my works in t qatar - the new york times magazine issue 30

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Copyright 2015 The New York Times

Publisher & Editor In ChiefYousuf Jassem Al DarwishChief ExecutiveSandeep SehgalExecutive Vice PresidentAlpana Roy

EDITORIALManagaing EditorSindhu NairFashion EditorDebrina AliyahSenior CorrespondentsAbigail MathiasAyswarya MurthyEzdihar Ibrahim Ali

ART Senior Art DirectorVenkat ReddyDeputy Art DirectorHanan Abu SaiamAssistant Art DirectorAyush IndrajithSenior Graphic Designer Maheshwar ReddyPhotographyRob Altamirano

MARKETING AND SALESSenior Manager MarketingFrederick AlphonsoManager MarketingSakala A. DebrassAssistant Manager MarketingMathews CherianMedia ConsultantsHassan RekkabAccountant Pratap ChandranSr. Distribution ExecutiveBikram ShresthaDistribution SupportArjun TimilsinaBhimal RaiBasanta P

T, THE STYLE MAGAZINE

OF THE NEW YORK TIMESEditor in Chief Deborah NeedlemanCreative DirectorPatrick LiDeputy Editor Whitney VargasFashion Director Joe McKenna

Managing Editor Minju Park

Photography DirectorNadia Vellam

THE NEW YORK TIMES

NEWS SERVICESGeneral ManagerMichael Greenspon Vice President, Licensing and SyndicationAlice TingVice President, Executive Editor The New York Times News Service & Syndicate Nancy Lee

LICENSED EDITIONSEditorial Director Josephine SchmidtCoordinators Gary CaesarJaisy De La Cruz

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COPYRIGHT INFOT, The New York Times Style Magazine, and the T logo are trademarks of The New York Times Co., NY, NY, USA, and are used under license by Oryx Media, Qatar. Content reproduced from T, The New York Times Style Magazine, copyright The New York Times Co. and/or its contributors 2015 all rights reserved. The views and opinions expressed within T Qatar are not necessarily those of The New York Times Company or those of its contributors.

Lookout Qatar40 This and That The Qumra Film Festival nurtures

regional talent; Design Days Dubai presents desirable works of modern and contemporary design with the theme of diversity and inclusiveness; Artist Sabah Arbilli reveals his art through Arabic calligraphy.

42 Market Watch The industry experts of the Doha

Jewellery and Watches exhibition tell us which pieces they love and why.

44 Creative Vibe Printemps celebrates its 150-year

history, with a year-long celebration at its stunning Haussman store.

46 Brand Review Not only does Jimmy Choo craft

beautiful shoes, it also represents the women who wear them.

48 Online Trends E-retailer Net-A-Porter conveys stories

of women, and tailors fashion into their lifestyles.

Arena Qatar52 In Design The design worlds eyes are on Turkey,

thanks to Seyhan zdemir and Sefer Caglar, and their Autoban design studio.

Features Qatar78 A Pearl of a Story The Qatar Pearl Legacy project brings

together Robert Wan and Al Fardan as they partner with HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser to revive pearl harvesting in Qatar.

THE FAST COMPANYSeyhan zdemir and Sefer Caglar, creative minds of Autoban

Page 70

42 T Qatar: The New York Times Style Magazine

Lookout Qatar

DAVID WEBB

THE NAIL RING FROM THE TOOL CHEST COLLECTION

The idea of the nail design was born in 1971 as a unisex collection. It was about a womans possession

of the mens world. Its about empowerment.

Mark Emanuel,co-owner of David Webb jewels

RALPH LAUREN

SAFARI CHRONOMETER FROM THE SPORTING COLLECTION

It's a serious collection. It's got that outdoor feel and I

can imagine wearing this on a safari and that really conveys the sense of

adventure that the watch was designed for.

Nicolas Clements, Brand Director in Europe and ME of Ralph Lauren watches

BUCCELLATI MILAN

THE PAOLINA NECKLACE

I saw the sculpture of Paolina Borghese in a museum and I knew I had to design something in homage

to the artwork. I am always in two minds if I should sell this necklace!

Luca Buccellati, third generation jeweler at Buccellati Milan

BY DEBRINA ALIYAH

Market Watch

Ones Own HeartThe movers and shakers of the Doha Jewellery

and Watches exhibition divulge why some pieceshold a special place in their hearts.

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43March - April 2015

REPOSSI

SUZANNE KALAN

FIREWORKS BAGUETTE RING

I won the 2014 Best Diamonds Design award for this ring at the Las Vegas Jewelery Couture show and anyone who sees it can

immediately recognize my work.Suzanne Kalandjian

Designer and owner of Suzanne Kalan jewels

REPOSSI DIAMOND RING

No one is able to tell that these diamonds are being worn as they

are delicately covered from the base of the finger. This makes

them stand out from all the rest. Gaia Repossi

Owner and Artistic Director of Repossi

QATAR DIAMOND CUFFLINKS

We wanted to create something exquisite for the exhibition by

imbibing 18k white gold to depict the Qatar flag with nine sets adorned

with diamonds. Roland A.K. Iten, Designer and creator

ROLAND ITEN

CARTIER

THE CROCODILE NECKLACE MADE FOR MARIA FELIX

Mexican diva and reptile lover Maria Felix came to our showroom in Paris in 1975

with two pet crocodiles and commissioned us to make a representation of the

animals on a necklace.Laurent Gaborit, Regional Managing Director

Middle East, India & Africa, Cartier


THE HIGHLY stylized Haussman store that is the heart and soul of storied French retailer Printemps, came to life in 1865 through the work of architects Jules and Paul Sdille. Neoclassical sculptor Henri Chapu, in his love for allegory, finished the facade of the building with four figures representing the passing seasons. In all of the buildings 150-year history, it has encountered fires and wars, reconstruction and expansion, and in modern times, recognition and preservation. With a sweeping view of Paris that extends to the Opera and Eiffel Tower from its panoramic terrace and the Art Deco cupola, the building was inducted as a national historic monument in 1975.

The resilient history of the Haussman building is akin to the story of the Printemps business. Founding fathers Jules Jaluzot and Jean-Alfred Duclos kickstarted a flourishing enterprise that was novel at its time but in the 20th century, the business went through various turmoil and was finally acquired by the PPR Group in 1997. But the revival and solid comeback of Printemps as a major player in the retail industry really began in 2006 when the Italian Borletti Group took over and realigned the businesss objective. Charting an impressive 40% growth in the last six years with 28 million visitors annually, it is no surprise that new owners Divine Investments SA a Qatari-backed fund, came on board in 2013.

Drawing its name from the French word for spring, the brand has always offered the newest, freshest and brightest, just like the flowers that bloom in the season. What has cemented Printemps as a French institution is not just what they sell but the way these commodities are presented to the French community. The monumental building was the starting point, followed by the intricate and highly-detailed window and in-store displays, which began in 1910, and become an integral part of the shopping experience. As a child, artistic director for Printemps, Franck Banchet used to visit the store with his parents as part of their family tradition to admire the festive window displays. And for the past twenty years, I am proud to say I have been creating these displays with our team, he muses.

These emotional relationships, cultivated through generations of Parisian shoppers, is unrivaled and something that Printemps highly values in its new positioning. We know of shoppers who have come with their grandparents to buy school shoes and uniforms and loyal customers who come in once a week, so we have IM

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BY DEBRINA ALIYAH

The iconic Parisian department store, Printemps, has seen the light of three centuries. On its 150th anniversary, the

brand reflects on the emotional relationships it has built with its shoppers.

Celebratingthe Flowers of Spring

Creative Vibe

Lookout Qatar


architecture of the surroundings, de Cesare explains. And in the world of social media sharing, the vibrant backdrop makes for great snapshots, especially for the droves of tourists who visit Paris annually. With a 40% international shopper base, Printemps is equipped with staff members who speak a total of 14 languages. A strong point of

fashion selection combined with highly dedicated service staff, we

are really about giving the complete experience, de Cesare adds. After posting a profit of close to 1.5 billion (QR6.09 billion) in the year ending 2013, last year saw the first time in 32

years that Printemps opened new outposts, one in Louvre and another in Marseilles. The

company currently operates 18 stores across France and this years anniversary will mark another new-concept opening in the south of the country. The strategy now is very focused on iconic locations with a very high bar of standards. Its difficult

to meet our criteria but when we do find something, we will consider, de Cesare explains.

This year marks an important milestone for the brand, and a year-long celebration has commenced to commemorate its 150 year old history. With the legendary buyer Maria Luisa as a consultant for the store, the fashion collections feature special limited edition collaborations with major brands including Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi, created specifically for the celebrations. Luisa herself

also launched a capsule collection for the season. The facade of the building will be lit up in flower monochromes, and Japanese artist Hiroshi Yoshii brought to life the anniversary mascot, Rose a flower-adorned character. The unifying element of all window displays is the flower, that is directly linked to our name Printemps and eleven artists have been approached to express themselves around this theme, Banchet explains.

With the inclusion of food kiosks, workshops and the traditional handing out of roses to shoppers on the first day of spring, the

brand is on track to create memories for the next generation. We have been in operations spanning through three centuries, and the celebration will reflect on our history. We really understand our past and constantly envision the future, de Cesare says.

to keep innovating to continuously provide a new experience for them, says CEO, Paolo de Cesare. The construction of these experiences are elaborate projects that commence up to eighteen months before the event. In the last few years, the department store has collaborated with luxury brands; Christmas at the Castle with Lanvin in 2010, Around the World in 48 Hours with Chanel in 2011, Parisian Inspirations with Dior in 2012 and Christmas Codes and Humour with Prada in 2013.

It is also a perceptive business decision to preserve this visual niche, to stay competitive in a retail environment that is increasingly dominated by online shopping. We have to give customers a reason to come to the store by providing an experience that is not only about the products. It is a narrative about service, animation, and the IM

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SPRING TIME Clockwise from top left: the Art Deco cupola; the personal shopper lounge; Clines special edition bag for

Printemps; the Haussman building which is a national monument; the celebratory rose facade for the anniversary event.

The fashion collections feature special collaborations with luxury brands created for the anniversary celebrations.


AT THE RECENT OSCARS, Anna Kendrick appeared as Cinderella in the award shows opening skit, holding the famous glass slippers, which turned out to be a pair of gold Jimmy Choo Darilyn pumps. It could have been assumed to be a sponsored stint, only it wasnt and it was the biggest surprise of the night for the Jimmy Choo team.

It was a moment to reflect the full-circle that the luxury shoe brand has come since its early days, when the founding partners earnestly hosted annual suites at the Oscars to dress celebrities. The strategy to align to the world of the stars has always been integral to the story of Jimmy Choo, a brand founded on bespoke services that has charmed early fans such as the late Princess Diana. Carrie Bradshaw may have started it all in her Jimmy Choo moment on Sex and the City, but the influence has reached new heights, with even Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama donning the Choos. It is a reflection of the diverse appeal of our brand, says Pierre Denis, the CEO of Jimmy Choo Ltd.

This award season has been particularly successful; powerhouses Meryl Streep and Scarlett Johansson were among many spotted in the brands pieces. The luxury shoemaker now

designs an annual Awards Collection geared towards celebrities and stylists for the red carpet season. And with the premiere of Disneys new Cinderella tale, Into The Woods, comes the design collaboration between various shoemakers and the filmhouse to reimagine the glass slippers. Jimmy Choos version draws on the feminine and magical elements of what we remember as young girls. I think every girl desires a Cinderella moment in their lives. This story ignites a love affair and fascination with shoes that never dies. I wanted to create a timeless silhouette evoking those childhood emotions, says the brands creative director, Sandra Choi.

Fulfilling the Cinderella moment of womens lives and creating an aspirational fantasy through celebrities, has brought the brand so much commercial success that as a privately-held company until only recently, it regularly made headlines in business news equally as it does in the fashion pages. After a few ownership changes in its history, the brand went public in October last year with steadily increasing share prices and has now been included in the FTSE 250. For Denis, it is business as usual with the company seriously committing to the growth possibilities that comes with the IPO. Shoes and

BY DEBRINA ALIYAH

Jimmy Choo is not only just about crafting beautiful shoes but also about representing women through

transformational soles.

The Sole Supremacy

Brand Review

Lookout Qatar

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has drawn criticism that perhaps the brand will lose its luster in its bid to expand. However recent innovations, including the introduction of the Made To Order (MTO) service have proved otherwise. The preservation of exclusivity starts in the integrity of our design and quality. We are also constantly innovating and surprising our customers each season while providing core collections that they can rely on, Denis says.

The MTO service is something akin to paying homage to the roots of the brand, when the man himself, Jimmy Choo (who departed the company in 2001), crafted shoes for his clients, but

updated them with a modern playful twist for the woman of the moment. Bringing this service allows us to faithfully preserve our heritage of personalization, and allows every woman to have a unique pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, Choi says. From a selection of the brands signature roster, customization can be done in heel heights, materials or colors and the monogramming of soles. It is an especially poignant way to celebrate a special moment such as a wedding, Denis explains. It is also a trending expression of individuality, to show of a sneak peek at your initials as you walk down the street. Our more colorful shoes and bags and heavily embellished styles have always been received well in the Middle East. The MTO service has been instrumental in enriching this experience, Denis comments.

This spring, Choi merges ethnicity with bold geometric designs referencing diverse

influences, including the abstract artwork of Swedish artist Hilma af Klint and African handicraft for the womens collection. The mens collection had its own spotlight when it was presented as a catwalk show during the London Collections, telling the story of the Jimmy Choo man who goes on a journey to broaden his cultural horizons. We have a defined vision of who the Jimmy Choo Man and Woman are, and these qualities impact every element of our work. We need to continue to engage in that emotional connection, Denis says. And though the shoes are stellar pieces that speak for the collections, some lusciously soft yet versatile bags have slowly been taking centerstage. Jimmy Choo is now ready to bring the transformational power of bags to life too.

bags are our core but we have already successfully established fragrance, eyewear, and soft accessories including scarves and furs, Denis explains. Theres also the expansion of the global store network starting with three regions; the US, Europe and Asia. We are rolling out a new store concept and working with the best partners in all our markets.

At every juncture of change for the brand, it has always emerged stronger in business performance, becoming a valuable case study in the luxury goods sector. Theres a strong identity and people really develop an emotional attachment to the brand, Denis says. Beyond the commitment to crafting beautiful shoes, the brand has managed to capture the transformational power of what shoes represent for women. And theres also the consistency of the creative vision that drives the product offerings Choi has been on board since the inception of the brand. Sandra and her team have a very hands-on relationship with the artisans in our Italian factories that are all specialists in different fields, he adds. But going public

It is also a trending expression of individuality; to show off a sneak peek at your initials as you walk down the street.

BESPOKE MOMENTS Clockwise from top right: Choi goes back to the origins through the bespoke service; Denis on the brand's expansion plans; the Jimmy Choo for Cinderella sketch; monogramming of soles for special orders.

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Lookout Qatar

For Women by WomenNet-A-Porter is all about the relevance of conveying

stories of women and fitting fashion into their lifestyles.

Lap of Luxury

BY DEBRINA ALIYAH

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IT IS FITTING TO ONLY EXPECT a barrage of shoppable fashion items within the pages of Porter. After all, it is published by the e-retailer, Net-A-Porter. But in place of product-driven content, lie stories of women who live real lives, in both ordinary and extraordinary circumstances.

Take, for example, the struggles of Marina Litvinenko who is battling for justice for the murder of her Russian dissident husband, or Chitpas Kridakorns decision to run for prime minister of Thailand, peppered with light musings of what Anna Calvi is currently listening to, or Helena Christensens preference for Ernest Hemingway.

The crux of what fuels the success of the brand goes beyond the offering of the new and the chic, it is a deeper

understanding of what it means to be a woman in these times. The relevance of conveying the stories of women and fitting fashion into their lifestyles is especially important, and something that the sites founder, Natalie Massenet, strongly champions. With vision to bring beautiful fashion to the world, Massenet is complemented by the content director of the site, Lucy Yeomans, who translates the pieces for real women. Lucy speaks the lifestyle language for all women, on realness, on beauty and substance behind each individual, says Lisa Bridgett, NAPs global sales and marketing director.

The global reach of Porters distribution network also means that these stories emanate and there are constantly new places and ideas that come to the fore.

POWER OF CONTENT Lisa Bridgett, Net-A-Porters Global Sales and Marketing Director, leads an award-winning marketing strategy for the online retailer.


POWER OF CONTENT Clockwise from top: Puerta introducing seasonal trends to a Qatari audience; Porter magazine is internationally distributed with a focus on womens stories.

Bridgetts childhood, which was spent in Iraq and Kuwait, has kept her connected to the region, and the inspiring tales of female empowerment. Women in the Middle East are increasingly engaging in the workforce and having tremendous impact in their communities, Lisa says of her conversations with influencers from the Arab world. That pattern is consistent with NAPs audience in Qatar local women who are very involved in businesses, work or their own specialities across the industries of media, finance, politics and medicine. That thread of familiarity opens the conversation for the e-retailer in connecting with its clients here, with Bridgett exploring the topic of Women of Substance in her address at a private event co-hosted with Qatar National Bank. This is the time for the Middle Eastern women, who are highly educated and style conscious. It is very relevant to us as a company thats founded by a woman and largely run by women, she explains.

It has been almost 13 years since NAP was introduced to the Qatari market, and the continuous empowerment of women in the countrys cultural and educational policies has shaped some interesting patterns in style consumption. Theres a deep understanding of the delicacy and nuances of fashion trends that drives the purchases and often, they point to niche and peculiar statement items. The shoppers are younger compared to our average client worldwide, and I guess this attributes to the playfulness and willingness to experiment, Bridgett comments. Inevitably, the large disposable income of women here plays a pertinent role in this growth but NAPs ability to cultivate client relationships has kept them at the top of the online game. A big part of the companys operations is dedicated to service, especially one-on-one experiences that extend to home visits and social lunches. Hopping on a flight to deliver a dress half a world away to a client is part of the personal shopping teams brief, and so is a jubilant supportive cheer for a husband who consulted to buy his wife the gift of 365 pairs of shoes a year. Bridgett is also convinced that their global head of personal shopping, Lupe Puerta, has a magical touch in connecting with women. She can relate like a great friend in a short time, she says.

It would seem that NAP has overcome the one hurdle that online shopping presents, the lack of human interaction, through an intricate formula of content vision and customer service. While Porter goes on stands globally six times a year, The Edit is NAPs weekly online magazine that is no second fiddle to its print sister. Extremely relevant to current happenings, the Edit has profiled heavyweights such as Salma Hayek and Sarah Jessica Parker. We invest so much in content creation and even our marketing is content-driven. It is the marrying of pure fashion with the readability and understandability of fashion delivered instantly through

technology, Bridgett explains. But then of course, theres the core of it all that put NAP on the map in the first place, the strong edit of fashion pieces that came from Massanets origins as a fashion editor. Its not just a commercially satiating. We have a point of view around fashion and we are constantly looking, whether its from Australia or Russia, for quality collections, she says.

Instantaneity, however, means that there is a need for NAP to constantly innovate in order to capture attention. The company has launched successful specialized business units, Mr PORTER for the boys and Net-A-Sporter for fitness apparel. Last year it took home an advertising award for its Net-A-Porter Live digital campaign that visually mapped out products in online transactions on a billboard in Canary Wharf, London. I am in a very lucky position that we are able to take advantage of so many channels, explains Bridgett. In the next few months, a new mobile application will be launched where shoppers can see what their friends, celebrities, and fashion influencers are buying. From dropping NAP-branded boxes in front of homes around the world, to same-day delivery campaigns on mopeds all over London, consistency is the formula for Bridgett. As she puts it, That consistency is the woman. Who is that woman? What is she wearing?

my works in t qatar - the new york times magazine issue 30

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