The Secret Garden 2 - Dior's Fall 2013 video campaign

The Parisian Dior house since ever reveled a clear passion for gardens and flowers. Christian Dior loved is garden and flowers from his childhood house in Granville.

Raf Simons, Dior's creative director has also shown this same passion in the presentation of his high couture collections, and for the presentation of new 2013 F/W season Dior just released a new short film the Secret Garden 2- Versaillestakes as an extension of last years film Secret Garden - Versailles.

This short film was shoot in the Versailles Palace and  again directed by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin. Presenting the super model Daria Strokous, she leads the enchanted film has a reincarnation of Marie Antoniette running trough the Palace and exploring the site's grounds and park, ending herself in a enchanted forest surrounded by fairies while beautifully dressed in sophisticated, luscious Dior creations for the next pre fall season.

I'm a huge fan of Depeche Mode so i just loved the music in the film background! Just perfect to embrace the mystical scenario while the girl is running the endless corridors and gardens with stunning statement jewelry, neon bags and breathtaking dreamy dresses.

"The heart of the royal land conceals an extraordinary world of poetry and color: in the depth of its mysterious woods a secret garden blooms out of sight, inhabited by flower-women."

The inspiration also has a deep root in art with one of the scenes inspired in the famed painting 'Luncheon on the Grass' by Édouard Manet, painted between 1862-1863.

The result is amazing...a great recreation trough the mix of different art eras.

The World Press Photo 13 Exhibition @ Katara

The famous World Press Photo exhibition is still showcasing at Katara in Doha until the 15 of this month.

This is the third time that The World Press Photo exhibits in Qatar in a annual show held in 100 venues all over the world for a year-long tour with stops in places like Lagos (Nigeria), Lima (Peru), Riga (Latvia) and Oude Kerk (Amsterdam).

Katara Cultural Village Foundation together with the Qatar Photographic Society and in collaboration with the World Press Photo Organization put together this great exhibition.

No need to talk about the quality of the photos, but have to say that it is really worthy to go, it really shows off the best of contemporary press photography in a exhibition very well paced.

I'm sure just like me, you will feel that some of the images leave a mark on your memory, some for its provocative, emotional or even tender content other by its shocking wake up call to world wide realities.

You will find some interesting photographs of sports men and women many of them taken in last year's Olympic Games also animals in the wild, animals in captivity in Chinese Zoos and a striking sport related image showing a Pacu Jawi race, a 400 year-old tradition in western Sumatra where a competitor is driving two bulls through a muddy road.

The winning photograph of the swedish photographer Paul Hansen 'Gaza Burial' is one of the most shocking, a photo where you could read on the faces of two men, a mix of despair and anger while carrying the small bodies of two murdered children to a mosque for their funeral.

If you love photography its a great opportunity to see some stunning photographs taken around the world.

Until 15 Jun 2013

10:00:am - 10:00:pm

Katara Gallery - Bldg 18

This Doha of Mine # 5

Photos: the blue chic

Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport exhibition

After going to the exhibition Olympics Past and Present that I talked about HERE, I highly recommend to complement it with the Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport exhibition taking place in Katara Cultural Village until June 16, 2013.

Photo: the blue chic

Photo: the blue chic

Under the patronage of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani and commissioned by Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) this exhibition with photos of the legendary French photographer Brigitte Lacombe and documentary film-maker Marian Lacombe was first shown in London during the 2012 Olympic Games and now showcases in Katara beautiful series of large scale photographs of more than 60 Arab Sportswomen from 20 different Arab countries.

Photo: the blue chic

Along with the Photo-exhibition you will find videos by her sister, Marian Lacombe where you will match and situate the athletes images with their personal history. The short stories show how they articulate their lives and difficulties while pursuing their goals and ambitions that for many the ultimate dream is the Olympic Games.

"Hey’Ya" in Arabic means "Let’s Go" witch reflects the athletes’ energy and enthusiasm. This goes also in line with Qatar's National Vision for 2030, where encouraging the young generation into the practice of sport and a healthy and active life style but also to encourage girls and women to have equal opportunities than boys and man.

Until  16 Jun 2013

09:00:am - 08:00:pm

Sunday -  Closed

Katara - QMA Gallery, Bldg 10

Cartier Reinterprets the Paris Nouvelle Vague collection

Just few days ago in Dubai, toke place the re-launch or reinterpretation of Cartier's collection "Paris Nouvelle Vague". It is the first time the collection is being showed before its launch in Europe on the 1st of June, when it will be available.

Diamond and pearl bracelet of circular geometric design

Originally launched in 1999, the "Paris Nouvelle Vague" Collection expanded the 7 line collection, representing 7 different inspirations based on 7 different parisian women and 7 different Paris neighborhoods. 

Inspired in the magic of Paris and the parisian women, each line has a distinct visual identity in line with today’s style-conscious women from   "Mischievous in the Tuileries", "Voluptuous at Opera", "Impish in the Luxembourg Park", "Emancipated in Trocadero", "Sparkling at the Moulin Rouge", "Delicate in a Paris street", "Glamorous at the Seine bank" just "merveilleuse"!!!

Neckless Photo By Stephan Abry  

One of my favorites....

 "A collection designed as a hymn to her multiple nuances and hues, her secrets of seduction and style."

Diamonds, chrysoprase and lapis lazuli 

Cartier's Director of Image, Style and Heritage, Pierre Rainero, manage to bring new elements to Cartier's jewelry using Paris the "City of Light" as the perfect design inspiration. 

The collection has stunning reinterpretations of neighborhoods and its Architecture like the Palais de Chaillot architecture (opposite to the Eiffel Tower) or the re-Creation of the Ferris wheel in the Tuileries ( one of my favorite the diamonds with the green chrysoprase and blue lapis), or the inspiration Bastille Day fireworks with a diamond-studded wave design draws inspiration from the calm Seine River.

Stunning...Love Love Love....

A collection to die for....wish list now....

Photos: Credits Cartier and The Heritage Studio

Special Thanks to The Heritage Studio

Festival Des Métiers: A Rendezvous With Hermès Craft Artists in London

The Luxury Icon Parisian Brand Hermès is bringing for one week in London, the unique opportunity to to paticipate in workshops with their team of artisans showing their skills and the label's handcrafted specialities including the famous iconic accessories like the Birking Bag named after the Brithish singer Jane Birkin

This free exhibition will take place at Saatchi Gallery in London and will be presented in a  contemporary setting designed by Paola Navone.

“Festival des Métiers unlocks the poetic and unique crafts that are the essence of the house of Hermès.” 

This exhibition will be showcasing 10 different Hermès crafts, were its artisans will be in situ making all these beautiful objects by hand.

Definitely it will be a joy to better understand the unique blend of savoir faire and knowledge  needed to deliver such unique pieces, it's not every day that you can immerse in Hermès world and it's unique crafts and see how designs and prints evolve in the production process of their luxury label's silk scarves, fine jewelry and iconic Bags.

Festival des Métiers arrives in London after showcasing in Beijing and Shenyang, then it will continue to travel to Dusseldorf. 

Admission to Festival des Metiers is FREE
21 to 27 May 2013
From 10am - 6pm Daily
Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, London, SW3 4RY

Olympics Past and Present - Doha

Still going in Doha an exhibition until June 30, 2013 that you not should miss... it's the OLYMPICS – Past & Present exhibition taking place at the ALRIWAQ DOHA exhibition space just next to the Islamic Museum and organized by QMA’s Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum (QOSM) in partnership with ExxonMobil Qatar.

It's a great exhibition that gives you a complete overview showing both ancient and modern Olympic Games it also showcases a large number of interesting objects from the collections of the Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum and QMA’s Media Collections and pieces from all around the world.

The exhibition also includes an interesting program with gallery lectures covering topics related to the modern and ancient Olympic Games including a lecture by Qatari athletes Nada Wafa Arkaji and Ibrahim Ismail speaking about their Olympic experiences, also you will have theatre performances and a film festival. 

You can still enjoy until 30th June...a good exhibition to go and see with family...