5-iss1_nov'12

Montblanc BoutiquesDUBAI: Burjuman | Deira City Centre | Dubai Mall | Emirates Towers | Festival Centre | Grand Hyatt | Ibn Battuta | Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Mall of the Emirates | Mirdif City Centre | Wafi | ABU DHABI Abu Dhabi Mall | Etihad Towers | Marina Mall | AL-AIN Al-Ain Mall

www.montblanc.com

exotourbillon chronographe. The ExoTourbillon Chronographe is the first timepiece in the Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858 tounite a tourbillon and a chronograph function. It is the world’s first tourbillon having a balance, being larger than the cage, that oscillates outside of the cage on a higher plane – thus giving rise to the name ExoTourbillon. An innovation so unique a patent has been applied for. Montblanc manufacture calibre MB M16.60. Monopusherchronograph with regulator-style dial, four-minute tourbillon, 30-minute counter andsecond time zone with day/night display. 47 mm white gold case. Crafted in the Montblanc Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie in Villeret, Switzerland.

Electric AvenueStrike a pose for Abu Dhabi’s most exclusive shopping destination

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Born in Saxony in 1994.

From the very rst day, the L ng 1 ope ed up ew horizo s i timekeep-i a d acquai ted the world with the le e dary perfectio of La e watch-maki artistry. The , it i spired La e to develop a most useful watch that escorts its ow er as a depe dable compa io o trips arou d the lobe:

the L ng 1 T Z n . This masterpiece is at home everywhere, be it A chora e, Berli , New York or Tokyo. Because i additio to the mai dial that e erally displays home time, the watch has a smaller auxil-iary dial that, o dema d, i dicates the curre t time i a y of the world’s

The LANGE 1.This is probably the most acclaimed wristwatch in recent history. It inspired Lange’s master watchmakers to develop the LANGE 1 TIME ZONE.

At home around the world in 2012.

24 time zoes with pushbutto coveiece. The positio of the rotati city ri shows which time zoe is bei displayed. Moreover, both dials feature a day/iht idicator. With these ad other assets, the Lng 1 T Zn aswers all time-related questios the moder omad may pose.

How late is it at the destiatio where I will lad i a few hours? Ca I still call my family at home at this hour? Ad it eve whiles the time away – as the ower proudly admires its mai cet mechaical movemet, cosum-mately ished i the traditioal maer. By had. www.lange-soehne.com

The LANGE 1 TIME ZONE.Without losing track of home time, this masterpiece displays the local time in all 24 time zones around the globe.

You are cordially ivited to discover the collectio at:

A. Lange & Söhne Boutique Abu Dhabi · Aveue at Etihad Towers, Tel. +97 2 665 05 88, [email protected]

A. Lange & Söhne Boutique Dubai · Dubai Mall, Tel. +97 4 325 39 23, [email protected]

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Contents/ 3

LiveAt home with the Mårelid family at their beautiful ocean-facing Etihad Towers apartment.

WorkWe go behind the scenes at the office tower to see why an address at Etihad Towers is the most sought after for the city’s brand-conscious companies.

Stay980 square metres of craftsmanship, fine materials and designer artistry galore: we spotlight one very good reason to spend the night on Level 60 of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers.

DineMyriad cuisines prepared by some of the finest chefs in the business: we provide a taster of what’s on offer for the city’s gourmands.

Managing DirectorVictoria Thatcher

Editorial DirectorJohn Thatcher

Advertisement DirectorChris Capstick

Group EditorLaura Binder

Sub EditorHazel Plush

DesignerAdam Sneade

Designer / IllustratorVanessa Arnaud

Production ManagerHaneef Abdul

HOT Media Head Ofice 2515 Shatha TowerDubai Media CityDubai Tel: +971 (0)4 364 2876Fax: +971 (0)4 369 7494

Cover image courtesy of Etihad Towers

ShopAvenue at Etihad Towers is Abu Dhabi’s go-to place for the absolute best in luxury. We take an in-depth look at two of the biggest brands based there and showcase some of the stunning watches and jewellery you can buy.

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I N D U L G E

Avenue at Etihad Towers is dedicated to exclusive luxury and home to the world’s most desirable brands. Immerse yourself in Abu Dhabi’s most sophisticated boutique retail destination

and indulge in the joy of living and shopping.

www.AvenueAtEtihadTowers.ae

A. LA NGE & SÖH N E • BA LLY • BoSS H UG o BoSS • BR EGU ET • BV LGA R I • BU R BER RY • CA NA L I • CA RT I ER • CH Loé • DE GR ISo G oNo E R M E N E G I L D o Z E G N A • FAU CH o N L E CA F é • G I US E P P E Z A N oT T I • G I VE N CH Y • H E R M È S • H E RVE L E G E R • I WC s Ch A f f h AUs E N

JA EGER-LECoU LT R E • J .M . W ESToN • K I ToN • LA N V I N • M A NoLo BLA H N I K • MoN T BLA NC • oFF I CI N E PA N ER A I • P I AGET • P oR SCH E DES IGNRoGER DUBU IS • RoLEX • SA LVAToR E FER RAGA Mo • STEFANo R ICCI • STEPH AN E RoLLAN D • ToM FoR D • VAN CLEEF & A R PELS • VERSACE • VERT U

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On behalf of H.H. Sheikh Suroor Bin Mohamed Al Nahyan and Mr. Sami Al Khuwaiter, welcome to the inaugural issue of 5, the official magazine of Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

One hugely successful year has passed since Etihad Towers opened in Abu Dhabi and we felt the time was now right for us to launch a magazine dedicated to our unique offering, where you can live, work, stay, shop and dine in the most prestigious of settings. Every quarter, 5 will detail this luxury lifestyle through insightful, engaging interviews and features.

This first issue very much serves as an introduction to Etihad Towers and its multiple attractions. We tell the inside story of how and why it was built; interview residents and tenants to get the lowdown on their life here; speak to the men at the helm of two world-renowned luxury brands who have boutiques at our remarkable retail offering, Avenue at Etihad Towers; and tantalise your tastebuds with a look at the fabulous fine-dining restaurants you can sample.

We hope you enjoy this issue and we look forward to welcoming you to Etihad Towers.

Richard FouldsProperty ManagerEtihad Towers

Etihad Towers Head Office, Etihad Towers, West Corniche, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Tel: 800 384 4238 Fax: +971 (0)2 645 7737

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Issue one / 2012

A s a reflection of a modern, forward-thinking city that is driven to deliver the best, Etihad Towers stands proud. A benchmark-setting, mixed-use

destination development that hits the heights of luxury in each of its uniquely planned offerings. Here you can live in the city’s most desirable apartments; stay at a truly world-class five star hotel; dine at myriad fine dining restaurants; work at what has quickly become the most prestigious office address in the capital; and shop at Abu Dhabi’s first all high-end luxury emporium.

In the year since they were erected by His Highness Sheikh Suroor’s Projects Department, the 5 impeccably designed, state-of-the-art towers that form Etihad Towers have proved a captivating sight on Abu Dhabi’s skyline, becoming a true landmark for the city, and their Property Manager, Richard Foulds, is delighted with their impact. “From the offset, Etihad Towers was designed to offer a memorable and enriching experience, both inside and out, and right in the heart of downtown Abu Dhabi. The Ras Al Akhdar neighbourhood of the capital is among the city’s most prestigious and desirable addresses – and it is just moments away from the renowned Corniche and other top attractions for residents and tourists alike. We were proud to launch – on time – at the end of last year. Now, almost a year on, we are thrilled with the progress the development has made, in terms of occupancy levels (for both residential and commercial), the shopping experience, the popularity of the hotel, and the overall community that has been created.

“As a place to live, work and spend leisure

The Building of a Landmark

time, Etihad Towers is bringing considerable benefits to Abu Dhabi on numerous fronts. With a growing high profile commercial portfolio (including the likes of Booz Allen Hamilton, the French and Fijian Embassies, JODCO, and more), Etihad Towers is becoming a distinguished business hub in the UAE capital, offering high spec, state-of-the-art offices with international standards. In terms of residential, the development brings a new, bespoke lifestyle to Abu Dhabi with high spec residences boasting fantastic facilities – and an ever-growing and international community. Furthermore, it presents the city’s first Jumeirah hotel, an impressive selection of F&B options and, most recently, the capital’s first standalone destination for luxury, high-end shopping: Avenue at Etihad Towers – home to more than 34 prestigious and

world-renowned brands.”It is Avenue at Etihad Towers that has

really captured the imagination of Abu Dhabi’s discerning shoppers, and its opening is of real benefit to the city’s local, regional and international ambitions. Foulds enthuses: “The Abu Dhabi market certainly has a taste for luxury and has long been established as a market with sophisticated shoppers – including both residents and tourists. As the first of its kind in the capital, Avenue is bringing a new luxury shopping experience to the city – in terms of the brands presented, the services offered, and the intimate design and feel of the shopping experience. Avenue is bringing many prestigious brands to Abu Dhabi for the first time – and some for the first time to the region and world.

“Each of the brands presented at Avenue are artisans in their own right

> Opposite: Landscaped grounds of Etihad Towers

≥ Next page: Bird’s eye view of development; arrival at Avenue at Etihad Towers

As the capital’s first luxury mixed-use development, Etihad Towers was launched with the aim to develop and cultivate a unique, fully-fledged luxury community that offers a seamless experience whether in real estate, services, hospitality, and retail – a one-stop destination to work, live, stay, shop and dine in a prestigious location in the heart of the city. 5 speaks to Property Manager Richard Foulds, the man driving its ambition

‘Avenue at Etihad Towers is firmly placing Abu Dhabi on the INTERNATIONAL shopping map’

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‘Etihad Towers very much represents H.H. Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed Al Nahyan’s DESIRE to create a unique, luxurious DESTINATION for residents,

workers and visitors to enjoy’

and the collections offered present true craftsmanship. We had considerable interest from an array of prestigious brands when the plans for Avenue were first unveiled, and we carefully considered the choice to present. We wanted to bring an exquisite and exciting mix and something a little new and different to the Abu Dhabi luxury market, hence the number of ‘firsts’ making their debut in the Middle East – A. Lange & Söhne and Roger Dubuis – and Stephane Rolland’s first boutique ever. The final portfolio of brands represents an exquisite selection of fashion, jewellery, accessories and timepieces and,

importantly, caters to the tastes of both men and women – both equally important players in this market – while all the brands cater to a niche that hasn’t yet been fully catered to.”

Another big draw is the presence of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, already an award-winning hotel. The decision to partner with Jumeirah was an easy one to make: “Jumeirah is a prestigious, luxury brand and the hotel is a perfect fit in terms of quality, services and hospitality. It is popular among residents and tourists alike. The brand is also obviously very well known across the Middle East and the region, so it was a clear choice

for our management as they were looking to make their brand debut in Abu Dhabi.”

Of future plans for Etihad Towers, Foulds speaks of his excitement at the tunnel being built to offer visitors exclusive road access to the development, and of ideas for Avenue at Etihad Towers to stage events and exhibitions, as well as offer an array of unique and personalised client services. But for now, the time is to reflect on and celebrate the realisation of H.H. Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed Al Nahyan’s desire to deliver a stunning Abu Dhabi landmark that resonates globally.

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Towering AmbitionThe scale of achievement in creating a spectacular landmark in one of the world’s fastest growing cities is laid bare by the development’s striking facts and figures

14 The number of wide ranging food

and beverage outlets inside the development.

3000 The amount of car parking spaces spanning four floors and serving

residents and visitors.

62 The current yet ever-growing

number of different nationalities in residence at the towers.

885 The amount of apartments and

penthouses within the three residential towers.

1000...and counting. The current

number of people living in the three residential towers.

38 The number of superb stores set over two levels inside Avenue at

Etihad Towers.

Etihad Towers stands in Abu Dhabi’s prestigious beachside neighbourhood of Ras Al Akhdar, close to and overlooking the

city’s beautiful corniche.

4 BillionThe approximate amount of

money in UAE Dirhams that the development cost to build.

19The number of football pitches

the building’s external glass would comprise if laid flat.

The tallest of the five towers - tower 2 - stands at over 300 metres tall, covering an area that’s half a million square metres

in size.

300

Emirates Palace

Coconut Island

Abu Dhabi

Al Ras Al Akhdar

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Issue one / 2012

Australian firm DBI Designwere tasked with designingEtihad Towers, bringing tobear their vast experienceof delivering iconic buildingsacross the globe (previousworks include PalazzoVersace on Australia’s GoldCoast). Here, the company’sdirector, Warren Coyle, tellsthe story of the project…

On winning the contract to design the building…In 2005, we were approached by a representative of Sheikh Suroor Projects Department (S.S.P.D), who had seen a number of our innovative high-rise buildings on the Gold Coast. We were invited to participate in an international design competition against architects from USA, UK and Singapore, which was judged by eminent academics from around the world. Sometime after the competition, we were advised that our design was preferred by the client, and we commenced a detailed briefing process with them. A number of major changes to the project scope were made following which we embarked in earnest on the design. We felt honoured to have been shortlisted for the design competition, and even more excited to have been awarded such a significant project.

On the changing brief…The initial design was for 4 towers. It subsequently evolved into a 3 tower scheme, and finally into a 5 tower scheme. The simple, rational partee of the building allowed for the integration of the additional tower without undermining the compositional requirements of the brief. The built form of Etihad Towers is intended to present multiple readings from multiple vantage points. The towers are clustered to provide unrestricted views from every tower over the city of Abu Dhabi and out to the Arabian Gulf.

Designing the Dream

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≤ Previous page: The lobby of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers

< Below: The lobby of the Office Tower

On the initial design idea…We were conscious not to base the design on any direct reference to Middle East culture: we were seeking a highly contemporary expression. Having said that, we wanted the architecture to have a complexity and depth of design.

On the towers’ symbolism…For a piece of architecture to be significant it must be symbolic – that is, it must represent something other than itself. Etihad Towers draws on a number of references in its formalist compositional construction, with each reference synthesised into a coherent whole. The synthesis of multiple precursors allows for multiple readings of the final building. From various directions

the building can clearly be understood to be referring to: an opening blossom, a billowing sail, a fleet of vessels, a traditional sword and a pearl shell. The multiple references and multiple forms are drawn together in a single unified composition, which can be seen as an allusion to the unity of the United Arab Emirates.

On the unique design of Jumeirah Etihad Towers…The essence of the design of Etihad Towers is the harmonious integration of the unique iconic architectural form, lush indigenous landscaping and ultra-luxurious interior

design, providing guests to the hotel with an unforgettable experience unique in the UAE; and the world. The arrival experience at the hotel commences at West Corniche Road and proceeds through a vast, elaborately landscaped forecourt which leads the guest up a processional ramp to the elevated Porte Cochere on the third level. The Porte Cochere is a grand and spectacular space featuring an illuminated ‘oculus’ skylight – a signature design element of the hotel. From this point there are uninterrupted views through the Grand Lobby – a vast, 12 metre-high space with frameless glazing – through to the Arabian Gulf beyond. The sense of space and grandeur is awe-inspiring and contributes to one of the most unique hotel arrival experiences in the world.

On the timescale of the work…Work commenced in 2006 and the main design was completed within 9 months. In reality, with a project as complex as Etihad Towers, the detail design continues right through the construction stages, and our site architects were kept busy up until the opening day in November 2011.

On their greatest challenge…In addition to being the architects, interior designers and landscape architects, DBI Design was also appointed as the Principle Consultant. This meant that we were responsible for the appointment and coordination of a large team of specialist consultants, including structural, mechanical, electrical engineers; façade consultants; food and beverage consultants; traffic, acoustic, specialist lighting consultants etc. The logistics of coordinating this team, which was amassed with recruits from UAE, Australia, and Hong Kong, was a major undertaking. It was a testament to the great teamwork of the consultants that the project design was delivered on time, on budget, and of the highest quality.

On Etihad Towers as a whole…Etihad Towers is a singular and unique architectural statement without direct aesthetic precedent. As such the towers, consistent with their generating brief, possess a sculptural quality that allows them to be a landmark within the rapidly changing fabric of Abu Dhabi. It is an enigmatic sculptural object.

On where Etihad Towers ranks alongside DBI’s other works in terms of achievement…Number one in terms of size, complexity, and design achievement.

‘For architecture to be significant it must represent something other than itself...’

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On the Avenue... Abu Dhabi’s first all high-end luxury shopping destination is in a class of its own. And while its beautiful design catches your eye, it’s the myriad designer stores that take your breath. Chloé, Givenchy and Versace line up before you as you walk the mall’s granite floors, but that’s just a teaser of the 30 plus designer boutiques that Avenue at Etihad Towers boasts. Here you can covet the latest collections, hot off the catwalk, at Burberry, Tom Ford, Giuseppe Zanotti, Her-mès, Herve Leger and Lanvin, or peruse the immaculate diamonds on display at Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Bulgari and Cartier. Time-piece aficionados will revel in the choice of brands, too: A. Lange & Söhne, IWC, Roger Dubuis, Rolex, Panerai and Jaeger-LeCoultre all have individual boutiques showcasing the first-class craftsmanship of their latest mod-els. It’s the luxury offering that Abu Dhabi’s discerning shoppers have been waiting for.

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T ucked away on a narrow backstreet in Chelsea is the flagship store of a major international brand. This is not your average flagship store, all flashy plate glass and double-height atriums. Here, the windows are half-obscured

by trees, the inside is a dark little warren of rooms and you will look in vain for a name above the door. Only when you look at what’s arranged in the window will you realise whose shop this is, because there, embroidered on the insoles in black capital letters, it says “MANOLO BLAHNIK”.

The shop sums up the brand, and the man, and is the unlikely key to how both are going to be propelled into the next decade. It is what Manolo’s sister, Evangelina, calls modesty, and what a business strategist would call madness. And the woman in charge of merging this tricky balancing act of old and new is Evangelina’s daughter and Manolo’s niece, Kristina.

The three Blahniks are a formidable trio. They finish each other’s sentences, contradict each other, and ward each other away from potential indiscretions. Ask one of them a question and all three answer. Take one example: how closely do the three of them work together? “Not much.” (Manolo) “It’s a little like childhood...” (Evangelina) “We talk pretty much every day.” (Kristina) Make of that what you will. Until 2010, Kristina, 38, was an architect, in a practice with her husband (they’ve since divorced). But after the death of her grandmother – Manolo and Evangelina’s mother – it fell to her to take her uncle’s sketches to the factory in Milan, so they could get on with the business of producing prototypes. The show had to go on, and Kristina, who spent her childhood making Wendy houses out of Manolo Blahnik shoeboxes, made sure that it did. She said last year that the pressure of joining the family firm had contributed to the breakdown of her marriage. (“I couldn’t do everything and my heart is with my mother’s family firm,” she told Vogue.) “It’s a family business, and she breathed shoes from the age of 6,” says Evangelina, who moved to England with Kristina after her own marriage ended in divorce. “I was a housewife in Germany and my brother said, ‘Why don’t you come to England and help me?’ I said, ‘My God, I don’t speak English, I don’t know anything about business...’” “She got it quickly,” Manolo interjects. “I don’t care about business at all. She was good; she took all the pain of manufacturing off me. She was the one who put the whole thing together. How? By working like a pig!” Evangelina shoots him a look.

“With housewife logic and common sense,” she counters, quietly but firmly.

Is she the power behind the throne? “I don’t think so,” says Evangelina. “I rather think so,” says Manolo. Apart

He has elevated the simple shoe to an art form and has created over 30,000 pairs to date, yet as Hilary Rose discovers, Manolo Blahnik shows no sign of stepping away from the family business

Madfor Manolo

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from Manolo’s undoubted creative genius and Evangelina’s business nous, three things have got the Blahnik brand to where it is today. The first was Diana Vreeland, then editor of American Vogue, who, in 1971, told the young man with a vague idea of being a theatrical set designer that he should concentrate on shoes; the second was his collaborations with fashion designers from Ossie Clark, at the very beginning, to John Galliano; and the third was Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Carrie, telling a mugger in an episode of Sex and the City that he was welcome to her bag and her jewellery, but could he please not take her Manolos? Ask them if they like the fame, and Evangelina draws in a sharp breath of horror.

“My sister doesn’t,” says Manolo, who airily explains that he’s not really familiar with Sex and the City. “I’m used to it... but I’m not keen on doing this kind of celebrity nonsense. I don’t care about it.”

The collaborations, however, are closer to his heart, especially those with designers he likes. Calvin Klein

and Perry Ellis in the early years; Ossie Clark and Antonio Berardi in London. He designed the shoes for Sofia Coppola’s film, Marie Antoinette, which went on to win an Academy Award for Best Costume. And then there was John Galliano, with whom he collaborated first in 1992 and, in 1997, on his first couture collection for Dior.

“I only liked Paris designers when John Galliano was there. He was totally [up] my street; the work with him was a joy. We had the same kind of mentality. He’d say to me, ‘Do something about the Russian revolution,’ or, ‘Think about Africa,’ and I always managed to ‘get’ exactly what he wanted.”

So he’d leave you to crack on with it? “Totally. Not like all those pretentious new designers,” he says witheringly.

Will Galliano be back? “I hope so, because he’s brilliant. Unfortunately the French have been horrific with him... If you can’t forgive someone who was out of it completely and drunk and saying crazy things...” At

< Below: Manolo Blahnik

< Opposite: Manolo’s design sketches

≥ Next page: The Orlo shoe from the current collection


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Issue one / 2012

‘I hate gimmicky shoes, fashiOn shOes.

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keen on doing that. It doesn’t give me satisfaction”) to following fashion, trends, celebrity and living in the countryside. (“Are you crazy?”) What he is interested in, for the record, is pretty much everything else, from books and old films to art and architecture.

“There’s no need to seek [things] out any more,” continues Kristina, unabashed, “which has made the strategy behind us engaging with the digital world a very difficult one. We’re completely anti-commercial in our approach. The brand stands for creativity and integrity.”

And the shoes are the opposite of today’s mania for fast fashion. It takes a full year for a shoe to get from Manolo’s sketchbook to a customer’s foot, and every single one still starts in Manolo’s sketchbook. “Unfortunately,” says Manolo lugubriously. “It’s a lot of work and the responsibility is mine if something is wrong.”

Given that he’s designed upwards of 30,000 shoes, and produces 250 more every season, he’s clearly not flagging. Those 250 will be edited down and about 80 will go into production, but he still does the first edit and all the staff chip in later with their views.

“It’s not a mass-produced product,” says Kristina. “It’s a couture shoe.”

Manolo looks dubious. “It’s not couture; it’s just a well-made shoe.” But while most designers branch out into the lucrative world of handbag and leather goods, Manolo says that’s just a “hullabaloo” in which he has no interest. Kristina has, meanwhile, spearheaded and designed new stores and a boutique in Harrods which opened last month.

I wonder if he’ll ever retire. What will happen when he’s gone? “Frankly, I couldn’t care less, but possibly she’s interested,” he says, with exaggerated unconcern, gesturing towards his niece.

Kristina already makes suggestions, often about heel shapes, given that she views the shoes with an architect’s eye for line and proportion. Sometimes he takes them, she says, sometimes he doesn’t. But he always listens. Whether she will want to carry the name on her own remains to be seen. Manolo is the first to admit that he comes from a different generation, when things were done differently.

“I am completely disappointed by what industry has become today,” he says. “It relies too much on technology. It’s not interesting to me.” He has favourites in each collection, which are invariably not the ones that sell. He’s “sick to death” of one of his classic pumps, which comes in myriad colours and sells and sells because it’s the perfect high-heeled court. And don’t talk to him about trendy shoes.

“I hate gimmicky shoes, fashion shoes. They’re so horrific; they last two seconds.”

What of his own shoes? Does he follow fashion? “So far, I’ve been very lucky to do what people want, but I don’t really change every year. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

« Shop at Manolo Blahnik, Level 1, Avenue at Etihad Towers

this point, Evangelina motions to rein him in, which she does often. You wouldn’t mess with Evangelina, with her ramrod straight deportment, as one businessman found out when he told her at a party that he wanted to buy the Blahnik name for millions of pounds.

“I said, ‘No,’” she says. “We are not for sale. And I think it is very rude to do business at a reception.”

She and her brother were brought up in the Canary Islands, the children of a Czech banana plantation owner and his Spanish wife. Their mother had a penchant for couture Balenciaga, and persuaded the local cobbler to teach her how to make her own shoes. Manolo remembers watching her as a child.

“She had this incredible need to have wonderful shoes, because at the time, it was after the war and we didn’t have any materials or beautiful things. She was brilliant.”

Is that when he decided that a career in shoes was for him? “No. Never ever. I never thought about it.” He became a shoe designer, he says, by accident. It could have been anything - “magazine covers, furniture, anything”. But having been in shoes now for nearly 40 years, Manolo, now 69, and his sister, 68, have a style of business largely from another, nicer, more elegant age. He bemoans the fact that many shoe lasts are now plastic, and scoffs at the idea of using a computer to help design.

“The thing that has really changed, which is something we’re reacting to, is that people now shout from the mountain tops with loudspeakers,” says Kristina. “If you’re not doing that, there is a danger that you will become irrelevant.”

“Uninteresting, more likely,” says Manolo. Uninteresting appears to be his ultimate putdown, one he reserves for everything from e-commerce (“I’m not


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< Left: Oiseaux de Paradis Between the Finger Ring, Van Cleef & Arpels

> Above: Caresse D’Orchidées Par Cartier ring, Cartier

Eye CandyDelicious cocktail rings at your fingertips...

Issue one / 2012

> Right: Parentesi Cocktail, Bulgari

< Below: Mediterranean Eden, Bulgari

> Above: Panthère ring, Cartier

ET_Jewellery_Nov.indd 20 10/23/12 12:31 PM

PIAGET BOUTIQUES: Abu Dhabi: Avenue at Etihad Towers, 02 667 0044 Dubai: The Dubai Mall, 04 339 8222 - Wafi New Extension, 04 327 9000

Dubai: Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Atlantis 04 422 0233, Burj Al Arab, 04 348 9000

Burjuman Centre, 04 355 9090, Mall of the Emirates, 04 341 1211

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Issue one / 2012

He says he hates the word ‘cool’ and yet in just 10 years Alber Elbaz has transformed Lanvin into one of the world’smost desirable fashion brands. Susannah Frankel meets him

The man who made Lanvin

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F ollowing the final sequence of Alber Elbaz’s 10th anniversary collection for Lanvin – all jewel-coloured, frilled, embroidered and over-embroidered cocktail dresses

and mirrored tiger-head pendants the size of dinner plates – the curtains at the end of the runway parted to reveal the designer, flanked by a band and with microphone in hand.

“This is a song to all these people from fashion who I adore and who helped me to realise my dream,” he said. And then this diminutive figure, normally backwards in coming forwards and far from famed for posturing either on the catwalk or off it, sang.

“When I was just a little boy, I asked my mother, what will I be...? Que sera, sera...” he crooned, and if the sound of it was unlikely (“I’m a terrible singer,” Elbaz admitted) it seemed all the more incongruous given his not entirely down-with-the-kids uniform of thick-lensed, black-framed glasses, black trouser suit with studiously just-a-little-too-short trousers and just-a-little-off-centre bow tie.

There are not many surprises left in fashion – you name it, someone, somewhere has done it – which perhaps accounts for the ovation that followed being more heartfelt than most. Let’s face it, this is a world that boasts its fair share of these too. But then Elbaz is a highly individual designer and easier to love than many for that. Over the past decade he has not only turned around the fortunes of Lanvin, but has also come to represent a respect for craft, technique and talent over and above the usual obsession with marketing, merchandising and styling. This has earnt him many followers, both within the industry and outside it. Add to this the fact that Elbaz is open almost to the point of foolhardiness, warm to the point of brotherly, and, at the same time, clearly as strong as an ox, and the effect is as refreshing as it is potent. Make no mistake, behind this infinitely approachable exterior lurks a will of iron.

“There have been a lot of changes in fashion,” he says when we meet in a quiet corner of the Hotel Crillon in Paris – Elbaz appears to feel very much at home amid the understated but unmistakeably grand, old-school ambience there. “And the question is, how do you fit into it? Should you fit into it?


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[Que Sera, Sera] was a song, I thought, for the whole industry. You know how it is. One day people love you, you’re in, the next day, you’re out. One day you’re fired, and one day you’re hired. So it was a song for my colleagues. The future is not ours to see. What will be, will be. We are always trying to think who’s going where, what will he do? Who is going to take over? What, when, why?

“I’ve been there,” says Elbaz. And indeed he has. “All of a sudden, this divorce is being published everywhere and everybody knows who said what and how difficult it is.” It is, by now, the stuff of fashion history that, in 1998, Elbaz was hand-picked by Yves Saint Laurent to design his women’s ready-to-wear. Elbaz was designing Guy Laroche at the time. “I was fascinated by the idea of working for a man [Saint Laurent] who was more of a legend, and more the name of a company, than a real person,” he told me when we first met not long after. “But then I talked to him, he was so human and so down-to-earth that you kind of forgot that you are sitting with... With Marilyn Monroe!”

Despite the fact that the critics applauded Elbaz’s two-season tenure at Yves Saint Laurent, in 1999, the Gucci Group bought the name and self-proclaimed control freak and creative director, Tom Ford, was unable to resist the challenge of taking over himself. Elbaz was duly dismissed.

“It was hard,” Elbaz has since said of that split. “Of course it was hard. There were times that I wondered whether I would ever be able to work in this business again. I was embarrassed to go out to fashion places, embarrassed to call people because I thought they would never call back.”

He promptly disappeared, leaving Paris to travel around the world. Thankfully for fashion, 12 months later, he returned and accepted the position at Lanvin, the French couture house founded, in 1909, by Jeanne Lanvin and bought by the Chinese-born entrepeneur, Shaw-Lan Wang in 2001. His first show for the label – a gentle mix of subtly-deconstructed tweeds shot through with barely-visible threads of gold and all worn with paper-thin ballerina pumps long

‘I always say that we’re [Lanvin] like a small yacht, not the titanic, and that

means we make our own decisions’

≤ Previous page: Alber Elbaz; a Lanvin pattern cutter; Lanvin sample fitting

< Below: Backstage at Lanvin show

> Opposite: Lanvin’s creative team at work


/ 25

before they were ubiquitous – immediately identified him as having something new, something lovely and something refreshingly woman-friendly to offer the world.

That was then. Ten years later, and a hefty book has recently been published – a celebration of the achievement of Elbaz and his team at this still comparatively small but influential house. “I didn’t want to do a very, very big book,” Elbaz says, over a plate of magret de canard. “The book is small and fat. It’s me.” Also him, is the contrast between “the rich and the poor”; the plain cloth cover stamped unobtrusively with the Lanvin signature offset against gleaming gilded edges and the copious white space that belies the personal, even intimate, nature of the imagery shot by photographer But-Sou Lai, who has been working behind the scenes for some time.

“I thought that at a time like now, when the whole industry is about the six minutes of the show and a review that is being written in a taxi because then there is the next one, I thought, I’m going to show everyone how much effort goes into making a single dress,” he says. “I wanted to show how many threads you have to put together to make one rose; how much thought goes into a button. I wanted to show a shoe in the factory in Italy being held like a baby by an old man and then attached to a machine as if it was going to the dentist. I wanted to show the jewellery. And I wanted to show the people. All the people. We had 3,000 pictures in total and we picked the ones we liked, of course, and then we went back to make sure that every single person involved is in the book, that nobody had been missed out. They are all part of it.”

The book opens with 100 white pages. “I was worried that people would think that was gimmick-y,” Elbaz says. “But it’s not about being cool. I hate the word cool. It gives me a rash. If you take something out of the freezer it’s cold, but what happens when it melts? It’s a cool party, a cool person, a cool collection. What does that mean? I’m more interested in things that are uncool, things that have a certain individuality, a certain soul, a certain longevity, emotion, fragility...”

Alber Elbaz was born in Casablanca on 12 June, 1961. His father was a hairdresser who died when he was 15, at which point his mother went to work as a waitress to support her four children: two sons, two daughters. Elbaz studied fashion at college. His teacher was Shelly Verthine, who co-edited the new book and remains Elbaz’s close friend and creative collaborator. “Shelly was my teacher and is still my teacher,” he says of a woman


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‘I hate the word cOOL. It gives me a rash’


/ 27

whatsoever. Quite the opposite. These are the moments that are important to me.” It goes without saying that such kind words directed towards other designers – those who might be seen as competitors in an over-crowded market to boot – is unprecedented.

Of the nature of fame, he says: “You ask people what they want to do and they say, ‘I want to be famous’ but I always say that fame is something that works perfectly if you want to get a good table at a restaurant in a hurry or you need a doctor and his secretary is into fashion. I want to go back to the real thing though, to actresses who act, painters who paint and designers who design. I was in Russia recently and I went to a department store. You know, you see the fashion, one rack here, one rack there, but then you go to the bag department and it’s the size of Monaco, you go to the shoe department and it’s like Arizona. It’s enormous. And I’m thinking, maybe we should make women wear bags. But I was trained to do textiles, to do fabrics, and to dress women.”

And dress them he does, in traditional couture silks and satins alongside more technologically advanced materials and always, for the sake of modernity, with a vaguely industrial edge – a visible metal zip here, a neckline edged with brass there. For the forthcoming season, Elbaz thought nothing of designing jewellery so oversized that the only way to make it a practical reality was to use plastic in place of real stones.

“The sapphires, the emeralds the rubies, they’re all plastic,” he says happily of the great baubles and beads that will no doubt sell out within hours of arriving in store. He’s equally pleased with a sequence of dresses made in the type of foam that is normally the preserve of underwear and, specifically, bras. “There’s no fabric that is more intimate. It just holds you,” Elbaz muses. It is testimony to the very personal nature of his work that Elbaz has, both for the forthcoming season and in the past, also adorned it with his own sketches: a rounded, bespectacled caricature of his own face has been known to appear. A light-hearted quality in no way detracts from his status as a serious technician, however. Elbaz’s understanding of volume, drape and proportion and his respect for workmanship is second to none. In 2005, Elbaz won the Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) International Award. In 2007 he was named Chevalier of the French Légion d’Honneur for his work.

“They are very good to me at Lanvin,” he explains. “They give me my liberty. If we were part of a group it might be easier for me in some ways. We live on what we

sell. We don’t have anyone who says: ‘Don’t worry, we’ll inject another 100 million and do a big publicity campaign’. So I always say that we’re like a small yacht, not the Titanic, and that means we make our own decisions. Sometimes, when you work for big organisations, there are so many committees that you have to go through...”

To say that Elbaz adopts a hands-on approach would be an understatement.

“That’s how I spend my life,” he says. “I start with drawings but I don’t give the sketches to the atelier and then say, ‘OK, I’ll see you, I’ll be in the Caribbean on the 17th and on the 18th I leave for Santa Fé’. No, I’m always in fittings, I’m always perfecting things. I’m always there. In the end, I don’t think our industry is particularly scary. It’s as scary as any mess and it seems to me that every industry is a mess. If you put 10 people together and they have power and they have strength, it’s kind of dangerous.

“But I’m not afraid of the system. I’m part of it. Sometimes the system helps you. Sometimes it chokes you. You know, if you send me on vacation, I’m clueless, I can’t even climb from a dinghy to a yacht. Can you imagine me on the beach? Maybe if I was a skinny, handsome man my career would have been different. Maybe then I would have been more, like, ‘Hellooo, look at my dresses’.” Instead, Alber Elbaz works tirelessly making others more beautiful. “I’m hiding in my studio somehow,” he says. “And in my studio I feel loved and I love.”

» Shop at Lanvin, Level 1, Avenue at Etihad Towers

< Opposite: sewing fabric at Lanvin; time out for the alber Elbaz’s design team

who remains integral to his work and is often seen by his side. “The mythological teacher who brings things out of you.” Despite the fact that Elbaz oversees a Lanvin menswear collection too, his creative team is predominantly female.

Following graduation, aged 24, Elbaz moved to New York and designed “mother-of-the-bride dresses for $150 – and that was expensive” before moving to Geoffrey Beene. It wasn’t long before he was that elusive and revered designer’s right-hand man. He remained there from 1989 to 1996, a lifetime in terms of fashion.

“It was an amazing place to work, the best school. I stayed there because I was happy working a little bit outside the circuit, because he had his vision about fashion, because he had the best style.” The brilliant forefather of today’s more minimally-minded designers, Beene was also entirely focused on design as opposed to the brouhaha that, to a greater or lesser extent, appears to spring up around it. He was also, Elbaz has said – and he is one of few who might claim truly to have known him – “a wonderful man”. Elbaz then moved to Paris.

“Stay big in your work and small in your life,” Alber Elbaz’s mother always told him. “Be modest,” is how he explains the words.

The designer’s quieter way is surely an inspiration for a new generation less likely to rely on the notion of the superstar designer, as spearheaded by Tom Ford, ironically enough, and to concentrate on the clothes themselves. It is a position he continues to uphold without compromise to the point of being evangelical.

“I never met Sarah Burton in the past, for example,” Elbaz says of the Alexander McQueen designer, “but when I saw a picture of her at the [royal] wedding and, while everybody was there with their pretty hats seated, she was the only one who didn’t have a hat on and she was on the floor fixing the dress; I thought it was so beautiful I wrote her a note. And to see Phoebe [Philo, of Celine] who is doing such an amazing job and because she’s having a baby she decides to do a smaller show and to care for that baby... I mean that is amazing. And, you know what, it will do her business no harm Im

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Diamond-drenched watches to stand the test of time

Long Live the Bling

> Right: Master Control Date, Jaeger-LeCoultre

>Above: Portuguese Chronograph, IWC

< Left: Midnight in Paris, Van Cleef & Arpels

< Left: The TimeWalker Chronograph, Montblanc

ET_Watches_Nov.indd 28 10/24/12 8:25 PM

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Issue one / 2012

Your easy-reference guide to Abu Dhabi’s home of luxury brandsAvenue at Etihad Towers

Podium 1

Podium 2

Escalator to levels

Opened:

1. A. Lange & Söhne

2. Bally

3. Boss Hugo Boss

4. Bulgari

5. Burberry

6. Canali

7. Cartier

8. Chloé

9. De Grisogono

10. Ermenegildo Zegna

11. Fauchon Le Café

12. Giuseppe Zanotti

13. Givenchy

14. Hermès

15. Herve Leger

16. IWC Schaffhausen

17. Jaeger-LeCoultre

18. J.M. Weston

19. Kiton

20. Lanvin

37

38

22

6

30

34

15

18

20

35

12

26

21 3

33

13

29 19

39

25

2

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11

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21. Manolo Blahnik

22. Montblanc

23. Officine Panerai

24. Piaget

25. Porsche Design

26. Roger Dubuis

27. Rolex

28. Salvatore Ferragamo

29. Stefano Ricci

30. Tom Ford

31. Van Cleef & Arpels

32. Versace

33. Vertu

To come:

34. Café

35. Breguet

36. Stephane Rolland

37. Waitrose

38. Vacant

39. Vacant

36 3223 289

5

24

31

27

48 147

17

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ET_Shop map_Nov.indd 31 10/24/12 8:25 PM

/ 33Dine

The capital’s dining scene is a cultural melting pot, with virtually every cuisine under the Arabian sun cropping up across the city. Yet few offer a truly authentic experience – which is why Jumeirah at Etihad Towers’ newly-opened Tori No Su is causing quite the stir. For starters, it has Chef Ando at its helm, the Japanese-born, Kaiseki-trained head chef who brings decades of mastery to its Teppanyaki counter and Sushi

bar. But one main course will delight even the most seasoned foodies – the robatayaki counter. Founded in Sendai, Japan, in 1600, robatayaki is the original Japanese barbecue. Take up a pew at the restaurant’s counter and cherry-pick from food cooked before your eyes, before it’s scooped up on wooden paddles and served to you piping hot. It’s a time-honoured practice that would have taken place around the open hearths of

farmhouses centuries ago. Happily for us, 21st-century Tori No Su will have you eating amidst stunning contemporary design (note the living grass walls, a nod to Ando’s focus on fresh fare) and sipping signature mocktails – try Tei-en (‘Japanese Garden’) for a fusion of apple, kiwi, cucumber and shisõ leaf.

« Dine at Tori No Su, lobby level (P3), Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. 02 811 5666

Ancient Japan meets modern Abu Dhabi

ET_Dine opener_Nov.indd 33 10/24/12 8:41 PM

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Step inside the elegant, oak-panelled surrounds of London’s Scott’s, or the super-slick environs of its new

sister restaurant in Abu Dhabi and it’s hard to believe that this – one of the UK capital’s most fashionable eateries – began as a humble oyster warehouse. Yet, it did. The year was 1851 and the man behind the enterprise a young fishmonger by the name of John Scott. His fresh-plucked, high quality sea fare sped his self-named ‘Scott’s’ to a full-scale seafood restaurant and oyster bar, first in Haymarket and later – in the swinging sixties – in Mayfair, where it remains today.

If you still can’t picture the modern-day eatery, Andrew Cullen, the operations director of Caprice Holdings (owners of celeb-haunt The Ivy, and who acquired Scott’s in 2005) sums it up as “the classic British seafood brassiere in the heart of Mayfair, the most expensive and exclusive corner of London, which is inhabited by the Lords and Ladies of England.”

Such an esteemed address drew London society through its doors - film stars, politicians and writers flocked to Scott’s to slice their fish knives through delicate grills and to slurp the finest French oysters. And if that star-

London’s most glamorous seafood restaurant has swum its way to Arabian shores, emerging at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. But what can diners expect from its first overseas outpost? 5 dives beneath the surface…

Great Scott’S

> Opposite page: Food and interiors at Scott’s in London

‘the crustacean bar will provide a little tHeatre for the diner’

studded clientele isn’t enough to assure you of its gravitas, one frequent diner certainly should – Ian Fleming, the creator of Bond, who reportedly discovered the concept of ‘shaken not stirred’ in this very restaurant lounge.

Little wonder, then, that Scott’s latest outpost – its only venture overseas – should be drawn to the cutting edge environs of Etihad Towers. “The location chose Scott’s,” tells Cullen. “The amazing build next to the Etihad Towers beach deserved a classy seafood restaurant and Scott’s needed a great venue for its first foray into the UAE.”

But what can you expect from an Abu Dhabi version of the original? One prominent difference in the style stakes is the tower’s glistening, wraparound windows, which unfold around you as you dine. Such an architectural

feature means there were no ordinary walls on which to hang the modern British artwork London’s Scott’s is famed for (visit and you’ll dine amid works by the likes of Tracey Emin). Nonetheless, there is glamour abound. “The interior is a classy Martin Brudzinski design – understated but timeless,” says Cullen. “We don’t have any walls for art but we do have the most stunning view of the gulf from the restaurant and our al fresco terrace bar.” Which means you can drink-in the startling sea view as you raise first-rate fish to your lips.

If it sounds like a setting worth savouring, it is. And, when it comes to the matter of the menu, fish-lovers will find themselves spoilt for choice. The man tasked with bringing sea life to your plate is head chef Carl Titchart,

a South African-born talent “directly from the magnificent dining rooms of the Mount Nelson in Cape Town” says Cullen approvingly. “Carl bring years of experience in top quality kitchens around the globe to our kitchen in Abu Dhabi.”

If you want a taster of the dishes on offer, we’re told patrons can please their palates with grilled Dover Sole, Octopus carpaccio and shellfish cocktail – to name a few. Take Cullen’s advice, though, and the Plateau fruit de Mer is the dish to plump for. “For me the Plateau fruit de Mer is an experience rather than a dish,” he says. “The smell and taste of the sea, the delight of foraging each rock like shell, the visceral pleasure of smashing your own crab claws. All that and the fact that it is a dish that demands at least an hour to consume, time well spent.” We couldn’t agree more.

But the fish-rich experience doesn’t end there – the spot to really make a meal of things has to be its Crustacean Bar – perhaps inspired by the three-metre long seafood display or popular oyster bar seen in the London outpost. Make for the equivalent bar in Etihad Towers and gourmands will be in for some cracking action, as Cullen will testify: “Overlooking the restaurant tables, [the Crustacean Bar] will provide a little theatre for the diner, with the green-hatted chefs cracking lobsters claws galore and shucking oysters to order.”

As for Scott’s speciality, that’s simple, says Cullen: “beautifully-cooked fresh fish.” Sounds like a recipe for success.

« Dine at Scott’s from early December

ET_Great Scott_Nov.indd 34 10/24/12 8:44 PM

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ET_Great Scott_Nov.indd 35 10/24/12 8:45 PM

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Laura Binder takes a pew at Etihad Towers Pan Asian restaurant Quest, along with the man behind its playful dishes, Chef Benjamin Whatt

The Cheshire cat smile of Singaporean head chef Benjamin Whatt greeted me as I set foot inside the minimalist, immaculate and seriously slick surrounds of

Quest (its panoramic windows reminding me I was some 63 floors above the capital). Whatt credits the kitchens of the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Singapore and Dubai’s Burj Al Arab among his former posts, but told me he jumped at the chance to head the “beautiful” open kitchens of Quest – together with his long-term team of cooks (“my boys”) – a team who I’m told is putting the ‘fun’ back into cuisine.

“These guys grew up with Asian flavours, so they understand it. The smells, the tastes – they know how far they can take it and how much they should leave it. They got all these flavours from their mums, their grannies, their fathers.” And how would Whatt sum up Quest’s cuisine? “Yummy!” he laughed. “It’s Asian food with an open mind.”

With such an introduction, I couldn’t wait to sink my cutlery into Quest’s seasonal menu. First up was an Asian-meets-French twist on foie gras terrine, which Whatt told me captures “the essence of the restaurant, my background, everything.”

A trio of layers arrived before me: pink Japanese plum (‘ume’), a silky square of liver-hued foie gras terrine and finished with a light-as-air plum foam dusted with iced foie gras. Happily for the hungry, everything

Quest for perfection

on the plate was edible – yellow flowers and little hot pink cubes of pickled rhubarb included. As for the best way to eat the foie gras? Whatt notioned to a thick slice of just-toasted bread: “spread it, like peanut butter” he grinned. “Foie gras terrine is more creamy… if it’s too cold the fat is solid so you don’t get that velvet feel.”

While Whatt tucked next into the Halibut Confit with Chili Bean Sauce “a very Singaporean dish”, he urged me to taste the thick-yet-tender Black Pepper Beef. “All our meats are cooked at a really low temperature, which is why it’s really, really soft,” he said. And it was. After that melt-in-the-mouth softness, what struck me was how the sauce filled my mouth with peppery flavour, before dissolving entirely. “Sometimes that pepper taste is just too strong, right?” Whatt nodded along with my observation. “It gives you that kind of itchy, itchy feeling in your mouth. That was the trick.” And how did they achieve such a magical balance? “Four months of work and a lot of pepper sauce!” he laughed.

Despite such innovative flavours – (Whatt told me each dish takes 6-7 months of experimentation before it even makes it onto the menu) – the next dish, Chocolate Tasting, still took me by surprise. After all, who expects to eat a chocolate tree trunk sat on a rubble of chocolate soil, broken by dark chocolate branches? It’s a fairytale of a dish. “I just like to make things fun,” enthused

Whatt. “The concept of using nature for food took off in Spain some time ago, but it never really caught on. People didn’t believe it would take in a working restaurant.” On pressing my fork through the wickedly dark trunk (so expertly-made it didn’t even collapse under the pressure) I wondered who could resist such a dish? I delved inside to a caramelised chocolate mousse – a concoction that tasted all the better teamed with a sprinkling of ‘soil’ (or, in this case, chocolate powder, chocolate crumbles and tingles-on-the-tongue magic dust). To the side, meanwhile, I picked up a cool slice of ‘white truffle chocolate’, laced with the smooth taste of real white truffles. So, how does one go about building dozens of chocolate tree trunks daily? “Ice water,” grinned Whatt. “Ask any pastry chef and they will tell you that you can never mix warm chocolate with water, or warm chocolate with ice. And that’s what we just did: rebels without a cause!”

Experimental, innovative, imaginative and – to use Whatt’s earlier description – “yummy”, a meal at Quest makes for a memorable culinary journey – with more than a few stop-offs around the world…

« Dine at Quest, level 63, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. 02 811 5666

> Above: Foie Gras Terrine, Pickled Rhubarb and Ume

< Opposite: Quest restaurant and head chef, Benjamin Whatt

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ET_Chef interview_Nov.indd 36 10/24/12 8:45 PM

I N D U L G E

Avenue at Etihad Towers is dedicated to exclusive luxury and home to the world’s most desirable brands. Immerse yourself in Abu Dhabi’s most sophisticated boutique retail destination

and indulge in the joy of living and shopping.

www.AvenueAtEtihadTowers.ae

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Avenue_At_Etihad_Tower_Magazine_200x265mm_Eng_Ad.indd 1 11/1/12 5:36:30 PM

/ 39LiveNestled in the vibrant area of Ras Al Akhdar, the luxurious Etihad Towers community places you right in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s most prominent of districts.

With the lively Corniche on your doorstep and the city’s most luxurious mall at your feet, leisure time is always fun-filled – and, even closer to home, the magnificent Jumeirah at Etihad Towers offers fine dining and relaxation aplenty.

Whether you’re looking for a one-bedroom bolthole or a plush penthouse, there’s a design to suit every style, and every abode features fine fittings throughout. You’ll find floor-to-ceiling windows in every room, too – all the better for letting the natural light flood in, and gazing out at that view.

The three residential towers each boast their own swimming pools (including ones for the kids), recreational areas, and state-of-

the-art gyms, so you needn’t venture far to let off steam.

The front-of-house services will look after life’s little details too – from daily mail distribution to round-the-clock security – ensuring that every day is as sweet as that fresh sea breeze.

« Live at Etihad Towers. Call 800 384 4238 for residential leasing enquiries

Make Yourself at Home

ET_Live opener_Nov.indd 39 10/24/12 8:45 PM

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A s the sun gradually dips towards the horizon, the light in Etihad Towers’ sea-facing apartments turns a glorious pink: sunset here is a daily

spectacle, and the Mårelid family have one of the best views of all. “Up here on the highest floors, the vistas really are amazing,” says Agnes. “We can see for miles, and the sunlight throughout the day is fantastic. Now that winter has arrived, the colours of the sunset are even deeper – there really is nowhere else like it.”

Agnes and Stefan moved to Etihad Towers with their sons Jacob and Charles in spring of this year, and the high life is just as thrilling as ever: “Before we lived here, we had a second-floor apartment further along the Corniche,” says Stefan. “We were always looking up at everything, and now we look down – it’s incredible. This area is amazing – there’s always something going on. We’ve had the film festival, events, concerts in Ras Al Akhdar – whenever there’s something going on in Abu Dhabi, it always seems to be here.”

The boys can’t get enough of life in Etihad Towers either: the infinity pool downstairs made an “awesome” venue for Jacob’s last

The heighT of luxuryWith breath-taking sea views, flawless design and natural light in abundance, life is sweet at the top of Etihad Towers – just ask the Mårelid family, who’ve made their home on the uppermost floors

ET_Resident interview_Nov.indd 40 10/23/12 12:40 PM

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> Above: Agnes, Charles, Stefan and Jacob take a

seat in the living area


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birthday, and there’s always something to keep them entertained at weekends: “We all love going to the beach,” says Charles. “We hang out, skate and go swimming – it’s only a block away.”

For Stefan and Agnes, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers is their first choice for dining and relaxation: “Having the hotel on our doorstep is wonderful,” says Agnes. “We’ve tried all of the restaurants that are open so far – we each have our favourite. I love Quest – the views of the city at night are so romantic – and Brasserie Angélique is perfect for more casual dining.”

The family divide their time between Abu Dhabi and Sweden, choosing to return to Europe during the summer, and their interior décor reflects their roots perfectly. “We go by the Scandinavian style,” says Agnes. “Functionality is of the utmost importance, and we don’t have anything superfluous in the apartment: everything earns its place. We shop mostly at THE One and Ikea – the latter reminds us of Sweden, of course, so it’s very close to our hearts!”

The apartment feels homely, with plenty of cosy corners from which to soak up the view – but it didn’t happen overnight, admits Stefan. “You can’t make a place feel like home immediately,” he says. “We brought hardly anything with us from Sweden – we decided on just one suitcase each. It was very hard, but we wanted to divide our two lives. Our Sweden home is in the countryside, but here it’s all about the city: it’s an energetic, mobile way of life – and we wanted to reflect that in our surroundings.”

The apartment’s natural light and high ceilings allow the couple to display their growing collection of art to striking effect: “Each piece evokes a memory, an emotion,” says Stefan. “Most of the pieces have been created by our friends, or given to us as presents; we have a great mix of Swedish-inspired artwork, and Arabic pieces too.”

The canvases and sculptures add personality to the space, and reflect the family’s sociable nature: “We love to entertain friends here, to have dinner parties and gatherings,” says Agnes. “It’s a big part of who we are, but we always make time for each other too. During the week, we’re an active and sporty family, but at the weekend we like to spend time together.”

“We looked at lots of different properties before we moved in,” says Stefan. “Other apartments, and huge villas with wonderful living areas – but nothing measured up to what we have here. We could get more space

in a villa outside of the city, but what do you do once you step out of the door? Everything is on our doorstep here.”

It’s clear that Ras Al Akhdar has energy all of its own, but up in the Mårelids’ apartment life is serene: “We don’t have the noise, the hassle of everyday life,” says Agnes with a smile. “The problems on the ground are left down there – it’s exhilarating up here. It’s like living in a tree-house: we’re separate from the world. Every day feels celestial.”

‘The problems on the ground are left down there – it’s exhilarating up

here... we’re separate from the world’

> Above: The leisurely dining area


/ 43Work

Setting up at Etihad TowersWhen it comes to selecting property that means business, there is no address more prestigious than Etihad Towers. With over 45,000 square metres of prime leasable office space, the elegant Office Tower is the capital’s finest commercial development – and it offers all the facilities that a forward-thinking company needs.

Designed specifically for office use, the space can be arranged to suit your every need, and it features superior design and technology features throughout. Facilities include professionally-managed reception areas, high-capacity parking and a discreet private security service – as well as on-site access to one of the largest conference centres in the capital. For one-off events, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers can also provide a 1,400-capacity ballroom, 13 meeting rooms, and five signature dining destinations – perfect for formal entertaining.

Whether you choose to lease specified areas or entire floors, you’ll experience flawless design both inside and out, and enjoy peerless views over the Arabian Gulf and picturesque Corniche.

Abu Dhabi International Airport is close at hand, and the central business district, Central Bank and Foreign Ministry are all within easy reach too.

Working at Etihad Towers, every day is an inspiration.

« Work at Etihad Towers. Call 800 384 4238 for office leasing enquiries.

ET_Work opener_Nov.indd 43 10/24/12 8:46 PM

44 \

Issue one / 2012

W hen the Etihad Towers Office Tower opened earlier this year, management and technology consultancy

firm Booz Allen Hamilton were one of the first companies through the door. For Senior Vice President Don Pressley, no other office space would do: “Our real estate company showed us a number of Class-A business spaces in Abu Dhabi, but Etihad Towers stood out above the rest. I chose it because of the location, the style and feel of the building, and the size of the space – they were perfect.”

The Abu Dhabi branch of Booz Allen Hamilton opened in January of 2011, but the move to Etihad Towers firmly positioned the office as the company’s hub in the Middle East. “The locality has a certain cache within Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” says Don, who came over from Washington with the company 18 months ago. “The quality of the construction here is excellent, as is the quality of the amenities. When we say to clients that we’re based in Etihad Towers they always respond very positively. We want to be known as a quality company in quality offices, and I think Etihad Towers has that reputation more than any other development in the city.”

The Booz Allen Hamilton style of working is dynamic, with many employees based externally with clients. As such, the workforce in the Etihad Towers office changes daily, so the company has established a hot-desking, or ‘hoteling’ system – and the layout lends itself to the task perfectly. “We have a number of areas that employees can plug in to for the day, and we’re proud to be the base of operations

For the consultancy firm’s Middle East hub, Etihad Towers was a cut above the rest: Senior Vice President Don Pressley explains why the Office Tower was his first choice

Booz Allen Hamilton

> Opposite: Senior Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton, Don Pressley

in the region. We are the Middle Eastern base for the company, and we have satellite offices in Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, so it was important to base ourselves in a locality that has an excellent reputation and is close to many of our government-orientated clients. Etihad Towers is perfect for that.”

With a workforce of 35 based permanently in Abu Dhabi, the local property market was also an attraction – not least the option of accommodation right next door: “Many members of staff live in the residential towers,” says Don. “It works perfectly, and saves them the commute – plus, they can use the walkway between the towers, so during the summer they can stay in air-conditioned comfort on their way to the office. When my wife and I moved to the city, unfortunately the complex wasn’t finished enough for us to move in, so we have an apartment on the Corniche which is also very handy.”

For those that don’t live next door, the road links from Ras Al Akhdar are convenient for reaching other parts of the city – employees are based all over Abu Dhabi, and the parking facilities have space for them all.

With 623 square metres of office space, Booz Allen Hamilton has plenty of space for

day-to-day operations, but when it comes to large-scale functions, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers is close at hand. “We use the hotel in a variety of ways,” says Don. “For example, if we need conference space, there are plenty of options. There’s everything from meeting rooms to a huge ballroom, and it’s all right on our doorstep.”

Jumeirah at Etihad Towers is also very handy while the local amenities are under construction – and Don admits that dining at the hotel is a treat: “It’s great for meeting business clients in a formal atmosphere, but for everyday lunches we tend to order in. Of course, there is a Waitrose supermarket and a restaurant planned for downstairs, so there will be more choice once they’re completed.”

For Don, and the rest of Booz Allen Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi team, life in the city is nothing but positive. “It’s great to be part of an environment that’s growing, dynamic and energetic,” he says. “There is a feeling of great opportunity here. We are experiencing a wonderful opportunity to lead Booz Allen Hamilton in its ventures in the region – and Etihad Towers is the perfect place from which to do that.”

“It is important to be in a lOcAlity that has an excellent reputation...

Etihad Towers is perfect for that’’

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ET_Booz Allen Hamilton_Nov.indd 44 10/24/12 8:47 PM

/ 45

ET_Booz Allen Hamilton_Nov.indd 45 10/24/12 8:47 PM

FOR LEASING ENQUIRIES:

Call us at 800 384 4238Or email us at [email protected] Visit Etihad Towers Leasing Office at Etihad Towers, Tower 5, Level 1.Open from Sunday to Saturday 9:00am to 6:00pm

www.etihadtowers.ae

• Fully fitted kitchens• Leisure facilities• 14 Food & Beverage outlets• Waitrose Supermarket opening soon• No commission• Competitively priced• 75% leased• Concierge Service

Living at... Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi

Untitled-3 1 10/7/12 2:29 PM

/ 47Stay

If you’re of the opinion that size really does matter when it comes to hotel suites, how does the entire 60th level of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers sound? The Royal Etihad Suite grants you 980 square metres of

seriously swanky space (think hand-crafted furnishings and Arabic artwork) that is framed by floor-to-ceiling windows – the sparkling waters of the Gulf beyond you. Standalone tubs, walk-in dressing rooms, butler

service, four sitting rooms plus two dining rooms means you’ll have all the trimmings a serial jet setter could wish for. But that’s not all – guests here are granted a chauffeured limousine, so you can continue the five-star

treatment from the minute you step outside Jumeirah’s gleaming glass tower.

« Stay at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. Tel: +971 2 811 5888 for room reservations.

By Royal AppointmentCheck in to Abu Dhabi’s most spectacular suite

ET_Stay_Nov.indd 47 10/23/12 12:43 PM

48 \

Issue one / 2012

5 ways to enjoy the high life while staying at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers

Observation Deck at 300

Over in tower 2, the shortest of strolls from Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, the highest vantage point in the whole of Abu Dhabi affords you unbroken views of a city on the rise.

level 74

Quest

Head here for to-die-for food that’s almost as breathtaking as the 360 degree views you’ll encounter.

level 63

Ray’s

Enjoy the creations of masterful mixologists and superlative DJ sets at the city’s new go-to nightspot.

level 62

Sky Suite

Luxury abounds up in the sky in one of the city’s most uniquely brilliant suites. Enjoy dedicated butler service amid high-design splendour.

level 59

Club Executive Lounge

Encompassing an entire floor, here you can enjoy complimentary drinks and fine food throughout the day, as well as majestic ocean views.

level 45

ET_Stay Last page_Nov.indd 48 10/24/12 8:47 PM

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