As the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence is famed for its arts, culture and architecture, as well as its craftsmanship. So it is only fitting that Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana – who have long been committed to showcasing Italy’s rich heritage – would eventually deliver an homage to the city.
Dolce & Gabbana’s latest Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria collections (their answer to Paris’s haute couture) were unveiled in Florence this weekend, in a suitably bold and uplifting ode to the Tuscan city.
“We have always looked upon the Florentine Renaissance and its protagonists with great admiration,” the design duo said in their show notes.
The eternal beauty contained in these masterpieces is so unique, that there are no words to describe it
"The arts, culture and knowledge reached such heights in that period that they continue to be taken as a model of perfection to this day. If we look at the works of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Botticelli or Piero della Francesca, to name just a few, we cannot help but be enchanted by them, even though more than five centuries have passed since their execution. The eternal beauty contained in these masterpieces is so unique, that there are no words to describe it."
The women’s Alta Moda collection was presented on the grounds of the historic Villa Bardini, a 17th-century building set within expansive gardens and offering panoramic views over the city.
“The beauty of the park, with the harmony of the colours and the variety of the flowers, inspired many of our sartorial creations,” Dolce and Gabbana explained. “The choice of fabrics, materials like straw or raffia, and of artisanal workmanship carried out entirely by hand by skilled Italian craftsmen, seeks to pay tribute to the extraordinary nature of this place and to the Florentine manufactory tradition.”
The designers reinterpreted Florence's world-renowned monuments in clothing form – referencing the techniques used to create intricate mosaics in marble and stone; or juxtaposing fabrics such as brocade, velvet, leather, silk and lace, embellished with crystals, pearls and beads, to capture the three dimensionality of landmarks such as the Duomo or the facade of the Palazzo Vecchio.
They also drew inspiration from the many plant species that thrive in the gardens of Villa Baldini, rendering roses, irises, wisteria and dahlias in delicate embroidery.
The shapes, volume and proportions of the collection’s suits, coats and outerwear paid tribute to the artistry of Italian tailoring, recognising Florence as integral to Italy’s fashion heritage.
The men’s Alta Sartoria collection, meanwhile, was unveiled in the Palazzo Vecchio’s Salone dei Cinquecento, which the duo describe as “the fulfillment of a dream that until a few months ago we thought would be impossible to realise”.
As the primary symbol of Florence's dominance and power during the Renaissance period, Palazzo Vecchio was built in 1299 to host the city council. The Salone dei Cinquecento, or Hall of the Five Hundred, was built in just seven months between 1495 and 1496, and in terms of artistic and historic value, is the largest and most important room at the storied site.
Panelled ceilings, large wall frescoes, gold decorative features and imposing sculptures formed the backdrop to Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Sartoria presentation.
With heavily brocaded and embellished tunics, jackets and robes; oversized insignia; weighty collars that could double as breastplates; densely woven fabrics that resembled chainmail; and intricate embellishments to rival the most expressive tapestries, this was a collection that spoke of history and power, worthy of the Medicis who presided over Florence in its heyday.
Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
More coverage from the Future Forum
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How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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.”
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.
In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
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