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FORTY-SOMETHING AND FABULOUS

FACEBOOK DIVORCETHE NEW MARRIAGE-WRECKER

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MAY 2010

STEALTH SURGERYTHE BEAUTY

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“THE DAY MY LIFE CHANGED

FOREVER”

THE AGE ISSUE

TIMELESS STYLESAVVY DRESSING AT 30, 40 & 50

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stumbled across a quote

the other day which

read, “they say that age

is in your mind, but

the trick is keeping it from

creeping down into your body.”

Unfortunately, the author is

unknown, but whoever came

up with it is a wise person

indeed. Master age defiers

such as Sharon Stone, Demi

Moore and our cover star

Jennifer Aniston, play the game

perfectly, keeping both young

in mind and body.

Demi’s methods for holding back the years may have been

forever a question of debate, but the trick is to not only stay

looking young, but feeling eternally youthful, too. And that

means being realistic about who and what we are and are

yet to become. As we hit different barometers of age, such as

the 20s, 30s, 40s or 50s it’s not so much that we change, it’s

that our needs change. It doesn’t necessarily entail filling

our faces full of Botox as soon as we hit our 30s

either, it’s more about enjoying and celebrating

each decade fruitfully.

When we’re in our teens, we’re too busy

trying grow up and hit our 20s and in our

30s, we’re too busy trying to turn back the

hands of time. Whatever happened to

enjoying life in the present moment?

As Sharon Stone says “It should

be our goal to age with dignity, grace,

humour and beauty.” This month, feel

gorgeous and happy, whatever your age.

Email your views on these and other issues to [email protected]

DA

RRIN

JA

MES

WW

W.D

JPH

OTO

GRA

PHY.

NET

"Why would I be afraid of ageing? I am so grateful to age. We all should be"

MUST-HAVE AGE DEFIERS

BEHIND THE SCENES

Fashionwith aheart

GREEN TEA

CHANEL'S ULTRA CORRECTION LINE REPAIR RANGE

ACRO YOGA AT EXHALE

LA PRAIRIE PLATINUM SERUM

PLAY YOUR PART IN OUR FASHION WITH A HEART PROJECT AND DON MOHAMMED SULTAN AL HABTOOR'S T-SHIRT CREATION DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR THE CAUSE...

PRINTED BY EMIRATES PRINTING PRESS, DUBAI

HEAD OFFICE: PO BOX 2331, DUBAI, UAE, TEL: +971 4 282 4060, FAX: +971 4 282 4436, E-MAIL: [email protected] MEDIA CITY: OFFICE 508, 5TH FLOOR, BUILDING 8, DUBAI MEDIA CITY, UAE, TEL: +971 4 390 3550, FAX: +971 4 390 4845

ABU DHABI: PO BOX 43072, UAE, TEL: +971 02 677 2005 FAX: +971 02 677 0124, E-MAIL: [email protected]: ACRE HOUSE, 11/15 WILLIAM ROAD, LONDON NW1 3ER, UK. E-MAIL: [email protected]

Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer

Group Editor and Managing Partner Ian Fairservice Group Senior Editor Gina Johnson

Senior Editor Faye James

Deputy Editor Emily Baxter

Fashion and Beauty Director Sophia Triantafillou

Fashion and Beauty Editor Sophie Jones-Cooper Assistant Editor Cecilia D’souza

Senior Fashion and Beauty Writer Poppy Phillips

Fashion and Beauty Writer Scarlett Woodhouse

Fashion and Beauty Intern Karina Chattlani and Ruba A. Siddiqui

Assignments Editor Ingrid Valles Po Sub-Editor Iain Smith

Senior Art Director Jan Stoop Senior Designer T Prasadan

Senior Photographer Farooq Salik, Vikram Gawde

General Manager – Production and Circulation S Sasidharan

Production Manager C Sudhakar Production Supervisor Sunita Cordeiro

Group Publisher Jason Leavy

Senior Advertisement Manager Chaitali Gandhi

Advertisement Manager – Abu Dhabi Darryl Wiley

Contributors Saadiya Ahmad, Victoria Foxton, Glaire Glasby and Charlotte Murphy

19,424 copies June 2009

International Federation of Periodical Presswww.flip.com

S T Y L I S H . S M A R T. S O P H I S T I C A T E D .

FORTY-SOMETHING AND FABULOUS

FACEBOOK DIVORCETHE NEW MARRIAGE-WRECKER

MAY 2010

STEALTH SURGERYTHE BEAUTY

TREND DU JOUR

“THE DAY MY LIFE CHANGED

FOREVER”

THE AGE ISSUE

TIMELESS STYLESAVVY DRESSING AT 30, 40 & 50

3 STORIES OF INSPIRATION

THE WONDER MAKE-UNDER

AGELESS BEAUTY

MUST-KNOW HEALTH CHECKS

May 2010 emirates woman 33

74

emirates

S T Y L I S H . S M A R T . S O P H I S T I C A T E D .

74 The Good Girl: Jennifer Aniston

on ageing gracefully

80 The Turning Point: When life

changes forever

86 Facebook Divorce: The new

marriage-wrecker with picture

103 Timeless Style: Savvy dressing

whatever your age

152 Stealth Surgery: The latest

celeb ‘make-under’

40 Hip, Hot & Happening

42 Fashion News

47 Style Rethink

48 Shop Assistant

51 In Demand

52 Trend Report

54 Luxe Buys

57 Bling It On

58 Shop Savvy

60 Style Divide

62 Copy Cat

66 I Want…

71 Beauty Diary

72 Beauty Confessions

152

34 emirates woman May 2010

112

902010

74 The Good Girl: Jennifer

Aniston on ageing gracefully

80 Turning Point: When life

changes forever

86 Facebook Divorce: The new

marriage-wrecker

90 Emirates Woman of

the Year Awards 2010:

Nominate now

92 Shoot The Chic: Fashion goes

high-definition

103 Suitably Styled: Savvy

dressing whatever your age

112 Fashion With A Heart: The

EW team model the bespoke

T-shirts

121 Ingie Chaloub: Dubai’s

fashion queen talks about her

new collection

125 Haute Couture Uncovered:

The secrets behind the stylish

scenes of high fashion

128 Mind The Gap: GAP’s

summer style tips from the top

130 Timeless Temptations:

How Van Cleef & Arpels

jewellery shines this season

Fashionheartwith a

103

92

emirates


The Poetry of TimeCharms Watch: good-luck Alhambra motif charm set with diamonds, turning charm around dial

with sun pattern guilloché effect White gold case set with diamonds – 1.18 cts –

Dubai: Burjuman Center, 2nd floor (+971 4 351 0001) - Dubai Mall, Ground floor, Watches & Jewellery (+971 4 339 8001)Wafi, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons (+971 4 324 6060)

Abu Dhabi, Marina Mall (+971 2 681 1121)

www.vancleef-arpels.com

144166101

138 Colour Me Beautiful:

A season full of colour

at Faces

144 Complexion 101: Your best

skin for life

148 Hollywood Beauty: Celebs

and surgery – the will they,

won’t they debate?

152 The Make-Under:

Hollywood’s latest ‘stealth

surgery’ trend

158 The Age Of Skin: Chanel’s

anti-ageing miracle products

160 Romancing The Stone:

Sharon Stone on her

timeless beauty

164 Health News

166 Great Health At Any

Age: The definitive health-

check guide

170 Travel Notes

172 Anantara competition

175 Boutique 1 competition

176 Roladex

177 Horoscopes

178 My Stylish Life

138

160


emirates


April 2010 emirates woman 39

November 2008 emirates woman 83

by Emily Baxter

83 emirates woman April 2010

he North Pole may seem like another world to most, but for polar explorer and UAE national, Elham Al-Qasimi, it’s a very real destination and a very real dream. This month, Elham is attempting an unassisted and unsupported expedition to the North Pole and, if she completes it, she will be the first Arab woman to have set foot in the Arctic and the first UAE national to undertake such a mission to the North Pole, truly making her mark in the record books of this millenium. Originally for Elham, exploring was more

of a chore than a pleasure, spending her childhood years following her father around America on numerous trips. “My love for exploring is definitely an expansion of my father, who would take us on painfully long trips into the mountains to see waterfalls and caves. Although we spent the time conjuring up excuses so we could leave, somehow these trips have stayed with me.”

Several years on and inspired by the likes of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, trips to National Parks have been replaced with intrepid explorations to far further and dangerous destinations. “During a tough fitness drive last year I lost the motivation to train and thought to myself, I need a physical goal with a difficult but rewarding training and

preparation path and a personal journey that would force me to look at my inner self.” And so the April 2010 North Pole expedition was undertaken.

As the first UAE national and Arab woman to attempt this, Elham is setting records and breaking down barriers. “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed once said ‘me and my people love the first place in every field’ and this is about doing something because we can, despite the initial perception of difficulty.” Elham believes that the best way to improve yourself is to first compete with yourself.

“There are many different people in the world that have a variety of opinions on the capabilities of women to undertake a mission like this,” she adds. “But my challenge was not to change those opinions, but simply to complete my challenge.” The mission ahead is certainly a tough one,

but with training and mental preparation, combined with her faith, Elham believes she’s in the right mind frame to complete the task. “I have a four-stage physical training plan that I’m undertaking, but mindset is everything,” she explains. “The mental requirements will be even more demanding than the physical.”

But it is also Elham’s personal drive that motivates her when launching herself into -20 degrees ice holes. “I have also been fuelled by

8

06

05

8

Polar explorer

Elham Al-Qasimi

From left to right:Elham in the polar circle, at home, and in a snow covered forest

the public’s response – I keep thinking of all the people who I don’t even know who this might affect positively. Plus, when the masses join you then the sceptics shift their views.”And it is for these unknown faces who

Elham continues her mission for, whatever the weather. “I’m still working hard at raising funds, but I feel very strongly about creating opportunity and fostering social mobility.”

With Elham’s snowbound deadline looming, she focuses on the mission at hand. “Our progress is as simple or as bold as we dare to dream. It starts with your own opinion of those dreams and it ends with genuine intentions behind achieving them. With genuine intentions and hard work, impossible seems to fade into nothing.” And when asked what Elham’s motto will be for her feat of human endurance, she simply quotes TS Eliot: “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”To follow Elham’s progress and for more information about her charities, visit www.elhamalqasimi.com

■

88_inspirational woman A.indd 83

4/25/10 10I’m a dedicated follower of fashion, but

I’d never really taken the time before to

look at the ethics behind my shopping

habit. I’m ashamed to say that ‘who’ I

buy has always taken preference over

‘how’ something’s made. But after reading

Green is the New Black and Fashion’s

Philanthropy (EW, April), I’ve made a

concerted effort to shop greener when it

comes to fashion and looking fabulous.

Imogen Martinez, By email

★

Thanks to your Holidays With A Heart

feature, I’ve just booked myself my first

philanthropic holiday and I’m very much

looking forward to it. Lounging on a

beach used to be blissful, but now my

idea of heaven is doing something more

worthwhile.

Ana Delgado, Sharjah

Your Fashion With A Heart photoshoot and

feature (EW, April) was stunning and it was

great to see so many local heroes in the fashion

industry get celebrated for their work. I hope

the auction for the dresses is a huge success

and well done EW.

Zeina Haddad, By email

This month the writer of the chosen Star Letter will receive a gorgeous Pinctada pendant, fashioned from a modern floral motif. Set with beautiful multi-colour tourmalines surrounding a diamond and mounted in 18-carat yellow gold, it is a stylish addition to any outfit. So get writing on any subject that you feel deserves an airing…

Write to The Editor, Emirates Woman, PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE; or send an email to [email protected]. Name and address must be supplied but a nom de plume may be used for publication. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and suitability. Prize to be collected from a Pinctada store. www.pinctada.com

AIM TO INSPIREReading about Elham Al-Qasimi, the Polar explorer,

(Inspirational Woman, EW, April) really boosted my spirits.

There are lots of prayers and positive energy for the Arab

woman who has made an unassisted effort to reach the North

Pole and the principles she follows have really struck a chord.

She does not want to change the opinions of people, but to

simply complete her own challenge. “Only those who will risk

going too far can possibly find out how far one can go,” – truly

inspiring words from a truly inspiring woman.

Sumieta, by email

Fashionwith aheart

I never usually write into magazines, but I wanted to

say how sorry I feel for Sandra Bullock. The award-

winning actress wasn’t allowed to bask in any of

her Oscar glory and if ever there was an award for

stealing someone’s thunder, it should go to her

husband. How someone can think it’s okay to play

with another’s heart and destiny is beyond me. He’s

a poor excuse for a man.

Karen Greenford, Dubai

Complied by Poppy Skinner


Keep those precious duds in

perfect condition with the

help of these speciality fabric

care and clothing accessories

from The Laundress, available

at Harvey Nichols.

CARE FOR ME

Boasting brands such as Kiku

Pearls, Fossil and Farfasha,

Damas have just opened

their brand new boutique

in Mirdif City Centre.

Looking to sharpen your cookery skills?

Every second Saturday, Mezzaluna

restaurant in the InterContinental Hotel,

Dubai Festival City, will be hosting Italian

cooking lessons. (04) 7011111

CO

RB

IS IM

AG

ES

MINI FASHIONISTATASIf your little ones are in need of some new summer

wears, then follow in the fashionable footsteps then head

down to Bonpoint in The Dubai Mall.

Want to plan your evening outfit

without leaving your desk?

Then hotfoot it to the genius

‘fashion studio’ section of H&M’s

website. www.hm.com

COOKING UP A STORM

Making beautiful and original works of

art affordable is www.icanaffordart.com

STYLE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

DEEP SEA ADVENTURES Whether you like your

timepieces edgy, bold or glam,

Calvin Klein's new collection

has something for everyone.

Want to learn how to dive? Now you

can in style at the Atlantis Dive Centre.

No matter what your level, this PADI

accredited centre has lessons to suit.

www.atlantisthepalm.com

IT TAKES TWOMake sure your social calendar

includes a trip to the Rugby

Sevens on May 7 – both Rod

Stewart and Spandau Ballet

will be rocking the Dubai night.

www.rodstewart.com

You are never too old to play dress up, especially

when it’s with a Christian Louboutin-designed

Barbie. His latest incarnation available from

net-a-porter.com, Anemone Barbie, is all

about red carpet glam and even comes

with her own selection of Louboutin-

designed shoes.

BARBIE GIRL

WATCH THIS FACE

Perfect to adorn either your neck or your wrist, this pink

opal egg charm pendant from Tiffany & Co. is

luxury personified.

Compiled by Poppy Skinner

ETRO S/S 10 Masters of the print,

Etro are firmly on the fashion front-line

this season with pieces in prints ranging

from patchwork to paisley, and swathed

in a palette of violets, dusty pinks and

blues. With a medley of jumpsuits, slouchy

trousers and the must-have of the season,

the floaty frock, this is a collection to really

set our pulses racing.

THE COLLECTION

WITH ME

IN THE BAGFighting its way to the top of the ‘it’ list this season is the ‘Leola’ bag from Marc by

Marc Jacobs.

GETT

Y IM

AGES

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON FOR BULGARI Next summer there is no doubt where we’ll all be queuing to buy our totes; Bulgari. The famed Italian luxury brand has teamed up with Matthew Williamson to produce their very first joint handbag collection.

HANG

SEEING CLEARLY

FEATURING THE HOUSE’S CLASSIC

TIMELESS PRINT, AND IN A MEDLEY

OF UNIQUE DESIGNS, PUCCI’S NEW

RANGE OF SUNGLASSES ARE THE

ONLY THINGS TO ACCESSORISE YOUR

FACE WITH THIS SUMMER.

CLASSIC CHIC

If you are an ardent

fan of the preppy look,

then set your sights

on Lacoste’s latest

summer collection.


s one of the highlights

of the Emirate’s fashion

calendar, Dubai Fashion

Week saw models, media

and socialites craning their necks

to be the first to see what next season’s

wears will be bringing. With Dubai’s finest

home-grown talent giving us a glimpse of what

we have to look forward to come autumn, this year

saw Bollywood stars walking the catwalk at Aartivijay

Gupta, dream-like dresses at Furne One and a touch

of Bohemia at Sabyasachi. Here are EW’s top picks of

the week. ■

Written by Poppy Skinner

Reem and Hind Beljafla hit the spot

with their glamorous and chic take on the

traditional abaya

This new bohemian style from Sabyasachi

Furne One both surprised and delighted

with their opulently elegant collections

For style stars and designers of the future,

look no further than Splash’s Emerging

Talent Show

L’Oréal Paris made sure the models were picture perfect. “The most requested look this season was a gold, shimmery eye and cheek with nude, glossy lips,” explains L’Oréal Paris’ head make-up artist, Sarah Baldry

When it comes to autumn, over at

Iconic the future is clearly bright



Update it

Emporio ArmaniLayer with black accessories for a perfect monochrome look

GucciNothing heralds

the start of summer

quite like white jeans

Yves Saint Laurent

Embellishmentwill breathe life into an

all white ensemble

SHOP

Best EW products of the month


On the wings of love Looking for something a bit different in

your jewellery? Then you will love new

line Flutter, available from S*uce in Dubai.


5

PART OF THE CREW

Hoss Intropia in Riyadh Hoss Intropia, the go-to fashion boutique for

those in the know, is now one step closer to world

fashion domination with the opening of their new

boutique in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Already boasting

stores in Kuwait and being stocked in Galleries

Lafayette in The Dubai Mall, the new extensive

boutique will boast both its ready-to-wear and

highly sought-after accessories line. It’s a favourite of the likes of

Michelle Obama and Angelina

Jolie, and now you too can

get your hands on J.Crew –

delivered directly to your door

from www.net-a-porter.com

Keep your peepers safe from glaring rays with these fabulous shades from D&G.

This season the clog ruled the catwalk, and Louis Vuitton’s sterling array led the way.

The only way to wear rings this summer is big and bold, and none are better than this one from Aldo.

No matter what the temperature outside, permanent air-con makes Jimmy Choo’s cashmere throw a must.

The perfect work-to-party bag is a perennial fashion problem, but fret no more with this beauty from Kenneth Cole.

Famed fashion, jewellery and perfume

house Chanel has created 12 exclusive scents.

Les Exclusifs de Chanel will be available in the

Middle East at a bespoke Chanel counter in

Harvey Nichols from May 15 to June 15, and then

permanently at the Chanel Boutique in The Dubai

Mall from June.

Scents of style

BRIDAL HAVENYou have found the man, now

it’s time to find the dress and,

as every budding fashionista

knows, this is no easy task.

Help is at hand courtesy of

The Wedding Shop, located

in Jumeirah Centre, Dubai.

Boasting the largest collection

of wedding dresses in the

region, including Essence of

Australia and Watters Bride,

this just might be the only

(ad)dress you need to know.

www.theweddingshop.ae

F r a g r a n c e f o r Wo m e n

Photographed by Vikram GawdeCompiled by Scarlett Woodhouse

Shoes Dhs799 by Carvela at

Kurt GeigerTower above

the rest in these

skyscraper heels

Earrings Dhs60, bracelet Dhs80 both AldoWorn together or separately, bright jewels are the

perfect accessory this season

Hairclip Dhs5,290 ChanelAdd glitz and glamour to a simple up-do with this gold

hairclip from Chanel

Sandals Dhs2,795 by Casadei at Vicini

Team these cute embellished sandals with dark skinny jeans

and a simple Tee

Necklace Dhs2,310 Missoni at Boutique 1Supersize your jewellery

with this beautiful necklace

from Missoni

Trolley POA Carolina Herrera

Who would have known a trip to the supermarket could

be so glamorous

Earrings Dhs35 New Look

Up the ante in these heart earrings,

perfect for day or night

Belt POA FendiA wardrobe staple, this belt

from Fendi is bang on trend in muted a hue

Bag Dhs27,000 Dior

Spark serious travel envy with this

detective bag by Dior

Hat POA Hermès This nautical inspired hat will

Shade you from the sun in style



ETRO

FEN

DI

EMPO

RIO

ARM

ANI

Photographed by Vikram Gawde Styled by Scarlett Woodhouse

YVES

SAI

NT

LAU

REN

T

Dhs799 Diesel

Dhs2,000 Emilio Pucci

Dhs555 Ted Baker

Dhs2,600 Chloé

Dhs975 by Gryphon at Harvey Nichols

Dhs750 by Alice by Temperley at Boutique 1Dhs1,850 Matthew Williamson

Dhs4,230 by The Row at Boutique 1


Photographed by Vikram GawdeCompiled by Scarlett Woodhouse

MO

SCHI

NO

CHE

AP &

CHI

CPOA

Carolina Herrera

Dhs5,225 Giuseppe Zanotti Designs

POA Moschino

POA Louis Vuitton

Dhs3,900 by Pierre Hardy at Harvey Nichols

POA Kenneth

Cole

Dhs3,200 Christian

Louboutin at Saks

Fifth Avenue

Dhs2,275 Chloé

Dhs2,150 Armani

FEN

DI

Cosy chats, family dinners, quick bites, coffee breaks... whatever the reason, the versatile and extendable Avalon dining table is the perfect setting for it. Combining the simplicity of 19th century cottage styling with a fresh lacquer finish, this table comfortably seats four people when round, and up to six with the easy-glide leaf. Let the conversation flow.

Happy and Bright

Now open at Mirdif City Centre & Mall of the Emirates.

Home Furnishings. Housewares. Accessories.

Dubai: Mirdif City Centre 04 2843605, Mall of the Emirates 04 3410499, Dubai Mall 04 4340870, Abu Dhabi: Marina Mall 02 6817754, Sharjah: Sahara Centre 06 5319804

Dubai: Mirdif City Centre 04 2843605, Mall of the Emirates 04 3410499, Dubai Mall 04 4340870, Abu Dhabi: Marina Mall 02 6817754, Sharjah: Sahara Centre 06 5319804

Compiled by Scarlett Woodhouse


The new Dance

of the Butterflies

collection from

Carrera Y Carrera,

featuring pendants,

earrings and rings

with delicate

butterflies set into

mother of pearl and

18 carat yellow and

white gold, already

has an army of A-list

fans including Giselle

and Eva Longoria.

Add some sparkle with these beautiful rings from

Marco Bicego’s Goa collection, which are handcrafted

with winding textured coils in white, yellow and rose

gold and embellished with diamonds.

The fruit of temptation, the apple,

inspires Pasquale Bruni’s new

Tentazoine collection. Pink,

red and green topaz are set in

18 carat white and yellow gold on

long delicate pendants, ready to

jazz up any ensemble.

The latest collection from pearl giants Liali comprises

of three sets of earrings, pendants and rings in

stunning south sea and Tahitian pearls in white,

gold or black. Their simple and elegant

design is perfect for day to night style.

Julianne Moore rocks the ‘less is certainly more’ trend when it comes to accessorising with jewels. At the premiere of her latest film Chloe, she chose two simple statement rings – Bulgari’s white gold and amethyst Parentesi Cocktail ring and their stunning

white gold large Parentesi ring

with full pavé diamonds.

Colour saturated rings are the centrepiece

of the new Tiffany & Co. collection. To make

a serious style statement, take note of their

yellow, green, blue and pink precious stones set

in white gold and diamonds.


Photographed by Vikram Gawde Compiled by Scarlett Woodhouse

ELIE

SAA

B

EMIL

IO P

UCC

I

GU

CCI

WE

WEAR

WITH...

Shoes Dhs599 Dune

Dhs249 Jane Norman

Dhs995 Reiss

Dhs595 Banana Republic Dhs325 New Look

Dhs850 Aftershock

Dhs325 Giles Deacon for New Look

Hairclips Dhs40 Aldo Accessories

Clutch Dhs180 Aldo Accessories

Sandals Dhs379 by French Connection for Kurt Geiger

Dhs495 Banana Republic

BCBG

MAX

AZAR

IA

Socialite, actress and

celebrity, Olivia Palermo

is without doubt the

hottest thing on the

fashion scene at the

moment. Whether it

be a gala night at the

Whitney or stepping out

of her Tribeca apartment

in New York, Olivia

never puts a fashion foot

wrong. Forever the style

chameleon, Olivia has

a wardrobe any woman

would envy.

RUCHED A difficult trend to pull off with panache, the ruching

of shirts, dresses and trousers is back on the racks

this season. If you have a penchant for the puffy

look, proceed with caution as this trend can be

tricky. Dresses are a great place to start, but make

sure you belt your dress to bring some structure

to this style. If you are on the shorter side,

wear a slim-fitting piece along with a ruched

one to ensure this style doesn’t look like it has

swallowed you whole.

RUFFLESOne of the most popular trends of the season, ruffles are

a great way to add some excitement to your wardrobe.

Whether it’s a ruffle skirt or simple detail on a dress, ruffles

suit every style and can be worn day or night. Keep it simple

and don’t mix different trends as they are best worn alone to

make an individual and bold style statement.

DENIM DISASTERJennifer Hudson’s denim label, Hudson

Jeans, has created a new line of ‘couture’

jeans which are made from old bits of recycled

jeans. Retailing at over Dhs3,000, we won’t be

buying into this fashion fad.

SHOE OFFIf you’re looking for a shoe that is a cross

between a clog and a kitten heel, gives

one inch in height and makes your toes look

furry with a mixture of leathers and buckles,

these from Louis Vuitton are for you.

Named Trinity due to its three rings, the latest

collection by Cartier is nothing short of spectacular.

With pieces made with platinum, black ceramic and

diamonds, this bracelet should be on top of your

shopping list this May.

UPP

ERS

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MODEL INCGiselle may be a business machine,

supermodel and mother, but

‘designer’ is one thing she won’t

be adding to her CV. When

recently asked if she designs

her line of footwear, she

promptly commented:

“No way. I would be

a disaster!”

IF THE SHOE FITSThe latest boutique to open its doors in Al Khayyat

Mall (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) has caused quite the

fashion frenzy for Louboutin lovers in the region.

An entire boutique devoted to shoes

and bags, this is the place to go

for a style investment for life.

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HELLO DOLLYTo celebrate their 120th

anniversary, famed fashion house

Lanvin have produced a series of

divine dolls – if you can get your

hands on them we suggest you snap

up the entire collection.

EYE WANT CANDYIf you haven’t paid a visit to

accessory boutique Marami in

The Dubai Mall – the time is now.

Housing the coolest

accessories in the UAE,

you definitely won’t

leave empty-handed.


Base:

Eyes:

Lips:

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THE LOOK

Blusher in Fever Pink by Chantal

Thomass for Nivea

Eye shadow by Inglot

Meteorites powder by Guerlain

Cream foundation by Inglot

Mascara in Black by Maybelline

Light Perfecting Base by Guerlain

Lipstick in Rose

Etincelant by Bourjois

Eyeliner in Black by

Nivea




7For simple and easy to do

make-up, use L’Occitane

lip and cheek stick, which

will give you an all day

radiance to boast.

Forget endless lipstick reapplications,

with Estée Lauder’s Double Wear lipstick

only one application is needed for 12

hours of lip smacking conversation.

Keep make-up in

place all day with a

spritz of M.A.C’s Fix+

over the top of your

finished look.

The key to

make-up staying

put is fully

hydrated skin.

This Aqua-Day

moisturiser

from Guerlain

is perfect

for optimum

hydration

with SPF30.

Perfectly hydrated

skin will ensure

make-up holds all

day long. Clarins

Dairy Energizer

Wake-Up Booster

is one of the best.

Keep this Bobbi Brown touch-up

palette on hand for on-the-go reapplication.

Nivea’s Beauty Lift

Foundation not only

has incredible hold,

but actively works to

combat fine lines and

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For the summer months, change

to a waterproof mascara to avoid

those dreaded panda eyes.

21


EW PICKS FIVE OF THE BEST PRODUCTS TO GET YOUR LASHES SOFT, MOISTURISED AND MAKE-UP FREE

EYE MAKE-UP

To relax and

revitalise your mind,

body and soul,

there’s nothing like a

bath, and Guerlain’s

new Idylle Bath and

Bodyline is utterly

luxurious and subtly

fragrant to refresh my

skin to the max.

Emily Baxter –

Deputy Editor

Bath time luxury

Pro eye make-up remover by M.A.C

Précision eye make-up remover by Chanel

Gee... that was quick! make-up remover by Benefit

Eye make-up remover with lash enhancer complex by Natura Bissé

Gentle eye make-up remover by Nivea

REMOVER

A unique scent

Enriched by coriander and a hint of minty patchouli, Musk Arabia by Yas Perfumes is a

great scent for special occasions. The added extra is that I love the fact no one recognises the

scent and it's so unique you can almost bluff that's it was made especially for you.

Faye James – Editor

For when

I want my skin

instantly hydrated

both day and night,

I use Suprême

Maintenance

Youth Serum by Dr

Sebagh, available at

Harvey Nichols.

Sophia

Triantafillou –

Fashion and Beauty

Director

Visibly hydrated

skin

I am loving the whole bronzed trend this

summer, and nothing finishes off my look better

than Inglot’s multicolour bronzing powder.

Poppy Skinner – Senior Fashion and Beauty Writer

The bronze effect

At the end

of the day, Nuxe’s

Purifying Cleansing

Gel is just the job for

removing all traces

of make-up, as well

as gently exfoliating

my skin.

Sophie Jones-

Cooper – Fashion

and Beauty Editor

Clearer looking

skin


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NIGHT

Incognito by Chanel

Magnifica by Dolce&Gabbana

Rouge Intemporelle by Bourjois

Rouge d’Amour by Chantal Thomass for Nivea

Brun Satin by Guerlain

Rouge Broderie by Sisley

Cyndi by M.A.C

Sunset Coral by Estée Lauder

Beatrix by Guerlain

222 by Inglot

Photographed by Naveed AhmedCompiled by Scarlett Woodhouse


EW Loves the natural, neutral look of the S/S 10 Stella McCartney show.

BACKSTAGE BEAUTY

THIS MONTH’S MUST-BUY…INSPIRED BY ART SUPPLIES, THESE LIPSTAIN MARKERS BY M.A.C LAST FOR HOURS AND APPLICATION IS HAVING ABOUT AS MUCH FUN AS YOU CAN WITH YOUR MAKE-UP.

iving in the land of luxury that is the UAE, we are all

familiar with the weekly mani/pedi. On your next trip

to your favourite salon, make sure you not only take

your flip-flops but pack this gorgeous nail lacquer

courtesy of Chanel (left), which will keep your tips and toes

ahead of the fashion pack this spring. Another must-buy for

your talons is Talika’s Nail Regenerator Serum (below), which

nourishes even the most fragile of nails. What’s even better is

the fact that this serum is 100 per cent natural and free from

any artificial scents, colourings and preservatives, so

it’s a guilt-free purchase.

In our quest for the best beauty buys, we have found

a line of products that will truly revolutionise your

skincare routine. The Bulgari Blanc Originel Line (left)

is a range of whitening products that work their magic

to remove any dark spots and sun damage, which is the

great news for us in the Middle East.

FAVOURITE FRAGRANCES FOR MAY…

Voyage d’Hermès by

Hermès and Fleur de

Rocaille by Caron Paris.

HATS OFFIf you’re looking for a quirky hair accessory

this month, the Dubai Tiara is for you.

Designed by Michelle Roberts from Jake &

Gigi exclusively for S*uce, it is a perfect

piece for the girl about town.

MAKE ME UPWith a make-up collection

guaranteed to unleash the diva in

all of us, head to the Illamasqua

counter at Bloomingdale’s to not

only update your look, but your

make-up bag, too.

otal Effects from Olay day and night cream is

scientifically proven to banish bad skin for good.

Prairie whitens the skin, and also detoxifies, mattifies

and removes excess pigmentation. Use day and night

and you will see speedy and spectacular results.

perfect ailment for dull skin and will leave your face

looking fabulous after only a few weeks.

3

Compiled by Poppy skinnerPhotographed by Vikram Gawde


The Adlon Day Spa in

Berlin combines the best

characteristics of the four

elements: earth, water, air and

fire. The cosy atmosphere and

the combination of activity

and relaxation during yoga,

treatments and acupuncture

make the spa the most

interesting place for me.

● Lip Balm KISS Elixir and Lip Potion

Devilish Nectar.● Blush Wand (creamy blush).● A mirror and a hairbrush.● Fresh fragrance.● Cleansing wipes.

NEW SEASON

NADIN EULE-MAU

● Red or very colourful lipstick

or gloss for expressive lips.● Liquid eyeliner and eyeshadows in

mauve or lilac.

BEAUTY

BRAND REPRESENTATIVE

FOR ROUGE BUNNY ROUGE

1 Luminous Skin Wand

Concealers.

2 A creamy blush for

all day application.

3 Brushes for powder and

eyeshadows.

4 Lengthening mascara to

achieve an adorable look

without any other products.

5 Lip balm.

ESSENTIALS

TOP FIVE

MY SECRET TO ANTI-AGEING

● THE GOOD QUALITY INGREDIENTS IN MY ANTI-

AGEING MOISTURISER, SUN PROTECTION PRODUCTS, SUNGLASSES AND A RICH

AND NOURISHING EYE CREAM.

FAVOURITE PERFUME● Tom Ford

‘Black Orchid’.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER

RECEIVED● Do not stop in your

life, as there is always

something

to discover.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKE-UP BAG?

MAKE-UP MUST-HAVES

MY FAVOURITE SPA

Dubai: Deira City Centre, tel. +9714 29 59 331 | Mall of the Emirates, tel. +9714 34 10 011Mirdif City Centre, tel: +9714 28 43 628

www.frey-wille.com vienna, austria

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74 emirates woman May 201074 emirates woman May 2010

40, by Emily Baxter

ennifer Aniston is a woman who garners more column inches than most Hollywood stars, and despite a life lived very much

in the public eye, there’s no denying that she has stood the test of time. Over the last 16 years, she’s been ditched, she’s been

divorced, she’s been publicly humiliated and she’s made some questionable movie choices, yet she’s still here, still making her

millions and, at 41-years-old, still doing it with dignity. It seems that little holds her back and when the going gets tough, she

simply gets tougher. Entering into a new decade and phase of life, Jennifer’s spearheading a new generation of fabulous forty

somethings, who are fast putting their younger rivals in the shadows. “I feel more comfortable today than I ever did in my 20s

or early 30s. I am more at peace in my mind and with my body,” she says. Blessed with her Grecian beauty and a career that saw

her rack up two Hollywood hits last year, He’s Just Not That Into You and Marley & Me, her 40s look set to be Jennifer’s finest era.

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Born in 1969 in California, Jennifer first shot into our homes in

1994 as Rachel Green in Friends, and she hasn’t strayed far from our

screens, the red carpet, or indeed from media scrutiny since. Be it her

sense of style, her film-script choices or her well-documented love-life,

the cameras are constantly poised ready to commit to celluloid the

ups and downs of her public, and private, life. Whether she courts this

media intrusion as much as many of her peers is debatable, though she

certainly handles the intrusion with more decorum than most.

From the onset of her mainstream career in 1994, Jennifer was

adopted by many as the all-American girl-next-door, with the looks,

personality and attitude to become an instant success story. And now,

even as she enters her 40s, she still

graces magazine covers, delights

on the red carpet and lures a string

of eligible men. But at the age of

21, when Jennifer won her first

big acting break, she was far from

the fresh-faced beauty of today.

Despite her initial baby-faced

frump, Jennifer grew into her figure

and now embodies a ‘real woman’

body shape – curvy, feminine and

ultimately fabulous, even at 41.

While the last decade has seen

Jennifer update her looks, both

setting trends and following them,

she has maintained an air of

naturalness in her transformations.

Few could deny that Jennifer is

playing her age to its best advantage.

Often openly dismissing the ageing

process, she has hit the milestone

of turning 40 with confidence, and

a mid-life crisis couldn’t have been

further from her mind. “Turning 40 is easier now and we have Demi

Moore to thank for that – she’s gorgeous. And I have to say really,

I feel better than I have ever felt in my life. I don’t feel 40, I don’t

know what it really means,” she says. “I’m not afraid of growing older.

I just know that all of a sudden it’s something that’s in print next to my

name. But for me, it almost feels like a badge of honour.”

It’s her fashion sense, as well as her beauty, that has seen designers

forming an orderly queue, waiting for her to flaunt their creations in

front of the paparazzi’s flashbulbs. Classic, natural, under-stated and,

perhaps sometimes to a fault, safe, her effortless style and easy take

on fashion sees her draped in Alberta Ferretti, Valentino, Christian

Lacroix and Burberry ensembles. But for a woman forever under the

fashion bloggers glare, does she suffer from the same insecurities

as us mere mortals? “Of course! You don’t hit some level and just

coast – I take care of myself first and foremost,” says the 7st 12lb,

size-8 star. “There are times when I don’t take good care of myself

and times when I do,” she says. “But it just feels good to be healthy,

which means you feel good about yourself and what you wear, and

with that comes physical exercise and keeping yourself in shape.”

That said, the ‘natural’ look that Jennifer has become so renowned

for is not without controversy. She has come under fire several times

from the media and beauty insiders, who questioned whether she’d gone

under the knife for a nose job after emerging for Season Two of Friends with a smaller, straighter nose. Jennifer and her PR team have furiously

denied any plastic or reconstructive surgery of any kind, purporting

that the operation was, in fact, to correct a deviated septum. “It’s true, I

once had my deviated septum operated on but it was for health reasons,”

she admits. “I did also have Botox once, but I felt like I had a weight on

my head. But the rest of my body is all mine and absolutely natural.

And it’s going to stay that way.” And, when faced with ongoing scrutiny

regarding her ‘has she/hasn’t she’

breast augmentation surgery, she

adds: “Short of letting everybody

have a feel, I don’t know what else

I can do. I’m really very happy with

what I was given,” she says.

Regarding her own beauty

regime, Jennifer’s keep it simple

and effective. “I wash with the same

soap that I have used since I was

a teenager, which is Neutrogena.

And that’s it”, she admits. While

her hair, which has racked up

almost as many column inches as

its owner, takes its cue from the

‘simple is best’ rule of thumb: “It

doesn’t take much looking after

– I just cut and condition it with

L’Oréal. The fancy stuff never

seems to work.” But as we all know

in this day and age, not all anti-

ageing elixirs can be found in a jar,

with many women seeking to keep

their body and mind young through exercise. “I do the best I can to keep

myself fit, both in body and mind. I run because you get addicted to the

euphoric feeling of getting up and having a good sweat. I also draw a lot

of strength and energy from hatha yoga, I do the elliptical trainer too,

and I eat healthy.”

It’s this healthy attitude and mindset that has ensured she’s retained

her ranking as fashion icon and major Hollywood player, while the

general ebb and flow of popularity has seen many peers fall off the radar.

“I feel good about where I am right now,” she says. But regardless of her

outlook on life, Hollywood has a nasty habit of forcing stereotypes on

the masses, and nowhere is this more evident than in the ‘body debate’.

Jennifer refuses to conform, however: “You’re damned if you’re too thin

and you’re damned if you’re too heavy. According to the press I’ve been

both. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone and I suggest we stop trying.

Once you figure out who you are and what you love about yourself,

I think it all kinda falls into place.”

Somehow, Jennifer seems to have evaded the ageing process that

ravages when emotions are run ragged, despite her acrimonious divorce

from Brad Pitt in 2005, and numerous other romantic and career trials

40


and tribulations over the years. Although beauty is often genetically

inherited, she’s smart enough to know that overall health takes work.

“I do little things that make big differences,” she says. “I drink a lot of

water, because my skin dehydrates badly and gets crêpey. Every little

helps, so water is important and sleeping is vital.” Along with natural

beauty, laughter and humour are two accessories that transcend the

years and help defy the ageing process. Taking her comedic influence

from her parents, she says: “When I was younger, they would make each

other laugh like nobody’s business, so I put a lot of value in humour. I

can make fun of myself and laughter certainly helps keep you young.”

And humour is one attribute she’s needed more than most,

coping with the backlash from ‘that’ divorce. Nobody could have

failed to miss the 2005 ‘Team

Aniston / Team Angelina’

T-shirt fad where fans and the

media publicly picked sides.

But ‘Brangel ina-gate’ d id

little to rock her reputation

and perhaps went some way

in fur ther cementing her

position as the poster-child for

scorned women. Wherever the

public’s allegiances sat, Jennifer

went from being one half of

Hollywood’s ultimate power-

house couple, to wounded

woman. Instead of retaliating,

she chose to remain controlled

and mature in her response and

retreated to lick her wounds

before emerging stronger than

before. She maintained the

upper hand and looking back

in response to her short-lived

marriage, without bitterness or

regret, she now maturely says:

“Sometimes you meet each

other at a time in your lives

when you’re not necessarily ready and you’re not fully-formed – you

don’t have the maturity it takes to be in a relationship. I have nothing

but well-wishes for him.”

Jennifer’s most recent relationships have fared little better and have

been just as well documented, with romances with actor Vince Vaughan,

model Paul Sculfor and musician John Mayer hitting the headlines

hardest. But it’s the romance (or ‘showmance’ as it’s been coined by

cynical celeb watchers) with her latest co-star from The Bounty Hunter, Gerard Butler, that has seen the media’s pens and cameras poised once

again. With reports that the good-girl is playing a game of cat and

mouse with the media over the romance (which has yet to be confirmed

or denied) in a bid to rally support, and drive box-office takings, for their

much-hyped but poorly-performing movie, it is obvious that her love

life shows no signs of slowing down. And if W magazine’s April issue is

anything to go by, which boasted a sexy cover shoot with Jennifer and

Gerard, it proves that in life, looks and love… Jennifer’s still got it.

But this scrutiny of her love life is as much a source of amusement

to Jennifer as it is of intrigue to the watching world. While accepting

her women in film Crystal and Lucy Award for Excellent last year, her

acceptance speech was peppered with anecdotes about her romantic

misfortune: “It started with The Good Girl, then, of course Rumour Has It, followed by Derailed. Then there was The Break-Up. If any of you have a

project entitled Everlasting Love With An Adult Stable Male, I’m at table six

and my agents are at table 12.”

Whether she’s painted as Hollywood’s favourite Bridget Jones, a

saccharine sweet all-American girl-next-door, or the wiliest of women

making the media machine march to her own tune, one fact is clear…

Jennifer clocks up too many gossip fodder column inches to be left

alone any time soon. “I normally ignore stories about me because they

tend to take on a life of their own and I find that no matter what I say

or do, I can’t find a way to correct them. But it does get frustrating

at times, because I happen

to love my job and I think all

this distracts from that when

someone creates a ridiculous

story about me,” she says.

And for a single, child-less

woman in her 40s, rumours

will always be abound about

future offerings – marriage,

kids, happiness…Though why

Jennifer’s fellow A-list singletons,

such as Cameron Diaz and

Renee Zellweger, are allowed to

live their single lives in relative

obscurity while every romantic

move Jennifer makes is over-

documented and over-analysed,

is an anomaly. But, as Jennifer

is quick to point out – marriage

and motherhood doesn’t

always equate happiness and

just because a woman is single,

doesn’t mean she is miserable or

missing out on life and its little

pleasures. “I wish people would

stop feeling sorry for me – I’ve

never been more content and I’ve never in my life said I don’t want

children. I did and I do and I will,” she says, putting paid to those who

dare cast judgements on her life or those who believe life ends when

you hit 40. “This whole ‘poor lonely Jen’ thing, this idea that I’m so

unlucky in love… I actually feel like I’ve been unbelievably lucky in

love”, she says. “I don’t feel like I’m supposed to be any further along or

somewhere that I’m not. I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

Having just launched her first fragrance, Lolavie, which she says

was a “year-and-a-half journey, but one that felt organic and natural,”

and with movies such a The Switch, (about a woman desperate to

have a child), and Just Go With It, (about a man who enlists the help

of Jennifer’s character to land the woman of his dreams), life couldn’t

be much sweeter for the 41-year-old. And, despite media protestations

to the contrary, she is happy and will continue to be so well into the

decade ahead. “I’m just a regular girl and I just want to keep on doing

what I want to do. Find peace. Simple things that everyone wants – to

travel and see more of the world; I want to have a family, but I also

want to keep working and do more movies. I may be in my 40s, but in

a way, I feel like I’m only just beginning.” ■


TWENTIESrom a teenage girl, Canadian account

executive Kelly Weber always pushed herself

to the limit to achieve perfection, but it was

in relinquishing her control that she finally

got her life back.

“I’ve always been a high achiever. My father

is a PhD scientist and my brother a grade-A

student, so being part of a very academic

family had set a precedent that I was bound to adhere to. Perfection

was something I strove for on a daily basis with everything from

school to my appearance. Even when I left home to study at

university, rather than leading the typically hedonistic social life

many friends did, I worked every spare minute I had. During the

summer break I served at a café from dawn to dusk, using every

evening to study or prepare for my classes. I was painfully aware

of what I was missing and I was miserable, but the bare bones of

it was that I knew no other way to be or to behave.

The chance to escape my gruelling regime came the following

summer. I had saved Dhs20,000, enough to book a trip around

Europe. It was an ambition I had harboured since my teens,

but instead of viewing it as an opportunity to enjoy myself,

I meticulously planned each and every moment; all the things

I would see, do and eat, and at such a ferocious pace that left little

time for relaxing. When I arrived in Lisbon, I was still on my old

schedule, setting my alarm for 6am to read the guidebook and

pushing myself every day to achieve as much as possible.

By the time I reached southern France I had made myself sick

with exhaustion. A girl I had met there told me about a beautiful

guest house at an old vineyard in Italy, set deep in the rural

heartland, and it seemed like the perfect tonic for my malaise.

I had no idea how remote it was until I arrived, there was literally

nothing to do. In a fit of panic I found a bike tour through the

Chianti region and decided to walk the entire 22km route. It was

the worst and best decision I ever made. Somewhere along

the way I took a wrong turn and became horribly lost. I had


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no water or food and after 10 hours in the scorching summer sun,

I was dehydrated, starving and desperate. I’ve never felt so

physically and mentally broken in my life. It was as though all the

pressure I had endured for my entire life had been distilled into this

one epiphanous moment. I remember thinking, ‘What am I doing

to myself? What am I trying to prove?’ When a farmer found me

and took me back to the vineyard I could have cried with relief.

I remember waking up the next morning, tired but elated.

I made a coffee on the old stove that took an hour to heat, grabbed

my book and sat in the sun, and for the first time in my life literally

and figuratively, I just sat and took in the view.

It suddenly became clear to me that you have to let life happen

to you without trying to force it. From that day on, my trip became

a holiday and my life has never been the same. Releasing myself

from the rigour of my old routine has opened up so many new

experiences for me. I can relax now without the fear that I may be

missing out on something because sometimes just existing in the

moment is the best experience of all.”

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

25


or Laura Inglis, her three-

diamond tier necklace is

a family affair. A true

family heirloom, the

main diamond from

the piece has been

handed down from generation to

generation, which is a tradition

Laura wants to keep. “The main

diamond has been in my family for

many years, one day I hope to hand

it to my daughter,” explains Laura. The

unfortunate loss of one earring from

a pair of diamond studs from her uncle

combined with an antique diamond find

of her mother, resulted in Laura deciding

to get her dream diamond necklace made.

“I felt like a million dollars when I first

put it on,” she says. “My Mum said she

could see the twinkle in my eye as well as

in the diamond, I couldn’t stop smiling for

weeks.” And now Laura has a collection

combing old and new. “I like to mix my

family’s necklace with other pieces. I wear

it with my engagement ring and my new

diamond necklace.”

Was it a surprise when you received your diamond? “I always knew my mum would hand the

diamond down to me one day but I didn’t

expect it when she did give it to me, which

was when she was holidaying in Dubai

so that we could visit the diamond park

together and have it re-sized.”

Are diamonds a girl’s best friend? “Diamonds are wonderful because they make

women feel so special. Every time I look in

the mirror my necklace reminds me of my

grandfather, my uncle and my mother.”

What is it about diamonds that women love so much? “They always have a meaning – each of my

diamonds reminds me of somebody special.”

What do you like to wear it with? I love to wear it when I am glammed up –

it dresses up a plain black dress and adds

sparkle to any other outfit.”

Laura’s tip for keeping the sparkle alive…“To keep my diamonds looking as sparkly

as possible I get them cleaned regularly

at Cara in the Gold and Diamond Park.”

THE HEIRLOOM

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

PRCO

PROPERTY CONSULTANT

37

Canadian Dubai-based property consultant

Leigh Williamson spent her 20s and early

30s living a whirlwind life, hopping from

one city to the next and from one career to

another in search of happiness.

It took the loss of two close friends to make

her stop in her tracks.

“When I look back, I can see that my 20s

and early 30s were spent searching for

something I felt was missing in my life.

Like most of us, I looked for happiness

from external sources; a new career,

boyfriend, city, even a new pair of shoes,

but, of course, those fleeting moments of

excitement never gave way to the inner

peace that I was craving. On the contrary,

the constant movement and change kept

me unsettled and on edge. The only thing

that sustained me during that time was the

consistent love of my close friends.

My best friend Alita and I had been

friends since we were 13. We had been

inseparable as teenagers, sharing every

secret as girlfriends do. She helped me

through some difficult times growing up,

including the break up of my parents’

marriage. By the time we had reached our

30s, she was more like a sister than a friend.

I couldn’t have imagined life without her.

I will never forget the day I got the phone

call to say that Alita was dead. The world

stopped for me in that moment. I could

THIRTIES

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“Women can face different issues at different

times of their life,” says Dr. Andrea Tosatto, a

clinical psychologist for adults, teenagers and

children at the Synergy Integrated Medical

Centre, Dubai. “Some may be universal,

but most are reflections of the society and

environment in which she lives. While it’s

hard to generalise, you can outline certain

characteristics.”

Twenties: During her 20s, a woman is focused

on her self-individualisation, making the

transition from child to adult. It’s important that

she starts to see herself as separate from her

parents, a unique and independent individual.

She wants to broaden her horizons, to have

diverse experiences, to meet and connect with

different people and to acquire everything she

desires. The spirit and lust for adventure she

feels in her 20s tends to be substantially stronger

than her need for stability. The overriding

issue is for her to balance the internal and the

external challenges of her life with the process of

individualisation and the need to be free.

Thirties: During her 30s, a woman’s sense

of adventure starts to recede in favour of an

increased need for stability. She becomes more

selective in her choices and the romantic view

of life is partially replaced by a more pragmatic

one. In this period, a woman is focused on her

self-realisation, namely the achievement of

personal, social and economic goals. This tends

to translate as greater job satisfaction and the

securing of sentimental relationships, most

importantly the central wishes for marriage and

motherhood. The main focus for a woman in

her 30s is to realise her potential and avoid

transforming her dreams and urges into sources

of anxiety or feelings of failure.

Forties: During her 40s, if a woman is married,

she is focused on preserving the family and

home that she has built. If she has children then

part of her worries and requests for satisfaction

are invested in the children. Single women

are more likely to rediscover their adventurous

urges by trying new experiences that are both

constructive and practical. Most important

during this decade is for a woman to accept

the ageing process and with it the signs of

menopause, relinquishing unrealistic ideas of

youthful physical perfection and being able to

grow old with confidence.

Synergy Integrated Medical Centre, Dubai.

Tel: (04) 348 5452

THROUGH THE AGES

barely listen when I was told she had been putting her seven-year-old

daughter to bed when she collapsed. The paramedics had been called but

they couldn’t resuscitate her. An hour later she passed away. The doctors

told us it was a congenital heart defect; a biological electrical short-circuit

that caused it to stop beating. I was devastated to have lost her but I stepped

back onto the treadmill of my life, running from one experience to another

so I didn’t have to dwell on the hurt of losing her.

Four years later to the day Alita died, I found myself in mourning

again, this time for my close friend Misa. Ten months before, I remember

the disbelief I felt when she told me she had been diagnosed with lung

cancer. The Misa I knew was my ‘partner in crime’, the one I had fun with

at glamorous parties, the girl I shared cigarettes with. This woman lying in

the hospital bed, reduced to an illness created by those innocuous sticks of

tobacco – she was the one I couldn’t get my head around. I couldn’t shift the

thought that it could have been me.

At Misa’s wake, while we celebrated her wonderful life, it hit me – the thing

that I had been searching for my whole life was not out there somewhere, it

was inside. All the hurt and insecurity I had buried from my parents’ divorce

were in my past, and I had to leave it there. It was time to grow up. From that

moment on, there was a distinct change in my life. I felt myself growing more

confident in my relationships and my decisions. I began to make choices

not out of fear, but with an inner confidence. I took the opportunity to

create a new life in Dubai, and even when I lost my job, my apartment and

found myself with only a few hundred dirhams to my name, I could have

given up. But I remembered Alita and Misa, and how lucky I am to even

have the opportunity to pick myself up and start again. With my newfound

enthusiasm, it was just a few days before I had been offered an amazing job

and a new apartment.

The realisation that today could be my last on this planet has taught me to

cherish each moment I have. I know that one day I will get married and have

children, but right now I’m focused on living the fullest life that I can. That

means not dwelling on all the things that I don’t have, but on the precious

things I do, my friends, my family and most of all my life.


INTERIOR DECORATOR

42

Iranian interior decorator Roia Jabari thought she’d always have

a man to look after her. When she entered her 40s alone and

childless, she had to dig deeper to find the true meaning of life.

“Growing up, my father was always the most powerful force in

my life. After he separated from my mother, he took me to Iran

and raised me alone. While this could have been a turbulent time

for me, it wasn’t. He always made me feel loved and protected.

Aside from that he was a strong, successful man –

to me the ultimate male role model.

“It was only natural that as soon as I entered adulthood, a time

filled with frightening possibilities, that I would seek the security

that I thought only a man could give me. The result was that

I got married at the tender age of 22. I was still in school and just

as young, impetuous and naïve as I was in my teens. Instead of

facing fears about my future, I slipped from under my father’s

wing to the secure confines of a marriage.

“Over the next 10 years my husband and I worked incredibly

hard. We had a string of successful businesses and a great

lifestyle. I thought I had it all until one fateful day, I discovered

I wasn’t the only woman in my husband’s life. It was a

nightmare, but I can laugh about it now, the idea that he

thought the marriage could function with three people in it.

The divorce was acrimonious. He ended up with everything –

the money, businesses, our home – and I ended up back on my

father’s doorstep in Dubai. True to character, my father wrapped

his strong arms around me and told me everything would be

okay. He supported me financially and got me back on my feet

emotionally, and helped me to start my own interior decorating

business. But even then, I was still a dependant.

“When my father died during an operation just before my

40th birthday, I was inconsolable. I may have been a grown

woman, but I felt like an orphan. My father was my rock; my

security and now I had nobody to turn to. All my irrational fears

crowded in on me; what if I became terminally ill, who would

look after me and how would I pay for my treatment? Dealing

with old age and sickness without the support of a husband or

child was a future that terrified me. After crying myself to sleep

every night for a month, I realised my only hope of conquering

my fear was to become self-sufficient and look after myself. I

threw myself into my work and it became a kind of therapy,

giving me something positive to focus on each day.

“Nearly three years later and my business is a thriving

enterprise that I’m incredibly proud of. Not just because it is the

reward for my hard work, but for the first time in my life I am

financially independent. It’s taken me a long while to understand

that I don’t need a man to make me happy or prosperous. At last

now I feel at peace with being alone.” ■

FORTIES



lthough the incredibly popular

social networking site Facebook

is known for connecting friends

and family the world over and

has become the face of online

interaction, it is also becoming increasingly

renowned as a factor in the destruction of the

modern-day relationship.

One law firm, Divorce-Online UK,

revealed that a fifth of UK online divorces

cite Facebook as partially to blame in the

breakdown of a marriage. “Not surprising,”

says its founder and managing director

Mark Andrew Keenan, “considering that

Facebook is the medium of our age and

the preferred communication method for

millions of people.”

The most common scenario in Facebook

related break-ups, notes Keenan, appears

to be mostly married men in their late 30s

and early 40s conducting inappropriate

conversations with people they are not

supposed to – not their wife and not

their partner. “Though

social ramifications

of cyber-cheating

are the same as for

‘normal’ cheating,

with our findings that one

in 20 petitions mentioned

Facebook, it seems that

increasingly so, we are

actually conducting our lives

through social networking sites, which is

actually making cheating easier,” he says. “If

people are unhappy in their relationships, it

is far easier to find someone else to become

romantically linked to than it was 10 years

ago and the effort required to find a new

mate is far less.” On top of the fact that

Facebook makes connecting with a broader

spectrum of people far easier, having this

social network so accessible at the touch of

a computer button or the keypad on your

smartphone, it is also simple and accessible

for suspicious partners to play detective.

Emily Kerins, a counsellor at Synergy

Integrated Medical Centre, says anyone can

leave behind an evidence trail for cheating

in a very public forum. “Incriminating

evidence and proof of behaviour is abound

in photos, comments, wall posts, places

and times lied about,” she says. So although

modern day ‘cheating’ may be less about

telltale lipstick stains on a man’s collar or

a whispered conversation over the phone,

with today’s ‘cheater’ allowed to engage in

appropriate behaviour behind closed doors

in the veritable safety of their own home,

the internet is still an unforgiving place

CYBER-CHEATINGBe it Facebook wall musings, friendly text

speak with members of the opposite sex, or

even full-blown romantic affairs conducted

in the confines of a chat room, clinical

psychologist Dr Saliha Afridi from The Human

Relations Institute emphasises that online

cheating means emotional involvement in an

affair and is certainly just as damaging, if not

more so, to a relationship than physical affairs.

“These relationships have the full flavour of a

real affair without consummation,” she says,

and ones that overflow with the same emotions

as any conducted in real life.

Ironically, in a cyber world where a click

of the mouse can change your relationship

status on Facebook, for example, from

married to single, Dr Afridi observes that

most affairs initially start off as friendship and

often within the safe parameters of a social

networking site. “Then these lines eventually

get blurred and

boundaries get crossed,”

she says, because people

may be missing that

intimacy in their own

relationships so they seek

out people online who

will better understand

them. “Then they find that the

online relationship is safer and

more intimate than their real

offerings, so they spend more time investing

in it and it evolves into an emotional affair,”

she observes.

One example of the severe effects a

cyber-affair can have is Farah Malik*, a

Pakistani expat from Dubai. On the verge

of a breakdown because of her husband’s WO

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and one that rarely forgoes the paper trail

of evidence that outlines the deceit. And

while one partner might consider this

online ‘cyber-cheating’ or ‘connecting’ with

new people harmless fun, another might

consider it just as harmful as an actual

physical act of betrayal.

April 2010 emirates woman 87


supposed ‘e-friend’ she says: “After we got

married three years ago, Zain* confessed

to me he had a ‘special’ friend, Nira* who

lived in Pakistan,” she says. Constantly

texting and emailing her, Farah says, “he

left his email account signed on which

made me believe with conviction it was

just platonic.” But when she read an email

from Nira that was brimming over with

endearments like ‘I love you,’ her naivety

led to certainty this friendship was far

from platonic. Farah calmly confronted

him about the email, expecting an apology,

“instead he was furious, suggesting I should

see a psychologist for my ‘issues.’ He told

me then that Nira would always be his first

and only true love...” Almost as painful was

her family’s reaction to the episode, telling

her that “internet chatting is completely

harmless.” Today Farah says that while she

does not accept Nira, she has learned to turn

a blind eye to maintain marital stability.

IMPLICATIONSA cyber relationship may be defined as

‘virtual’, but Kerins suggests that since

it is a much more detached form of

communication, relationships formed

online carry the danger of separation from

real life and reality. “This

may lead to the development

of two worlds,

the ‘online’ and

the ‘offline’,” says

Kerins. A virtual

world where

gender, height, weight,

ethnicity and age

can be electronically

doctored, allowing

anyone to effectively take on a whole new

persona. Kerins asserts that in this online

world a fantasy can be created that is far

more exciting and glamorous than everyday

life. It may begin by simply typing things

online that you normally would never say

in the real world, to becoming someone

entirely different. As the ‘relationship’

progresses, trust develops because this is the

person ‘you relate to.’ “The trouble being

that you are not necessarily learning about

a real person online, rather perhaps the

person they want to depict to you,” Kerins

says. And the temptation to disclose inner-

most secrets online with an anonymous

virtual friend can wreak havoc on the real

life relationship since these intimacies

are then not shared with the real partner.

“This in turn, then may lead to feelings of

rejection, betrayal and worthlessness by the

‘real-life’ partner,” says Kerins.

secret rendezvous dinner in Bur Dubai...

all from Rebecca* who was a consultant

in his office.” Confronting Ed was hard,

she admits, but he confessed he had

been unhappy for the past year and

Rebecca had made him feel young

again. “He wanted a divorce and was

planning to marry her. It seemed I was

the last to know.”

THE UAEBeing home to over 195 nationalities

and various religions, the UAE’s actual

divorce rate is still up for legal debate,

with statistics hard to attain and often

varying. However, the prevalence

of cyber-cheating in the UAE being

discussed or cited as actual grounds for

divorce here, remains far less than in

the West, suggests Dubai-based divorce

lawyer Awatif Mohammed in Advocates

Without Frontiers. “I certainly have a few

cases of cyber-cheating but here the focus

is more on divorce due to financial issues

amongst couples,” she says. Though she

does warn: “Irrespective of the number

of actual cyber-cheating cases, electronic

records in the form of text messages,

emails and even posted

messages from social

networking sites can be

used as evidence in divorce

proceedings, so long as

their authenticity can be

verified from their source

by the court.”

REALITYWhile many cyber affairs just

‘happen’ without there being

any premeditated element to the extra-

marital relationships, some reasons

for them, says Dr Afridi, can be safety,

secrecy, anonymity and convenience

in the cyber world. “One can have an

emotional cyber affair from anywhere

– home, work, or anywhere where they

are connected to the cyber world,” says

Dr Afridi, with people finding that this

kind of companionship is ‘safe’ because

they can be, and be with, whomever they

choose. “However, just because you are

connected to 400 people on Facebook

does not mean that you are necessarily

having a relationship with each of them,”

she says, “But people need to take stock

of the realness and beauty of flesh and

blood relationships and stop looking for

love and companionship solely in the

virtual world.” ■

(*names changed)

have low self-esteem in the real world

but want to live vicariously through the

avatar they create, it is up for debate as

to whether it is actually a website that

creates easily accessible infidelity or not.”

One couple whose marriage was

destroyed by a virtual affair is Jackie and

Ed Sullivan*, British expats married for

five years. “Family time for Ed meant

typing on his BlackBerry even during

dinner or a party,” Jackie says, though

she always assumed it was part of his

consulting job. “I grew suspicious when

I noticed him logging off the computer

quickly whenever I entered the room,”

she says, “I asked him who he was

emailing but he claimed it was only

work.” After he began spending longer

durations away from home, Jackie had

a spyware program installed in his

computer. “As he slept, I read plans for a

INCLINATIONSolely blaming technology for cheating

sounds like it absolves cheaters of any

personal responsibility. And it should

be pointed out that the vast majority

of people who use facebook don’t fall

into the category of cheaters, and use

the social networking site for that

very purpose, striking up new, or even

rekindling long lost platonic friendships

with users all over the world. Dr Afridi

says,“People have internet, Facebook,

Twitter, and fake email accounts all

at their fingertips so it is much easier

to have an affair – however, it is not

necessarily the cause of a rise in affairs.”

Keenan agrees and adds, “People who

want to cheat, will cheat but social

networking makes the task of doing so

far easier with the explosion in online

dating and relationships forming

through social networks.”

Another dimension of new media

is a virtual online game, Second Life,

which Kerins says has been cited as

a problem in America and actively

encourages people to create personas to

meet, interact and even virtually marry

online. “Created perhaps for people who


2010

in association withemirates

2010

THE AWARDSWith the nominations process in full

swing, now is the time to put forward

your entrants for the Emirates Woman

of the Year Awards 2010 – women who

break down barriers, shatter stereotypes

and stride forward in their quest to

achieve and inspire in all that they do.

In association with ADCB, the

Emirates Woman of the Year Awards

2010 are set to be the most prestigious

event of the year. The awards honour

UAE-based women who we admire

and who, in turn, inspire us. Mothers,

sisters, daughters, friends, colleagues…

our awards recognise the talents,

dedication, commitment and hard-

work of women from all walks of life who

are doing remarkable things.

THE EVENTIn November, at a stunning VIP gala dinner

in association with ADCB, supported by

Philips, sponsors of the Achievers category,

and our official car sponsor Mercedes

Benz, we will be unveiling the four category

winners and crowning the overall Emirates

Woman of the Year 2010. The night promises

to be glamorous, inspiring and most of all,

rewarding, so please nominate now.

MAKE YOUR NOMINATION COUNTFor 2010, we’ve opened the nomination

process up to our readers, inviting you

to put forward the women you believe

deserve to be honoured and recognised for

their achievements. If you know a worthy

contender for the Emirates Woman of the

Year Awards 2010 crown, then nominate

them now. With four categories to nominate

in – Artists, those who inspire in the art

arena; Achievers, those who excel in fields

of business; Humanitarians, those who have

contributed to charity endeavours; and

Visionaries, those who have excelled in the

lifestyle and creative sectors – we’re looking

for the most inspirational of women, those

who have contributed and excelled in these

fields, to ensure 2010 is a year that surpasses

all others.


in association with

Sponsor of the Achievers category

Official car sponsor

2009

HOW TO NOMINATE● In no more than 200 words, write in to Emirates Woman

and tell us who you are nominating and why.● You must clearly state which category you are nominating them for. ● Send an email entitled Emirates Woman Of The Year Awards 2010 to: [email protected]● The nominations closing date is June 30, 2010.

MARIA CONCEICAOEmirates Woman of the Year 2009 and winner of Humanitarians category

PADMA CORAMWinner of the

Visionaries category

FARAH FOUSTOKWinner of the

Achievers category

SARAH BELHASAWinner of the

Artists category

Nominate this month and you could win a Philips beauty hamper, including a SalonDry Pro hairdryer, SalonStraight Active Ion straightner and a Salon Super Stylist hair kit.

Styling by Chrystel Livolsi and Guillaume Nallet at Police Pigalle, Photography by Adam Browning-HillMake-up and hair styling by Dennie Pasion at Bareface, Model Alexandra B at Bareface

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ge may be just a number, and now that women are taking better care of

themselves than ever before, the world of age-appropriate dressing and the

rules that governed wardrobe enhancement seem seriously blurred. The key

factors to take into account when evaluating your fashion purchasing should

be your lifestyle (will skyscraper heels really look that hot when running after

the toddler in the supermarket aisles?), personality (Tina Turner breaks all the style diktats,

but strangely it works), and most importantly, your body; make sure you buy for your shape

rather than what you think should be your size.

No one is ever too old to be fashion focussed, you just need to adapt the catwalk trends

to suit you. There is always going to be an interpretation of a look that you can sport. Maybe

head-to-toe geometric block colours a la Jonathan Saunders are not for you, so? Then opt

for a bright Pucci scarf. As you get older, although you’ll still swoon over certain items, don’t

splurge unless you are sure they are a must-have, rather than merely a lust-have.


Who to spot: Natalie Portman – she treads that often-crossed

cusp of never being boring but not falling ill with fashion victim

fever either.

What to sport: Charlotte Olympia’s funky platforms, 3.1 Philip Lim

dresses (above) and Miu Miu everything. High street favourites like Zara,

H&M and Forever 21 should be your regular haunts for throwaway hits.

Accessorise with tasteful jewellery from the high-street or invest in your first Lara Bohinc

pieces (they add instant glamour to any low-key look).

Where to shop: S*uce, Reiss, theoutnet.com and the high street to indulge in

catwalk inspired fun without risking the mortgage. Dubai’s Outlet Mall will also

give you access to designers that your pay cheque might usually dismiss.

When to stop: We love Lady Gaga’s quirky, over-the-top looks, but just because

bunny ears and a constellation dress work for Gaga, doesn’t mean it will work for

you. Keep it interesting, but make sure you have the confidence before you go for

broke in the outlandish make-up and fashion stakes.

Where to saunter: Hip young things should strut their fashionista stuff at Okku

at the Monarch (below). LED lighting, a pumping soundtrack and waiting-staff

decked out in black ensure you can have your catwalk moment. Those into

monochrome might trot to the all-white Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Expert insight: Carmen Haid of Atelier-Mayer.com warns: “With wearing

vintage, you don’t want to look like your grandmother. Make sure you go for

good quality cuts, heritage and style.”

20s

20s STYLE ICONNATALIE PORTMAN

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Who to spot: Queen Rania – she looks effortlessly elegant in

everything from jeans paired with a crisp white shirt, to couture.

What to sport: You are literally in your prime, as you know what

suits you better than ever before. Skirts should start inching south

and fabrics take on importance. Celine’s cleverly tailored pieces will

make you feel like a goddess. This season’s ruched Burberry trench (right)

would be the perfect addition to your wardrobe, while cashmere always

exudes class.

Where to shop: Bloomingdale’s, for that investment bag and well-fitting but sexy

lingerie from Myla, Agent Provocateur and Rigby & Peller.

When to stop: The fun-but-fake jewellery needs to be ditched or else very carefully

selected (a LOVE bracelet from Cartier – below – is always a good place to start).

Splash out on good separates to start building the wardrobe you will keep rather

than one-season-wonders you will discard.

Where to saunter: The flattering honeyed hues of Caramel at DIFC make the

perfect backdrop for a carefully cut balloon-sleeved Lanvin top, matched with

J Brand jeans.

Expert insight: Carmen Haid encapsulates it perfectly: “Style is something you

either have or you don’t. If you don't know how to put things together, hire

somebody who can.”

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30s STYLE ICONQUEEN RANIA


Who to spot: Cate Blancett – she never puts a

(perfectly-clad) sartorial foot wrong. The style icon

Sarah Jessica Parker – but you need her unerring eye

and sense of playfulness to emulate her look.

What to sport: Out with the boho and in with the sleek chic. Tailoring

becomes more defined and style more structured. Opaque tights take on

an importance you never thought possible and flat shoes become a must for both day

and evening. Preppy-chic Jimmy Choo Morse patent flats should certainly make an

appearance in your wardrobe.

Where to shop: Saks Fifth Avenue, Etoile and IF Boutique which stocks achingly cool

but surprisingly flattering structured pieces by designers including Comme Des

Garcons, Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester. British designer Erdem (left) has

also become the one-stop celeb shop for all the stylish forty something celebs. Cheap

shoes and bags are passé; instead invest in Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Manolos and

Tod’s all the way (below).

When to stop: Although brandishing thighs and breasts is never a must-do, the older

you get the more flattering a cap or short-sleeve is when compared to a pinching

shoulder strap.

Where to saunter: Pierchic – a venue that typifies your style in its very name.

Expert insight: Thirty-year-old Zac Posen and Paul & Joe aficionado and founder of

www.aura-b.com Dina Abdulhadi Darayani advises forty somethings to keep covered,

unlike Mariah Carey: “Mariah’s dress sense is vulgar; she is always showing too much

breast and legs at the same time.”

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5060

Who to spot: Kim Basinger who Miuccia Prada snapped up to be the

face of Miu Miu at the age of 52. Sharon Stone, Christian Dior’s sign-up

and Madonna, Donatella Versace’s muse.

What to sport: This is time to splash out on well-cut designer wear in

luxurious fabrics. Ditch the faux and go for the fabulous. Blazers and pleat-

front trousers are your new best friend. Longer sleeves can be a saviour if your

arms aren’t as toned as they once were as well as shapes that skim rather than cling.

Where to shop: Add some quirky touches to your looks with a Judith Leiber bag; the

Birdcage fine crystal one has just hit the boutiques. Coast has elegant, floor-length

eveningwear that adds glamour without the garishness. Club Monaco cuts the

ultimate trouser and pencil-skirt suit in a variety of delicious pastel colours. Gain instant

va-va-voom with a shirt-dress or high-waisted skirt from euro-stalwart YSL (left).

When to stop: The worst thing you can do with your style is get caught in a rut. The key

is to adapt and evolve.

Where to saunter: Verre at the Hilton Dubai Creek; established, sophisticated

and polished.

Expert insight: English poet Jenny Joseph’s infamous poem stated: “When

I am an old woman I shall wear purple, with a red hat which doesn’t go and

doesn’t suit me.” To a certain extent this is true; it’s time to please yourself.

50s

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CARTIER

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BOUCHERON


Fashionheartwith a

Fashionheartwith a

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ollowing our fabulous collaboration with Mohammed Sultan Al Habtoor in

March’s issue, EW decided that an exclusive collection of bespoke House of GlaMO

T-shirts was a must to boost our Fashion With A Heart event later this year, which

will see 10 of the UAE’s finest designers creating bespoke red dresses for us to

auction off to raise money for the Al Noor Training Centre For Children With Special Needs.

Money raised through the sale of the Mohammed’s stylish T-shirts will also be donated to

Al Noor. Mohammed and business partner Tamara Al Gabbani jumped at the opportunity to

help the campaign. “I believe in giving back to society and I am very honoured to be working

with a fast-driven team who have a vision that truly relates to me,” says Mohammed. “To be

part of a programme that makes a difference in the life of every child that it touches is not an

opportunity you put aside,” adds Tamara.

So what inspired Mohammed and Tamara’s design? “The team behind Emirates Woman had

a huge impact towards what has inspired us to design this T-shirt,” explains Mohammed. “It was

pretty much a combination of love, creativity, adventure, fun, and most importantly, team work.”


Fashionheartwith a

Fashionheartwith a

Sophie Jones-Cooper, Fashion & Beauty Editor


Fashionheartwith a

HOW TO BUY THE T-SHIRT:This limited edition bespoke T-shirt, encapsulating the slogan ‘Beauty is a light within our hearts’ is available in white, grey or red, can be purchased

from the House of GlaMO website and at various boutiques in Dubai, with 25 per cent of sales going to The Al Noor Training Centre For Children

With Special Needs. To make a purchase, visit www.houseofglamo.com

Fashionheartwith a

Poppy Skinner, Senior Fashion & Beauty Writer


Fashionheartwith aFashionheartwith a

THE SLOGAN: “BEAUTY IS A LIGHT WITHIN OUR HEARTS”“The slogan is based on hope, love and light. We studied historical quotes from great writers and reworded them. ‘Al Noor’ actually means ‘light’

and we wanted light to mean beauty inside as well as out” says Mohammed Sultan Al Habtoor.

Faye James, Editor



Sophia Triantafillou, Fashion & Beauty Director



Emily Baxter, Deputy Editor



Tamara Al Gabbani

Mohammed Sultan Al Habtoor

May 2010 emirates woman 121May 2010 emirates woman 121

he name Ingie Chalhoub is one that rings

with a medley of fashion exploits here

in the UAE, and Ingie has fast become

one of the region’s most celebrated style

icons. Indeed it would be hard to step

foot into a shopping mall without coming across one

of her boutiques. As the head of Chalhoub Group,

she is instrumental in putting heavyweights such

as Chanel, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Tod’s, John

Galliano and Hogan on our shopping maps, not

to mention the designer haven that is Etoile

La Boutique. Her place of prominence

was recognised in 2008 by Emirates Woman when she won the coveted

Businesswoman of the Year title at

the Emirates Woman Awards.

For someone so intimately

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involved in the fashion realm (and clearly so

talented) it comes as something of a surprise

that it has taken so long for her to release

a collection of her own. INGIE Paris is her

first foray into designing ready-to-wear and,

now heading into its second season, looks

set to further cement her reputation as one

of the most influential fashion figures in the

region. Ingie describes the collection as “a

dream coming true; the dramatic elegant

feel of INGIE Paris sums up my spirit and

personality.”

If that is the case, then Ingie is one

seriously glamorous woman as the designs

are inherently red carpet – executed in

sparkling sequin fabrics, beautifully bright

hues and bold floral prints, and cut with

master draping and structure. This is not

a collection for fashion-wallflowers.

Ingie admits her muse is: “bold and

adventurous, unafraid to try new looks.

She is vivacious and dynamic and wants

people to look at her wherever she goes.

Nothing scares this woman, she will try

everything once, mixing pinks with ruby

red and wearing leopard print over bright

turquoise.”

Even so, the cut has been carefully

considered to flatter the physique;

something that can, on occasion, be

overlooked by male designers. Ingie is a

woman, after all, designing for women,

and knows even the most flamboyant

customers are still looking for a sympathetic

and flattering silhouette. With this canny

exhibitionist in mind, this season she cites

inspiration as “a Hollywood starlet, who has

a sparkle of mischievousness and knows

how to play upon her allure. She is unique,

mysterious, joyful and elegant. She has a

desire to dazzle and knows that all eyes are

upon her.”

Despite a kaleidoscopic palette including

azure turquoise blue, fuchsia pink, lime green

and pillar box red (which has been coupled

with oversized floral motifs, overlaid with

leopard print lace and generously embellished

with crystals and sequins aplenty), the

collection is remarkably consistent and

surprisingly, given how dress-up-box it

sounds on paper, elegant. A clever eye has

put together these bold colour and texture

combinations, managing to retain poise and

elegance. Although it must be said the quality

I AM A BEAUTY This screams seriously old-school Hollywood glamour

with all over sparkle, a seductive v-neck and added definition in the shoulders and sultry long sleeves.

I AM A ROSEThe bold floral print conjures up images of hot steamy St Tropez summer nights.

The crystal embellishment provides some additional shimmer, just in case

you hadn’t been noticed already.

I AM FATALThe most restrained piece in the collection. Texture provides the contrast with black

satin set alongside flush black sequins. The dipped cut of the waist panel defines curves,

creating a classic hourglass figure.


of materials she has chosen to use goes a long

way here, too. Dazzlingly bright colours and

stand-out prints they may be, but the fabrics

are luxurious with a certain “appreciation of

quality.”

With her illustrious fashion pedigree,

Ingie is well placed to comment on the tastes

and style of women in the region. And the

success of her first collection (bursting with

golden hues and bold tropical print) showed

that pop colours and glistening metallics

are a firm favourite. Ingie believes that

what is often missing from the collections

of established designers in the region is a

“European twist to a Mediterranean style;

Arab women want to incorporate their

modern and vibrant spirit with the notion

of feminine sensuality.”

Ingie is very proud that the French

singer Arielle Dombascle will wear pieces

from INGIE Paris during her upcoming

tour in Paris “a huge compliment to my

designs.” she says And for the future, Ingie

has her sights set on that most old-school

style of seductive modern celebrities, “the

equivalent of Rita Hayworth or Marilyn

Monroe that today is Dita Von Teese. You

can just imagine her smouldering in the

mysterious I AM FATAL, draped head to toe

in black sequins.”

I AM GLAMOROUSOne of the best dresses this season. Period. The bold

juxtaposition of the spangly red sequin with the hot pink satin and the little girl appeal of the bow, pared with clever cross-over draping. Team with

some killer heels to make this a showstopper.

I AM PRETTYWith bouffant lime green satin sleeves and an overlay of black leopard print lace topped off with an oversized turquoise satin bow, this is certainly not a dress for the shy and retiring. It is real ‘like it or loathe it’ territory, but when worn with conviction it will be stunning.

Reminiscent of the ‘give-a-damn’ flamboyance of Christian Lacroix.

VISIT ETOLIE LA BOUTIQUE FOR...

Alaia, Chanel, Christian Dior, Emanuel

Ungaro, Ingie Paris, Valentino

■


WHAT

EXACTLY IS

HAUTE COUTURE?

For something to be called haute

couture, it has to be handmade in Paris.

There are a strict set of criteria that the

ateliers have to comply with before they are

conferred the status by the Chambre de

Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris. Those who

have this status have to show at least 35 day and

nightwear exits (couture-speak for catwalk

runs) in Paris twice a year, make made-to-

order clothing for clients with multiple

fittings and have an atelier

in Paris.


argy Kinmouth’s cult

movie of 2007, recently

shown at Dubai’s Scene

Club, gives novices an

insight into the secretive

world of haute couture and into the lives

of the all-women, 200 or so strong club

that live in this rarefied world. Women who

wouldn’t flinch at spending Dhs367,000

on an embroidered dress (unless they can

fit the model size, in which

case they can snatch the

catwalk piece at a bargain

30 per cent discount);

women who are seated

front row, prioritised above

stars and celebrities, who

buy handmade garments in

Paris by master craftsmen

that ‘fit like a second skin’.

These are the women who

consider themselves patrons

of haute couture, seeing the

clothing as an art, and as an

investment. But who are

these women, why are they

so passionate about and loyal to

such an exclusive world and how did Margy

Kinmouth break their code of silence?

Why is the world of haute couture so secret?The secrecy revolves around the clientele;

the houses never reveal their client list. I

had to find the clients via a separate route.

Discretion is key.

It was interesting to note that these buyers weren’t simply celebrities dressed in couture. No, but some were very public

figures though very private

individuals; they were hard to

get to and many had never been

filmed before. They were the big

American names like the Hearsts,

Bloomingdale’s and the Petries.

The American contingent was quite strong, are they the biggest couture buyers?

I had one contributor per

decade of American history,

that was how it was structured. In

truth, there should have been two films. One

that concentrated on America and Europe

and one that centred on the Middle East. In

reality, the clientele is split half and half. It is

another film that I’d like to make one day.

Did you meet many couture-buying Arabs?When I was filming Jean Paul Gaultier I was

conscious of the fact many of his clients were

from the Middle East. His exotic use of fabric,

his very bright colour palette, his flamboyance

and individuality, was aimed at, and appealed

to, a Middle Eastern market – beautiful

women with beautiful wardrobes.

So celebrities aren’t really clients – it is stealth wealth, under-the-radar money, that keeps the industry alive?As Daphne Guinness said: “If it is worn by

a movie star or is showcased in advertising

– I don’t want it anymore.” I decided to

concentrate on those who bought their

own clothes rather than those who were

‘Correspondent’

or ‘foreign’

members of the

haute couture club

include Italians

Valentino and

Giorgio Armani,

Maison Martin

Margiela and the

Lebanese designer,

Elie Saab.

Dior Haute Couture

DID YOU KNOW?Christian Lacroix, who long

reigned supreme as the couture

aficionado’s darling, filed for insolvency in

2009. In order to save his last haute couture

show, seamstresses, embroiderers and beaders

all worked for free. The models, hair and make-up

artists slashed their costs, the Salon des Boisiers of

the Musée Les Arts Décoratifs offered a venue

gratis, whilst Roger Vivier provided the shoes.

Fashion journalists, those who worked at

his atelier, and the maestro himself

wept openly as he took

his final bow.

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The Scene Club, founded by director

Nayla Al Khaja (above with Margy

Kinmouth), is the UAE’s first official film

club. It showcases a non-commercial

feature or short films on the last Thursday

of every month, free of charge, and holds

a Q&A with each movie’s director.

www.thesceneclub.com

lent them. I was fascinated by

the relationship between the

Americans in Paris and their

love of French couture.

In the 1940s boom years of haute couture there were 46,000 people involved in the industry; now it is less than 4,500. Atelier numbers have shrunk from over 100 to barely a dozen today. Did you sense this?We knew that the figures

had hugely diminished. I

tried to represent Dior and

Chanel fairly as they are the

two big giants. They are like

the Pepsi and Coke of the

couture world.

If the fashion houses refused to reveal names, how did you find your subjects?In the documentary they

actually compare the

confidentiality to that of a

doctor/patient relationship. I had

a wish list chosen from those who

had donated couture to the Institute

of Fashion in New York and San

Francisco. We spent six months

phone bashing. Gradually people

started becoming interested. I

spoke to Anna Wintour, Editor of

American Vogue, and she gave me

the nod on various names and her

blessing for the project.

You met a host of fascinating characters whilst filming.I did, especially Betsy

Bloomingdale who is fabulous;

she has about 80 pieces. Her

first was a Balmain and she

then invested heavily in Dior

(at the insistence of her husband

who founded Diners Card, which

the house of Dior accepted at an

early stage). She has a very special,

welcoming personality.

Did you enjoy being a part of this elite world?It was horrific to leave. It

was a very special, rarefied

world. These women served

up divine coffee in

these tiny, porcelain

cups with little

biscuits. Everything

was perfect; beautiful

settings, antique chairs,

amazing homes…

It would have been easy to mock them, as fashion on this level may be seen as frivolous.Yes, but I had gotten to

know them. Daphne

(Guinness) was very

reticent; she comes

from a culture of doing

gardening in cashmere

and pearls but not

talking about it. As for

the others, I very much

like the Americans.

It takes around 150 hours to construct one piece – was it inspiring to see

the painstaking craftsmanship?The seamstresses were so skilled and the

craftsmanship so incredible. Especially those

around Karl Lagerfeld; you respected the

whole art of dressmaking. After hours of work

he could come and cut the hem or tear off the

sleeve; and they just got on with the job.

Having followed this elite set, are you a dedicated follower of fashion?No, I am not a fashionista. I make films about

art – about everything artistic, creative and

beautiful, and that obviously involves fashion.

Having lived and breathed haute couture, do you now find ‘normal’ shopping dissatisfying? Everything looks a bit tacky, the fabrics look

cheap, the tailoring not precise – you realise the

difference in craftsmanship, and it made me

want to learn the art of dressmaking.

What other projects had you worked on before this documentary?My projects revolve around painters, poets,

writers, sculptors and original people. I did

a six part series in Hollywood called Naked Hollywood which I worked on for a year with

Arnold Schwarzenegger and it won a BAFTA.

What is next in the pipeline for you?Back to the art world for a documentary

on Francis Bacon – I enjoy these

challenges! ■

THE SCREEN SCENE

Above, left and right: Chanel Haute Couture


atrick Robinson is the style guru who gave GAP its new dawn make-

over back in 2007, stepping up to the creative helm to add a distinctly

fresh and cool edge to the firm’s style basics and timeless classics.

He continues to work his genius with the S/S10 collection which,

follows a more feminine fashion focus with country inspired casuals,

floral summer dresses and a heavy dose of white denim. In fact denim is GAP’s

key player this season teamed with checkered shirts, lots of layers and this season’s

must-have accessory, the scarf.

Emirates Woman’s Senior Editor Faye James travelled to Japan to speak to Patrick

about his S/S10 collection for GAP and find out what we should be wearing. It is

time to add some of Patrick’s panache to your wardrobe with these top trend tips

from the man himself…

GAP

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Add a dash of colour with this canary yellow scarf

This baby pink scarf will keep you in line with summer’s pastel trend

PATRICK’S SUMMER STYLE TIPS


Keep things casual with distressed, worn-looking jeans

Nautical and bold colours are great for every day arm candy



A country-style blazer will add a rural edge to a formal blouse and jeans


Pair your checkered shirt with dark skinny jeans for a more chic silhouette


or Van Cleef & Arpels, time is

synonymous with poetry,” says

Nicolas Bos. And it is already

known by watch connoisseurs

the world over that the

house’s new line, Poetry of Time, perfectly

encapsulates the essence of Van Cleef &

Arpels’ (VCA) new exhibition – their first

ever showcase dedicated to the art of watch

making, featuring over 200 timepieces,

conceived for and debuted in March at Art

Dubai. Poetry of Time displays VCA’s special

vision of time and the cohesive identity of

their collection; their horological history as

it were, that is as entrenched in the house

as their jewellery.

This whimsical maison romanticises the

concept of time rather than allocating it

a strictly technical place in our lives. Time

is seen as a concept, not just a scientific

principal. This is perhaps best illustrated

by VCA’s symbol – the fairy (Right).

The iconic 2007 retrograde movement

masterpiece Lady Arpels Féerie, inspired by

Nicolas Bos of Van Cleef & Arples


CALIFORNIA DREAMING

West coast icons

are all accounted

for by the Ansel

Adams, Beach Boys

and cartoon cacti-

inspired California

Rêverie collection. Sport

a bright, bejewelled

timepiece from this limited

edition collection to add

Americana style to your ensemble.

THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL

VCA has become a regular

Oscar night winner. The

fashion magazines are

always boasting pictures

of screen sirens bedecked

in Van Cleef & Arpels

and dazzling on the red

carpet – most recently

Julia Roberts, who held her

Oscar aloft, while flashing the world

her iconic Snowflake bracelet.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream

(Below), allows the fairy to point to

the hour with her star-tipped wand

whilst the longest of her glittering

wings indicates the minutes.

Mechanically complicated, the

weight of the diamonds on her

sculptured arm was so heavy

that a new movement had

to be conceived. Yet it is

the poetic nature of the

piece that is paramount.

“When we revisited this

concept of fairytales, there

was a craze for Harry Potter

and Lord of the Rings so

there was an interest in

wonderland,” says Nicolas.

VCA’s horological

approach is contrary to most

established, Swiss watch brands. Instead of

just feminising a watch by, as Nicolas says

“taking a men’s watch, downsizing

it, making the dial pink and adding

a sprinkling of diamonds,” VCA

take a considerably more creative

approach. “We find technical

responses in order to make

dreams come true,” he

explains. For example,

with their Pont des

Amoureux watch

(right), they asked watch

supremo Jean-Marc

Wiederrecht to make

the couple crossing the

bridge kiss at midnight. The

painstaking detail in Midnight

in Paris watch recently

expanded to include a Midnight

in Dubai version, which sees

the inclusion of astronomers in

the design process. “The stars are

perfectly aligned with the night

sky in your personal city, every

day of the year,” Nicolas adds.

When asked as to who

VCA’s female clientele are

and whether matronly

madams prefer certain

collections over sprightly

singletons, Nicolas laughs:

“The only thing I know for

sure is that there are no rules.

Every time we try to imagine

there are, we are proved wrong.

We have developed collections

that we thought were for young

ladies in their 20’s, but found that

our clients in their 60’s were also

going crazy for them. Sweet Alhamra,

for example, was a collection with a delicate

motif, initially designed for children.

It was conceived to introduce girls

to their first piece of jewellery. Yet

LUCKY CHARMS

Guilt-free spending is

guaranteed when you opt

for the specially designed

Charms watch for START,

a charitable organisation

devoted to supporting

underprivileged

children in the Middle

East interested in the arts.

Five per cent of the sale price

is donated to the foundation.

WATCH THIS SPACE

we found elderly clients who

already had significant

pieces in their collections,

also loved these tiny

pieces for their wrists –

perhaps even wearing

them in multiples.”

It took almost

a year to draw

all these key

timepieces together.

Gathered from

their contemporary

collections, some previews

straight out of the factories,

others borrowed from

private museum archives, you

are awarded a history of VCA’s

watches that one would never

get by just walking into one of their

boutiques or flicking through a catalogue.

The insider perspective gained from

the different aspects, periods and themes

is unprecedented.

VCA’s horological ethos is refreshingly

unique; it is all about storytelling, the

aesthetic and concept is key. Nicolas insists:

“We believe that any creation has to be an

expression of the inspirations and identity

of the house and the style. We never start

with the technique. We believe that even the

highest level of technique and stone quality

are always there to serve a design or a

creation. We don’t start with the movement.

We start with the concept and tell a story.”

So, ladies with a fondness for letting their

accessories do the talking, a story awaits you

with the VCA’s Poetry of Time collection.

One that will walk you through the ages,

narrating the beauty of timekeeping and the

history that created it. ■

For reservations call +971.4.343 8888 (Dubai) or +971.2.5098888 (Abu Dhabi)

Use your Visa Platinum or Visa Infinite card at Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai and Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi restaurants and enjoy a 20% discount off your food bill.

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0645-00002-00002_Platinum_Shangrila En 300x225 EmiratesWoman.ai 4/21/10 10:19:09 AM

s designers are always telling us, inspiration can

come from the most unlikely of sources. But

when Brit-It-Girl and TV presenter Alexa Chung

insouciantly slung a men’s briefcase over her arm

to attend a film premiere, she could have little

imagined that this would be the catalyst for the birth of the

new must-have bag of the moment, Mulberry’s Alexa.

With a typically British, self-deprecating attitude, Chung was

“hugely flattered” to hear that “the guys at Mulberry saw a picture

of me at a film premiere carrying their men’s Elkington briefcase,

which inspired the Alexa bag.” It is exactly this modest approach to

celebrity, and a reluctance to blow her own trumpet, which has won

her so many fans.

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on Muberry’s classic Bayswater,

has been met with such universal

acclaim. “The Alexa is loaded with

classic Mulberry hardware, detailed

in fabulously cute leopard prints

and iconic oak and snakeskin

trims. A super-cute handbag-

briefcase hybrid that can be

worn in multiple ways,”

explains Emma. ■

Even if you’ve been living under a rock,

and aren’t familiar with her name, you no

doubt will have felt her style influence. The

easy to wear trend for ultra-short tunic dresses,

worn with opaque tights and pretty ballerinas,

which became a winter staple, was a look Alexa

Chung made mainstream several seasons ago.

Resolutely un-put-together, she is one of those

rare people who can truly be said to possess

an inherent sense of style. She describes her

signature look as “a mix of menswear and

countryside – quite a British way of dressing”

and is vocal about her belief that flashing flesh

isn’t a prerequisite for looking sexy.

Much has been made of her easy beauty

as well; Alexa is disarmingly pretty but never

looks particularly made-up. Her nails are more

likely to be slicked a modern shade of duck-egg

blue than pearlised pink, and her hair tends to

be in a scruffed up-do rather than a perfectly

preened blow-dry.

Emma Hill, Creative Director of Mulberry,

saw something when she looked at that photo

of Alexa with the briefcase, which perfectly

summed up the prevailing style blend. The

overtly military, poke-your-eyes-out shoulder

pads, aggressive aesthetic is gradually being

nudged out of dominance by a softer, prettier

mood. The result is a slightly schizophrenic

meeting of the two; think masculine tailored

jackets worn over girl-next-door dresses. And

this explains why the Alexa bag, a new twist

Peony pink for the Alexa clutch under the needle

Precision stitching at every step

Precise plaiting – the handle is formed

Mulberry’s Alexa collection is available from boutique1.com

The finishing touches

A Mulberry classic – the Alexa oak shouts sophisticated satchel style

The hot pink Alexa clutch is feminine yet edgy

For a twist in the norm the oversized Alexa leopard oak will add that essential dose of Brit-chic

For more information on Al Noor Training Centre or to make a contribution call +971 4 323 4993,

fax +971 4 341 7275, visit www.alnoorspneeds.ae. You can also send your contribution directly to:

Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs, PO Box 8397, Dubai, UAE

Here at Al Noor we’re in it for one reason: To help. We’re anon-profit organisation, working under the Ministry of Social Affairs, and we’re dedicated to the nurturing and development of the special needs community of Dubai.The training programmes we offer are heavily subsidised, making them more accessible to more people, so we can reach out and help as much of the community as we can. But training is expensive, and with no regular funding,we’re left to raise the money ourselves. That’s where youcome in – your contribution, however big or small, can make a huge difference, and the money you give could be the opportunity a child has been waiting for.

Please, dig deep, give what you can and help make a difference – you could change a life forever.

To make a contribution call +971 4 323 4993 or visit www.alnoorspneeds.ae www.alnoorspneeds.ae

Your monthly contribution can be that opportunity

Anything is possible …an opportunity is all it takes

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Benetton (04) 3414646 Boom & Mellow

(04) 3413993 Boots (04) 3499112 Bottega Veneta (04) 3300449 The Body Shop (04)

3410551 Burberry (04) 2950347 Boucheron

(04) 3410039 Boutique 1 (04) 4257888

Bulgari (04) 3303233 BurJuman (04)

3520222 Candella (04) 3421961 Cartier (04)

3300034 Carolina Herrera (04) 3415095

Celine (04) 3593925 Chanel (04) 3240464

Charles & Keith (04) 3410408 Chaumet (04) 3398758 Chine Belgian Design (02)

6811338 Christian Dior (04) 3515551 ext

213 Christian Lacroix (04) 3517133 Chloé

(04) 3300700 Coach (04) 3301020

Coccinelle (04) 3558528 City Optics (04)

2951400 Club Monaco (04) 2955832 Damas

(04) 3525566 Danniani (04) 3398736 De Beers Salam (04) 3279222 Deira City Centre (04) 2951010 Desert Rose (04)

3240782 Diesel (04) 2950792 DKNY (04)

3513788 Dolce & Gabbana (04) 3515551

Donna Karan (04) 3516794 Dries Van Noten (04) 3825130 Dubai Mall (04)

4373200 Dune (04) 3594101 Escada (04)

3591117 Emilio Pucci (04) 3398525

Emirates Boulevard (04) 3198999 Emporio Armani (04) 3300778 Etro (04) 3513737

FABI (04) 3413116 FAE Fashion (04)

3453167 Faces (04) 3471225 Fellimini (04)

3685427 Fendi (04) 3511833 Fitz & Simons

(04) 3685598 Five Green (04) 3364100 Fidel (04) 3685600 Folli Follie (04) 3528460

Forever 21 (04) 2952031 Furla (04)

3522285 Gap (04) 3398784 Gas (04)

3244854 Gianfranco Ferré (04) 3410919

Ginger & Lace (04) 3685109 Giorgio Armani (04) 3300447 Givenchy (04)

3308282 Gucci (04) 3303313 Giuseppe Zanotti Design (04) 3300620 Guess Jeans

(04) 2950542 H&M (04) 2957244 Harry Winston (04) 3317440 Harvey Nichols

(04) 4098888 Havaianas, Souk Al Bahar

(04) 4200152 Hermès (04) 3511190 H. Stern (04) 3300730 IF Boutique (04)

3947260 Jaeger (04) 3245145 Jaeger-LeCoultre (04) 3494195 Jane Norman (04)

3403312 JJ Valaya (04) 3494995 Jimmy

Choo (04) 3300404 Karen Millen (04)

3398608 Kenneth Cole (04) 3555872

Kenzo (04) 3519449 Khalil Al Sayegh (04)

2276555 Killah (04) 3411293 Kimaya (04)

3499903 Koton (04) 2325838 Kraze (04)

4259822 Kurt Geiger (04) 3399737 Lacoste

(04) 2326040 La Senza (04) 3244233

Lanvin (04) 3303500 Laundry (04)

3558920 Links of London (04) 3557668

Liz Claiborne (04) 2955832 Loewe (04)

3558860 Louis Vuitton (04) 3592535

Luxe Couture (04) 3447933 Majestic Palace (04) 2226160 Mall of the Emirates

(04) 4099000 Mango (04) 2950182

Manolo Blahnik (04) 3515551 Marami (04) 4343536 Marc by Marc Jacobs (04)

2326118 Marks & Spencer (04) 3245145

Marni (04) 3825120 Massimo Dutti (04)

2954413 MaxMara (04) 3513140 Meher & Riddhima (04) 3300617 Mexx (04)

2957704 Michael Kors (04) 3300620

Missoni (04) 3398686 Miss Sixty (04)

3241998 Montblanc (04) 3246675 Nanis

(04) 2066976 Nayomi (04) 3245141 New Look (04) 2959542 Nicole Farhi (04)

3248800 Nina Ricci (04) 3825240 Nine West (04) 3398085 Northern Chic (04)

3452453 Oasis (04) 2940011 Oasis Centre

(04) 3395111Opera (04) 3599978 Oui (04)

3242167 Ounass (04) 3300617 Paris Gallery (06) 5175555 Paspaley (04)

3398745 Paul & Joe (04) 2329469 Parfois

(04) 4343167 Piaget (04) 3388222

Pianegonda (04) 3521001 Pollini (04)

3510511 Pomellato (04) 3303375 Popley Jewellery (04) 2259270 Pretty Fit (04)

2950790 Ralph Lauren (04) 3414200

Rami Al Ali (04) 3945607 Reiss (04)

3410515 Rivoli (04) 3512279 Roberto Coin (04) 3279880 Rodeo Drive, Burj Al

Arab (04) 3482100 Saks Fifth Avenue

(04) 3515551 Salvatore Ferragamo (04)

4099000 Seddiqi & Sons (04) 3552323

Sephora (04) 2973500 Sergio Rossi (04)

3301177 Shoemart (04) 3379811 S*uce

(04) 3447270 SKs Concept Store (04)

3422228 Splash Fashion (04) 2950553

Stradivarius (04) 2941221 Strandbags

(04) 3410290 Strenesse (04) 3244555

Swarovski (04) 3240168 Ted Baker (04)

2326053 Temperley (04) 3398169 The Village Mall (04) 3494444 Tiffany & Co. (04) 3398350 Tigerlily (04) 3248088

Tod’s (04) 3554417 Tommy Hilfiger (04)

3398097 Topshop (04) 2951804 Valencia Shoes (04) 3413020 Valentino (04)

3596450 Van Cleef & Arpels (04) 3398001

Vertu (04) 3551105 Verdissima (04)

3669842 Versace Jewellery (04) 3398285

Villa Moda (04) 3825150 Vincci (04)

4343155 Wafi City Mall (04) 3244555

Women’s Secret (04) 2959665 Yves Saint Laurent (04) 3300445 Zadig & Voltaire

(04) 4233768 Zara (04) 3512799 ■

137_PANASONIC.INDD 1 29/04/10 8:46 AM


Styled by Poppy Skinner Photography by Candy Kennedy at Bareface Model Viktoria M at Bareface Make-up and hair by Dennie Pasion at Bareface Assisted by Scarlett Woodhouse

All products used are sold at Faces

Top Dhs1,495 by Paul & Joe at Harvey Nichols Hairband Dhs735 by Bump Up at S*uce

May 2010 emirates woman 141December 2008 emirates woman 141May 2010 emirates woman 141

Blouse Dhs1,000 by Vanessa Bruno at

Boutique 1Hairband Dhs850 by Lilith by Neda & Sara at S*uce Top Dhs1,000 by Bird by Juicy Couture at Harvey Nichols


Base:

Cheeks:

the cheeks, along the cheekbone and

Eyes:

Bourjois Pure White eyeliner and

Lips:

In celebration of all things bold and beautiful, Faces are holding a beauty festival

from May 1-15 with make-overs, exclusive gifts and beauty goodies galore.

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Eyes:

whole lid and a thin line under the

Lips:

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eyeshadow in Trendy Plum to the

bottom lash line with eyeliner in

Black with Purple highlights by

Lips:

Base:

Eyes:

requires layering so apply three

Cheeks:

Lips:

Mascara by Bourjois

Eyeshadow by Nars

Lipgloss by Clarins

Eyeliner by Bourjois

Mascara by Givenchy

Lipgloss by Dior

Eyeliner by Make Up For Ever

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EW MUST-HAVES

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Lipstick by Benefit

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eautiful skin can be obtained without

dipping into your Prada purse and forking

out your dirhams, but before you tackle your

complexion, you have to first understand the

complex nature of your skin. Understanding

how your skin works can help avoid costly

mistakes, while the wrong treatment, for

example harsh exfoliation and microdermabrasion, can actually

cause trauma to the skin that is not always reversible. So, here’s

a quick lesson about your skin and how it functions.

YOUR SKIN AND HOW IT WORKSThe skin is the body’s largest organ, weighing approximately

2.7kg. In addition to serving as a protective shield against

heat, light, injury and infection, the skin also regulates body

temperature, stores water, fat and vitamin D and can sense

painful and pleasant stimulation. It is made up of three layers,

the epidermis, the dermis and a subcutis layer.

THE EPIDERMISThis is the thin outer layer of the skin and it’s probably the one

you’re most concerned with. It has several layers including the

outer stratum corneum (from the Latin for horned layer) that

contains continually shedding, dead keratinocytes or skin cells.

The epidermis also contains the basal cell layer, says dermatologist

Dr Natasha Cook (www.natashacook.com).

Within this are cells that continually divide, forming new

keratinocytes to replace the old ones that are shed from the skin’s

surface. “The basal layer cells are the only regenerating layer –

ie they produce all the new skin cells,” says Dr Cook. “The cells

then undergo a continual process of evolution as they migrate up

through the layers to ultimately become the outer or horned layer

cells, which then finally exfoliate off.” The entire cell turnover time

for skin, from being at the basal layer stage to progressing through

to become a horny layer cell takes about 21 to 30 days but slows as

we age. The basal cell layer also contains melanocytes, which are

cells that produce melanin (skin pigment).

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THE DERMISMade up of blood vessels, lymph vessels,

hair follicles and sweat glands, this is the

middle layer of the skin. It is held together

by a protein called collagen which is made

by fibroblasts. In turn, fibroblasts are skin

cells that give the skin its strength and

resilience. Collagen is a tough, insoluble

protein found throughout the body in

the connective tissues that hold muscles

and organs in place. In the skin, collagen

supports the epidermis. Elastin, a similar

protein, is the substance that allows

the skin to spring back into place when

stretched. Both collagen and elastin decline

as we age.

THE SUBCUTIS This is the deepest layer of skin and is

also known as the subcutaneous layer.

The subcutis, consisting of a network of

collagen and fat cells, helps conserve the

body’s heat while protecting other organs

from injury by acting as a ‘shock absorber’.

Dr Cook says that not many, if any, of

the substances in skincare products can

actually reach the dermis. “Most skincare

creams are really only working on the

epidermis.” However, Marionne de Candia,

co-director of leading Australian spa, Spa

Luxe, believes that high quality vitamin

treatments can have an impact on collagen

levels in the dermis.

WHAT HAPPENS AS YOU AGEBabies’ skin is plump and flawless, while

an octogenarian will usually have wrinkles,

sunspots, sagging and other telltale signs

of age. Contrary to what you might

think, however, this is not inevitable, says

Marionne. “Sun damage is responsible

for most skin ageing and it is cumulative.

Teenagers today face even fiercer UV rays

than we did growing up and so they need

to protect the skin all their time by staying

out of the sun, covering up with a hat and

wearing a sunblock that does not contain

harmful chemicals.”

Ageing starts from childhood, she says,

with adult females (post-30s) showing

what may seem like a sudden change in

their skin, but what is actually cumulative

damage from youth. Dr Cook also confirms

that “the more sun you see, the more

damaged your skin becomes. That’s because

the sun breaks down the supportive fibres,

collagen and elastin, leading to accelerated

wrinkles and sagging.”

As we reach our 40 and 50s cell renewal

also slows down to 50 and 60 days, she says,

adding that “genes are important in skin

aging because they are the building blocks

that determine what type of skin you have.

Darker skin will age better than fair skin

because it has better natural protection

from the sun and the environment,

while smoking and very poor diets also

contributes to skin ageing.”

The number one rule for teenagers is: avoid the sun.

It may be harder in this

part of the world and it

may be considered more

attractive to have a tan, but if

you want to protect your skin for the later

years, you have to start early. Begin your skin

routine as you mean to continue: cleanse,

tone and moisturise twice daily, suggests Dr

Cook. While Marionne advises “using a very

mild cleansing gel and toner with no alcohol

in it and, above all, don’t diet, because it

dehydrates the skin and makes it sensitive.”

Many teenagers suffer from acne and

skin problems and many fail to follow the

golden rule – don’t pick or prod, as this

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bacteria and rupturing cysts below the

surface of the skin, resulting in increased

inflammation. Stop scrubbing too, and

use gentle cleansers, as harsher ones

can cause irritation and dryness that

aggravates acne. Remember to exfoliate

in the morning with a beta hydroxy

serum and continue to use an alpha or

beta hydroxy serum throughout your life,

suggests Dr Cook.

Alpha hydroxy acids are exfoliants

derived from fruit and milk sugars, such

as glycolic acid produced from sugar

cane and lactic acid produced from

milk. There is only one beta hydroxy

acid – salicylic acid. The main difference

between alpha hydroxy acids and beta

hydroxy acid is their lipid (oil) solubility.

Alpha hydroxy acids are water-soluble

only, while beta hydroxy acid is lipid (oil)

soluble. This means that beta hydroxy

acid can penetrate into the pores, which

contain sebum and exfoliate the dead

skin cells that are built up inside the

pore.

Because of this difference in properties,

beta hydroxy acid is better used on oily

skin with blackheads and whiteheads.

Alpha hydroxy acids are better used on

thickened, sun-damaged skin where

breakouts are not a problem. The use

of beta hydroxy acid can increase sun

sensitivity by 50 per cent so make sure you

stay out of the sun or use a sunscreen.

If you don’t want to use alpha or beta

hydroxyl products, Marionne cautions

against using gritty scrubs that can sensitise

the skin and break capillaries. Rather, try an

exfoliant that uses enzymes (like papaya) to

get rid of dead skin cells.

Skin essential: cleanse, tone, moisturise twice a day, stay out of the sun and wear sunblock.

Exfoliate in the morning

with an alpha hydroxyl

or beta hydroxyl serum. If you have

badly sun-damaged skin or post acne

scarring, talk to a beautician about having

a mild acid peel, says Marionne. Avoid

microdermabrasion treatments that have

the potential to permanently damage

skin, she says. Try a moisturiser with

Vitamins A and C, “as they normalise skin

cells naturally and speed up the renewal

20s


process,” she adds. According to Dr

Des Fernandes, an international expert

on skin function, vitamin A increases

the rate of keratinocyte duplication

while vitamin C plays a potent role

in diminishing the effects of free

radical damage and in the building of

collagen and elastin. “With a deficiency

of vitamin C, impaired collagen is

created and the skin can become more

wrinkled.”

If you do buy a moisturiser that

contains vitamin C, make sure it comes

in a pump because once exposed to

sunlight this ingredient oxidises and is

no longer effective.

If you would like to treat your skin

with an acid product to help encourage

skin shedding and cell renewal, both

Marionne and Dr Cook recommend

lactic in preference to glycolic acid.

It is not as dehydrating but will

polish the skin very gently and help

moisture bind to the skin. Also make

sure you use an eye gel. “The skin

around the eyes is thinner and has no

oil glands and, consequently, needs

special care,” says Marionne.

Skin essential: cleanse, tone, moisturise twice a day, stay out of the sun and wear

sunblock.

You should also exfoliate

in the morning with an alpha hydroxyl

or beta hydroxyl serum. This is the time

to maximise antioxidants to fight free

radical damage, says Marionne, so invest

in the best vitamin

A and C treatments that you can afford.

At the strongest end of the scale,

tretinoin cream (Renova), is

a vitamin A derivative available

by prescription only, approved for

reducing the appearance of fine

wrinkles, mottled darkened spots, and

roughness in people whose skin doesn’t

improve with regular skincare and use

of sun protection, says Dr Cook. At

the other end of the scale, you can use

botanical treatments such as Rosehip

Oil, which is high in vitamin C, to help

retard skin ageing.

Other antioxidants that can benefit

the skin are Co-enzyme Q10, B

vitamins, vitamin E or reservatol, which

you can find in high quality moisturiser.

Also, keep applying eye gel and look for

a product that offers a natural, Botox-

like effect.

Skin essential: cleanse, tone, moisturise twice a day, stay out of the sun and wear a

sunblock. Exfoliate in the morning

with an alpha hydroxyl or beta hydroxyl

serum. This is the time when you may

start to see sagging because of a loss of

elastin and collagen. Again, vitamins are

essential to the tone and structure of the

skin, not salon treatments that claim to

boost elastin and collagen levels, says

Marionne. “These may plump out the

skin temporarily, but the molecules are

so large that they cannot possibly enter

the skin and work at a cellular level,” she

says. Use moisturisers and treatments

such as serums that contain high levels

of antioxidants and don’t forget an eye

cream. Also try sleeping on a satin pillow

to avoid skin that is less elastic forming

into creases at night.

Skin essential: cleanse, tone, moisturise twice a day,

stay out of the sun and wear sunblock. While moisturisers

with vitamins A and

C can still make a real

difference to skin texture and

tone, dry, mature skin can also benefit

from a moisturiser that contains more

lipids such as ceramides.

These play a key role in establishing

the barrier function of the stratum

corneum – in other words, they stop

skin drying out. The good news is that

fat soluble molecules such as these are

more likely to penetrate the skin, says

Marionne.

While doctors may recommend

oestrogen therapy as a way for women

to maintain moist skin, a more natural

alternative is skin creams that contain

phytoestrogens. Never forget to use an

eye cream and try vitamin serums that

can be used under moisturiser, or at

night, to help give skin extra resilience. ■

30s

40s

50s

147_PHILLIPS1.indd 1 29/04/10 9:21 AM


HALLE BERRY, 43

“I think we’ve become

obsessed with beauty and the

fountain of youth. Personally

I’m saddened by the way

women mutilate their faces in

search of that.”

CAMERON DIAZ, 37“Doing nips and tucks and pins on our faces will not have

anything to do with our ultimate fate. Me? I’d like to pull a

grin, blink or make a face without it all coming undone.”

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ANGELINA JOLIE, 34

“I don’t think

I’d do it. I don’t

knock people who

do it because,

if it makes you

happy, to each

their own. When

I see women

who are ageing

naturally and

how it’s affecting

their faces and

bodies, I think it’s

beautiful.”

DREW BARRYMORE, 35 “I’m not going to fall

prey to it. I want to

see what I look like

naturally as I grow up.

It may be terrifying and

I may be mortified by

the results, but at least

it’ll be my results.”

SHARON STONE, 52“I haven’t had plastic surgery and

I wouldn’t have it in the future. It’s just not my

thing. I’m not afraid of ageing. I stopped being

afraid of life a long time ago.”

JULIANNE MOORE, 49“An immovable face is not a beautiful face. We

should hold people to standards that are human,

attainable and naturally beautiful.”

CATE BLANCHETT, 40“I see someone’s

face, someone’s

body who has had

children, and I think

they’re the songlines

of your experience.

Why would you want

to eradicate that?”

ALL NATURAL WOMEN


JENNIFER LOPEZ, 40“I don't do it, but I don’t want

to judge because I don’t know

how I’ll feel when I’m over 40

or 50. If somebody is cutting up

their face and their body over

and over again, it’s got to be

something inside that they need

to deal with first before going

under the knife."

JENNIFER ANISTON, 41“I think whatever

floats your boat. You’ve

gotta do what you’ve

gotta do.”

DEMI MOORE, 47

“I have no problem with

fixing or enhancing one’s

look. I say everything in

moderation. After three kids,

gravity and everything heads

south, it’s an option.”

PENELOPE CRUZ, 35“I’m not against it totally, but it’s

not healthy the way people are so

unhappy with the way they look.

Maybe there will be other more

natural things you can do when I

am older, so who knows?”

LIV TYLER, 32“I’m definitely going to have some, I’m sure.

Especially when you see what happens to your body

after you have a baby. I have to make a living.”

JOAN RIVERS, 76“You paint the house and

maintain the car, right? Well,

I go to my surgeon every six

months and ask for touch-ups.”

BOOK ‘EM IN

COURTENEY COX, 45“I have a permanent baby belly after

having Coco and I have issues with

getting older. There have been huge

changes in my body and my face, and

it’s hard getting older; David has a huge

problem with surgery, but I don’t.”

NEVER SAY NEVER

149_Philips2.INDD 1 29/04/10 9:33 AM

MICRO SCULPTING CREAM BY OLAY With over 50 years of research, Olay have come up with this light sculpting day cream to firm sagging skin and restore hydration.

REVITALIFT BY L’ORÉAL Providing 24 hour hydration, you can expect to have firmer skin in less than two weeks when using Revitalift daily.

SUCCESS FUTURE BY GUERLAINClaiming to tighten skin by 72 per cent, Success Future from Guerlain is one of the best you can get. Comprising of pure Amber extract, this dream cream hydrates, firms and tones even the most delicate of skins.

TIME ZONE CREAM BY ESTÉE LAUDER If a cream claims to reduce the look of the eye area by 10 years, it has to make the EW cut. Light enough to be used twice daily, Estée Lauder’s Time Zone is a must.

YOUTH SURGE NIGHT BY CLINIQUE Clinique are beauty gurus when it comes to treating sensitive skin. 100 per cent allergy tested, this night cream will act as a barrier to protect from future ageing while repairing past damage.

MULTI-ACTIVE YOUTH RECOVERY CREAM BY CLARINS In as little as one night’s use, you will see a reduction in wrinkles and fine lines, and skin will be far plumper and more luminous.

MATERIA HERBA EYE CREAM BY KORRES Perfect for the green-fingered among us, this eye cream by Korres is 100 per cent natural and organic. Using green tea it decreases expression lines and refines the skin around the eyes.

ANTI-AGEING EYE CONTOUR BY DR. SEBAGH AT HARVEY NICHOLS The cutting edge ingredients in this eye cream delicately help treat those dreaded wrinkles and fine lines that creep into the under eye area.

SUPREMŸA AT NIGHT BY SISLEY As part of Sisley’s Supreme Anti-Ageing Skin Care, this night cream is extremely rich and luxurious, all the while carefully repairing past skin damage as well as visibly rejuvenating skin for the future.

Compiled by Scarlett WoodhousePhotographed by Vikram Gawde

151_Philips3.INDD 1 29/04/10 9:41 AM


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oughties’ excess is over, and decadent sensibilities are

as passé as last season’s Prada. Maybe it’s the recent

recession, or perhaps just a return to simpler values, but

with ‘less is more being the style mantra of the decade,

even plastic surgery is cutting back and celebrities

are being ‘made-under’ with ‘stealthy’ procedures that barely hint

at a surgeon’s scalpel. Celebrities like Demi Moore, Kate Moss and

Madonna have all been spotted looking ‘refreshed and youthful’ but

with none of the telltale signs that come from conventional plastic

surgery. And it seems that the trend is catching on. UK sales figures this

year reported that almost all cosmetic surgeries are down, but non-

invasive procedures, such as Botox, are up. Dr Jaffer Khan, a GCC-based

consultant and plastic and reconstructive surgeon has also noticed a

similar trend in Dubai, “In the last year of recession the number of

aesthetic surgeries went down slightly, but

the number of non-surgical procedures

went up 10 per cent.” Dr Imran Tahir of

Dubai Surgery also revealed that non-

invasive procedures are on the rise and that

“non-invasive treatments are very popular

as there is little or no down-time and the

results are both effective and natural.” This

trend of the more minimal ‘make-under’

seems to be gaining momentum in Dubai.

An article in The National (July 2009),

states that minimally invasive treatments

are gaining popularity with Botox and

fillers becoming a household name and the

procedures of choice for many women in

their fight against ageing.

Dr Tahir says, “In a city like Dubai

which has attracted thousands of stunning

professional women, the socio-economic pressure to look youthful

and attractive is incredible. The general trend is to achieve a soft,

natural and youthful look, as there is nothing at all considered

attractive about a wrinkle-free but frozen and expressionless

face.” Dr Sara Mortazavi of Concept Cosmetic Medicine in

Sydney, Australia,concurs, “There has recently been a shift away

from trying to eliminate all lines and wrinkles towards restoring

contours with more natural results.”

From as far back as Hollywood’s Golden Age of the 1920s,

stars have been dabbling in plastic surgery in efforts to preserve

their good looks. Marilyn Monroe was thought to have had a chin

implant to strengthen her weak jaw line while Clark Gable had his

ears pinned back. In the 80s as technology improved so did the

scope of plastic surgery procedures, and the economic boom meant

plastic surgery became available to more than just the rich elite.

However, it also began to gain a bad reputation as ‘horror’ stories

began to emerge in the media of botched surgeries, particularly

involving gel-based breast implants which had ruptured and caused

infections. Then, when Botox hit the shelves in 1990, it was hailed

as the wonder drug which virtually made wrinkles disappear with

just a few well-placed injections. Deemed

the new fountain of youth, it wasn’t long

before it went from being the Hollywood

procedure of choice to the top selling

cosmetic treatment for women everywhere.

Botox, according to Sydney-based

surgeon Dr Nicholas Lotz, is also great at

preventing ageing. “Treatments such as

Botox not only help reduce the amount

of wrinkles that are present, but also have

a preventative effect in that they stop the

development of further wrinkles.” He goes

on to explain that many of his patients for

non-invasive treatments are getting younger

and younger, due to its ‘preventative’

qualities. Besides ageing, Botox is also used

for the treatment of excessive sweating and

muscle pain disorders. However, despite its

many benefits, the abuse and mistreatment of Botox has left many

a woman with frozen features and a face devoid of expression. Says

Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh, a UK-based dermatologist, “If you inject

one set of muscles too strongly, you kill one team (of opposing

muscles). What you need is a balance; otherwise you’ll look frozen or

overexcited. The aim is to remove over-expression, not all expression.”


And so enter, ‘the make-under’ – procedures which include an

age-busting cocktail of Botox, fillers, fractional laser and others

through minimal, ongoing treatments which can make you look

years younger without leaving any signs of surgery. Actress Demi

Moore is the poster girl for the ‘make-under’; with a face and

body that women half her age would envy, Demi has long baffled

beauty industry insiders who have been unable to pinpoint exactly

what procedures the actress has had done. The 47-year-old has

repeatedly denied having any surgery, but many experts are certain

in their belief that some fine-tuning has taken place.

New York-based surgeon Dr Sam Rizk recently said that

the actress has undergone a new procedure called the 3D neck

and facelift. The procedure uses 3D imaging to study the face.

Microsurgery is then performed to transfer fat from the jowls and

reposition it in the cheekbones – this is known in the industry

as fillers. This leaves the actress’ face unlined, with plumped up

features and a more natural look with none of the telltale signs that

a traditional facelift may engender. Dr Tahir has also heard talk

that Demi Moore’s ‘vibrant looks’ come from a procedure called

the Endoscopic facelift, or as it is known

in the beauty industry, a ‘scarless facelift’.

“This procedure uses endoscopic techniques

to perform facial rejuvenation and facial

enhancement. It is a type of surgical technique

that prevents the need for long incisions,

allows faster healing and generally results in

fewer side effects than traditional facelifts.”

Celebrities are favouring such procedures

because recovery time is minimal which

translates to less time away from work and,

perhaps more importantly, the public eye.

And, as Dr Mortazavi adds, “these minimally

invasive therapies are perfet for our busy

clients.” But for us mere mortals, both

demanding careers and personal lives means

most of us are time poor and the minimal

downtime of non-invasive procedures is a

definite bonus. Jeanned’arc Daher, a 48 year-

old promotions executive from Lebanon who

has undergone Botox injections in the frown

lines, crows feet and jaw line and had fillers under the eyes says,

“all these procedures have instant recovery with minimal bruising

(which could easily be covered with concealer). The only issue

with recovery had to do with the chemical peel; it took a whole

week for my skin to recover. Other than the facial peels, which

were more uncomfortable than painful, all the other procedures

have minimum pain.”

Following in Demi Moore’s age-defying footsteps is Gail

Clough, a 44-year-old British professional residing in Dubai who

has been undergoing stealth procedures since she was 36 and is

definitely a happy convert to ‘stealth’ procedures. She started her

‘make-under’ eight years ago, having undergone Botox to raise

her brow and remove the lines around her eyes, fillers to raise her

cheeks, to fill out her nasal folds and shape her lips and Pixel to

resurface her skin and remove pigmentation and tiny lines. She

couldn’t be happier with the results. “I started at 36 when I wanted

to regain my youthful looks, when in fact I ended up improving

them. I look 15 years younger and my features are more balanced.”

Jeanned’arc has been undergoing non-invasive procedures for the

last 15 years and says, “I started very minimal, but became consistent

in the last four to five years. When I started looking at myself in the

mirror and noticed that I always seemed to be frowning, I decided

I wanted to do something.” She has noticed a visible difference,

particularly after Botox. “The lines were a lot smoother, the eyes more

open and the brows more lifted.”

Madonna, long known for her obsession with making herself over

has been ‘made-under’ in recent years with ‘stealthy’ treatments that

have taken years off her face. The star, who famously once said, “I’m

not against plastic surgery, I’m just against discussing it”, has been

spotted lately looking ‘freshened up’ and it’s long been speculated

that she is a fan of Botox, though her recent ‘make-under’ may

point to a more subtle, non-invasive procedure called ‘photo

facials’. The procedure uses non-invasive laser work and employs

radio waves to reduce wrinkles and restore volume. In February,

Australian Grazia magazine also commented on Madonna’s looks,

adding that, “by doing all of these minimally invasive things,

Madonna in her 50s still looks gorgeous and iconic. Her number one

rule is consistency and balance – it’s the secret to looking great.”

When unflattering photos of supermodel

Kate Moss looking gaunt, aged and her skin

ravaged surfaced last year, the British tabloids

speculated that her modelling career may be

over, stating that her skin looked “blemished

and sun damaged”. So it was a surprise when

recent appearances showed a fresh and youthful

looking Moss. Beauty industry insiders are

guessing ‘stealth’ surgery, specifically dermal

fillers in her face and cheek implants. This

process of transferring fat from one part of

the body (the thighs, stomach or buttocks)

and injecting or ‘filling’ it into those age

give-aways on your face like hollowed-out

cheeks, wrinkles or laugh lines, is gaining

popularity as a cosmetic treatment due to

its ‘natural’ appeal and relatively low risk.

According to Dr Khan, fillers are his second

most requested non-surgical procedure after

Botox. Since many non-invasive procedures

use substances that are naturally produced

in the body like fat, the toxicity level of the substances used is

insignificant and allergic reactions are rare. But beware of permanent

fillers as they can create permanent problems as our faces age and

change as they can move and leave unsightly lumps.

Surgeons in Dubai are coy about revealing which Middle

Eastern celebrities they believe have undergone ‘stealth’ surgery

but are in agreement that culturally women in the region are open

to ‘self-improvement’ and such procedures are definitely gaining

popularity. Dr Mortazavi, who has treated women from Lebanon,

Egypt and Iran, says, “Middle Eastern women tend to have less sun

damage than caucasians, but skin quality and contours remain just

as important when it comes to treatments.”

Ageing is never an easy process and most women would agree

that staying as natural as possible and true to oneself is the way to go.

The aim, as Dr Mortazavi points out, is, “Family and friends should

say, ‘Wow, you look fresh’, instead of ‘what have you done?’” While

Hollywood and celebrity life isn’t always worth emulating, it seems that

in this case we can certainly take a page out of the book of these famous

ladies when it comes to ageing gracefully – and subtly. ■


Compiled by Sophie Jones-Cooper

10Bag a bargain from Elizabeth Arden

with this beach-chic bag, make-up and

body lotion set for just Dhs90.

Flash a new coloured pout every day

with this Gloss Your Lips set from

Korres for just Dhs90.

For a mere Dhs280, treat yourself to not only your

favourite Daisy scent, but the matching vanity case,

body lotion and roll-on perfume, too.

Become irresistible when you spend Dhs490

at the Givenchy counter, and recieve this

gorgeous pink clutch complete with four

trial sizes of Givenchy beauty goodies.Get your fashion fix with a

free handbag and coin purse

with any Lancôme purchase

worth Dhs560 or more.

Get your hands on this new limited

edition Prada Infusion de Tubereuse

100ml eau de parfum for Dhs405.

Simply spend Dhs395 on Estée Lauder products and

be treated to this gorgeous make-up bag and three

trial sized lotions (three variants available).

There’s beauty in numbers, as when

you purchase any two fragrances

receive this 60ml Innocent Illusion

eau de toilette by Thierry Mugler.

Purchase any two Clarins products and get this free

vanity pouch containing three trial size treats.

Be spoilt for choice with the D&G My Collection

fragrance gift set for a special price of Dhs280.

1 23

4

6

5

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9

For these and more special beauty offers as well as consultations and expert advice, visit Areej stores from April 21 – May 8 for the annual Areej Beauty Extravaganza

7

10

drinking pure waterfrom the pristine Alps

every day helps youfeel young

evian.com


WRI

TTEN

BY

CHAR

LOTT

E M

URPH

Y IM

AGE

TRUN

K AR

CHIV

E

hen William

Shakespeare put

quill to parchment,

penning the rural

comedy As You Like It, he spoke of the seven emotional and

physical ages in our lives. Betraying hints

that the bard may have been a frustrated

beauty editor, he noted the skin’s

transition from ‘smooth shining face’, to

something rather less complimentary,

with numerous stages in between.

The skin’s ageing process is indeed

a rather complicated fiasco and is

not simply a question of developing

wrinkles over the years. Your

skin’s elasticity, firmness and

ability to regenerate also change.

Essentially, collagen and elastin

fibres which keep the skin firm

weaken over time. This, coupled

with the effects of gravity and

sun damage, results in a loss of plumpness

and smoothness. But as researchers pore

over skin cell structure and its changing

‘face’ as we age, the solutions on offer

have an increasingly scientific basis. Long

gone are the days when you just needed

to identify a moisturiser to suit your skin

type, now there are a variety of age-relevant

considerations, too.

As Coco Chanel so succinctly put it:

“Nature gives you the face you have at 20,

life shapes the face you have at 30, but at

50, you get the face you deserve.” If you

want youthful skin in your older age, then

her advice is to pay attention to your skin

and start the work now.

Chanel has developed, through extensive

research, different ranges designed with skin’s

differing needs in mind. Skipping through the

first few stages of skin’s development, (baby

skin requires just delicate nurturing, while the

teenage complexion is a law unto itself)

we trip gently into skin’s twenties. Beauté

Initial has been formulated to energise

and thoroughly moisturise. Active

ingredients boost tired skin, restoring

radiance, while the incorporation of

mattifying powders reduces unwanted

shine. Heading into the 35–45 age group,

And as skin gracefully ages, this lack

of firmness spreads beyond just wrinkles

to a more overall lack of tension. The

Ultra Correction Lift range is designed

for women in their mid forties and over,

to target this issue by aiming to restore

tension to the face as a whole, rather than

simply to the skin’s collagen.

the Ultra Correction Line Repair is the top

tip from Chanel. Developed specifically to hit

wrinkles hard, it is a bit of an anti-ageing coup,

as active ingredients have been developed to

reverse wrinkle formation. Sounds unlikely,

but the science behind it adds up: as skin ages

the collagen loses its rigidity, wrinkles develop

as skin literally folds in on itself. By restoring

collagen’s firmness, wrinkles are ushered

politely off the premises.

If you’re feeling a bit more age-

egalitarian and looking for a one-stop-shop,

Sublimage may be the answer. Targeting

hydration, radiance, pigmentation, wrinkles

and firming, at the heart of this generalist

range is what they call ‘the power of

the green diamond’. Planifolia PFA is a

polyfractionated active ingredient which

plays a number of anti-ageing roles: it

acts to boost collagen and elastin and thus

works on skin’s firmness; it moisturises to

promote supple skin; it targets melanin

production to help restore an even

complexion; and finally it enhances skin’s

natural glow by boosting microcirculation.

Skin does change over time, but that

doesn’t have to be a negative thing. Most

would agree a fine line or two is a rather

less stressful proposition than angry teen-

skin. And as the famed American author

and humourist Mark Twain once said, with

a rather more upbeat approach to ageing

than Shakespeare: “Wrinkles should merely

indicate where smiles have been”. ■

CHANEL’S SOLUTION... BEAUTE INITIAL

CHANEL’S SOLUTION... ULTRA CORRECTION LINE REPAIR

CHANEL’S SOLUTION... ULTRA CORRECTION LINE REPAIR

AGE25-35

AGE35-45

AGE45+


ow did you get involved with Dior for their Capture Totale range? Dior is the epitome of

French chic – a name that

carries a strong tradition of elegance, style,

luxury and glamour. I’d turned down

previous campaigns, but this was Dior, you

know Christian Dior – it’s quite something!

But I was shocked when they approached

me, as I was unaware they were making a

product for mature skin, though we’re very

aligned in our way of thinking and I’m

secretly a French American girl!

What did it feel like becoming a Dior icon at this time of your life? When I turned 40, there was this sort

of violence in America about me acting my

age… People seemed offended that I was

yelling about my age. But as I reached my

late 40s, and now early 50s, I made a firm

decision not to be erased, disempowered

or devalued. Having this job for Capture

Totale became a very beautiful thing for

me – a platform to say to women ‘You are

beautiful’.

Define true beauty…It comes from within – from your integrity,

and it very much starts with being kind to

other women. Real beauty is to be gracious

and generous. I honestly don’t think you

can be beautiful if you don’t have decency.

At the age of 52, are you more confident in your skin than ever before? I know that my feet are stable on the

ground and that when someone tries to

destabilise me, I can still feel the impact

but I do not hit back. Ultimately, it’s not

about self-confidence but self-awareness.

Elementally, I have the same personality

as I did in my 20s, but I have a sense of

understanding of myself that is different.

I think it’s really acceptable to be a great

looking woman and we do not have to

hang onto our girlhood forever.

Are you afraid of ageing?Why would I be afraid of ageing –

I am so grateful to age. We should all

be. It should be our goal to age with

dignity, grace, humour and beauty. The

only thing I do not like about ageing is

the pain of different parts of the body

betraying you.

To confront ageing, did you change your looks, lifestyle or habits? Madonna was a true inspiration when

she co-hosted AIDS benefit gala amfAR

with me. That is when I made this new

determination: we are the same age

within a couple of months and she is in

such astonishing condition – I look to

her as a role model.

Are you comfortable with all the trappings that age carries with it?Yes, because I think the lines and the

wrinkles are kind of charming. It is not

perfection that attracts a person, it is

the little flaws, that chip in the tooth,

that funny laugh – it is not the veneer

of perfection. IMAG

ES C

OUR

TESY

OF

DIO

R


Plastic surgery is rife in the movie world – what are your thoughts on it?I have done some Botox but stopped

because I didn’t want to look like a

goldfish. I want to look like myself, to

look like my experience, like a woman

with a life. But you cannot tell people they

can’t get plastic surgery. My feeling is:

live it up. It is a modern world, but make

sure that you have harmony. I believe in a

logical, healthy approach – both mentally

and physically.

Do you have any essential beauty tips or beauty rituals?I wash my eyes and face with tap water in

the morning. I take baths all the time with

bath oils and bath salts. I also use Capture

Totale products – I am a cream person!

Cream is my first and last beauty gesture

of the day. I also take Omega 3 Fish Oils.

Do you have a favourite ‘it’ product of all time that you can’t live without?I love the Calming and Energizing oils by

Aveda – you can put them in your bath, on

your body, in your hair. Whether it’s true or WO

RDS

EMILY

BAX

TER

AND

BEAT

RICE

WAC

HSBE

RGER

, PHO

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BY A

LEXI

LUB

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IRSK

I AN

D M

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UP B

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PAIS

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FOR

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not, I believe they calm and energise me.

What is in your beauty survival kit? On planes, I always take a moisturiser and

some sort of obsessively greasy, petroleum-

based thing – like Kiehl’s Lip Balm, or an

eight-hour cream for my cuticles, lips or

nose. As for make-up, the DiorShow

mascara is the best one – trust me, I’ve tried

them all. And Nars has the best eyeshadow.

What piece of beauty advice would you give all women?We do not have time every day with our

lives, our children, our jobs… so every now

and then make sure you take time to pull

yourself together and remind the world

who you are!

A healthy body and mind also adds to a woman’s beauty – how do you stay in shape?I eat the same breakfast every day of

two pieces of raisin toast. I also eat fruit

and drink a herbal cleansing tea called

Calli Tea – that’s my cleansing breakfast!

For lunch and dinner I eat protein and

vegetables. I don’t eat a lot of desserts, but

I love dark chocolate. Every girl needs a

little bit of chocolate every day, right?

How do you balance life, motherhood and a career?Love, prayer, meditation – and with the

knowledge that it is okay to cry sometimes. ■

Dior’s One Essential propels anti-ageing

cosmetics into the era of

rejuvenation. The perfect day

care and night care for all

women, no matter what their

skin type, the alchemic

One Essential super-

serum eliminates billions

of toxins – the number

one enemy of the skin’s

youthful appearance.


SPA, ATLANTIS THE PALMThe couple’s Aromatherapy

treatment in the beautiful Royal Suite is an

indulgent three-hour delight. The treatment

starts with a full-body aromatherapy massage,

followed by a coffee and vanilla body scrub,

before a delicious yoghurt wrap leaves your skin

gorgeously smooth and soft. After a shower,

comes a 30-minute facial, before some R‘n’R in

the suite’s jacuzzi, complete with scattered petals

and cascading waterfall jets. The suite features a

private lounge and the package also offers access

to the pool and Nasimi beach. For heaven on

earth indulgence, this treatment is absolutely

faultless. Dhs3,360 for two.

www.atlantisthepalm.com/spa

SPAWATCH

Slimmer’s worldTone up this month with Hyatt Regency Dubai’s

Signature Slimming Package at Club Olympus Fitness

& Spa. At Dhs1,850, the package includes four

90-minute Eminence Herbal Cellulite treatments, plus

two complimentary 60-minute personal training

sessions and full day use of the Club Olympus

facilities. To book, call (04) 2096802 or email

[email protected]

STRIKE A POSE

IMA

GES

ISTO

CK

, GRA

PEA

ST/C

ORB

IS

THIS MONTH: SEATED FORWARD BEND – PASCHIMOTTANASANAThis asana (pose) is a good exercise in patience and

will tell you a lot about your body and back.

This posture stretches the entire backside of the body

from the hamstrings up across the hips and into the

back. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in

front of you. As you inhale, sit up tall. As you exhale

bend forward from the hips, reaching towards your

toes. Stretch your hamstrings and notice if your back

feels tight. Keep your back as flat as possible. If you

cannot reach your toes or straighten your legs, don’t

worry. Once you’ve found a place where you can

breathe into the stretch, hold for at least 10 breaths

and practice your patience.

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FACIAL EXPERIENCE FOR HIM

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IN THE SERENE SURROUNDINGS OF THE COUPLÉS SUITE

YOU CAN ENJOY THE PRIVATE OUTDOOR TERRACE AND

RAIN SHOWER, TOO. DHS590 FOR 1HR 45MINS.

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HYATTINTL.COM OR CALL (04) 6021660.

Summer sessionsGet your body bikini beautiful with Core Studio this month

and take advantage of their hot joining fee offer – only Dhs300

a month, plus a Dhs200 joining fee. With classes such

as Yogilates, Box-Fit and BodyPump, there’s a class to suit

everyone. As an added bonus, members you also get discounts at outlets

including Costa Coffee, Health Factory and Chez Toi.

www.corestudiome.com

IMA

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OIM

AG

ES


50

WO

RDS

SARA

MO

HAZZ

EBI

n this day and age, with our busy

schedules and full personal lives, often

our health ends up at the bottom of

our list of priorities. But the truth is

that without good health and regular

exams and screenings, it’s impossible to live

our lives to the fullest. No matter what age

or stage of your life you are currently in,

there are specific health issues you should be

looking out for. After all, prevention truly is

the best cure. From your teens to your 50s,

this is the definitive guide to the essential

checks every woman needs to maintain

optimum health, so that your mind, body

and spirit are all taken care of.

Being a teenager is about

more than just the social

transition of changing

from a girl into a woman,

it’s also an entire physical

transition. Proactively taking

care of your health begins at

this age, and it’s essential to get to know your

body and establish a trusting relationship

with a physician. Get started by determining

your blood pressure, body mass index (BMI),

cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting blood

sugar levels. Once you know your basic health

numbers, every teen should do the following:● From the ages of 11-12 is when the HPV

vaccine (Human Pappillomavirus) should be

received with follow-up vaccinations between

the ages of 13 to 26. HPV vaccinations can

be life-saving as HPV Types 16 and 18 causes

about 75 per cent of cervical cancer cases,

about 70 per cent of vaginal cancer cases,

and up to 50 per cent of vulvar cancer cases.

Men in their Teens: Like female teens, this

age is about prevention and the perfect

time to start doing blood pressure, BMI,

cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting blood

sugar levels checks.

Your 20s are often the period

in which women are

busy launching careers,

as well as significant

relationships, and it is

also a time when you need

to launch the various tests

and screenings that will help monitor your

health for most of your life. ● Beginning at 20, a woman should start

conducting self-breast exams just a few

days after her period and on a monthly

basis. Things to look for are any lumps or

thickening in the breast or armpit, a change in

breast size or shape, and a change in colour of

the breast or nipple area. There should also be

a clinical breast exam starting at 20, and these

should occur every three years thereafter.

With breast cancer being the number one

cause of death of women in the UAE, these

two exams are specifically recommended:

THE TEENS

THE 20S

● Starting at 21 (or younger if sexually active),

annual pelvic exams and PAP smears are a

must to prevent and screen for cervical cancer,

which is the easiest female cancer to prevent

with regular tests and follow-up exams. Your

PAP smears should be conducted every one to

three years from ages 21 to 65. ● For a clean bill of sexual health, you should

be tested for chlamydia and other STDs

(sexually transmitted diseases) including

HIV/AIDS as soon as you become sexually

active. Even if you are not sexually active, you

should still be tested as a safety precaution

around the age of 25.

Men in their 20s: This is the decade of sexual

peak for men, and to maintain top physical

and reproductive health men in their 20s

should exercise regularly to battle stress

and regularly be tested for STDs including

gonorrhea, syphilis, Chlamydia, and HIV.

While keeping up with the

regular screenings and

exams from your 20s, your

30s are an equally busy time

when you should start paying

closer attention to your thyroid

and your risk of cervical cancer.

Starting in your 30s:● Take a thyroid exam. Your thyroid

regulates your metabolism as well as the

sensitivity your body should have toward

THE 30S


other hormones. Beginning at 35, every

woman should make sure her thyroid is

in tip-top shape and subsequently get it

checked every five years. ● Always monitor your annual PAP smear.

While all women are at risk from cervical

cancer, it occurs most often in women

over 30. In your 30s, once you have three

consecutive normal annual PAP smear tests,

you can shift the exams to a lesser frequency

– such as once every three years if everything

has been normal up until this point.

Men in their 30s: Prevention is the name of

the game for men at this age as their stamina

peaks and cholesterol and blood pressure

levels begins to rise after 35, which means

annual cholesterol checks and blood pressure

exams are important. Regular interval

training workouts are also key as it will help

combat the loss of stamina that begins in the

middle of this decade.

Your 40s are a truly transitional

period as you begin to

experience a shift in your

hormonal levels and your

metabolism. To maintain

optimal health, there are three

tests you must include.

At 40, you’ll want to:● While keeping up with your own monthly

self-breast exams, introduce a mammogram

(breast examination) once every one to

two years. Mammograms are invaluable in

detecting lumps in the breast that

become more prevalent at this age. ● Incorporate a bone density test.

By detecting any warning signs of

osteoporosis, this test will be key in

helping you stay in tune with the knid of

strengthening exercises and changes in your

diet you should make to prevent thinning

of bone tissue, fractures, loss of height and

neck or lower back pain.

At 45, you’ll want to:● Get a blood glucose test (also known

as an A1c test) to detect signs of diabetes.

Considering that the UAE, Bahrain,

Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia are

ranked among the world’s top 10

populations most prevalent with diabetes,

a glucose test is a must do.● Take a colorectal exam to detect any sign

of colorectal cancer – a disease thought to

be widely linked to a diet high in red meat

and dietary fat and low in fiber.

Men in their 40s: This decade for men is

all about prevention. Just like women in

the Middle East, this is the time to get a

blood glucose test (A1c) to detect signs

of diabetes as men in the UAE, Bahrain,

Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia rank

among the world’s 10 highest for diabetes

prevalence. Also, men of this age should

consider a digital rectal exam to detect any

risk of prostate cancer. In general, a fairly

regular eye and ear exam should start at 40

and then every one to four years.

Your 50s are a unique

juggling act as many women

are handling the numerous

roles of mother, daughter, wife,

and working woman all at once. It’s

incredibly common for stress-related issues

including heart disease, high blood pressure,

and depression to crop up.● Starting at 50, a mammogram and a stool

screening should be conducted annually to

screen for breast and colorectal cancers. PAP

smears should also be conducted yearly even

after menopause or a hysterectomy. ● A complete physical should be carried out

at least every one to three years depending on

your physician’s recommendation.● Hve an eye exam, particularly a glaucoma

test, every four years to ensure that your eye

health and vision is in ideal shape. ● Get vaccinated against the flu, Lyme disease

and receive a tetanus booster shot. If you

have a weak immune system or a chronic

illness, ask your physician if you should get

a one-time pneumococcal vaccine.

Men in their 50s: Due to soaring rates of

colorectal cancer in recent years in the Middle

East, men should pay serious attention to

their colorectal health by having a healthy

diet and have one of these three important

exams as soon as they turn 50: a colonoscopy

(which should be done every 10 years), an

annual fecal occult blood test, or a flexible

sigmoidoscopy with a fecal adult blood test

(which should be done every five years). ■

Having access to hospitals

and clinics is an important

part of maintaining great

health. At two healthcare

facilities in the UAE there

are several comprehensive

programmes that are quite

unique.

WELL WOMAN PACKAGE

The Well Woman Health

Package at the American

Hospital of Dubai (AHD)

is a thorough health

exam custom-made for

specific age ranges that

includes the appropriate

and important primary

care, imaging, counselling,

pathology, and

cardiopulmonary tests and

screenings. For women

under 40, the package

includes a complete

physical exam, nurse

counselling on conducting

self breast exams, a

bilateral breast ultrasound,

a PAP smear, a complete

blood count, a lipid profile,

urinalysis, Chlamydia test,

and a follow-up consult

appointment, costing

around Dhs1,750. There

are also packages custom-

made for men’s health.

www.ahdubai.com

(04) 3096263

BREAST CARE CLINIC

For optimal breast heath

and education, the

Breast Care Clinic at

the American Hospital

of Dubai is a unique

programmes, offering

women the opportunity for

in depth breast education

to reconstructive plastic

surgery for breast cancer/

mastectomy patients.

Considering that 80- to

90 per cent of most breast

cases are benign, Breast

Care Clinic manager and

specialist Jane Finch says

that the goal of the clinic

is “to raise awareness

before there is a problem,

especially through offering

education classes which

cover self breast exams.”

With breast cancer the

leading killer of women in

the UAE, this clinic is an

invaluable resource.

www.ahdubai.com

(04) 3096399

CHECK YOU OUTHEART CENTRE

With over 600,000

bypasses performed

worldwide each year, heart

disease and heart problems

are a major factor in poor

health for many. At AHD,

the Heart Centre is a

specialised program that

treats all types of cardiac

conditions and performmes

advanced interventional

and surgical procedures

www.ahdubai.com

(04) 3367777

ALL ROUND

HEALTHCARE

Similar to AHD’s Well

Woman and Man

packages, The Welcare

Hospital offers health

packages with similar

exams and tests. Known

for their cost-conscious

prices and the convenience

of having various clinic

locations throughout

Dubai in Quasis, Midriff

and Ibn Battuta, Welcare

also offers free exams

for certain holidays

and campaigns. For

World Health Day, free

check-ups are offered at

clinics. For breast cancer

awareness month, free

breast cancer screenings

are offered for women in

a susceptible age range.

For World Qlaucoma Day,

free eye exams, including

glaucoma, are available.

www.welcarehospital.com

(04) 2827788

THE 50S

THE 40S


mix in a city that is abuzz with street-sellers, market-dwellers and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. www.welcomenepal.comUnique offering: A trek or a drive into the mountains is a must-do. As you wind your way through traditional mountain villages, the breathtaking views waiting at

the top make all the weaving worthwhile. But, no trip to Kathmandu is complete without a flight around the king of all mountains, Everest. Book your seat and pack your camera. www.buddhaair.comBed down: The Regency Hyatt offers all the five-star luxury you need, without forgoing traditional Nepalese

If you are in need of some serious rest and relaxation and don’t want to fly too far, the perfect solution is as simple as a four-hour flight to paradise. Enter the Zitahli Resort & Spa at Kuda- Funafaru. Just a short hop on a sea plane from Male, once you have arrived you will

never want to leave.Unique offering: If you are a fan of aquamarine waters, pristine beaches and snorkelling, this resort is for you. With a plethora of rainbow-coloured fish (and reef sharks) just a few feet away, dipping your toe in

style. It sits in a garden oasis of calm, boasting 280 rooms, a spa and fitness centre, the hotel’s highlight is that it’s just a 10-minute walk from the Boudhanath Stupa – the most holy of Tibetan Buddhist temples outside of Tibet. www.kathmandu.regency.

hyatt.com

DESTINATION OF THE MONTH

The lowdown: With a history stretching nearly 2,000 years, Kathmandu boasts stunning temples and stupas (don’t miss Durbar Square), and a hoard of museums shouting about its vibrant, colourful culture. The sights, the smells, amd the sounds are an intoxicating

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

BENEFIT SUGARBOMBNo matter how long your flight

after just one sweep of this

blusher – which contains peach,

soft plum and shimmering pink tones

– you’re sure to emerge looking fresh

as a daisy.

CLARINS INSTANT GLOSSWhile the special formula works on

your lips’ pH levels, Clarins Instant

Gloss will keep lips moisturised and

volumised during the flight.

JUVENA EYE AND LIP CREAMThanks to the highly effective anti-

aging ingredients in Juvena’s Eye

and Lip cream, you can arrive at your

destination with soft, smooth and,

most importantly, a luminous face.

LONG LIVE LUXE For smart and savvy travellers,

LUXE City Guides are now available

anytime, any place, anywhere…

The fabulous new LUXE City Guides

Mobile editions application can be

downloaded for a range of phones,

so now you can city surf, save your

favourites, navigate maps or build an

itinerary at the touch of a button.

www.luxecityguides.com

HOTEL OF THE MONTH

ZITAHLI KUDA-FUNAFARU, MALDIVES

Each month we bring you three on-board necessities to make your journey all the more comfortable and fashionable

Compiled by Emily Baxter

City getawayDubai’s home-grown low-cost airline,

flydubai, has spread its wings further afield

offering flights to Istanbul (from June 17),

Kathmandu, Muscat, Assiut (from May 24),

and Kuwait City. With 15 destinations to

choose from, there’s never been a better

excuse for travellistas to pack their luxury

luggage and plan a chic city retreat.

www.flydubai.com

to the azure waters is not only relaxing, but truly beautiful, too. If you stay in an Aqua Villa, it’s as easy as rolling out of bed and into the sea… Room service: With 50 contemporary villas on the island, you are spoilt for choice. Whether you prefer your villa on the sand or on stilts in the water, each one comes with everything from private pools, iPod stations, outdoor rain showers and, most importantly, breathtaking views. But before you rest your head, it is a must to take a dip in the hotel’s main infinity pool and have a massage at the spa, before whiling away the hours at Breeze, the hotel’s open-air restaurant, whilst watching the sun burn a hole in the horizon.www.zitahlikudafunafaru.com

ISTO

CK P

HOTO


asr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara,

located just 90 minutes from Abu

Dhabi, is a verdant oasis surrounded

by breathtakingly beautiful dunes and

sandy desert trails. Set within the famed

Liwa Desert – an area steeped with tradition

and bursting with legacy, the 206-room hotel

is inspired by the simple grandeur of an

old fortress. With stunning views of the

desert, each room boasts cosy yet opulent

Arabic style. Discover a landscape

of breathtaking natural beauty on a

guided desert walk amid the tranquility

of the desert dunes, experience a

camel trek whilst taking in a majestic

sunset, complimented by an evening

at the sublime Suhail restaurant with

picturesque vistas across the valley.

Unwind with a luxurious 90-minute

Anantara Signature massage and enjoy culinary

delights courtesy of the Al Waha restaurant

throughout your stay – a true desert dream. ■

For more information, log on to:www.qasralsarab.anantara.com

Where is the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara located?

A) Sahara Desert B) Liwa Desert C) Thar Desert

emirates

Emirates Woman/Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort competition

How to enter: A careful read of this page will give you all the clues you need to answer the question above. Visit www.motivatepublishing.com/competitions to enter this competition. Rules: This competition is open to residents of all GCC countries and valid until May 31, 2010. Entries received after this date will not be accepted. The prize will be awarded to one entry received at random. No cash alternative is available. Employees of Motivate Publishing and the company contributing the prizes are not eligible. The decision of Motivate Publishing is final and no correspondence can be entered into. The winner will be notified by phone.

Visit www.motivatepublishing.com/competitions to enter

The prize:

for two in a suite,

including breakfast

and desert walk

Massage for two

in Suhail

o celebrate Boutique 1’s new store

in Mirdif City Centre, the designer outlet

is offering the most stylish of prizes to 10 Emirates Woman readers – the chance to spend and splurge

with a voucher worth Dhs1,000. Following the

success of their flagship stores on The Walk at Jumeirah Beach

Residence and Beirut Central District in Lebanon, Mirdif City

Centre is Boutique 1’s latest stylish offering in the Middle East.

Presenting an extensive range of contemporary and luxury

fashion with a playful, casual attitude, the Mirdif store aims to

attract a wider range of customers, and features a more accessible

fashion edit, while still staying unmistakably Boutique 1. With

names like Missoni, Mulberry, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Diane von

Furstenberg lining their racks alongside new exquisite additions

such as Alice by Temperley, Blank, Manoush, it is every dedicated

follower of fashion’s one-stop-shop this season. With rails of

heart-stopping designs, a word of warning from EW, choosing

something to wear has never been this hard – or this fabulous.

For more information, contact Boutique 1, Mirdif City Centre, Dubai on (04) 2843777


The prize:

1

Q. How many stores does Boutique 1 have in the Middle East?

emirates

Emirates Woman/Boutique 1 competition

How to enter:

Rules:

Visit www.motivatepublishing.com/competitions to enter


Owner and fashion designer for Julea Domani by Zeena Zaki

● Harvey Nichols in Dubai and London

and Boutique 1. I love the different

designers they stock from young and

fresh names to my favourite brands. I

enjoy the feeling I get when I’m in both

stores as they are so elegant. And I know

that I can buy everything from make-up

and handbags for me, to clothes for my

family. As for Boutique 1, the location

and its simplicity make it special.

FAVOURITE HOLIDAY SPOT● Thailand for a beach holiday as I

adore all the small islands. There is

peace and tranquillity everywhere – it

is bliss. I love being in a small boat and

exploring the little islands, especially

‘James Bond Island’.

FAVOURITE BOOK● John

Galliano’s

autobiography,

which is a

picture coffee

table book. I

look through

it all the time

as it provides

me with

inspiration.

● Milan for great shopping,

breathtaking fashion, diverse cultures,

unique style and, of course, the

people. I love the history and buzz of

a big city. Madrid also has the same

electric atmosphere.

Favorite fashion brand

● Elie Saab is amazing.

Every woman feels beautiful

in an Elie Saab dress, which

is what I want women to

feel when wearing one of

my creations. Also I admire

Valentino because the

designs are sexy, elegant

and classy.


GEMINI (May 22 – Jun 21)

Venus, planet of beauty, brings you a sociable mood and a stand-out sense of style. A look you throw together effortlessly beats the elaborate creations of your friends. Still, by Saturday 23rd it’s worth spending money on your wardrobe. Thursday 27th’s full moon brings you closer to someone who has waited patiently.

CANCER (Jun 22 – Jul 23

You have torn yourself away from the past and have no lingering love restrictions. Romantic Venus hits your sign on Thursday 20th and you show your seductive side. Your restless career drive breaks out into the open by Friday 28th. Time for a public statement of intent, as conforming to expectation doesn’t work anymore.

LEO (Jul 24 – Aug 23)

You are driven and impatient with anyone standing in the way. Target the Leo moon on Wednesday 19th to achieve your goals and people will fall into line behind you. Bold colours suit your mood. Clear up confusion in your one-to- one affairs and spell your message out – new freedom brings foreign adventures in your career.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sep 23)

Decide how much is enough and stick to your budget. This doesn’t mean short-changing yourself, but there is an issue between price and value. Use your charm to further your ambitions and you discover unexpected rewards from your boss. The new moon on Friday 14th sees you acting from both head and heart.

LIBRA (Sep 24 – Oct 22)

Romantic limitations melt away, but be careful what you wish for. Your partner proves unpredictable, and as quirky Uranus hits your marriage zone, they demand space. Open yourself up to new ideas in your relationship. Saturday 22nd is best for celebration, when the rewards you deserve finally come into their own.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 – Nov 22)

Only those who know you well understand your

determination. Mars, your ruler, fires up your ambitions, but it’s best to wait until mid-month before deciding your career direction. Expand your creative dreams, and a natural rapport with young people makes you popular. Tuesday 25th is a stand-out day for socialising.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Torn between duty and desire? The picture shifts by the end of May and you find longed-for personal freedom. You take your fashion instincts for granted, but your signature individual image comes into vogue. Thursday 27th’s

Sagittarius full moon is like your birthday out of season, so find someone to share the moment.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

Immerse yourself in your big ambitions and a transformation takes place. Your radical new image sends out a signal to everyone that you mean business. Monday 24th sees a power struggle where competing romantic desires look for compromise. Letting go of an attachment to the past frees you up to find love today.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Someone puts pressure on you to see the world their way. This doesn’t sit well with your wilful Aquarian nature, but there is a middle ground. Cooperate and pour your energy into a shared enterprise. Venus, planet of diplomacy, gives you charm in early May and you work hard to win friends over around Monday 17th.

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

The end of a long-running rebellion in your personal life is in sight. Your inner assurance is a positive force and it brings the right outcome. Saturday 8th’s Pisces moon is perfect for a party, but expect friends to change their minds at the last minute. Buying the best doesn’t mean spending more than you can afford.

ARIES (Mar 20 –Apr 20)

The revolution is here. Your drives and desires find long-term change and the conventional package at work and home isn’t enough. Demand freedom at all costs and follow your heart, even against well-meaning advice. The full moon on Thursday 27th signals a new era and you love to shock with your new lifestyle choices. ■

You are reviving past ambitions and finding new ways to succeed. Celebration plans change at the last minute, so allow

yourself some room to move. Wait until the Taurus new moon on Friday 14th to commit yourself to a romantic proposal. By Thursday 20th, a friend is easier to understand and they appreciate your sympathetic touch.

TAURUS(Apr 21 – May 21)

My partner Harvey, and my family.

LOVE OF MY LIFE

LIVE WITHOUTCOULD NEVER

My iPhone MacBook Pro Travelling Cosmopolitans Family Foot massages Hair bobbles Laughing My independence.

I like to follow my own style and enjoy buying things from all over the world. I would best define my style as funky casual. I like to mix designer pieces with high street, vintage and casual. Comfort for me is essential, and my main style rule is I wear it if I like it. I am more quirky, funky, tomboy chic as opposed to girly and glam.

MY STYLE

LISTENS TO


I have so many. I love San Francisco, Cuba, British Columbia, Canada and my bed…

DESTINATION

FAVOURITE

Galbraith Elisa

A good blazer, as it is versatile for any outfit. A beige one is great as it can go with most of my wardrobe and I can just throw it on. I like the sleeves rolled and scrunched up for a three quarter look.

Bleached denim updated for this season, as it so versatile and can be dressed up or down.

I am also loving short, colourful playsuits – they are great fun.

I am half Cuban so I love shaking it to a good Cuban beat! I am also listening to The National, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, V V Brown, Kings of Leon, Estelle, Usher, The Killers, Mark Ronson, Beyonce and anything that gets me dancing.

MY WARDROBE STAPLES

MY FASHION

The Vintage section at Top Shop on Oxford Street in London, quirky and unique boutique shops and Camden Stables Market in London. New Look has a great selection of shoes and sweet dresses that can be casual enough for our laid-back office and dressed up after work for a function or event.

FAVOURITE

PLACES TO SHOP

I hardly ever wear make-up; I keep it simple and easy in lip-gloss, mascara and blusher. I also use Dermalogica face wash.

BUYS FOR SPRING

On my sofa with a blanket.

MY COMFORT

ZONE

BEAUTY BUYS

Skinny jeans, funky boots, short skirts, flip-flops, chunky accessories and rings, summer dresses, hair bands and quirky heels.

30/03/10 11:16 PM

POSSESSION20 years of jewellery in motion

www.possession-celebration.ae

PIAGET BOUTIQUES: Abu Dhabi: Khalidiya Street, 02 667 0010 - Al Manara Jewellery, Hamdan Street, 02 626 2629 Dubai: Dubai Mall, 04 339 8222 – Wafi New Extension, 04 327 9000

Abu Dhabi: Al Manara Jewellery, Abu Dhabi Mall, 02 645 7575, Marina Mall, 02 681 0888 Dubai: Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Burjuman Centre, 04 355 9090, Emirates Towers, 04 330 0888, Mall of the Emirates, 04 341 1211

emirates woman

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