Over the past few seasons we have spoken of a quieter, more considered design aesthetic with a pared-down simplicity or whispered wow factor. As we look ahead to the Autumn/Winter 2012/13 season and our obsession with clean air and well-being continues to grow, we see this evolving into a very pure and clean aesthetic.
Across all design disciplines a luminous and icy trend will emerge: iridescent outlines, kaleidoscopic glow effects, transparencies, luminous plasmas and stereoscopic imagery create diffractions of light and spectacular visual effects much like the aurora borealis. There is a delicacy present in the idea of invisibility, barely there tints, crystals, moire patterns and glacial effects.
This is a look with definite soothing qualities. The calmness of the styling is reflected in an ethereal colour palette of uber pale tints, iridescent shimmers, foiled metallics and ice cold platinum. We'll begin to see a colourful range of light bursts: refractions and reflections, chromatic plays, pearlescents, ultra violet and laser lights, optical fibres and halos of light.
Lines flow flawlessly and are clean and simple, as are the shapes, with perfect spheres and cones creating a fascinating new breed of unpretentious yet exciting interior products including furniture, lighting and accessories. Surfaces are smooth and glacial with the appearance of an inner glow.
Last month at London Design Festival's Tent exhibition, I was introduced to the exquisite work of the London-based designer Bodo Sperlein, and it took my breath away. His latest collection, in collaboration with the Japanese company Nikko, perfectly captures the quiet, ethereal beauty of this trend.
The collection includes a range of designs - Blossom, Voyage, Cloud Décor and Macaroon - that work harmoniously together. A delicate palette of pale tints has been skilfully used with colours fading like a wash of paint in water. This work is a "Western re-imagining of Eastern values" with Sperlein cleverly "fusing two cultures to create a collection that responds and adds to the dining needs of both". The designer has created an organic collection of dinner and serveware where the individual components can be artfully composed on the table for dining or, when not in use, cleverly arranged to create pleasing ceramic displays.
I was so captivated by the long delicate spoons, elegant tea service, and array of bowls and plates that I have promised myself I'll begin collecting, starting with the Blossom bowls and adding pieces over time. The poetic forms elevate the experience of dining at home and I for one look forward to sharing the pleasure of exquisite dining with my family and friends.
Shelley Pond is the creative director of Scarlet Opus. For more information visit www.trendsblog.co.uk or www.twitter.com/scarletopus. For more information on Bodo Sperlein's Blossom collection, visit www.nikko-bodosperlein.com
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
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SPECS
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Company%20Profile
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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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
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait