Essential summer edit from TheOutnet.com

Clear some space in your wardrobe and peruse seasonal staples from more than 350 brands curated by The Outnet this summer. The go-to site for style-conscious shoppers - which has new arrivals every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - is currently offering discounts of up to 75 per cent on select labels. Andres Sosa, executive vice president of sales, marketing and creative at TheOutnet shares his top tips.

What’s hot to trot right now?

We are aware that our customer is extremely fashion savvy and key trends emerging for the summer season include the prairie influence, with ditzy florals, saddle bags, suede accessories and tasseled pieces. White is also a hot trend, with textures like crochet, lace and broderie anglaise being hits. We have also noticed that stripes are really well received – these can range from bold to pinstripe, double styles and the mixing of colours sitting in classic, simple, monochrome styles.

Which brands are selling particularly well this year and why in your opinion?

It depends on many variables and our demographic is broad, however, for a runway shopper looking for key pieces that got away last season, designers like Etro, Emilio Pucci, Marni, Valentino and Chloé are doing well. For contemporary shoppers looking for an urban aesthetic, brands such as Joseph, Rag & Bone and Isabel Marant are popular. Middle Eastern shoppers are confident by nature and our ability to work with emerging brands - providing a highly curated edit - resonates well with them.

Which labels have been added most recently?

We are forever evolving the roster and this year has seen the addition of some fantastic brands. New designers for 2016 include Etro, Fendi, Vilshenko, Talitha and Stella Jean, to name but a few.

Are there any new capsule collections and designer collaborations that we should be aware of?

Spring/summer 2016 has been an extremely active season for us with the introduction of our dedicated Summer Shop. As a result we’ve seen exclusive designer collaborations with the likes of Matthew Williamson, Adam Lippes, Carbon & Hyde and Melissa Odabash. Saloni and Miguelina are among those still to come. We have some very exciting collaborations in the pipeline for autumn/winter 2016 and Holiday – but I can’t reveal the details just yet. You’ll have to watch this space!

What labels and designs appeal most to Middle Eastern clients and why?

We see a strong mix of designers and brands supported by our Middle Eastern customers. We are aware that regional clients enjoy iconic designer brands including Oscar de la Renta, Alexander Wang, Issa, Hervé Léger, Missoni and Diane von Furstenberg. We’ve also seen strong support for our in-house label Iris & Ink, which is really fantastic. We are mindful that predominant categories for the region include dresses and gowns, along with accessories such as handbags and embellished sandals ranking highly.

Talk our readers through the top five pieces you’ve picked for this season.

The Iris & Ink off-the-shoulder top is perfect for all climates - a key transitional piece.

Classic wide-leg pants by Iris & Ink. Wear with a simple shirt or sleeveless jacket for an effortless summer-inspired, tailored look.

The embellished sandal by Valentino is the perfect accompaniment for any outfit – a wardrobe staple that can take the wearer from day to night.

Go for a more grown-up version of bohemian chic with a structured maxi dress, like the printed silk-crepe ones from Etro.

Finish the look with statement Erdem sunglasses – the ultimate summer accessory.

For more from TheOutnet.com click here.

Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.

Nick's journey in numbers

Countries so far: 85

Flights: 149

Steps: 3.78 million

Calories: 220,000

Floors climbed: 2,000

Donations: GPB37,300

Prostate checks: 5

Blisters: 15

Bumps on the head: 2

Dog bites: 1

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.