Essa ... The Irreverent @ Fashion Forward Dubai

Photo: The Blue Chic

The Uber-Glamorous UAE- based ready-to-wear designer Essa Bhagoorwala presented is new collection at Dubai fashion week - Fashion Forward Season 1.

This pro-eminent Middle East fashion designer, was voted by Grazia, three years in a row as "Designer of the Year". Though originally Indian was born and raised in the UAE witch gave him strong Arab influences.

Is unique sense of style clearly reflects is passion for art, the attention for details and drive for not following traditional concepts raises is work to a different dimension and new creative fashion levels.

Already for 20 years in the fashion industry no wonder it is with no surprise that is ready-to-wear collection is superb, cool, edgy, fresh, irreverent and avant-garde!

The care and attention for the feminine form and the cool mix of different fabrics textures and colors are a strong tendency in this collection.

Playing with volumes, textures, layers, transparencies bringing a modern view to some traditional cuts reflecting a wearable, irreverent and edgy collection.

Photos: Courtesy from  Fashion Forward

Special thanks to The Heritage Studio

The Little Black Jacket, 2013 – Dubai

Finally The Little Black Jacket exhibition that I talked about here came to Dubai and I couldn't miss it!!!

Held in a custom made venue just beside Dubai's Iconic Burj Khalifa tower, it will be open until Saturday 11th May 2013.

The exhibition is just fantastic, with a total of 113 pictures of celebrities, including models, socialites, actors,...taken by Karl Lagerferld and styled by Carine Roitfeld a former Vogue Paris editor, wearing the most iconic fashion piece the Chanel "Little Black Jacket".

It is absolutely fabulous to see how this unique Black Tweed jacket can be so timeless, unisex and with no age boundaries fitting and reflecting the personal style enhancing it's versatility.

Worth to go and see the work of the talented Karl Lagerfeld!

The Little Black Jacket: Chanel Classic Revisited

Saturday 27th April to 11th May 2013

The Venue, Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai

Photos: The Blue Chic

Fashion Style @ Fashion Forward 1st Season Dubai

Photos: The Blue Chic

Blue Chic @ Fashion Forward - Dubai

At the Fashion Forward Dubai with Heritage Studio Blogger....

Photos: The Blue Chic

What the Day Owes the Night – Yasmina Khadra

“If a woman loves you, Jounes, if she truly loves you, and if you have the wisdom to appreciate this great privilege, then there is no god to touch you.”

It is the first time to read something from the best selling author Yasmina Khadra, and what a wonderful surprise!

"What the Day Owes the Night"was given to me by a good friend, I guess he thought that it would be interesting for me to read an Arab author since i'm leaving in Middle East...And yes, if so, it was a wonderful idea that leaded me to an amazing experience.

This book transports you to a incredible voyage through time, exposing you to a different culture in a turbulent  and rebellious colonial Algeria.

The story is touching, a love story that almost sounds autobiographical of a young Arab in a journey through a country in war...

I don't want to tell much about it, but i can say that its a strong and intense story where this boy called Younes is forced to move from the country side to the big city of Oran. From hopelessness and a degrading situation where he experienced weird and violent situations, Youne's father agrees in letting him live with he's prosperous pharmacist brother. 

This is a turning point on the story, where Youne's leaves behind many of he's roots and identity as an Arab Muslim, becoming Jonas, leaving among Europeans in a small town called Rio Salado. It's here that the love story starts....

Jonas finds himself in love, struggling with his own identity and the guilt of leaving behind his family...finding love and not fighting for it due to he's strong values and principles. Finally he overcomes many of he's internal conflicts and reacts...

I often felt upset, frustrated and irritated for his non reaction in many situations in the book but this is what makes this it interesting and you just feel glued to each page...

Prada - Creative Writing Contest

The world renowned Italian luxury fashion brand Prada just launch a very interesting and creative contest. Proving that fashion is not only about beautiful clothes and nice advertisements and fashion shows,  that can also be more cultural and expressive through other forms of creativity like literary ones.

It is not the first time that Prada has initiatives in the world of arts, in 1995 Miuccia Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertelli created the Fondazione Prada. This art institution was designed to promote culture and contemporary art. In 2015 a new exhibition space of the foundation (design by Rem Koolhaas) is set to open in Milan.

Teaming with the Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore, Prada is promoting an international writing contest to unveil the best, finest literary talent. The contest called Prada Journal as part as their new eyewear initiative.

The contestants must answer the following question in a short creative story: 

"What are the realities that our eyes give back to us? And how are these realities filtered through lenses?"

The competition starts April 18, with final entries until June 18. The winners will be announced on December 31, 2013 and you can enter the competition by sending your creative paper to pradajournal@prada.com.

Stories must have approximately from 4,000 to 8,000 words, or minimum of 10 pages with a maximum of 20 on a A4 sized sheets (approximately 400 words per page), written in Bodoni-DTC dim. 11 style.

All entries will be judged by Prada and Gianiacomo Feltrinelli and the winners will receive a €5,000 prize and their work will be published as an e-book and print version which will be distributed in Prada boutiques.

You can find all the details and terms of the competition on the Prada Journal site. 
Good luck! 

So put your pens in a creative mode...and get started!!!

Amélie au Théâtre - Lisbon

Located in one of the most charming and trendiest neighborhood of Lisbon, Príncipe Real is a place where you will find many exquisite stores and coffee shops.

One year ago, by the hand of Amélia Antunes, one of the cutest stores in the neighborhood the “Amelie Au Theatre” was born.

Amélia Antunes started has a jewelry designer many years ago, and this passion lead her to the opening of this fantastic space.

The store is also her own creation and design, inspired in Paris in the fabulous world of Amélie and Marie Antoinette, its has a mixed influence, from the baroque to the burlesque and Belle Époque period the store makes you travel to a different period and dimension.

Behind the counter a green vertical garden, a flower gazebo arbor in the middle of the store, beautiful retro sofas and dressing tables, luxurious antique chandeliers and exquisite paintings and marionettes give you a feeling that you are somewhere in Paris or   at the Versailles gardens.

You will find here unique and different shoes, clothes and accessories and home accessories from many Portuguese brands, vintage treats and jewelry and accessories design by Amélia.

Amelia faced many difficulties to promote her work as a start up designer, so in this store she gives the opportunity to new Portuguese artists and designers to show and promote their work. 

Her necklaces are unique, exquisite, one-of-a-kind, a talented designer with a dreamy store that promotes national artists is definitely a great place to visit and shop fantastic design pieces in the heart of Lisbon...

Adress:
Rua da Escola Politécnica, 69-71 
Principe Real
1200-457 Lisbon; Portugal

Facebook page here

Photos: The Blue Chic