Mario Uboldi
The Dubai-based, award-winning architect Andre C. Meyerhans is the brains behind the Mario Uboldi Jewellery Art that features in this month’s Blurred Lines fashion shoot. For his pieces, Meyerhans explores the concept of mashrabiya, the wooden latticework seen on windows and inside homes across the region. The designer combines art with geometry and looks to his surroundings for inspiration. The ultrafine, highly detailed gold pieces were inspired by the façades of Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, while some of Meyerhans’s other jewellery resembles the intricate designs of the Burj Qatar (pictured above).
Perfection Veil Pressed Powder
Great make-up starts with a perfect base – one that provides enough (but not too much) coverage; accentuating rather than hiding your skin. With the launch of Perfection Veil Pressed Powder, the Dolce & Gabbana make-up artist Pat McGrath has devised a four-step plan for the perfect face. After cleansing and moisturising skin, create a uniform tone with Perfect Matte Liquid Foundation if you like a matte finish or Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation for a glossy effect. Then apply Perfect Matte Concealer to cover red spots and Perfect Luminous Concealer for dark areas around the eyes. The final touch to your base make-up is a light application of Perfection Veil Pressed Powder, to keep your make-up in place and lend a bright complexion. Lastly, a sweep of Luminous Cheek Colour or Glow Bronzing Powder will add a fresh glow to your cheeks.
New Alexander McQueen clutches
There hasn’t been this much commotion since the unveiling of Alexander McQueen’s now-iconic Knucklebox clutch, which made its debut in the 2009 autumn/winter collections. It’s been worth the wait – the brand has launched three brand-new clutch shapes this season, inspired by what some say is Sarah Burton’s most exciting collection to date. The signature Alexander McQueen craftsmanship is evident through the designs, particularly in the use of elaborate feather embroidery and beadwork. The bags come in three styles and are designed with many of the progressive art movements of the early 20th century in mind. The Tassel Skull Clutch, which is available in black and red feathers with black tassels, has the addition of multicolour bead embroidery and black Ayers snakeskin. Our personal favourite, the Sphere Skull Clutch, comes in smoked black and green Plexiglas, while the Hexagon Clutch is available in gold studs and Ayers snakeskin. The new spring/summer 2014 clutches will be available from February until July 2014 in Alexander McQueen stores nationwide.
Ormé Jewelry
Ezio Patrizi began his journey into the world of jewellery at a young age, while accompanying his uncle on business trips to the south of Italy. By 1988, Patrizi and his wife, Cinzia, had opened their first store in Rome, which garnered great success; 12 years later, the couple launched a second shop. It was another 13 years before their first venture in the Middle East – the recently opened Ormé Jewelry in Dubai’s JLT. Ormé continues in the Patrizi tradition by creating unique designs featuring some of the best in Italian craftsmanship. The delicate pieces include ultrafine bangles, double-finger rings and statement pieces with iridescent gemstones.
The Fragrance Kitchen
The air at Bloomingdale’s, Dubai is set to smell that little bit sweeter with the news that Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah’s The Fragrance Kitchen (TFK) is launching an exclusive perfume house at the store. The innovative Kuwaiti perfumer creates his scent collections by bringing together traditional Middle Eastern perfumery and a laboratory in the French city of Grasse, which is widely acknowledged as the world’s perfume capital. Sheikh Majed’s “East meets West” philosophy has been influenced by his grandmother, who created her own perfumes at home and passed her expertise on to him. The recipes, he says, are “closely guarded secrets” that are “handed down through generations. I have hundreds”. TFK’s unisex collections feature the Signature Line and the Exclusive Line and can be found at the newly relaunched Fragrance Hall at Bloomingdale’s.