Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Michael Cinco has a bad case of the flu. You wouldn’t know at first glance, however, as his eyes are shielded by his signature, almost visor-like sunglasses.
The Filipino designer – who has dressed some of the world’s most glittering names, so famous they can be described in a single word: Beyonce, Kylie, Gaga – is so immaculately presented, you would never have guessed he was in the hospital mere hours before.
But there is no rest for the wickedly talented. The morning after returning to the UAE from Montenegro, Cinco, 48, is back in his Dubai Design District atelier, flitting across the elegant cream-and-grey interior like a man not laid low by a virus.
“I’m so sorry, I’m sick,” he apologises, as he first glides into a reception room, decked head to toe in black – a T-shirt, jacket and trousers – despite the humid summer climes outside. One may expect certain diva-like qualities from a man who has clothed prima donnas such as Mariah Carey, but Cinco, I am relieved to discover, has none, apart from keeping on his trademark sunglasses during the entire hour I spend with him in his studio.
It's very beneficial to be based in Dubai, it gave us an opportunity and a platform; it's a new city. When I showcase in Miami or Los Angeles, they are very interested in Dubai, because it's a vibrant city and it's a melting pot
And I would have been disappointed by anything less; indeed, the Catbalogan-born designer has rarely been photographed without them, at least as far as I can see while sleuthing on Google Images.
The fact he has spent decades crafting such a recognisable image makes sense: he believes the hallmark of a designer’s success is when their touch becomes instantly identifiable. “One of my clients told me that she was at a wedding and, when she saw the bride’s gown, she knew it was Michael Cinco,” he says, of the moment when he felt he’d achieved that badge of honour. “I think that’s the best thing for a designer, when they have created a style that they can claim is their own.”
From Aishwarya Rai to Victoria Swarovski
And Cinco can certainly attest to that, having been behind some of the most acclaimed dresses in recent memory. That voluminous blue gown worn by Aishwarya Rai at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival that saw her dubbed a modern-day Cinderella? That was a Michael Cinco creation. The Filipino designer was also behind the purple butterfly-train dress sported by the Bollywood actress to the same festival a year on, a crystal-smothered concoction that took 3,000 hours to craft.
Cinco is best known for such lavishly ornate pieces, another example being the bespoke wedding gown he created for crystal heiress Victoria Swarovski when she wed real-estate investor Werner Muerz in 2017. "Victoria just found me on Instagram," he says. "Now she has one of the most expensive wedding gowns ever created." The gemstone-speckled design, complete with a six-metre train and lace embellishments, weighed in at 46 kilograms, with a value of more than $1 million (Dh3.67 million). "It's more expensive than the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress," he adds.
It is, Cinco says, his favourite gown of his career so far. "As they say, it broke the internet," he says with a smile. He's not wrong: the wedding was covered by publications across the world, from People magazine to The Independent. "It gave me a lot of mileage. Also, after the blue dress Aishwarya Rai wore in Cannes, I got a lot of Indian clients who wanted to create their wedding gowns with me."
Celebrities in Michael Cinco:
Most of the designer's customers – about 90 per cent, he estimates – are from the Gulf, with the rest primarily plucked from Russia, Europe and the US. When it comes to his most high-profile clients, Cinco hasn't met many of them in person and instead liaises with their stylists through his public relations manager in the US. He did, however, spend time with Carey, who wore his label when she performed in Dubai in 2017. "When she came, I met her in her hotel room," he divulges. "She's a diva and a legend, you know? So it was like a dream when I met her for a fitting. She was very nice. And when she talked, she spoke in a sing-song, almost."
If most customers want to meet Cinco, however, then they have to come to him. Many of his international clients fly to Dubai just to hold fittings with the designer, who has dressed members of the emirate’s royal family as well as dignitaries from across the world. “There was one very famous Malaysian family once,” he recalls. “I didn’t know that they were that rich at the time. They came here and when trying to organise the fitting, I asked them, ‘what time is your flight?’ They said the flight is at 6pm so I told them to come at noon so they had the time to go to the airport. You know what they told me? ‘It’s OK if we’re late, it’s our own plane.’”
From the island of Samar to global fame
This incredible rise to fame has not been without its challenges, however, particularly as a Filipino taking his designs overseas. “You don’t judge a designer by his nationality, you judge a designer because of the beautiful work that he does.” But persuading clients to see his work as worth their time and money was, Cinco says, the hardest obstacle to overcome in the earliest days of his label. “The young designers of today, they have to realise that fashion is not all about glamour. Fashion is very, very hard work. It’s a very cruel world, actually, because you will be judged, you will be criticised and you will hate it sometimes. It’s not like you post a dress on Instagram and you became a fashion designer the next day.”
Cinco's skin was clearly thick enough to take on the industry, but it's only in the past few years he has really cracked the global market, becoming a stalwart of the red carpet, with his designs worn to the 2018 Critics' Choice Awards, by Best Supporting Actress winner Allison Janney, and by singer Paloma Faith to the prestigious Met Gala in 2013. His couture has also been spotted at the Golden Globe Awards, the American Music Awards (on Jennifer Lopez, no less), and in music videos aplenty, such as the Jonas Brothers' Sucker, which was released earlier this year.
It's an A-list roster that a young Cinco would only have been able to dream of dressing from his modest home on the island of Samar, although it was one of the chicest talents of Hollywood's Golden Age that first sparked his interest in fashion. "My dream to become a designer started when I was a kid. I loved watching classic Hollywood films," Cinco tells me, as he settles into a floral-embroidered camelback sofa. "One of the best films I've ever watched and that inspired me to be a designer was My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn. It was like a dream, with the most beautiful costumes I'd ever seen in my life. When I watched that movie, I knew I would be a fashion designer some day." That catalyst can still be glimpsed in his work: Cinco's bountiful collections mirror a certain elegance and classicism seen in the 1964 musical's wardrobe, but with a modern touch in their craftsmanship.
With the blessing of his family, Cinco later switched from a Fine Arts programme at the University of the Philippines Diliman to Manila’s Slim’s Fashion and Arts School, where he honed his design skills, further refining his talent with courses at London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins.
I want to showcase my collections in Paris every season. And of course I want to do a pret-a-porter brand that would represent me internationally.
"My home town is very small, and every family wants their children to be successful – like a nurse, doctor, architect, engineer, doctor, lawyer," he explains. "So my family had another dream for me, but I told them I don't want to be a nurse or whatever, I want to be a fashion designer. I'm very glad and very lucky that they supported me."
Filipinos are 'the best fans in the world'
Decades later and that support from home now extends to the entire nation. Something of a national treasure back in the Philippines, Cinco was honoured with a presidential award in 2014. But he is modest about his fame in his home nation, stating humbly: “I just do what I do and I love representing the Philippines to the world.” But, he adds, Filipinos are “ the best fans in the world”. “They really, really fight for you; they really support you until the end. And if they like your work, they will really try to promote you.”
His decision to move to Dubai in 1997 was in no way him turning his back on his home country, but part of a strategic career move that has handsomely paid off. “I met someone who told me I had to apply to work in this fashion house [in Dubai]; it was one of the biggest fashion houses at the time,” he says. “I submitted my CV and luckily they liked my work and they asked me to come out.”
Six years later, Cinco was ready to branch out on his own, establishing his namesake label in 2003. “It’s very beneficial [to be based in Dubai], it gave us an opportunity and a platform; it’s a new city,” he says. “When I showcase in Miami or Los Angeles, they are very interested in Dubai, because it’s a vibrant city and it’s a melting pot of so many nationalities.”
For the last three years, Cinco has established himself in a seemingly unassuming office block in D3, yet walking through the door to his atelier is like falling down the rabbit hole. Clad in tasteful creams and whites, with a measured splash of dove-grey and baroque moulding on the walls, Cinco's space is like a snippet of a modern Versailles in the desert.
Not a piece of sparingly used furniture is out of place, not a trinket mislaid or set askew; the atelier is expertly curated. Despite its opulence, though, there is an almost clinical ambience, personified by the reams of seamstresses who pass through its labyrinthine halls, enveloped in crisp white lab coats. It’s a fitting attire, considering the team is responsible for birthing some of the most extravagant, theatrical gowns seen on the red carpet.
Paris next?
“More than 120, about 140 I think,” says Cinco, when I quiz him on how many employees work in the atelier. “We have a lot of embroiderers because it takes time, especially with my wedding gowns. Most of the details are made by hand.” An average wedding dress, he adds, takes about 100 to 200 hours. During the peak season of December and January, the label will forge around 20 gowns a month.
The uniformity of the bustling atelier is punctuated by an exquisitely ruffled vermilion gown in the corner of our interview room. The headless mannequin faces into the corner, as if on a timeout, arms spread like she’s about to take flight in a cloud of tulle.
“She’s sophisticated, elegant and, at the same time, she’s not afraid to do something very artistic and something unique,” Cinco muses on the type of woman he designs for, pointing towards the aforementioned dress as a prime example. “I usually get inspiration from my travels; I love discovering different cultures. I love to visit museums. I love movies, especially classic Hollywood films where most of the women wear beautiful clothes. And I love opera music.”
Most recently, Cinco has found himself galvanised by the ballet, after watching performances of Swan Lake in London, Dubai and New York. In a serendipitous turn of events, the couturier was approached by Ballet Philippines back in 2017 to design a collection for the dance company, to celebrate their milestone 50-year anniversary this September.
"I immediately said yes," reveals Cinco, who crafted both a 50-piece couture collection inspired by the story of Odette and Odile, as well as costumes – handcrafted in Dubai and flown out to the Philippines – for a gala performance of Swan Lake. "The details are the same, it's just the construction that's different," muses Cinco, on the art of crafting designs for somewhere other than a catwalk. "In my couture there's a lot of elaborate detail and exquisite embroideries, so it will be a little bit heavy, but in ballet you can't do that. She has to dance and move and it has to be very light."
It's just another step in a varied 20-year career, which also includes appearances on America's Next Top Model, as well as dressing Filipino actress Kris Aquino on-screen in 2018's Crazy Rich Asians. And yet, the designer says he doesn't believe there have been many seismic changes in the industry – except for his energy levels. "The only thing that's different is I've become tired," he says with a laugh. "When you age, you don't want to have that much pressure any more. But still, I love my job. Like now, I'm very sick, but I really have to come to work because I can't imagine myself doing anything other than fashion."
The designer is quick to stress, though, that he’s not complaining. “When you love your work, you don’t get tired. You get tired physically from all the stress, but you don’t get tired of creating beautiful clothes.”
Being tired doesn’t stop him from dreaming about the future, either. His Rolodex might read like a who’s who of Hollywood, but Cinco still has a trifecta of celebrities he longs to dress. “Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Cate Blanchett,” he swiftly replies. “For me, they are the fashion icons. I sent so many clothes to Madonna, but she never wore anything.”
Working with the Queen of Pop aside, Cinco still has other goals left on his bucket list, too. “My dreams are endless, you know. When you achieve something, you want more,” he says. “I’m already satisfied with what I have achieved, but there are still so many things that I want to do in fashion. I want to showcase my collections in Paris every season. And of course I want to do a pret-a-porter brand that would represent me internationally.”
Cinco's ready-to-wear will have to feature fewer intricacies, he admits. "But I have to make sure the Michael Cinco touch is still there," he says with a grin. For now, that signature Cinco style is being celebrated in a retrospective, which started at the Savannah College of Art and Design's Museum of Fashion + Film on Thursday, October 3. "Designers who've previously exhibited there are Vivienne Westwood, Guo Pei and Dior," he says, a look of bewilderment and awe flickering across his face. The display will feature designs worn by Cinco's celebrity clientele, such as Rai's two noteworthy Cannes gowns.
“It’s another dream come true – actually, I never dreamt about this, that my clothes would be in a museum,” Cinco sighs. “But I’m glad and I’m so lucky.” I point out that, as he said before, forging a path in fashion is down to graft rather than just gift. “It’s hard work and a little bit of luck,” he concedes.
But, as he rushes off to meet a waiting client as our interview comes to a close, flu or no flu, it’s clear that in Michael Cinco’s case, diligence certainly tips the scales in his favour.
Other world-famous labels based in the UAE
Rami Al Ali
The Syrian designer is a regular on the couture week circuit. Famed for his elegant eveningwear, Rami Al Ali has dressed everyone from Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce to Dame Helen Mirren, with the label’s gowns worn on the red carpets of the Cannes Film Festival and Academy Awards.
Madiyah Al Sharqi
Helmed by Sheikha Madiyah Al Sharqi, daughter of the Ruler of Fujairah, this womenswear label is renowned for its punchy pastel palette and ultra-feminine silhouettes. The home-grown brand has been sported by Sofia Vergara, Khloe Kardashian and Priyanka Chopra.
Bouguessa
French-born Faiza Bouguessa’s eponymous ready-to-wear label has a focus on simplicity and minimalism, with statement separates such as velvet robes finding favour in the likes of Beyonce.
L'Afshar
Founded by Lilian Afshar, this accessories label It-bags range from geometric-printed clutches to futuristic acrylic box bags. The label’s designs have been spotted on the arms of Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Alicia Keys.
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
RACECARD
4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m
5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m
5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Carzaty%2C%20now%20Kavak%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarzaty%20launched%20in%202018%2C%20Kavak%20in%20the%20GCC%20launched%20in%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20140%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Automotive%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarzaty%20raised%20%246m%20in%20equity%20and%20%244m%20in%20debt%3B%20Kavak%20plans%20%24130m%20investment%20in%20the%20GCC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Scream%20VI
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Matt%20Bettinelli-Olpin%20and%20Tyler%20Gillett%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Melissa%20Barrera%2C%20Jasmin%20Savoy%20Brown%2C%20Jack%20Champion%2C%20Dermot%20Mulroney%2C%20Jenna%20Ortega%2C%20Hayden%20Panettiere%20and%20Courteney%20Cox%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
%3Cp%3E1.%20Baghdad%2C%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E2.%20Manama%2C%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E3.%20Dhahran%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E4.%20Kuwait%20City%2C%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E5.%20Ras%20Al%20Khaimah%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E6.%20Ash%20Shihaniyah%2C%20Qatar%3Cbr%3E7.%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E8.%20Cairo%2C%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E9.%20Riyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E10.%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
%3Cp%3E1.%20Chad%3Cbr%3E2.%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3E4.%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E5.%20Bangladesh%3Cbr%3E6.%20Burkina%20Faso%3Cbr%3E7.%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E8.%20India%3Cbr%3E9.%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E10.%20Tajikistan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SCE%20Studio%20Cambridge%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%2C%20PlayStation%204%20and%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Superliminal%20
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20One%20%26amp%3B%20X%2FS%2C%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PC%20and%20Mac%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
![His decision to move to Dubai in 1997 was in no way him turning his back on his home country, but part of a strategic career move that has handsomely paid off. “I met someone who told me I had to apply to work in this fashion house [in Dubai]; it was one of the biggest fashion houses at the time,” he says. “I submitted my CV and luckily they liked my work and they asked me to come out.”](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/CNSJPBEXDFQRYUDVCRCFF24HAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=985e757a087b1231b0aaa807f8f03e7034f29675191b03d02c04614e379e0bdc&width=800&height=450)
