diversifying is risky. We still have a heavy focus on Automotive, but we have been investing in different sectors for quite a while now, especially into the hospitality sector. The F&B industry in the region has become quite homogeneous and that’s where we see many opportunities. It is also an opportunity to bring in innovation from other sectors into our core business.

What drives you in your quest to setup new ventures and to achieve your dreams and goals? My grandfather the Late Sheikh Saud Salim Bahwan, has been the biggest inspiration in my life. He belonged to an average trading family and faced very tough times while growing up. At the tender age of nine, he ventured out into the trade of food and spices from India, Africa and many other places. He was one of the very first traders in Oman, and through his personal philosophy of excellence he achieved success and the reputation of being the finest in a short period of time.

He always wanted to accomplish more in business; it was an endless road. He was a highly motivated man and through his persona and principles he served as an inspiration and motivation to those around him. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It took a lot of hard work, perseverance, continuity and sacrifice. Incorporating Japanese philosophy in his lifestyle, his day was always timed and he planned it according to the international markets. He took more interest in his business than himself. Two generations down we are thankful that we had someone with his personal philosophy and his excellence in business to set the path for us, and to this day we still follow the principles and the policies that he adhered to.

The same passion and ideals were passed down to my mother who, in turn, inculcated them in us. She has been a big part of the family business and continues to be till date. Today, my mother is the Chairperson of the company and I have three other siblings who are also involved in the business. She taught me much more than schools ever have. Becoming the person that my grandfather was requires a lot of effort, and it is for us to continue on this path and grow in excellence and further his legacy.

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ART ON CALL

ART ON CALL Vertu has released a collection of New Signature Touch phones that feature iconic calligraphy art by Arabic artist Wissam Shawkat. The bespoke line launched during Ramadan reinforces the brand’s connection to art, its affinity for the bespoke and its belief in the Middle Eastern market

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Vertu believes in creating the extraordinary. The British luxury mobile phone brand also believes in doing things very differently. A Vertu phone is a piece of art in itself, handmade by a single craftsman at the Vertu factory in Church Crookham, England, down to the last sparkling component. Each phone that comes out of the Vertu factory is taken up more than just a notch with the careful selection of high-end materials like sapphire, ruby and titanium, chosen not only for their looks but also for their strength. Vertu phones are also extraordinarily powerful and reliable, with a peerless performance to boot. One of Vertu’s most outstanding offerings, however, remains its bespoke services that allow Vertu users to personalise their handsets to the highest degree. Starting with its Made to Order service that presents customers with a selection of fine leathers, colours and designs,

this bespoke service goes on to offer engraving and monogramming services to make each phone that much more unique. Now, the latest Vertu collaboration with the renowned Arabic calligraphy artist Wissam Shawkat has taken this personalisation service to an all-new height. The collaboration, announced ahead of Ramadan, gives customers the opportunity to purchase a New Signature Touch handset that features one of the artist’s iconic Arabic calligraphy designs that honours the theme of ‘love’. Besides, Vertu is also offering its customers the opportunity to commission the artist to create art for a bespoke Vertu handset.

The Middle East is one of the bigger markets for Vertu, and the luxury phone brand’s partnership with the UAE-based artist is as relevant as can be. Wissam’s calligraphic style stands out for its high

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level of craftsmanship, not unlike Vertu’s unmatchable level of detailing. His artistic style is easily recognised thanks to his contemporary interpretation of the art of calligraphy. Further, his modern approach is yet again in line with Vertu’s philosophy of offering the height of innovation through technology and services. Wissam, highly regarded as one of the modern masters of Arabic calligraphy, developed a fascination for the written form and the abstract shapes of letters during his childhood. It was this interest that led him to discover the art of calligraphy through the process of observation and the study of classic works of some of the greatest Arabic calligraphy masters. His colourful abstractions express a unique voice that speaks not only to the region but also to his growing international audience.

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ART ON CALL

“ The vanguard of shoemaking expertise from its genesis at the tail end of the 19th century till date ” MARCEL LEJEUN

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This isn’t the first time that Vertu has been associated with art. In fact, the British luxury phone brand has always held art and culture at its core through its various collaborations with notable institutions and relevant brands over the years. One couldn’t ignore the memorable collaboration between Vertu and the London Symphony Orchestra that resulted in exclusive ring and alert tones for Vertu users. Even the collaboration between the Vertu and the National Gallery for the release of high-definition wallpapers created from ten of the gallery’s most famous masterpieces can never be surpassed.

Vertu’s partnership with Arabic artist Wissam is yet another integral part of Vertu’s larger global art programme that includes the collaboration with English-Lebanese artist Hania Farrell and that was launched at Beirut Art Week in 2015. Since 2009, Vertu has worked with some of the world’s most innovative design brands to create spectacular windows at its Montenapoleone Boutique during the esteemed Salone del Mobile show in Milan. This year, its partnership with Lisa Rampilli, a young Milanese artist who specialises in print patterns and textiles, reinforces Vertu’s vision to support young talent. Its connection to the arts also extends to Vertu’s association and support lent to the world premier of Peter Greenway’s project ‘Golden Age of Russian Avant-Garde’, a key part of the UK-Russia Year of Culture.

According to Hutch Hutchison, Head of Design at Vertu, “This collaboration with Wissam is the ultimate expression of our

Bespoke offering, whereby customers can own more than just a unique Vertu, but truly a work of art. This exemplifies how Vertu is innovating with new and previously unheard levels of personalisation on mobile phone.” Indeed, the Wassim Shawkat for Vertu Signature Touch handset is truly unique.

Wissam, who aims to elevate the art of Arabic calligraphy while maintaining the heritage of the traditional Arabic art form, says, “I’m honoured to be working with Vertu.

The brand has changed the definition of what a mobile phone can be; from something very practical to an innovative, extremely personal object.” He goes on to point out

boutiques in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Lebanon from June 2016. The Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, Riyadh’s Kingdom Mall, Kuwait’s Salhiya Mall, the Villaggio Mall in Doha, Beirut’s Souk Beirut, and Stars Avenue in Jeddah are among the participating Vertu boutiques where the collection is exclusively available.

The launch coincides with an exclusive travelling exhibition of Wissam’s limitededition art prints. Besides the availability of the New Signature Touch phones that feature Wissam’s art, Vertu has also taken into consideration its regional clientele who are always on the lookout for the

“This collaboration with Wissam is the ultimate expression of our Bespoke offering, whereby customers can own more than just a unique Vertu, but truly a work of art.”

HUTCH HUTCHISON

that each Vertu phone is a product of fine craftsmanship and leading edge technology, which results in a sensorial experience in both design and function. Likewise, he aims to take a traditional art form and advance the aesthetic to something contemporary and modern with the newly launched bespoke collection of Vertu phones.

The calligraphy collection that features special designs by Wissam has been made available for purchase at select Vertu

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ultimate in luxury and exclusive offerings.

The luxury brand has accomplished this by giving its discerning customers the option of commissioning the artist to create a completely bespoke handset with a unique piece of art, and this service is available instore at select boutiques across the region.

The ability to personalise phones with a unique design by artist Wissam is yet another reminder of Vertu’s promise of delivering bespoke services.

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THE AUTHENTIC LUXURY OF TIME

THE AUTHENTIC LUXURY OF TIME Precision, artisanship and the perseverance of excellence are just some of the esteemed values perpetuated by legendary Swiss watch brand Bovet. In an exclusive interview to Signé, owner Pascal Raffy talks about how his fascination for timepieces mirrors the house’s unique offerings, and his vision to expand in the Middle East

Beverly Pereira

The House of Bovet has a prestigious history that dates back to 1822 and its philosophy of craftsmanship, identity and quality also goes back a long way. The Swiss watchmaking house was awoken from a momentary slumber when the Lebanon-born Pascal Raffy, whose family hails from the French Ardennes region, invested in and bought the company in 2001. By carrying forward the unparalleled expertise of the in-house artisans, achieving vertical integration and the return of the movements made entirely in-house, the House of Bovet was restored to its former glory thanks to Raffy’s own passion for authentic luxury. The House of Bovet’s timepieces — that have a limited production run – have always been a favourite with collectors across

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the world, and ever since the house regained its legendary position, its pieces have become all that more desirable. Along the way, Raffy added DIMIER 1738 Manufacture de Cadrans, DIMIER 1783 Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie and the Château de Môtiers to the House of Bovet.

Tell us about your fascination with the world of Haute Horlogerie. Art and education with no barriers or frontiers is all about sensitivity to the beautiful, but the beautiful must be based on a deep sense of detail and good taste. In my family, my grandfather introduced me to watchmaking, and it’s shared right down to my children. I’m doing what I’m doing to prepare the House of Bovet for

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Amadeo Fleurier 43 Rider of the Apocalypse

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THE AUTHENTIC LUXURY OF TIME

Virtuoso VII-Double ambiance

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“ Your artisans are the first assets of your watchmaking house. They share a project of defending tradition and values; a project to please a collector; a project to be open minded to respect taste and cultures from all regions of the world.

This is the House of Bovet.”

PA S C A L R A F F Y

a transmission for my three children who are very sensitive to what we do today. So, it’s the tradition in the house — a tradition wherein a timepiece, a small item of 40-46 mm, allows you to discover the depths of watchmaking, recognizing the true soul of a house that has lived through the centuries, and where you perfectly understand that in luxury the way a human being acts is the essence of everything. It explains why I don’t want to do more than 4,000 timepieces per year in the future. I can go back to my childhood, when my grandfather once explained to me that luxury stands for clear identity, small quantities and the handcrafted. If you cannot answer these three main points, you are not talking about luxury. When you talk about industrial processes and globalization too, you would realise that quantity is the essence and marketing is the tool.

What differentiates the House of Bovet from other watchmaking brands? We are in another world where you need two hands to turn. One is globalization and the other is art — art related to the world of watchmaking. For this, you can buy buildings and machinery, but there is one thing you can never buy however much wealth you’ve accumulated. It’s a sincere smile.

Your artisans are the first assets of your watchmaking house. They share a project of defending tradition and values; a project to please a collector; a project to be open minded to respect taste and cultures from all regions of the world. This is the House of Bovet.

The House of Bovet was in Mainland China in 1832. Since the last four decades, more or less, everyone has wanted to go to China.

We were already in China two centuries ago, so we have a reading of time, which is different. We want to preserve our patrimony by doing well and through excellency. Quantity is not the essence; quality is everything. Our timepieces are not made for followers who, say, want to buy a car because their neighbor has it. Bovet is a house not meant for social codes of recognition but for the educational codes of recognition. Our clients are opinion makers not followers.

When you came back into business, what inspired you to purchase Bovet? The important thing for me is to study the past, to learn from it and to move forward. The reason for Bovet needing to go ahead was the vision, perhaps. The important thing today is to know where the house’s strengths lie. It’s important to recognize the respect paid by collectors across nearly 43 countries to the patrimony of the House of Bovet for its uniqueness, the density of tradition and values and, the attention to detail with good taste and machinery being at the service of the artisan and not the contrary —something that tends to disappear in this globalized world.

Since Bovet had been a sleeping timepiece amongst prevalent watches, was there a fear that this deal might not work out or were you confident that you could take it ahead? The one lucky thing is my life is that I wake up every morning convinced that I don’t know everything. An artist who sings or plays an instrument improves everyday because in the act there is a path of fear. Fear can be a fantastic motivation. Did I know where I wanted the House of Bovet to go? Yes, very clearly.

I believe just as much in destiny. The ‘80s and ‘90s were decades of the speculation of easy money. We don’t build long term on speculation; rather, we build long term based on true values.

The House of Bovet is made for values and was made to transmit something valuable. It’s based on education and knowledge, ability and skills — not words.

The first change you made in Bovet was reducing the production quantity. Why was that? How have the production statistics changed till date? Since 2007, we’ve been within the parameter of 3,500 pieces per year.

Why? You cannot achieve that level of excellency when you produce over 4,000 timepieces a year. Time deserves time. Some timepieces deserve three to six months. If you want to break that rule of excellency, you start deleting the soul of your house.

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THE AUTHENTIC LUXURY OF TIME

Amadeo Fleurier 39 Burdocks

Am I interested in this? No, I’m not. It’s because as a collector I don’t want to have what everybody else has. I want to feel like I’m a member of a club, who feels like they run the globe and who has what everybody doesn’t have. You cannot do 10,010 Bovet timepieces a year.

You also introduced the Amadeo system. Can you please elaborate on this system and its requirement in today’s saturated market? The Amadeo system is magic applied to the art of watchmaking without the use of any tool. For example, here’s a 22-day-reserve timepiece with two barrels. Just by pressing two pushers, I can adapt my strap and remove it. Without any tools, my miniature table clock and pocket watch becomes a timepiece. You can also wear it on both sides. I don’t need any machinery to rewind it.

It is this uniqueness that represents Bovet. The Amadeo system took eight years to develop. If you’re in a public place and you happen to see some gentlemen wearing watches on another table, it’s easy to get confused with the brand names because a lot of brands, and not all of them, look like each other. You can never get confused with the Bovet shape. This is an aspect of true luxury and identity. Distinction deserves distinction, because you can have a unique design and yet not have uniqueness when it comes to the finishing or reliability in the mechanical aspect.

What’s your favourite Bovet timepiece and which was the most challenging? Every single Bovet timepiece has been challenging. Is it about the mixture of decorative art and mechanical

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skill? Is it more about the mechanical skills and less about decorative arts? It’s like the birth of a child — the experience always involves fear and emotion. Perhaps, my favourite Bovet timepiece is the one being produced for 2022 to celebrate 200 years of the House of Bovet. I’m thinking about a timepiece that will be symbolic as a tribute to Bovet’s presence in the last two centuries. And, I think I might have found it.

In every piece, you’ll find something inspiring for a timepiece — maybe the dial, the case. Nevertheless, there is no difference between children. If you have 15 children, you won’t be able to say which is your favourite because they are all your children.

What are some of the aspects that are peculiar to every Bovet watch? It’s identity and the continuity of what we’ve been doing since nearly two centuries. A dial is the face of a timepiece. If you look at Bovet’s pocket timepieces of the 19th century, we still defend the same techniques. I don’t want to say what distinguishes Bovet from other brands, but I can say that Bovet has such a unique design that you cannot compare it to another brand. At some point, you’re going to find that they don’t have something in common, which first of all is its identity and uniqueness. When you travel through the collections, you’ll always see artistic dimension in every single timepiece. The steel timepiece of Bovet 19Thirty is a steel timepiece of 42 mm, but is differentiated by a screwed case back with an open case back; one barrel for seven-day power reserve; dials in coloured enamel; and sapphire cabochon which is not synthetic. Thus, a very valuable Timepiece honoring our unique Watchmaking Patrimony.

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POWERHOUSE OF DESIGN

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POWERHOUSE OF DESIGN Obegi Home is the last word in luxury home furniture and design.

Its Chairman, Yordan Obegi, talks about what sets the high-end furnishing store apart from others in the Middle East, its design ethos and his take on bespoke design

Beverly Pereira The Obegi Group, a family business founded in 1905, has a diversified portfolio of companies that range from banking, consumer products, chemicals and agro-chemicals, to highend home furniture and design, introduced in 1973.

Yordan Obegi is a member of the third generation of the Obegi family and the Chairman of Obegi Group, Obegi Home, Obegi Consumer Products and the CEO of Obegi Chemicals. Overseeing numerous companies in his portfolio, he continues to develop the family business while preserving its core values and motto of “Doing Business with Ethics”.

When did the Obegi group decide to add luxury home furniture to its portfolio, considering that the group was already into various other sectors like chemicals and consumer products? It was about 45 years ago, in the 1970s, when the Lebanese got more interested in designing their homes in Beirut, that we thought of creating Obegi Home. It evolved from the period where furniture had a lot of plastic, plexiglass and shiny chrome. Now it’s more about matte finishes and less bling-bling. My father, Bechara, Uncle, Henry, and Aunt, Eva, wanted a company closer to the heart and passions of their customers. When you sell chemicals or consumer products, you base your approach on needs, but high-end furniture is never a basic need especially when you talk about luxury homes. It’s fuelled by passion and desire. Anybody can buy a bed, sofa or kitchen, but when you spend so much time, energy and money to create a desirable home, then it has to be more than serving a function.

How is Obegi Home Dubai unique in its positioning? When we opened Obegi Home in Dubai in 2007, we brought a lot of knowledge from our mother company in Beirut. This knowledge collided with what we saw here, which was all about standard looks. You meet a lot of companies trying to sell ready-to-furnish packages. Our branding was that we looked, first and foremost, at the individuality of our customers, to give them something that wasn’t standard or common. So, when you visit our clients’ homes, you’ll see that they don’t look alike. This is the common denominator of a home designed and furnished by Obegi. We don’t promote brands, we promote good taste. We don’t want our customers to feel like they are in a closed box with fixed ideas that are not theirs. We want them to express their freedom and tell us what they like or dislike. We don’t impose our style, but we want to incorporate their style in a framework that’s tasteful and unique.

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POWERHOUSE OF DESIGN

“We do homes that feel truly yours and that you want to come back to, every evening with the same longing and pleasure, season after season.”

YO R DA N O B EG I

Chairman - Yordan Obegi

The showroom has a great location – next to Burj Al Arab.

Was it planned to open the showroom right next to one of the most prestigious icons in Dubai? Luck plays a big part in life. We’d been looking for a showroom that was more visible than the showroom on Umm Al Sheif Road, which opened in 2007. Even after 10 years, a lot of people didn’t know we were in Dubai. Of course, they knew of our showroom in Beirut as it is on the main highway but in Dubai, we needed to be much more visible. We wanted to remain in Jumeirah because it is less commercial and caters to high-end customers.

Tell us more about Obegi Home’s offerings? Our company caters to transitional classic and modern contemporary. Our showroom is equally divided between these two styles. You can blend them together but you have to be skilful to do it without clashing. When you enter our showroom, you’ll see modern on the right side and transitional classic on the left side. This concept runs across both floors. We offer high-end kitchens and walk-in closets because today, design isn’t just in the living room or master bedroom, it’s in every corner of the house.

Our customers spend a lot on their clothing so they need the right “shell” to keep them pristine, visible and accessible. In old times, the concept of a kitchen was a place meant only for cooking. Now, the new concept is an open kitchen or a clear glass visible kitchen, often seen in gourmet restaurants, that allows you to be part of the act of cooking even if you’re not a chef.

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Amidst the current financial slowdown, how have you planned for the brand’s sustainability in the country? To be honest, we haven’t experienced a slow-down. When a slowdown occurs, it first hits the companies who did not have a long-term vision. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but in any economy, you have ups and downs.

You need to anticipate so you can dampen the downs but that requires investment, forward thinking and courage. Our company, I believe, has got these traits. Ever since we opened, we’ve had more customers’ year after year, even when the economy was slowing down. People thought we were crazy to invest in a new showroom, they told us to be careful as a slow-down was coming. We didn’t listen and went forward and today it’s a one-of a kind showroom not only for Dubai, but also for the rest of the Middle East. Our suppliers, who travel all over the world, say that we are one of the ten most beautiful showrooms in the world. When you receive this kind of affidavit, you know you’ve done the right thing.

What are the services you provide at Obegi Home? Our company will start by understanding the needs of our clients’ family, their way of living at home and their aspirations. We then blend all these elements with the space that is on hand. We listen a lot to our customers and then, we go to work.

If the family comes with an architect or interior designer, we work hand in hand to do the final layout that is best suited with the furniture, carpets, curtains, wallpapers and paint colours. Additionally we offer the service of designing kitchens, wall systems and walk-in closets in the most practical and alluring manner.

What is your take on ‘bespoke designs’? I don’t like these buzz words because today they’re in fashion and tomorrow they’re out. All I have to say to our potential customers is to come with your dreams and we at Obegi Home will translate them, into reality. We don’t like to say that our products are the best or that they are the most fashionable.

Fashion is something that changes every season. We do homes that feel truly yours and that you want to come back to, every evening with the same longing and pleasure, season after season.

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S P R E Z Z AT U R A

SARTORIAL FLAIR

Fabrizio Oriani “Build Your Own Style” This Italian menswear influencer, aged 41, is also the Founder and CEO of GWD, along with being the co-founder of The Social Gear. Based in Milan, Fabrizio is very creative and he likes to mix different pieces, materials and brands in his personal style. With hats and rings as signature traits, he dresses for comfort more than anything. @gentlemen_wear_daily

SARTORIAL FLAIR Ever since fashion came into existence, men across the globe have impressed millions of eyes by their immaculate sense of chic styling and grace. Signé selects a few such individuals who accentuate the pleasure of dressing up, allowing their sartorial flair and attitude to speak for them

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Guillaume Bo “Satisfied with anything because I am accustomed to little” Of French and Canadian decent, Guillaume is a Sartorial Consultant.

Aged 49, his sense of dressing falls into the ‘French Britalian Gentleman frame’ where he likes to mix all kinds of sartorial trends and influences, playing around with tones, colors and styles. @gui_bo

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SARTORIAL FLAIR

Danilo Carnevale “Some people dream about important things, others stay awake and do them” The 30 something style influencer, Danilo hails from Naples, Italy. Known for his acute sense of styling, keeping it clean, simple but refined in details and proportions, he has successfully established himself as one of the renowned menswear ambassadors around. @danilocarnevale

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Massimo Pirrone “Do well and put a lot of passion and dedication into your life” Founder of the eponymous tailoring brand PM Eleganza Milanese in Antwerp Belgium, Massimo works with some of the finest of Italian and British fabrics. Bringing his knowledge into his daily life, he believes in carrying a classic Italian timeless style with a slight modern twist in the fittings. @pirronemassimo

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SARTORIAL FLAIR

Antonio Turino “Style is not an innate ability but an art to everyone” With his mustache and beard expressing his quirky side, Antonio revisits classic men’s fashion through his personal style. Studying law and managing his family business by the side, he fancies working in the fashion industry one day. He describes his style as combining clothing and accessories in a harmonious, complex and an interesting way. @antonioturino

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Khaled Nasr “Life is a party, dress like it !”

Born in Egypt and based in Los Angeles, Khaled Nasr is a man of fine taste. Professionally, he is an entrepreneur, owning multiple businesses in fields like technology, imports and distributions.

He describes his style as classically influenced with a little bit of composed flair. @sartoriomertao

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ESSENTIALS

LASTING AROMA FOREVER OUD Surrender to the scent of roses in Forever Rose’s exclusive range of Forever Oud Fragrances. Inspiring passion and innovation, the brand’s latest offering is the world’s longest lasting fragrance. Made with pure first grade oud, the deep, spicy and exotic scent lasts up to nine hours on the skin and three weeks on clothes. Adam, the masculine men’s fragrance is a nod to the origin of man. Adam is derived from the finest Turkish roses, tamed by leather, and powered with a touch of the world’s finest oud essential oils. Designed to mix with the body’s natural phenomenon, the perfume creates an irresistible and a unique scent.

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NOBILITY BESTOWED COLONIA QUERCIA Acqua Di Parma’s Colonia Quercia oozes an irresistible and a powerful fragrance. Capturing the strength of a majestic tree, the fragrance encapsulates the eternal nature. In the olfactory development of this fragrance, the unmistakable citrus clarity of Colonia meets the scents of moss, the aromas of green and of light, which accompany a long walk in the woods. The fragrance is for those those who know how to recognize the true value of tradition, which remains beguiling and dynamic from generation to generation.

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HAU T E H O RO LO GY

THE CALIBRATED LEGACY The Jura-based company Richard Mille and the Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal, have joined hands once again to present the RM 35-02. The first piece to feature an automatic calibre in the collection, the timepiece coalesces the fruits of a constant quest for innovation with a unique design. Powered by the new RMAL1 calibre, the base plate and bridges in wet-sandblasted grade 5 titanium, which has been PVD/Titalyt® treated and stretched to ensure supreme rigidity and impeccably smooth surfaces. Its variable inertia balance wheel oscillates at 28,800 vph, and is driven by a double-barrel system for greater torque stability.

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IMPRESSIONS ON TIME Serving as a canvas for inspiration and creativity of the street artist Cyril Kongo, the RM 68-01 introduces contemporary art within the watchmaking industry. Creating history, the piece is defined as the ‘work of art for the wrist’. Richard Mille and Kongo succeeded in taking an art essentially associated with large-scale urban murals and translating it for the horological world of micromechanics and precision, thereby making a leap from city walls to bridges, baseplates and sapphire dials of watchmaking.

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FOR HER

A H O M E - M A K E R ’ S TA L E

A HOME-MAKER’S TALE

From being a hotel management graduate to one of the most sought after interior designers in the region, Lesley Zaal has carved a niche for herself independently. Encompassing the accepted aesthetics of luxury living, her brand Etcetera Living reflects her classic and elegant taste

Diksha Vohra The Zaal family has redefined the concept of luxury living through their magnificent large-scale venture Al Barari.

Working alongside the family business, Lesley Zaal was one who chose to expand further into her independent interiors business called Etcetera living. A hotel management graduate, Lesley took up interiors once her family had flown the nest. She takes us through her journey of pioneering the industry throewing light over her brand and some of her distinguished projects.

What made you enter the field of interior design? I have always loved interiors but I never thought of it as a profession. I have, in fact, studied hotel management. During the ‘70s in the UK, for a woman to get a management position in the hotel industry was absolutely unheard of. You could become a housekeeper or sit at the reception but positions like those of hotel managers and more were generally restricted only to men. I was not at all happy with this and after landing in another boring job, I moved to Bahrain for work. After 18 months I met my husband and my life changed completely. I moved to Dubai and settled into family life. Once my children grew up, I realized that I needed to do something to fill the gap. My friends kept asking me to pursue interiors because I loved it so much.

Their casual suggestions lingered in my mind, which brought me back to England to study interiors. After the completion of the course, I returned to Dubai and started my company ‘Etcetera Living’ in 2002. We started with three employees and now have close to 45.

especially when I visit countries in Asia including Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. They have some amazing artisans who craft unique pieces. I enjoy attending trade fairs too as I do get lots of creative ideas from there. Additionally, I send my team to shows in Milan, Paris and other parts of the world to explore the latest developments in interiors.

Your brand has a very unique name. What’s the story behind it? My team and I were brainstorming on a name and I wanted to do something related to haven and such words. Then suddenly there was this light-bulb moment where Etcetera Living came up. It could mean anything and it stays in your mind. Now people, both local and international, know about the brand. It’s been 14 years.

Which was the first project you worked on? It was a sofa for a young couple as far as I can recollect. We were so excited when we had delivered the piece, I can’t even explain.

However, the first real project of ours was in a house in Emirates Hills where we designed the master bedroom and living room. The client was Brazilian and very accommodating.

It was a lovely house to which we added some beautiful wallpapers and stunning embroidered silk curtains, with furniture from Italy.

Where do you get your ideas/inspirations?

I travel a lot and I buy whatever catches my eye,

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How involved are you with the villas at Al Barari? Being a Design Consultant at Al Barari, I have designed all the villas here.

However, since its family, my role is not only limited to being a design consultant. I have personally chosen the finishings for each of these including the tiles, taps, lighting and other wooden fittings – everything from A-Z.

Since you meet clients from different backgrounds, how do you manage to strike a balance between client requirements and your style instinct? The only way to do things right in such scenarios is being honest, which I try my best to be. I always tell my clients that when I design for you, I want people walking in to congratulate you on your amazing taste. On the other hand, I try my level best to incorporate their preferences in terms of colors they like and pieces they adore. If they have something in mind, I try to create

something similar which can do the magic. I also prefer communicating the budget requirements to the client well in advance. There are people who negotiate for a lesser cost and then compromise on quality, which I cannot do. For me, every place I design is a testimonial of my work and it would speak about me. I’d rather focus on bigger projects, which do come along quite often, wherein I am investing similar time, effort and thought, and create the best rather than compromising on the essentials.

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FOR HER

WHEN TEXTURE SPEAKS

WHEN TEXTURE SPEAKS

Inspired by her travel experiences, Lilian Afshar’s brand L’Afshar is all about adding an understated minimalistic touch to fashionable clutches. The regional designer sheds light over her journey, while describing some of her favorite signature box clutches

Diksha Vohra Classic, minimalistic and elegant are perhaps not enough to describe the beautiful L’Afshar clutches. Carrying a distinct style, showcasing unique textures that stand out in the crowd, Lilian’s designs are meant for those who let their accessories speak for themselves. Making a mark for herself in the global fashion industry, she enjoys playing around with different patterns and experiments with latest techniques only to deliver the finest quality of clutches. During her recent tenure with Design 971, Signé sat over a coffee with the talented designer, discussing the brand’s unique positioning and exploring some trending signature clutches.

You have had an extensive travel history. Where did you spend your childhood? Are you able to recollect your first fashion encounters? I was born in London in an Iranian family. I stayed there until I was 10 years old and then I moved to Vancouver for a year and then to Spain. The

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next stop on my route was Dubai, where I have been for the past 10 years and hope to continue living here for sometime. During my childhood, I used to take magazine clippings and make a collage out of them. I was also really fond of collecting buttons and I still have a huge collection of them stored somewhere. However, on a serious note, I always knew I wanted to study fashion and do something related to it as well. Fortunately, I ended up studying fashion designing and pattern making in Dubai and it was an unforgettable experience.

Since fashion includes a wide range of products, what made you choose clutches? It wasn’t a planned approach, it happened to me. I was supposed to prepare a prototype of a fashion product for which I chose to do accessories and in that I wanted to design a clutch. That was when I actually visited factories and saw how they were made.

The process inspired me to take it up but I

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wasn’t quite sure until I put up some pictures of the clutch on Instagram and people started showing interest. That’s when I decided to start my own brand and I produced the same clutch in three different colors and sizes.

I am now running the seventh season of my collections.

You have a very specific style of designing box clutches. What was the inspiration behind it? Textures for one have always impressed me and I wanted them to speak more than the shape. The box shape allows me to fully incorporate the texture between fixed lines so that they remain apparent and visible. My designs are very minimalistic and they carry a sense of comfort. If I were to work with any other shape, I feel it would distract my client’s attention from the texture. I tried working with a hexagon shaped clutch but that did not work out so I stuck to the original rectangular shape. It’s also very practical because you can

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WHEN TEXTURE SPEAKS

“ Textures for one have always impressed me and I wanted them to speak more than the shape.

The box shape allows me to fully incorporate the texture between fixed lines so that they remain apparent and visible.”

LILIAN AFSHAR

wear it during the day or night and with any kind of a dress.

What kind of a woman adorns your clutches? I design my clutches for someone who has a very distinct taste in fashion.

People, generally, do not understand the idea of clutches. They are more into leather products or handbags. So it’s for one who understands designs and lets her accessories do the talking more than her clothes.

What’s your personal style like? I prefer a minimalistic dressing style. I admire the style sense of Natasha Goldenberg. She mixes and matches things very beautifully. In terms of clutches, I only wear mine.

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Tell us about some of your signature creations… The first one is the Marble piece. The marble we use is resin and we make it in house. We take the resin in liquid form, mix colors into it and then hand swirl it to create the marble effect. This is available in black and yellow.

The second is the Crushed Ice piece. I had launched it in the second season and since then it has been very popular. I wanted to give the effect of a crushed ice, one that would shine in sunlight. This one is available in metallic silver, purple and green.

The third is the Classic White marble piece. I wanted to make this particular piece in white marble but the suppliers said it was not possible. So I used a lot of other materials

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to create the marble effect. After lots of trials, I finally got the marble look.

Designing is my passion and I always look forward to working on unique pieces, ones that my cleints can feel proud of owning.

Your clutches were on sale in a recent edition of Design 971, the pop-up boutique in The Dubai Mall? How was your experience? It’s been an amazing experience. Design 971 is a great concept, providing a public platform to so many growing regional designers. Emaar indeed has been very supportive in launching this initiative. It was great to showcase my collection with some of the finest designers the region has produced.

Design 971 is The Dubai Mall’s first pop-up boutique. Located in The Village, the unique indoor-outdoor streetscape within the mall, it is a platform dedicated to celebrating the work of local young designers.

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IN THE LAP OF NATURE Accompanying the renowned modern day explorer Mike Horn, Signé embarks on a journey through Namibia, driving across the forest trails and rugged terrains in the sophisticated, robust and indestructible Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mike Horn, the celebrated modern day explorer and environmentalist, is soon to embark on the most awaited expedition of recent times called Pole2Pole. Intending to travel through the north and the south poles, Mike will begin his journey from Namibia with the support of his sponsor, Mercedes-Benz.

Namibia is a Southern African country, large parts of which are protected nature reserves with incredible biodiversity. Its exotic locations, forest trails and natural environment make it the definitive location for off-road exploration. Signé accompanied Mike on an excursion, in his trusted off-road companion the Mercedes-Benz G-Class to experience the drive, the country, the nature and their culture in style. We take you through a visual recap of our adventure.

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POLE2POLE PLANNED ROUTE AND TIMELINE FOR POLE2POLE.

1. NAMIBIA - JUNE 2016 - 15 JULY 2016 2. BOTSWANA - 15TH JULY TO 15TH AUGUST 2016 3. SOUTH AFRICA - 15TH AUGUST TO MID-SEPTEMBER 2016 PREPARATION OF THE BOAT - SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2016 4. ANTARCTICA - 15TH OCTOBER 2016 TO FEBRUARY 2017 5. NEW ZEALAND - FEB - MARCH - APRIL 2017 6. AUSTRALIA - MAY - JUNE 2017 7. PAPUA NEW GUINEA - JULY - AUGUST 2017 8. INDIA - SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2017 9. BORNEO - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2017 10. INDONESIA - JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2018 11. KAMCHATKA - MARCH - APRIL 2018 12. ARCTIC OCEAN & GREENLAND - MAY - JUNE - AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2018

PHOTO : RICHARD THOMPSON III

RETURN BACK TO MONACO : TO BE DETERMINED

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A MANSION OF DESIRES

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A MANSION OF DESIRES A name reminiscent of racing, restaurants, nightlife and much more, Flavio Briatore needs no introduction.

The established founder of the ever-popular Billionaire brand brings the quintessence of nightlife to the UAE through the Billionaire Mansion

Diksha Vohra Taking the world of entertainment by a storm, Flavio Briatore is a man who has brought his classic tastes out in his work, be it through his Formula One racing team or through his nightclubs under the Billionaire tag. Making its first regional expansion, Flavio proudly brings his Billionaire brand to Dubai under the name Billionaire Mansion. Situated at the Taj Dubai, the nightclub is all set to become the region’s favorite lifestyle destination. Over an exclusive chat with Mr. Flavio Briatore, we discover the businessman side of himself, while hitting softly over the unique aspects of Billionaire.

Who, in your opinion, is Flavio Briatore? I consider myself a very easygoing person whose ultimate motive in life is to be happy. Happiness and satisfaction in what I do has been the driving factor behind all my decisions. I am an optimist and I have always lived like that. Be it when I was working under someone or independently, it has always been out of choice. I choose my friends and people whom I surround myself with. This is because I believe that life is too short to waste it with the wrong people or things that make you sad. I prefer living in my own world, undisturbed by externalities.

How would you describe Billionaire – the brand that you created? Is it an extension of your very flamboyant and dynamic personality? Not actually.

Billionaire is just a name that I had given to my first venture. Over a decade ago, mostly millionaires existed and were talked about so we coined the term ‘Billionaire’ to grant the imagination of a millionaire an extension. Now times have changed and you even have trillionaires but the glamor and sophistication attached with our brand was unique. We wanted to continue it and so we added multiple lines to it. Our first nightclub opened in Sardinia. At that time Sardinia was a holiday spot where people would go camping and would embark a 30m long boat to see millionaires partying as that was luxury then.

However, I wanted to change that perspective and make a sophisticated venue accessible to all, especially the young who had money and wanted to have a good time. My partner, then, did mention that the name was slightly arrogant but I still preferred going ahead with it as the name rings a bell and brings back a whole set of feelings associated with it.

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“ I wanted to change that perspective and make a sophisticated venue accessible to all, especially the young who had money and wanted to have a good time.”

F L AV I O B R R AT O R E

With multiple ventures across the world, how do you manage to stay on top of everything? How hands on are you with each of your other business ventures? I am someone who relies on my management, which thankfully, is very efficient and effective.

I prefer delegating duties and giving a chance to the younger staff to gain more experience in decision-making and take the lead. The idea behind it all is not to make profit but to empower employees and create satisfactory jobs for them. Once a system of accountability is established, I don’t interfere. However, the feedback report from the heads of each venture is something I need on a daily basis. Accordingly I take key decisions on changing the management or implementing any other necessary strategies. So I am always at work and constantly aware of what is happening where. Where people, for example, read the newspaper in the morning, I read our daily reports from each business. It hardly takes an hour and till 9am I am free. Then I look into other developments and ideas that I would potentially like to work on.

From restaurants to a lounge, a nightclub, a shisha café and a karaoke bar – the best of everything lies here. What was the vision behind coming up with a concept as grand as that? To understand this in more light, lets consider why do we call it Billionaire Mansion. So it’s a container inside a container filled with different elements that guarantee entertainment for people of every kind. We don’t want people traveling far to enjoy a variety of services so we created a place that could serve all in one. For example, the moment you arrive, you may like to have shisha and food on the terrace so you can go for that. We have also liaised with Sumosan, a very strong Japanese brand that helps us offer our discerning guests the best of Japanese cuisine in addition to our Italian offerings through the Billionaire Grill. Then we have a lounge disco where every night from 9pm to 1am we will be hosting live shows.

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In terms of your collaboration with Sumosan, what was the concept behind it? The idea was to present a unique blend of cultures to our clients. We have a similar concept in Monte Carlo as well. The entire concept of Sumosan with Billionaire Grill, disco, shisha, bar and terrace is all about bringing together different people from different walks of life and enjoying a unified culture. Since Japanese and Italian cuisines are very diverse, their combination presents a very interesting blend.

What’s next in store for Billionaire? We are planning to launch Billionaire in Las Vegas next year. We do make sure to open two to three new places every year to keep expanding at a sustainable rate. It takes time to train the staff and the moment we open another one, its time to plan another big launch. So it’s a chain, it keeps going on.

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AN UNCONVENTIONAL RISE In an era when jewelry was all about precious stones and colorless designs, de GRISOGONO crossed boundaries of conventional jewelry making, designing some of the most artistic, unique and beautiful pieces imaginable. In conversation with the founder Fawaz Gruosi, Signé uncovers the various facets of its creativity

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‘You have got to believe before you achieve’ is a saying that holds true for Fawaz Grousi who founded the much-loved and appreciated jewelry brand de GRISOGONO. Born in a decade where the world was slowly growing towards stability and development, Fawaz had a deep appreciation for and often dreamt of devoting his life to beauty. He was raised in Florence where the culture of the city, sense of taste and aesthetic, left a deep impact on his subconscience. Working his way to the very top echelons of fine jewelry, Fawaz talks us through the establishment of de GRISOGONO and how he changed the world’s outlook towards jewelry by introducing new trends and qualities.

The name de GRISOGONO is very unusual yet classic. What does it signify? Two of my associates and I had founded the brand in 1993. We knew we had to offer our clients exclusive works of art and precious jewelry but the biggest challenge was what to call it. The three of us wanted to give our own name to it and, of course, none of us accepted the names suggested by the other two members. Every option sounded quite Italian but not exactly what we were looking for. One of the associates then mentioned that her mom’s maiden name was Marquise de GRISOGONO and immediately it clicked. I liked it because it was a bit difficult to pronounce but it carried a sense of grace and sophistication. As destiny would have it, six months after we registered the brand, we all parted ways. My associates weren’t too pleased with my sense of creativity and thought process, and I ended up buying the entire company. Since then I have been running it along with my efficient team.

Your designs have never followed the norms of the industry. Why was that? I don’t have a specific reason for this except that I loved doing what I liked. Fashion jewelry, to me, is not limited to the use of certain stones and designs but are an expression of your creativity, and creativity has no boundaries. I established a unique concept because there was no choice. At that time we were all surrounded by big brands, cash marketing, advertising and jewelry in gold or precious stones. People preferred designing and adorning minimalistic jewelry and were quite against bold designs. I was in for bold, colorful designs, which the retailers did not approve of but the clients liked. They welcomed the change and here we are. For me, it was not about making money or becoming rich but to follow my passions and do something I genuinely believed in.

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affected the initial reluctance but slowly it all got sorted. By far, however, our black diamonds have gained major popularity, which I personally have diversified in different ways. On the contrary, I was also amongst the first people who used actresses or models in advertisements, which is the trend now. So overall I believe that its important to make a start and sometimes it has to be you. If you know what you are doing is good, sooner or later people will accept it and carry on the trend.

Before 1993, the year of the establishment of de GRISOGONO, what were you doing and what made you feel that its time to start a full fledged jewelry business?

I was 18 when I first started working and luckily my first job was also in the jewelry industry. I had worked with three companies altogether before launching my own brand. When I entered, I knew nothing about jewelry but during my first job in Florence, I actually got to learn about the manufacturing process and how jewelry was handmade. Then I moved to London for a while where I served as the Managing Director of the same company. Much later, I came across an offer I could not refuse, not because of the attractive package but because I loved the brand – Harry Winston. They were the kings of jewelry then and working with them was like a dream come true. They had the best market in the world where even on the worst days we would make half a million dollars a day. The lifestyle, however, was very monotonous, as all I did were lunches, dinners, travel, while catering to different jewelry demands of our affluent clients. I had lost touch with reality and the world that existed beyond. Hence, I quit.

Then I worked with Bulgari for a bit, which was when I decided to do something different and then I launched de GRISOGONO.

Coming to your collections, do you design each collection still or does a team work on it? Take us through it all. Mostly when I have an idea, we implement it. At the very beginning, I used to do it all myself but in my opinion, I wasn’t a good designer. I used to sketch like a child. However, now we have a team of designers that work on my idea. So I communicate my ideas to them, for example I might want to do something inspired from water or nature around and I tell them exactly what I want to portray. Then they develop designs based on my ideas and I take a look at them. If I do feel the need to, I make some modifications and then it goes into the production department.

There is definitely an amount of risk involved in introducing new stones and design trends. Were you ever perturbed by the fear of it not working out? Or was it that the risk wasn’t too big then since you were just formally starting it all yourself? Yes there was an element of risk but then I really didn’t have an option because everyone around me was doing the same thing.

White diamonds, sapphires, rubies, white gold and yellow gold were in fashion. If I did what everyone was doing, I wouldn’t end up anywhere.

Then I chose a goal that wasn’t ever seen before in the fashion industry.

I started working with pink gold, which back then was considered a very poor quality of gold. I designed big and precious jewelry with it, something that the market had never come across. It wasn’t an instant hit but people got used to it overtime and gradually developed a liking for it. There is also an initial fear of trying new things that might have

What does jewelry mean to you? I love jewelry. If I was born again, I would definitely want to be a woman and my husband would go bankrupt. There is an essence in jewelry; it’s a bundle of emotions and pleasure. It was, is and always will be my passion. To me, a well-crafted piece of jewelry is a precious possession to be passed down from mother to daughter, generation to generation. In each precious creation, there should always be a classic component and a contemporary touch, and the perfect balance between these two elements is what makes a timeless jewel. I believe in an absolute dedication to perfection and innovation, no expenses spared or compromises considered – a true “haute-couture” craftsmanship. I have strived to keep the same philosophy in mind since day one. It is a constant quest for excellence as the finest artisans work at the highest level of their expertise in our in-house Geneva jewelry atelier.

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DRIVING EXCLUSIVITY Lamborghini’s largest showroom yet has found a home in Dubai. Owned and operated

by Al Jaziri Motors, the UAE’s sole Lamborghini dealer, the showroom stands for everything superlative that the Italian super sports car brand represents — from exclusivity and luxury right up to the passion of a Lamborghini owner

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It’s hard to miss the Lamborghini showroom when you drive past Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road. Operated and owned by Al Jaziri Motors, it is the world’s largest Lamborghini showroom spread across 30,000 sq ft. The showroom looms on the skyline like a distinctive landmark, thanks to its very contemporary glass exterior swathed in Lamborghini’s iconic colours. Aerodynamic design — reflecting Italy’s most famous super sports car brand — prevails across the three sprawling levels of the showroom.

Al Jaziri Motors, the sole representative of Lamborghini in the UAE, certainly knows how to make its customers feel as exclusive as the product that they are buying into.

Lamborghini, as an Italian brand and manufacturer of the eponymous luxury super sports cars, was born in 1963, when the Italian manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini founded the company to produce a refined version of a grand touring car. Today, the brand remains a symbol of exclusivity, thanks to its promise to deliver on speed, top-notch engineering, sleek design, special editions, lightweight construction and countless other superlatives. The Italian automaker has pushed the boundaries on every front so much so that it continues to lead in engineering, technology and design.

Badr Al Jaziri and his brother Abd Al Rahman Al Jaziri, who own Al Jaziri Motors, have loved cars for as long as they can remember. They were always fascinated by a car’s speed and power since their childhood.

In fact, it was their interest in luxury and sports cars that really pushed them to the level of owning their own dealership. Al Jaziri Motors began as a company called German Cars in 1985, when the brothers started selling

pre-owned cars across a range of high-end brands including Lamborghini, Ferrari and Aston Martin. Soon enough their focus shifted to Lamborghini because of the brothers’ sheer love for the Italian sports car brand. “It was a part of our history, childhood and beliefs, and when you believe in something, you do your best to sell it,” says Badr Al Jaziri, General Manager at Al Jaziri. In fact, in 1988, when Lamborghini approached them to sign an agreement to take on an exclusive dealership for the brand in the whole of the Middle East, it wasn’t long before the brothers took up the offer. It was only in 2002 that the company changed its name to Al Jaziri Motors.

According to Ahmad Darrang, Al Jaziri’s Marketing Manager, “Al Jaziri, as only a few know, is one of the oldest dealers of automotives in the region. So we are now

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building a profile to showcase the history of Al Jaziri. The brand has served Lamborghini starting from the 1980s. It has lived in the global market situation, witnessed the rising and falling of brands, and more. Lamborghini is one brand that it maintains its focus on.”

Darrang, who worked with different brands in the luxury automotive sector before he joined Al Jaziri, says that working to sell the Italian luxury car brand was like a dream come true.

“It’s one of the few exotic sports cars left. A lot of brands have changed their approach but Lamborghini continues to maintain its exotic factor. Working with them is a privilege for me,” he says.

That Al Jaziri deals exclusively in Lamborghinis is understandable. After all, so exclusive is a Lamborghini that it isn’t an everyday affair to see one on the streets.

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Ironically, this exclusivity, says Darrang, is an intentional move. “The demand is high, and dealerships know that there are only so many Lamborghinis they can expect to be allocated by the company.” This exclusivity also has much to do with the loyal lot of Lamborghini customers. “When a person chooses Lamborghini, he chooses the best, the top of the range,” says Al Jaziri’s Brand Manager, Basel Alkhatib. “Of course, a Lamborghini customer knows that he’s going in for a sports car, so he’s not expecting four-door cars or a family car. He expects the car to make him unique on the streets.” Darrang echoes this, saying, “A Lamborghini is not meant for everyone, but for people who are looking to stand out in a crowd. Our exclusivity is something that we’re proud of.”

Lamborghini’s Dubai showroom has recently opened. However, everyone knows about its presence. A select few were invited a few months ago for a preview of the Italian carmaker’s new cars. “They loved it because they experienced this showroom before anyone else. The showroom has been built to showcase the design of Lamborghini and the passion of the owners,” says Darrang,

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stressing on the importance of giving back the same amount of loyalty that their clients display for the brand. Customers have access to Lamborghini models on display at the showroom, besides being presented with a selection of select pre-owned cars.

Building on the familiar idea that “less is more”, the showroom’s structure reflects and emphasises the spirit of the brand.

Designed by the reputed Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, the architecture of the building draws inspiration from the ultimate style and supreme performance associated with Lamborghini. Its external glass façade is suspended by steel cables, while the brand’s iconic colours in black and yellow dominate the exterior. The entire structure builds on the aerodynamic design of a Lamborghini based on curvilinear lines, transparent glass, black surfaces and yellow brilliant lines.

Inside, the modern design reflects the brand’s cutting-edge and visionary philosophy, yet again resonating with the Lamborghini customer.

It is also of interest to know that the Lamborghini owners’ club was officially launched in Dubai in March 2015 as a means

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to organise events and activities surrounding the iconic super sports car. The club that currently has around 60-80 members was founded by Lamborghini owners themselves and has been operational, although unofficially, for some time, says Darrang. “We are not directly managing them as of now.

They create activities, events and much more, are independently funded. We do support them from time to time when they carry out big activations.”

A look at Al Jaziri’s annual sales is enough to seal the fact that UAE is an important market for Lamborghini. “The showroom mainly caters to the regional customers but we do receive a lot of cars in our service centre and we welcome them because they are, after all, Lamborghinis,” informs Darrang, adding that customers have long awaited a venue that would be equal to their passion for the brand. “The showroom is the largest in the world,” says Alkhatib. “First of all, it’s Lamborghini in Dubai. Here, you have the tallest building in the world — the city has the biggest, the widest, the best and the most beautiful. So it only made sense to have the biggest Lamborghini showroom here.

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THE CUSTOMIZED LEAGUE Fascinated by the inner workings of automotive devices at an early age, Tarhan Telli explores the world of creativity by designing customized automotives through his revered brand TT Motors

Diksha Vohra

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At the mere age of six, one boy started upgrading his toy car engines to increase their speed. This could be nothing less than a child prodigy. Born in Turkey, Tarhan built his first motorcycle from scratch when he was 16 years old, and that’s how the brand ‘TT’ was born. Named after his initials, the brand is a manifestation of everything Tarhan did or anticipates doing, keeping ‘personalization’ in focus. In a candid conversation with Signé, Tarhan deliberates on what distinguishes his brand from the rest, his entry into the F&B industry and his newly opened showroom in Dubai.

You have recently opened your biggest showroom in Dubai. Why Dubai?

This showroom opened just a few months ago and it is actually my dream factory. We are established the US, Miami, Los Angeles, Moscow, Germany, Monte-Carlo and now we are here. I wanted to create a bridge between the east and the west, which is another reason why I chose Dubai. The city is also located in the centre of the Gulf where all regional players come, who are our target clients too. Since one chord leads to another, the circle continues to get bigger. This showroom is 3,000 square meters, spread across different levels. We manufacture everything here, from bikes to yachts to cars. This is where the world of customization melts to form an organization.

Since you were inclined towards automotives in your childhood, did you pursue formal automotive education at all? Yes I did. I started practicing my skills in Turkey itself, which is where I launched my first bike. Later, I pursued my education in design and mechanical manufacturing in the US. Then I returned to Istanbul and launched my first factory there. Starting something on my own under my name was like a dream come true.

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Today we find a lot of automotive makers around. What positions you in a different league altogether? The fact that we produce automovies that represent you, your likings and your ideologies is what positions us uniquely. If you look at some of the big brands in the market, you would notice their homogenous products.

You might own one car of a particular brand today but tomorrow you would come across someone purchasing the exact same car. However, none of our two models are ever the same. We custom design an automotive down to the last bit, so that your desires get a tangible shape. I understand that my prices are higher, but that’s the point. You are paying for something only you would own, and no one else.

Following the claim made above, how difficult was it to convince your clients to invest in your automotives? It definitely was challenging but today people are more open towards the concept of customization than they were previously. The logic is easy.

Other brands in the market incorporate their ideas into their creations.

But we focus on incorporating your passion into the product. The entire game is different. There are no robots working on your products, everything is handmade. When I sit with my clients, I enquire about their lifestyle, their preferences and what they really have in mind. It is ultimately your vision and it deserves the attention that any regular brand would not be able to provide.

You were basically into bikes. What made you start designing cars? It was not a planned move as such. One day one of the Hollywood Film Studios approached me to design a car for their upcoming movie.

Even though I had learnt how to design cars too, I had never done one before. I, however, took up the challenge and started sketching the car.

Factually, Hollywood Film Studios had never used an actual car before.

They would use toy cars but this time it was going to be a real car. On seeing the sketch itself, they were awestruck and immediately finalized

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the design. Since then I started designing cars for other movies and individual clients too.

By far, which has been your most unusual creation? A while ago I had designed a 110m long boat which had four decks. Also worth a mention would be two helicopters that I had designed. Each of these has been challenging for me but ultimately its what I love. Designing does not have a limit and that is the idea we foster at TT Motors. If you want to customize your house too, we are here. From interiors to engines, if its about customization, we do it all.

Unlike cars, bike riding is a passionate skill only possessed by a few. How are your clients connected with each other?

Do you take any special initiatives to bring them together once in a while? So far I have designed and sold close to 600 bikes worldwide. From celebrities to Basket Ball players to Formula 1 race drivers, my clients are spread across different fields. However, one important characteristic of each of my client is the absence of ego. If you feel you have money and that is why you need a customized product, that’s not how it works. I design for those who have a vision they have cherished for a long time and want to see it taking a real shape. This key factor distinguishes my clients from the rest and also connects them with each other. We are all members of the TT brotherhood and we are more like friends. For example, if I am visiting Moscow, I will just message on the group chat and if anyone wants to join me there, they are most welcome.

Are you a collector of cars or bikes yourself? I wouldn’t say I am a collector because I own close to 99 cars, which I have designed.

However, these are not for sale but if someone is really passionate about buying them, then you never know. I am a designer by profession so I keep designing. I don’t collect works of other artists though.

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T R A N Q U I L I T Y U N D E R W AT E R

TRANQUILITY UNDERWATER Allowing one to witness the evolution of forests underwater, Vivek Vijayan brings the essence of Aquascaping into your homes. With the aquascape growing and transforming itself every passing moment, each day brings a sense of new along with it

Diksha Vohra Trekking a forest trail in a far off land and breathing in fresh air mixed with the fragrance of flowers and leaves is how most of us envisage connecting with nature to be like. The fact is that most of us, caged in the technologically dominant society, hardly ever connect with nature for a day longer than a vacation. Driven by his love for nature, Vivek Vijayan realized the confines of the rat race and set out to propagate the refined art of Aquascaping into the region. Through his venture Zenqua Scapes, he has created larger than life aquatic art installations, bringing individuals closer to underwater forests within the confines of their own homes. Signé catches up with Vivek to discuss the growing trend of Aquascaping and the reasons for its growing demand in the region.

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Aquascaping – The Origins While real underwater forest-like ecosystems have been around since the beginning of creation, the art of Aquascaping is only two decades old. Founded by Japanese nature artist Takashi Amano while observing the behavior of plants underwater, Aquascaping is about creating real, growing forests underwater, accompanied by different species of aquatic animals.

Takashi who had no professional design or artistic schooling was actually a professional track cyclist, who devoted much of the $1.6 million he won in 1,078 races over a 17 year career in cycling into his twin obsessions of photography and aquariums. Obsessed with photographing nature underwater, Takashi went on to research and educate himself on the delicate chemical balance required to sustain flora within a controlled environment such as an aquarium. His eureka moment happened after he emptied a soda can into an installation and found the plants within the aquarium actually flourishing.

A choice in time Generally, not many people take up aquatic installations as a profession but practice it as hobbyists alongside their day jobs. A lot of hobbyists start off by focusing more on the fauna and less on the balance between the natural elements existing within the aquatic installation.

Aquascaping is largely centered on the delicate balance between flora and fauna inside a submerged ecosystem and the various elements that need to be managed to keep that fragile ecosystem going. Vivek started off as an individual immersed in the nine to five corporate world of

information technology. Always fascinated by nature, he started off with small-scale aquatic installation for himself as a hobbyist focusing more on the visual aspect of underwater rainforest plants. He then transitioned into medium format aquatic installations in 2010 and, realized what it was that he had been immersed in after accidentally reading a book by Takashi Amano in 2014. By then he had been an accidental Aquatic gardener for more than five years and already quite an expert at it.

Past that point, he started venturing out and implementing the art on a larger level, working with individuals who understood the ambitious nature of these aquatic installations. When word got out about his installations at various residential and commercial spaces, he experienced a surge in demand for his services, prompting Vivek’s move into Aquascaping on a full time basis.

More than an Aquarium Often people misunderstand Aquascaping to be just about building fancy aquariums centered on fishes. An Aquascape is an underwater ecosystem built around certain guiding principles. The major differentiation factor is the emphasis on the overall composition and balance of the environment with sustainability being a core challenge.

Flora plays a major role in the determination of an aquascape. Despite similar lighting and environment, two plants will never grow in a similar fashion because nature is unpredictable. Therefore each aquascape is unique and there can only be one scape of a kind. Fauna and fish are one of many elements playing the secondary role in an aquascape.

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The process of creation The process of ‘growing’ an aquascape requires a lot of planning, physical effort and patience. The raw materials are usually imported from various parts of the world, and some materials are sourced through local distributors. Plants used in aquascapes are tissue culture plants, which are sourced from Thailand or the Far East, and the drift wood elements are sourced from Indonesia or, depending on the requirement, even the Amazonas. The placement, however, is what requires most research as various plants and fishes have a varied pH requirement.

Taking all of the above into consideration, a gradual introduction plan is created bringing in various elements into the environment in phases.

Depending on the complexity of the installation, an Aquascape can take anywhere from a few week to a few months to materialize.

A technical challenge There are many technical challenges to the creation of an aquascape.

Lighting is one of these key technical elements that play a part in the sustainability of the ecosystem. Zenqua employs very complex lighting system to complement their installation. Some of these very high-end systems mimic the behavior of natural light in nature, wherein the brightness, UV wavelength and the heat output is calibrated through the day keeping the depth of the installation in mind. There are separate technical systems that monitor and manage the chemical composition of the ecosystem such as pH, carbon and nitrogen levels. Additionally there are many structural requirements that need to be addressed prior

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to starting the installation because aquascapes can weigh up-to two tons once finished. The technical aspect of an aquascape requires as much, if not more, planning than the visual and aesthetic part of it.

The art of customization Vivek under the banner of Zenqua Scapes has established an artistic approach to aquascapes. Meant for spreading calmness and harmony, each scape is a truly personalized installation designed according to the client’s personality. After having successfully mastered the scientific challenges to creating a sustainable ecosystem, Vivek decided to move on and make aquascapes a means for personal expression. For his clients, their installations are simply a living portrait, an aquatic representation of who they are. A lot of attention is paid to seemingly irrelevant details before finalizing a scape concept - individual’s or family’s likes and dislikes, zodiac signs, the colors they like and much more to get an idea of their personality. The next task on the list is to understand how these details come together and eventually what kind of a scape would suit the client’s needs. While some clients may want it all neat, clean and aesthetically pleasing, some might want to see a variety of plants growing in. All these details start adding features to the aquatic portrait that eventually gets presented as a concept – an artistic rendering that showcases how their portrait would look once it has grown in and is ready. For most clients the journey of working with Vivek on the aquascape concept creation is a highly therapeutic process and one that serves as a journey of self-awareness.

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THROUGH THE AGES

A FUTURISTIC RIDE

Incorporating the finest and most advanced techniques, Harley-Davidson has long been known for producing some of the most impeccable bikes the world has seen. More than a century old American brand, however, has come a long way with a story that yearns to be told In the year 1903, when people across the globe were beginning to get used to technological innovations, the 21-year old William S.Harley and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson worked on their first motor-bicycle. It was finally in 1904 that the first HarleyDavidson motorcycle appeared in public and stood fourth at the State Fair Park Race. Since then, the vision of both the founders only took the brand ahead, racing against time. Signé takes a look at some of their milestone achievements during the last century.

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1903

The first move

The factory in which they worked was a 10 x 15-foot wooden shed with the words “Harley-Davidson Motor Company” crudely scrawled on the door. After the debut of its first bike, Henry Meyer of Milwaukee, a schoolyard pal of Harley and Davidson bought one of the first models directly from the founders.

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THROUGH THE AGES

1910

Recognition begins The famed “Bar & Shield” logo was used for the first time. It was trademarked at the U.S. Patent office one year later.

1917

An opening for good During this year, roughly one-third of all Harley-Davidson motorcycles produced were sold to the U.S. military. The Quartermasters School, a department of Harley-Davidson devoted to training military mechanics on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, opened for business in July.

It later became the Service School.

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1921 And they expand

The first 74 cubic inch V-twin engine was introduced on the JD and FD models. Harley-Davidson dealerships were now found in sixty-seven countries.

1929

The flathead introduced The 45 cubic inch V-twin engine (later to be known as the “flathead”) was introduced on the D model. The engine proved to be so reliable that variations of it were available on HarleyDavidson motorcycles as late as 1972.

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THROUGH THE AGES

1933

1936

Design spree

An art-deco “eagle” design was painted on all gas tanks. This marked the beginning of graphic designs on Harley-Davidson motorcycles. This styling decision was made in part to stimulate the low sales numbers caused by the Great Depression.

The legacy continues Harley-Davidson introduced the EL, an overhead valve, 61 cubic inch powered bike. With increased horsepower and bold styling changes, the motorcycle quickly earned the nickname of “Knucklehead,” due to the shape of its rocker boxes. The same year, the Motor Company introduced an 80 cubic inch side valve engine.

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1946

The best racing motorcycle built Harley-Davidson introduced the 45 cubic inch flathead WR racing motorcycle.

It proved to be one of the best racing motorcycles ever built.

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1953 Golden jubilee

Harley-Davidson celebrated its 50th Anniversary in style. An attractive logo was created, depicting a “V” in honor of the engine which had brought the company so far, with a bar overlaid reading “Harley-Davidson” and the words, above and below, “50 years--American made.”

1957

Sportster – the Superbike The motorcycling public met a new motorcycle called the Sportster®.

It premiered as a 55 cubic inch overhead valve engine, and within one year of its debut, became known as the first of the “Superbikes.”

Another Harley-Davidson tradition and legend was born.

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1965 Moving forward

The Electra-Glide replaced the Duo-Glide and was updated with electric starter. The Electra-Glide was the first FL available with electric start, and the Sportster line received electric starters soon after.

1971

The cruiser was born

In response to the customizing craze, Harley-Davidson introduced the FX 1200 Super Glide, which combined a sporty front end with the frame and powertrain of the FL series. A new class of motorcycle, the cruiser, was born.

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THROUGH THE AGES

1980

Customization galore In honor of the historic Sturgis motorcycle rally, Harley-Daivdson releases the FXB Sturgis model, employing belt drive, black chrome appointments and 80 cubic inch engine.

1996

Designing goes beyond

A new, state-of-the-art Parts and Accessories Distribution Center opened in Franklin. By the beginning of 1997, all inventory was moved from the original warehouse at Juneau Avenue to the new 250,000-sq.-ft. facility.

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2010 Reminiscence of the past

The XL Forty-Eight was introduced, recalling the raw, custom Sportsters of earlier days.

2013

Designing goes beyond Over 7,000 Harley-Davidson customers, dealers and employees from around the world rolled through downtown Milwaukee to celebrate the brand’s 110th Anniversary. Parker Anderson from Appleton wore the prestigious ‘Freedom Jacket’ at the event, honoring freedom, selfexpression and adventure.

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L A D O L C E V I TA

WITH HIGH SPIRITS

WITH HIGH SPIRITS Bearing witness to its unfailing attachment to golf, the Swiss Haute Horlogerie Manufacture Audemars Piguet has chosen to focus on this passion by effectively building one of the world’s finest team of golf Ambassadors Within each golfer beats the heart of a watchmaker. Self-control, meticulous time management, love for perfection: whether on the green pitch or in the universe of Haute Horlogerie, it is always a question of precision and elegance, the beauty of both gesture and performance.

Audemars Piguet started its association

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with golf by welcoming Sir Nick Faldo as its first ever ambassador in 1989. It has since assembled a veritable Dream Team of golf Ambassadors who combine 172 international victories to date. They embody the brand’s philosophy “To break the rules, you must first master them”. The Swiss watchmaker’s presence in the golfing world continues to

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grow with the addition of young talented players to its “Dream team”.

Henrik Stenson leads the Audemars Piguet Dream Team of golf ambassadors.

He consolidated his place as the bestranked Audemars Piguet Golf Ambassador worldwide, with a victory at the BMW International Open in Germany. He has now

reached the world number 5th place. Since 2014, Henrik Stenson wears a steel Royal Oak Offshore chronograph.

At 28, Danny Willett symbolizes the revival of British golf. Since winning his first tournament on the European Tour in 2012 at the BMW International Open he has upped his game and refined his style by combining controlled power and great technique.

This elegant young man demonstrated a whole array of his talents while winning the South African Nedbank Golf Challenge in December 2014, which opened the doors of the Top 50 World Ranking for him. After that, he secured the third position at the WGC Matchplay in San Francisco in April 2015. In April 2016, Danny Willett won his first Major Championship victory at Augusta National by a 3-shot lead over Lee Westwood, also a member of Audemars Piguet’s golf “Dream Team” Endowed with a free, independent spirit, Ian Poulter is known for his highly personal sense of refinement and makes a consistently strong impression on all who meet him.

The Audemars Piguet golf Ambassador and mechanics enthusiast is also famous for his attention to detail and perfectionism. Certain golfers will mark history. Lee Westwood

is among them. Consistently excellent, this Englishman has been victorious on every continent on the globe, building his exceptional career step by step. Lee was elected Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, 2009 and enjoyed the ultimate honor of becoming No 1 in the world at the end of 2010.

Darren Clarke has been a professional for more than 20 years. This Northern Irishman with a strong personality has won dozens of tournaments throughout his career, including The Open Championship in 2011 and four Ryder Cups with the European team. For the next Ryder Cup, taking place in September 2016 in the US, Darren has been appointed European team’s Captain.

In the Audemars Piguet family of golf ambassadors since January 2015, Bernd Wiesberger’s powerful style, easy manner and dedication have helped him make spectacular progress. Since 2014, he started making history for his country and became the first Austrian golfer to take part in all four Majors.

A watchmaking enthusiast from a very early age, Bernd embraces without a doubt Audemars Piguet’s brand philosophy “To break the rules, you must first master them”.

Emiliano Grillo, the 23-year old talented Argentinian has won his first PGA Tour

tournament in October 2015 in his first participation and is widely tipped to add more in the near future. Furthermore, Byeong “Ben” Hun AN was named 2015 Rookie of the Year by the European Tour after winning the prestigious BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May last year. He is 24 and comes from Korea.

Victor Dubuisson has been known for his style, audacity and great strength of character.

He is undoubtedly one of the most talented golfers of his generation. Two years after emerging on the international golf scene with his first European Tour win at the Turkish Airlines Open, he repeated the feat to claim the same tournament in November 2015.

Since 2013, Audemars Piguet is proud to be hosting Golf Invitationals around the world, as part of their international series of private events. Featuring the Dream Team of Audemars Piguet’s world famous golf ambassadors, these private events give specially invited guests from around the world a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the day with several of the sport’s greatest champions. The parallels between golfing and watchmaking are clear: both are arts of precision and require dedication and a relentless drive for pushing boundaries.

All current ambassadors are listed on Audemars Piguet’s corporate website www.audemarspiguet.com/en/explore

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C O A S TA L C H I C

COASTAL CHIC The seaside town of Monte Carlo represents the carefree charm of the French Riviera, a stay at luxurious hotels owned by the Monte-Carlo Société des Bain de Mer only intensifies its reputation as a getaway marked by understated grandiosity, opulence and elegance

Beverly Pereira Monte Carlo and its extravagance, glamour and relaxed charm has long been the second home of the well-heeled. Perched on an escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the idyllic French Riviera, this seaside resort represents a certain ‘joie de vivre’.

Whether it’s the luxury of unwinding on its chic beaches, spending time going sailing, exploring historic landmarks, or shopping the big names in fashion, the sophisticated charm associated with Monte Carlo in its hey-day remain untouched even today. The Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, for example, is a luxurious hotel that overlooks the Mediterranean coast. With a storied history, it best epitomises the tranquil, exclusive and luxurious way of life that Monte Carlo remains known for. The sprawling Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort deserves

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equal praise for its timeless interiors, top-notch culinary offerings and countless leisure and wellbeing spaces. Even the Monte-Carlo Beach Relais & Châteaux hotel comes highly recommended, thanks to its restaurant Elsa — helmed by Michelin-star Chef Paolo Sari — and the hotel’s effortless ability to make guests feel the true spirit and charm of being on the Côte d’Azur.

History comes alive once you step foot in the Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo. Its opulent halls, rooms and suites reflect the beautiful, carefree spirit of the Belle Époque. Understated luxury and timeless design reflect in its décor, acting like both a throwback to history and as a leisurely step that’s well in line with contemporary times. Pierre-Yves Rochon renovated its hundreds of rooms and suites, and it’s apparent

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Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort

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C O A S TA L C H I C

Perched on an escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the idyllic French Riviera, this seaside resort represents a certain ‘joie de vivre’.

Hôtel Hermitage - Sea view

that he took great care to make the sea view and an abundance of sunlight visible from each one of the hotel’s colour-coded five wings.

There is a noticeable sensation of spaciousness, of being in the great wide open, and of a bright, warm and intimate ambience.

The ultra-luxurious Diamond Suites, the 12 jewels in Hotel Hermitage’s crown, overlook the Mediterranean Sea. One of these distinguished suites is the Penthouse Diamond Suite on the top floor of the Excelsior wing. This spacious apartment comes with three bedrooms, living rooms and bathrooms, two dressing rooms, a children’s playroom, and two terraces that command a 360-degree view of the port of Monaco. Tastefully decorated in tones of taupe, aubergine and gold, this suite is the pinnacle of luxury. Yet another one of the hotel’s luxurious suites is the Diamond Duplex Suite — a sea-facing rooftop apartment equipped with a solarium and Jacuzzi, and infused with touches of white complemented by a glass staircase.

Needless to say, rooms at the Hotel Hermitage — replete with luxurious bathrooms and plenty of art on display — and are no less grand.

Owned by the Monte-Carlo Société des Bain de Mer, the history of this hotel is worth delving into. At the dawn of the 20th century, Monegasque architect Jean Marquet built the hotel, positioning it as an upscale property with a neo-classical edifice among rows of orange and

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olive trees abundant in the region. Designers and artists were roped into give the hotel a unique feel, and the hotel’s restaurant Belle Époque fast became a symbol of opulence.

Today, after years of meticulous restoration and renovation, the hotel is just as grand.

The spectacular Winter Garden, a dome-like structure with its iconic stained-glass roof designed by the renowned Gustave Eiffel, architect of the Eiffel Tower, is a living testament to the hotel’s grandeur.

Its culinary hotspots include the Michelin-starred Le Vistamar with Chef Joël Garault at its helm. Having lived his entire childhood in the cradle of French gastronomy and spent most of his formative years devoted to the culinary arts, Garault’s skill is peerless.

A staunch believer in sustainable fishing, his cuisine sublimates locally sourced fish, but he takes just as much care to choose his vegetables, fruits, herbs and other local produce at Monaco’s Condamine market.

What results is sheer magic on a plate that represents seasonal colours.

The Limún bar, not far from the hotel’s lobby, is an intimate space adorned in fresh pastel hues reminiscent of citrus fruits. From a delicious high tea in the afternoon right up to evening cocktails served with amuse-bouches, this restaurant is a favourite with regulars. Drinks after dinner and a cigar, though, are best enjoyed at Le Crystal Bar, a sophisticated space that also accommodates a beautiful sea-facing terrace. Breakfast is served at the stunning Winter Garden, making mornings in Monte-Carlo a much-awaited affair.

The Hotel Hermitage offers private access to the legendary Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, a hub of health and wellness that blends high technology with a sense of serenity. This spacious haven of wellbeing not only offers a wellness space and spa, but also a beauty salon, hair salon, boutique and health restaurant. On treatment days, guests can avail of the state-of—the-art aqua fitness area that comprises a warm seawater pool, a panoramic sea view fitness room and an aqua gym lesson with a

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Hôtel Hermitage - Lobby Eiffel

coach, besides enjoying the sentorium, solarium, hammam and Jacuzzi.

Whether one’s focus is on anti-ageing, deep relaxation or even losing a bit of weight, this iconic spa bathed in light, pristine whites and natural mahogany makes it all possible. At L’Hirondelle, the health restaurant at the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, eating healthy becomes that much easier, thanks to its culinary expert Chef Jean-Claude Brugel who uses his experience, skills and knowledge to put together scrumptious yet light and healthy meals of around 500kcal per menu. As you enjoy a delicious and balanced meal on the restaurant’s terrace, views of the Port and the famous Rock come to the fore.

If you happen to be travelling with the children in tow, a stay at the Hotel Hermitage would be your best bet. Not only does the hotel offer a wide range of activities to keep children busy, they also elevate children to the status of V.I.Ks (Very Important Kids)! The programme includes a bunch of add-ons for children, including a welcome kit of chocolate lollipops, juice and a colouring book. The hotel takes this programme seriously, catering to every whim and fancy of their young guests. Personalised bathrobes and baby bibs, a Gustav teddy bear, access to the game room and Marmorata Kid’s Club are just a few of the privileges that let children feel just as important as their parents.

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A TA B L E O F A R T

A TABLE OF ART Exploring the tastes and the culinary sanctity of traditional Indian cuisine from across the country, Vikas Khanna gears up to launch his Museum of Kitchen Arts in India. He speaks to Signé on what cooking means to him

Diksha Vohra Food is an art, as many believe but for Michelin Star Chef – Vikas Khanna, it’s a holistic process. Born in Amritsar, Punjab, the chef credits his grandmother for inculcating the passion for cooking in him.

Vikas, however, had a different mission to accomplish, which was far beyond the walls of his kitchen. He wanted to explore the culinary offerings of various distinct cultures present in every corner of India and showcase the greatness of it to the entire world. The brains behind the renowned restaurant chain – Junoon – is now preparing for the biggest and most challenging project of his, the Museum of Kitchen Arts. In an exclusive chat with us, he discusses how his inherent passion took shape and went far beyond his imagination.

It all began when… I was 17 years old.

I wanted to become a farmer back then.

However, we were undergoing some financial issues during which I thought it would be good to start a business. I took upon the challenge with great enthusiasm thinking my grandmother would cook and I would handle the commercial side of it. The reality, however, was quite different since cooking for family and cooking for clients were not quite similar. My experience, though, made

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me realize that cooking requires generosity, not in terms of money but heart. I still think that their generation was more generous with their hearts and minds, and kitchens too were open. They were real roses, the fragrance of which had spread all over. We are fabricated individuals. They were real Indians.

everyday. It took us a while to find a location that embodied Indian culture, not just a store of Indian spices. Finally we opened Junoon in 2009 in Flatrion District, Manhattan.

Utsav, my way of seeing India India is a very fast and an infinitely limitless country.

“I enjoy the overall ritual of food preparation because then you are multiplying yourself with 100 people and those 100 are going to represent you everywhere.”

VIKAS KHANNA

I started Junoon 11 years ago. I had just finished with Gordon Ramsay TV show back then. Mr. Rajesh Bhardwaj, the owner of Junoon, had seen my work on TV and he had visited my restaurant too a couple of times.

Once after finishing my shoot for Throwdown, we sat together and discussed the concept of Junoon. We, then, signed the lease and later would go visit places to select an ideal spot

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Whenever I visit India, Rajesh asks me to get more from the country, be it recipes, pots, utensils or whatever I find. An accumulation of India’s various traditions, festivals, cooking styles, and culture knowledge is what Utsav is all about. The book is big and completely handcrafted. No tradition or ceremony existing in India has escaped from the binds of this book. This book helps me offer an

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A TA B L E O F A R T

Junoon Restaurant at Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai.

overall perspective of our cultural heritage, which standing in the kitchen and physically serving guests alone couldn’t have offered.

Every day brings a new challenge As soon as the doors of Junoon in New York open and the waitresses light the candles, the challenging journey begins. It’s more because I feel I don’t belong to a region or a city anymore but I represent the whole country.

A slight mistake can change someone’s impression for our cuisine so every move is crucial. Where on one side the menu planning would be going on, the other side our staff would witness an argument over what is supposed to be served and how. I enjoy the overall ritual of food preparation because then you are multiplying yourself with 100 people and those 100 are going to represent you everywhere.

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Our menu is distinct yet traditional If you see, we have incorporated Arabic flavors in our menu as well here and we have done so in New York too. It is very important to evolve in today’s world. We cannot restrict ourselves to certain dishes and certain techniques of cooking but while trying to incorporate other flavors, we shouldn’t loose our core cuisine. I was, in fact, surprised to see how much Indian influence does Arabic and international cuisine in general have. I guess Mother Nature has been kind enough to bestow us with such a fertile soil and a rich agrarian culture that we can grow almost anything and everything.

Museum of Kitchen Arts – my long cherished dream When I had recently discovered my inclination towards cooking, I was taken to Manipal, a city in India, to

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pursue my career in hotel management.

However, since I did not know English, the university was not accepting me. It was the Principal of the University who took a chance on me trusting my caliber and willingness to be a part of them. So the Museum of Kitchen Arts is what we call a ‘Gurudakshina’ meaning an offering of gratitude to a teacher, which I dedicate to him. Its on behalf of all those children who are given opportunities to grow in life, and for all those who told me that I cannot do it. The concept is truly one-of-akind in the world. From about 10000 spoons to different pots, plates and utensils from all over the country, it showcases my culinary passion and journey of past 15 years, travelling and cherishing the glories of our rich heritage, culture and sacred art of cooking. The book is the result of years of hard work, and would remain for years to come.

“It is very important to evolve in today’s world. We cannot restrict ourselves to certain dishes and certain techniques of cooking but while trying to incorporate other flavors, we shouldn’t loose our core cuisine.”

VIKAS KHANNA

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A W E L L N E S S R E T R E AT

A WELLNESS RETREAT

A healthy lifestyle is yearned by many but lived only by a few.

Emphasizing the importance of the same is Technogym, makers of the finest gym equipments and fitness centers across the globe.

Founder Nerio Alessandri delves deeper into the concept

Diksha Vohra Health is one of the biggest concerns gaining limelight these days. Considering the increase in the number of diseases only caused due to an unhealthy lifestyle, the need of fitness centers has increased. Realizing this need, Nerio Alessandri translated two of his passions – design and sport – into Technogym, the world’s leading brand of fitness equipments and centers. Having established Technogym Village and various fitness outposts worldwide, Nerio promotes healthy living and well-being through his endeavors.

It’s been 30 years since you started the Technogym concept. Were you always passionate about healthy living or did you develop the interest gradually? I was a young industrial designer who was very passionate about sports. It was during the ‘80s when I had joined a local gym in my hometown Cesena, where I noticed that gyms were not only lacking advanced technology but also offered only the basic tools. Technogym was a dream for me. I did not research the market or conduct sophisticated analysis to decide which sector to invest in. I just leveraged my two passions - design (TECHNO) and sport (GYM). In the early ‘90s, the switch from fitness to wellness was the idea that made the difference.

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your desired goal? Let’s Move For a Better World is more than a campaign; it’s our corporate social responsibility statement, because we believe that Wellness is an opportunity for everybody to invest in health and public safety. Specifically the campaign had an incredible result in 2016: 513 fitness facilities across 21 countries took part in the Challenge, approximately 122.000 participants tracked their exercise on Technogym equipment, a total of 400 million MOVEs (Technogym’s unit of measurement for movement) were generated, and this represents over 170 million calories burned and about 25.000 pounds lost. We are very satisfied with the success of the 2016 Campaign.

The concept of transforming the overall living is very different.

What was the ideology behind developing a concept like Technogym? More than 20 years ago, when the world was dominated by the fitness culture made of muscles and appearance, we launched Wellness, an Italian lifestyle with roots that lie in the philosophy of “Mens sana in corpore sano”, discovered two thousand years ago in ancient Rome. Wellness is the balance between body, mind and spirit, and is achieved through regular physical exercise, a healthy diet and a positive mental attitude.

When we look at the world today, the health problems are increasing day by day. In your opinion, is it the lifestyle, the diet or the general lack of being health conscious that’s the reason behind this? In 2006, for the first time in the history of the world, overweight people outnumbered the malnourished. Chronic diseases are the top cause of death in the world, leading to more than 35 million premature deaths a year. These diseases are caused by an overall incorrect lifestyle, made of sedentariness and an unhealthy diet.

What is Technogym Village? What are the different services you offer there and how is it unique? The Technogym Village has been developed as a hotbed of ideas, where innovation and scientific research can be shared. It is the world’s first Wellness Campus and it represents a global reference point for a Wellness lifestyle. The project has been developed by the renowned Italian Architect Antonio Citterio, and is inspired by the concepts of Eco sustainability and bio architecture. The village combines the production sites, the company headquarters including our research and development center, a Wellness center including an avant-garde gym, a conference center, and a restaurant serving zero-mileage food.

Let’s move for a better world social campaign was a huge success. What was the motive behind launching such a campaign and to what extent do you feel have you achieved

Amidst a huge competition in the health and fitness sector, how do Technogym products stand out from the crowd? Actually, we feel we have no competitors. Technogym is the only company which is able to provide a total wellness solution made of not only equipment but also apps, devices and contents, interior design services, training and education programs, marketing support for our clients and a strong after sales service. Lethargy could possibly be our only competitor.

Your brand also manages the lifestyle regime of your clients.

Please tell us what are the criteria you consider before devising fitness and well being plans for a client? In our center, our customers can find a questionnaire called ‘aspiration finder’.

Through the answers to these questions, we manage to understand why they want to do physical activity. With the results, we manage to assess their motivations that can be sport, shape, balance, etc. According to that, we decide the right training program and the equipment that is more suitable for the aspirations of every customer.

With social media and internet addiction taking a toll on personal health, how do you think a balance can be maintained between these two? There is an ever-increasing understanding about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and regular physical activity.

People will be training at home, in the office, outdoors and on holiday.

In this landscape, technology will begin to play an increasingly strategic role and this is why we developed the first cloud computing technology in the field. The MyWellness Cloud is a complete virtual ecosystem made of equipment, devices, mobile and web apps that allow users to always be connected and have the contents and information about their wellness program available anytime, anywhere.

A few tips for our busy gentlemen on maintaining a good lifestyle... I would suggest keeping in mind that we are born to move: primitive men, our ancestors, walked and ran 30km every day; half a marathon to hunt and search for food for the community. Today our daily movement is way below that, on average 1 km. Moving is key, whether it is playing sports, going to the gym, walking the dog, or round the shops, looking after children, or using a wellness ball instead of a chair, every little thing helps in improving the everyday lifestyle.

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HAUTE SOCIÉTÉ

A H E A V E N LY P L U N G E

A HEAVENLY PLUNGE

Inhaling the fragrance of tender lavender while enjoying a relaxing body treatment, the Guerlain Spa at the One&Only The Palm pampers you enough to be wanting for more

Diksha Vohra Established in 1828, Guerlain is a brand that draws inspiration from nature and its many wonders to formulate its excellent fragrance, make up and skincare products. The brand’s signature spa recently debuted the region, situating itself at none other than the One&Only The Palm.

Located on the peninsula of one of the world’s most spectacular landscapes, the One&Only The Palm offers a secluded enclave of impeccable style. Amidst lush manicured gardens, fountains and pools along the sparkling shore, visitors are welcomed to enjoy the true beauty of the resort. Blending Moorish and Andalusian architectural design with a contemporary Arabian chic interior style, One&Only The Palm is a Dubai luxury resort which evokes a sense of understated elegance and distinctive luxury featuring immaculate gardens, cascading fountains, vaulted spaces and a rhythmic symmetry.

Spanning across 2400m, the spa plays elegantly with the space around, arousing a sense of comfort and calmness, separate from the glitz and glamour of its surroundings.

Featuring nine treatment rooms, each placed at a distance from the other, a relaxation room, a private swimming pool and an inviting lounge, the guests are invited to the ultimate spa experience. The couple suite,

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especially designed to ensure privacy and proximity, is complete with double scrub rooms, showers, private steam room, two separate soaking baths, two treatment beds as well as an exclusive private lounge area.

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Amongst the three selective signature treatments developed especially for the region, Dubai Harmony, Solar Evasion and Désert d’Orient, the latter is highly recommended. Experienced in the spa suite,

Désert d’Orient is a true oriental treatment journey, which places your body and mind into a zone of tranquility. The 120 – 150 minute spa treatment begins with a personal consultation with the therapist in the suite’s private lounge. On understanding the level of pressure required and other medical ailments that need to be paid attention to, the cordial therapist then escorts one to the baths. Soaked in warm water while sipping a cup of herbal ginger tea, the mind experiences a sense of serenity and begins preparing the body for renewal and relaxation. Once done, the guest heads off to the scrub room wherein lying on a warm marble slab, generous amount of water is poured over the body followed by a sugar scrub, product of the Guerlain. Removing dead skin and tanning, the scrub is then removed and an Orange Mask is applied on all parts, to smoothen and soften the skin.

With the mask still on, one enters the ensuite steam room. The steam helps exfoliate

the skin pores, further increasing the effect of the applied mask.

The steam is then followed by a lukewarm shower to remove the unabsorbed remnants of the mask and to cool the body down slightly. The second half of the treatment then commences by a personalized fully body massage with one of the four Guerlain

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scented Massage Elixirs. Experiencing a feeling of sheer relaxation as the therapist carefully massages certain pressure points, this treatment leaves the body soft, silky and completely rejuvenated. A sanctuary of wellness, the suite is the perfect place in which one can enjoy the treatment either alone or with a loved one.

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CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN R E S TAU R A N T JW Marriott Marquis becomes home to yet another restaurant, this time its modern American. Weslodge Saloon proudly opens its iconic yellow doors to the region’s diners. The saloon inspired concept has come down from Toronto, Canada where it has been successfully running since 2012. Remaining true to its origin, the restaurant welcomes a new breed of diners who celebrate a rebellious passion for authenticity and originality. A hand-selected team of experts also creates unique interpretations of classic drinks with Saloon favorites such as Orange Spiced Old Fashioned and Barrel Aged Negroni. With an awe-inspiring view, guests would also be able to experience musical styles of resident DJs, playing ageless sets of hip-hop and rock and roll.

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ATELIER OF SPLENDOR BOUTIQUE Bringing their innovative and classic designs to the region, de GRISOGONO launches its new flagship boutique at the Dubai Mall. Expressing energy, craftsmanship and detailing of the jewelry, the interior concept of the boutique was developed by the founder Fawaz Gruosi and David Collins Studio. The store utilizes classic details and proportions juxtaposed with modernist furniture pieces. The boutique consists of three rooms, each built for a specific purpose. The Corte displays a collection of jewelry personally chosen by the founder, the Stanza Del Tempo showcases the brand’s popular timepieces and the Grande Sala invites the guest into the private world of de GRISOGONO. The boutique stands out both for its design and for the unique collection it offers to their discerning clients from the region.

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LOUNGE ON WHEELS SUITE St. Regis Dubai in Al Habtoor City becomes home to a whole new level of luxury – The Bentley Suite. Beyond comparison, the suite predominantly reflects the bespoke craftsmanship of the pinnacle Mulsanne model. This venture is an extension to Bentley’s signature suites previously launched at The St. Regis New York and The St. Regis Istanbul. Situated at the fourth floor of the hotel, the customized one-bedroom Bentley suite features a spacious entry foyer, a large living room accompanied by a dining area, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the hotel’s beautifully tended gardens. The suite’s entrance features Bentleypainted walls with polished steel detailing and a sleek walnut veneer ceiling. The general tone of the suite is a blend of cream and neutral colors set against rich wood finishes, elegant marble floor and leather accents on handcrafted furnishings.

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FASHION FORWARD BOUTIQUE Opening its largest boutique in the region, Dolce&Gabbana brings the finest of sartorial luxury to town yet again. Present at the Mall of the Emirates, the 1103 square meter boutique spreads across two floors with the Women’s collection on the first and the Men’s collection on the second floor. Upon entering either of the two floors, one is greeted by a large curved black marble cladded accessories and leather goods area, followed by moda ready to wear, shoes area, evening wear and the jewelry room. The two floors are connected by a grand spiral staircase, which is visible from inside and outside. Located underneath the staircase are curved black lacquered shelves running along the gold fins partnered with curved glass showcase tables for leather goods and accessories display. The black marble and gold touches, combined with the brand’s red velvet, damask and hi-gloss walnut elements give the store a sense of timeless luxury.

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WELLNESS AT THE BURJ FITNESS CLUB Situated near Burj Khalifa, the Burj Club defines its reputation as the city’s most exclusive wellness retreat. Spread across five levels, the club includes fitness centres offering optimal workout space and featuring fully customizable state-of-the-art equipment. Two floors are specifically dedicated for spa treatments, in addition to a rooftop pool & lounge, and an indoor lap pool. Keeping the cultural norms in mind, one level is reserved exclusively for ladies with a modern gymnasium and two fitness studios. Savoring tempting cuisines with a backdrop of The Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa, the club rejuvenates one in a way that nobody else does, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience.

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