James Gabrillo introduces us to five exciting designers from the Middle East who showed at London Fashion Week.
2 Hind Matar
Another Central Saint Martins’ alumna, Bahraini Hind Matar spent her formative years shuttling between the Middle East, Europe and the United States. With an atelier based in London, Matar’s two-year-old label is known for clothing that is both delicate and striking. Matar, who also holds a degree in economics, says her garments continue to be influenced by her Arab background – a previous collection was inspired by “the glimmer of petrol blue”. She stands out for her manipulation of unexpected textiles and thoughtful use of oversized silhouettes. “Matar belongs in the wardrobe of an ageless, fearless and effortless woman,” she says.
www.hindmatar.co.uk
1 Nafsika Skourti
After graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2012, Jordanian-Greek designer Nafsika Skourti worked at Marchesa in New York and trained in haute couture embroidery in Paris. One of the youngest designers showing this season during London Fashion Week (her first collection debuted in Paris only last year), Skourti livens up classic silhouettes with modern tailoring and bold prints. Inspired by men’s clothing, she prefers custom-made fabrics and textiles. “We simultaneously embrace glamour and anti-glamour,” Skourti says. By “we” she means her sister Stephanie, who formerly worked at Goldman Sachs before moving back to Amman, Jordan, to help Skourti run her label.
www.nafsikaskourti.com
5 Osman Yousefzada
A designer of Afghan origin, Osman Yousefzada is famed for his strong architectural aesthetic and distinct sculptural designs. Soon after debuting during London Fashion Week in 2008, Yousefzada was tapped by high-street retailer Mango to create a Little Black Dress collection, which was sold in 35 countries worldwide. Clean lines and precise tailoring feature in his garments, which are often emblazoned with abstract art. Yousefzada, who has a degree in anthropology from Cambridge and was shortlisted for the prestigious Frieze Art Award last year, says he’s constantly inspired by costumes from ancient cultures. His biggest influence, however, is his mother, who worked as a dressmaker.
"I would often match the brocades and threads at the haberdashers to the different materials, or buy the beading for the wedding dresses she used to make," he says. www. osmanstudio.com
4 Havva Mustafa
The booth of London- based label Havva at London Fashion Week’s Designer Showrooms has been attracting quite a fan base, thanks to its beguiling pairs of shoes that exude luxury, but also toughness and discretion. After graduating from the London College of Fashion in 2007, designer Havva Mustafa worked as a freelance designer for various European brands, exposing her not only to the creative dimension of fashion, but also to the manufacturing and production aspects of shoemaking.
Currently a lecturer at Central Saint Martins, Mustafa says that being born into a family of third-generation shoe artisans stirred her interest in footwear.
www. havvamustafa.com
5 Negarin Sadr
After an accident that put her in a wheelchair for two months, Negarin Sadr left a career in finance to pursue a childhood dream of becoming a fashion designer. Born in Iran and educated in New York, Sadr worked for Donna Karan and Benetton before moving to London to launch her own label. Specialising in updating the classic shapes and styles of the 1960s and 1970s, she says she is influenced by ethnic tiles, rugs and mosaics. Sadr is also a trained sculptor, which she says has helped her understand the female figure’s proportions better.
Supermodel Erin O'Connor, one of the brand's celebrity fans, told Vogue: "It's a really desirable luxury brand but it's also really affordable and comfortable. Negarin has really thought about the customer and made the pieces easy and pleasurable to wear."
www.negarinlondon.com
artslife@thenational.ae
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
One in four Americans don't plan to retire
Nearly a quarter of Americans say they never plan to retire, according to a poll that suggests a disconnection between individuals' retirement plans and the realities of ageing in the workforce.
Experts say illness, injury, layoffs and caregiving responsibilities often force older workers to leave their jobs sooner than they'd like.
According to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research, 23 per cent of workers, including nearly two in 10 of those over 50, don't expect to stop working. Roughly another quarter of Americans say they will continue working beyond their 65th birthday.
According to government data, about one in five people 65 and older was working or actively looking for a job in June. The study surveyed 1,423 adults in February this year.
For many, money has a lot to do with the decision to keep working.
"The average retirement age that we see in the data has gone up a little bit, but it hasn't gone up that much," says Anqi Chen, assistant director of savings research at the Centre for Retirement Research at Boston College. "So people have to live in retirement much longer, and they may not have enough assets to support themselves in retirement."
When asked how financially comfortable they feel about retirement, 14 per cent of Americans under the age of 50 and 29 per cent over 50 say they feel extremely or very prepared, according to the poll. About another four in 10 older adults say they do feel somewhat prepared, while just about one-third feel unprepared.
"One of the things about thinking about never retiring is that you didn't save a whole lot of money," says Ronni Bennett, 78, who was pushed out of her job as a New York City-based website editor at 63.
She searched for work in the immediate aftermath of her layoff, a process she describes as akin to "banging my head against a wall." Finding Manhattan too expensive without a steady stream of income, she eventually moved to Portland, Maine. A few years later, she moved again, to Lake Oswego, Oregon. "Sometimes I fantasise that if I win the lottery, I'd go back to New York," says Ms Bennett.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday
AC Milan v Sampdoria (2.30pm kick-off UAE)
Atalanta v Udinese (5pm)
Benevento v Parma (5pm)
Cagliari v Hellas Verona (5pm)
Genoa v Fiorentina (5pm)
Lazio v Spezia (5pm)
Napoli v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Roma (5pm)
Torino v Juventus (8pm)
Bologna v Inter Milan (10.45pm)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5