Selections # 23

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The ART Issue

ARAB ART IN 2013

ICONIC JeWeLLeRY

TheN & NOW

FAshION As ART

speCIAL seCTION

CuRATeD BY pAsCAL ODILLe

DuBAI's FIRsT CONCepT sTORe

spOTLIGhT ON LONDON & QATAR

KIMIKO YOSHIDA

Couture Fall-Winter 2013-2014

www.georgeschakra.com

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8Editor's Letter

As we write this new issue of Selections, our region bears witness to the storm clouds of violence once again. It is in this context that the Beirut Art Fair opens at the start of this season, which we are proud to collaborate with in a positive strike for creative connection and vitality. People are coming together through art as a way to express and to share, as well as to enjoy life.

The Artistic Director of the fair Pascal Odille has personally curated a 16-page art

special for us. He presents his favourite works from the deep pool of international talent that is coming to our home city where Selections is written and published. It was Pascal who lead us to Kimiko Yoshida, the sensational Japanese artist whose self-portrait brightens our cover. With her fantastical use of costume and make-up, she blurs the boundaries of fashion and expression with her very witty and beautiful photography.

In the spirit of celebrating the many cultures that surround us, we have worked with curators from the worlds leading museums to present some truly fabulous jewellery from different nations throughout history. From Ancient Greek bangles to a 14th-century neckpiece from Iran to a 19th-century Nepalese crown, we find these ornate wonders a pleasure to behold every single time we see them.

I was privileged to join the Qatar Museums Authority in London for the launch of their 2013 Year of Culture with the UK. We peek a little deeper into this illuminating partnership while elsewhere telling stories about Londons fresh young creatives one of whom, Faye Toogood, designed the look for Dubais first concept store. While people may not agree on lifes heavier subjects, there can be little disagreement about the pleasure that beauty brings us, plenty of which I hope you will find in the pages of this autumn issue. Art can offer us all a window to the world, a dalliance with culture and solace for the soul.

A window to the world

wwwdegrisogonocom

ABU DHAB I DUBA I GENEVA GSTAAD KUWAIT LONDON M IAMI MOSCOW NEW YORKPAR IS PORTO CERVO ROME S T BARTHELEMY S T MOR I TZ

Allegra

SelectionQatar2013.indd 1 07.08.13 09:35

www.ayyamgallery.com

ayyam gallery|Beirut

Nadim KaramUrban Zoo

29 August - 10 October 2013

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www.ayyamgallery.com

Nadim Karam99 Objects Possible to Find on a Cloud

30 September - 28 November 2013

ayyam gallery|Dubai - Al Quoz

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l u x u r y l i f e s t y l e

f a s h i o n

LIFESTYLE NEWS

PORSCHE PANAMERA

WHY BRANDS LOVE ARTISTS

RIMA KHATIB

THE NEW PERFUMIERS

THE WORLD'S FINEST JEWELLERY

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FASHION NEWS

HAUTE COUTURE REVIEW

CRUISE COLLECTIONS

FASHION TRENDS

EXHIBITING CLOTHES

ART AS FASHION

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53Life 's a cru ise !

Contents

33 adorn ingthe centur ies

53Life 's a cru ise !

DIOR

VIII

Pink

Gold

Blac

k Cer

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Pan A

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FPC

Eng_

Selec

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Mag

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Sz (

235

x 285

mm

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w o r l d

a r t & d e s i g n

Publisher City News Privilege [email protected]

Editor in Chief Rima Nasser+961 3 852 [email protected]

EditorKasia Maciejowska

Managing EditorHelen Assaf

Responsible EditorDiala Koteich

Pictures EditorRowina Bou Harb

Pictures AssistantKamal Nasser

Advertising & PRRima Najjar+961 3 852 899 [email protected]

DistributionMessagerie du Moyen Orient de la Presse et du Livre s.a.l. +961 487 999

ContributorsAvril Groom, Rich Thornton, Lucy Knight, India Stoughton, Miriam Lloyd Evans, Hannah Robinson, Thomas Rees, Sabina Llwelleyn Davies, Harriet Fitchlittle, Owen Adams

In-house IllustratorYasmina Nystenwww.yasminanysten.com

Art Director Peter Korneev

PrintingChamas for Printing & Publishing [email protected]

With special thanks to Pascal Odille

www.citynewspublishing.info

WORLD NEWS

SIX OF THE BEST

MATTHEW STONE'S GUIDE TO LONDON

LONDON MEETS QATAR

HAND PICKED

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80

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ART & DESIGN NEWS

ART BEAT

ARAB ART NOW

GEORGE ZOUEIN

DESIGN TRENDS

DUBAI'S FIRST CONCEPT STORE

CORPORATE ART COLLECTIONS

CURATED BY PASCAL ODILLE

KIMIKO YOSHIDA

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curated by pascal odille

Cover image: Kimiko Yoshida, The rubens Bride (van Cleef & arpels) self-

portrait, 2008, courtesy galerie Tanit

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{ Another home for Aesop } Londons Covent Garden is now home to the latest collection of Aesop goodies. The collaboration between the Parisian architects at Cigu and the cult Australian beauty brand began with four key design references: a Francis Bacon painting, a Henry Moore sculpture, an excerpt from Beauty and the Beast and a quote from Virginia Woolf. The result is remarkably clean and simple. Smooth white lines, copper piping, brightened up with geometric green flooring, the range of hair, skin and body care products are on easy display, mimicking the feel of a luxury bathroom.

{ 100 yeArs of interior invention } This year marks 100 years since the birth of the Italian artist Piero Fornasetti. In celebration, the Triennale Design Museum in Milan will be hosting an exhibition to pay homage to the man who was not only a painter, engraver and printer, but also a designer, collector, stylist, craftsman, curator and exhibition promoter.

Fornasetti could be described as an interior design legend. He famously used the face of one woman, the soprano Lina Cavalieri, in more than 500 variations. He was ultimately responsible for the creation of approximately 13,000 objects and decorations, ranging from chairs to ceramics. The exhibition, curated by the artists son Barnaba Fornasetti, will include more than 700 pieces from their archives in Milan, showcasing work from the 1950s until the 1980s.

100 years of Piero Fornasetti will run from November 13

to February 9 of 2014

luxury lifestyle

news

{ futuristic smArtphone updAtes } Motorola Mobility is releasing its first phone since being bought by Google last year. The Moto X smartphone is due to be available this autumn and its capabilities are said to be things like responding to voice commands even if turned off. If you dont fancy the new Moto X and prefer to stick with your iPhone 5, you can now give it a celestial new look with a Luna cover from Korean creative collective Posh Craft. The phone skin is made entirely out of concrete but despite the moon-like look of its surface, it is thin, light and flexible.

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anco

Pet

azzi

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is now enriched with Layar , which L inks you to digitaL content via your smartphone .

How to experience Layar for SeLectionS

For more information, go to www.layar.com

p 27p 26 p 31 p 110p 44 p 120p 46 p 127p 76 p 147

magazine now on your tablet

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{ new nose for chAnel } Chanel brought a new perfumer on board this summer. Olivier Polge, son of the current house perfumer at the luxury brand Jacques Polge, will be working alongside his father and collaborator Christopher Sheldrake. The new nose hasnt just been hired through nepotism however, as Polge junior has already proved himself through his early career at International Flavours and Fragrances (IFF), where he worked on successful scents for Alien by Thierry Mugler, Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf and the first Repetto perfume. In 2009 he also won Frances Prix International du Parfum. We look forward to inhaling the sweet smell of his success.

{ horses of ArAbiA } The Arabian horse, with its exquisitely small nose and angular face, is probably the most easily recognised breed in the world. Steeped in mythology and legend, Arabian horses are the oldest of the advanced breeds. Using the beautiful photography of Wojciech Kwiatkowski, Arabian Horses: The World of the Ajmal Arabian Stud, is an ode to the 25 horses in residence at the Ajmal Arabian Stud Farm in Kuwait. Despite only buying his first horse in the late 1980s, breeder Mohammed J. Al Marzouq has created one of the most impressive groups of straight Egyptian horses in the world. This book is a testament to the elegance and power of these striking animals.

{ cArlAs going bAck to her roots } Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, former model and wife of the former president of France, is the new face of Bulgaris aptly named Diva collection. Bruni, before she added the Sarkozy, was one of the most notable faces of the early 1990s before a phase of child bearing and soft pop singing took over. Despite her phase as a first lady she is now returning to her old profession for the glamorous brand. The Diva campaign, shot by the famous fashion photographer Terry Richardson, takes a relaxed tone, showing her laughing and goofing around for the camera.

{ setting sAil for A mAkeover } Admirers of the QE2, the famous British steam liner, can relieve themselves of any worries that she would be making her way to the scrap yard. The grand plans that were put on hold due to the economic crisis are now once again taking shape. The ship is set to become a floating hotel somewhere in the Asia Pacific. All that is known thus far is that she is due to set sail for China in October and once there she will receive her makeover. Her maiden voyage was from Southampton to New York in 1969 and during her reign as steamer supreme she ferried millions of passengers across the Atlantic. Scheduled to open in winter 2014, the liner can now rest easy that her luxury status will continue with gusto well into the 21st century.

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luxury l ifestyle porsche panamera

a Leather-cLad

The re-vamped Porsche Panamera is for thrill-seekers with an ecological conscience

for

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ms

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eauty is in the eye of the beholder, and 100,000 luxury sports sedan buyers have swooned before the Porsche Panamera since it debuted in 2009.

Ready for 2014, Porsche has now given its four-door, four-seater speed queen a moderate facelift but while revelling in

the Panameras roomy interior, certain critics with a sense of humour have made comments about the size of its backside! It sits lower than before, but is also broader thanks to a wider windscreen.

b Auto aficionados, some of them uppity about Porsche straying from its two-seater tradition yet still borrowing stylings from its 911 mainstay, compare the Panameras looks with the Aston Martin Rapide and Jaguar XJ. It depends on the model however, as there are ten new ones to choose from, which means it can tick boxes for thrill-seekers or the eco-driven.

Petrol heads are unsure about hybrids in general for being soulless, mostly because they like the visceral kick of a loud exhaust and itll only do 85mph in all-electric mode. The hybrid, which employs a large plug-in battery that can be charged from the engine or from a wall, can glide silently for up to 20 miles at a time without firing pollutants into the atmosphere. The GTS and Turbo models, though, kick like an unbridled beast when unleashed on the fastest roads, maintaining smoothness and stability at 130mph.

Perhaps the ultimate selling point of the Panamera is that its built for speed and comfort. The legroom is divine, the leather upholstery swanky and the dashboard technology is straight out of the future.

The hybrid can glide silently for up to 20 miles without

firing out pollutants. The GTS and Turbo models, though, also

kick like an unbridled beast

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luxury l ifestyle why Brands Love artists

he world is getting richer, or at least, there are more rich people around than ever before. In 2012, the number of individuals with over $30 million rose by 5%, and so it comes as no surprise that the number of luxury brands is increasing too. But if you think this statistic makes it easier for companies to sell their wares, think again. Luxury

products ooze allure because of their rarity; their one of a kind status. In a world where any young upstart can flaunt a pair of Jimmy Choos, how do the most prestigious brands set themselves apart? The answer is, through Art.

In a world where art is the ultimate commodity, luxury brands are cashing in on its creative credibility

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Fashion designers and luxury boutiques have always claimed a close affinity with art. Coco Chanel launched her immortal No. 5 fragrance by quoting inspiration from Cubism and Modernism. The difference between then and now is that Chanel has far more competition than in the past. Ever since Yves Saint Laurent threw Piet Mondrians signature block colours onto a 1960s shift dress, designers have craved the power to make their products as sensational as art.

Just as brands use celebrities to build their identity, collaborations with artists are seen as a more sophisticated way to solidify brand image. But as with any relationship, the two partners

must understand each other to make it work. Damien Hirsts two recent partnerships show two extremes. In the first collaboration, Levis paid Hirst to print some of his work on their jeans with dubious results. In the second, The Row created a pill backpack using pieces from Hirsts Pharmacy installation. Each black leather crocodile print backpack cost $55,000 yet the items sold out within a week. The Row understood how Hirsts art relates to wealth while also creating a niche limited edition product that communicated the wit of Hirsts original artwork. Levis lazily plonked Hirsts prints onto denim, without translating the work into an appropriate design.

left: Blanket by the Chapman

Brothers for louis Vuitton, AW13

riGHt: scarf by the Chapman

Brothers for louis Vuitton, AW13

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luxury l ifestyle why Brands Love artists

Another stylish marriage flourished between the cult necrophiliac-surrealist director David Lynch and fashions favourite shoemaker Christian Louboutin. The shoe legend made perfect use of Lynchs talent for psychologically manipulative photography, and the resulting images captured a subversive seduction perfect for the Louboutin label and the envy of every top advertiser.

Louis Vuitton wears the crown for artist collaborations, if only through sheer volume. Yayoi Kusama, Daniel Buren, Richard Prince, the Chapman Brothers and Jeremy Deller are just a handful of artists who Louis Vuittons creative

director Marc Jacobs has seduced over the years. Arguably his finest accomplishment was in 2007, when he convinced the highly respected Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles to fill the in-house gift store (usually reserved exclusively for artists paraphernalia) with Vuitton products designed by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.

Jacobs philosophises on the handshake between art and branding: What is the art here? Is it whats on the bag? Is it the action of buying the bag thats the art? Is it watching the people buying the art? Because its installed in an exhibition in a museum, is it some kind of conceptual performance piece?

left to riGHt from top

left: Andy Warhol painting

his art car for BmW, 1979

Andy Warhol for perrier,

2013 re-issue

Bag by louis Vuitton for

AW13 using a print by

the Chapman Brothers

David Hockney painting his

art car for BmW, 1995

riGHt to left from fAr

riGHt: louis Vuitton menswear

for AW13 featuring a print

by the Chapman Brothers

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Many critics may reel at this designers attempt to categorise handbags as art, but the question of how brands use artists does indeed spawn another: whos an artist, whos a designer and whos just a businessman? Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, two of the worlds most famous artists, have been criticised for being nothing more than creative entrepreneurs who have seized a chance to cash in on a confused art market. Ever since the ultimate celebrity-artist Andy Warhol idolised products such as Campbells Soup in his art, all savvy postmodern artists have kept an eye on how to make a dollar through brand associations, while

the brands have shown that they will cling on to their artist-partners long after their dead. Warhol first collaborated with Perrier in 1983, and, despite the artist not being present to create new work, the brand has commemorated this relationship by releasing 30th anniversary limited edition bottles.

BMW had the sense to differentiate their artist-partners to maximise the wow factor. They choose a new artist to paint an art car every five or so years, with interesting results (see above). In a world where commercialism reigns, the boundary between art that sells and art that sells other peoples products is fast becoming as thin as a dollar bill.

yayoi Kusama for louis

Vuitton concept store,

soho, london, 2012

Andy Warhol for perrier,

2013 re-issue

Backpack by Damien

Hirst and the row

louis Vuitton menswear for

AW13 featuring a print by

the Chapman Brothers

leopard-print si lk square by

louis Vuitton for AW13 featuring

a print by the Chapman Brothers

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luxury l ifestyle rima khatiB

n entering Rima Khatibs Beirut Design Week exhibition in June this year, some uninitiated visitors may have been momentarily confused. While most designers presented collections around the city that flaunted their functionality, the role of these 200cm tall creations that were dotted around

the rooftop gallery at Le Gray Hotel was not immediately clear.

This was an intentionally obtuse move on Khatibs part, and one emphasised by the title she gave the collection - A Game of Hide and Seek - and by each design itself - Cache-Cache, or Hide-Hide in English.

It turns out that these enigmatic objects, which stand at human height and are made from different materials ranging from leather to fabric, metal chains and fringing, are in fact coat hangers that each have four hooks beneath the surface.

Khatib bemoans how aesthetic considerations have generally been dismissed from the coat hook arena. With the Cache-Cache, however, style trumps functionality, and originality trumps both. Each

Cache-Cache has in common a central pole with hooks at the top of each facing a different direction, and all concealed beneath a shroud made from strips of material.

These one-off designs all take the same basic form but are decorated in wildly various ways to suit different environments. The geometric tessellation and muted colour palette of the Rolling Cache Cache would complement a modern office interior, whereas the playful multi-coloured floral details of the Orchard version would lend a playful accent to a boutique hotel room.

Khatib draws on her different design educations to create her unconventional pieces. She trained as an architect and also studied industrial design before settling on her distinctly artistic approach to craftsmanship.

Preceding the Cache-Cache, her most prominent work was Precious Waste; a collection of tables each made from a patchwork of reclaimed wood. As with the coat hanger series, each table was also unique. Although eclectic in their finish her interior pieces are united by a keen flair for creative imagination and an eagle-eyed attention to developing an individual character for each design.

oRima Khatibs latest product series kept visitors guessing at Le Gray hotel during Beirut Design Week

left to riGHt: Charleston,

Corporate frontal, orchard,

tarboush, roll ing, stream

W O R D S : H a r r i e t F i t c h L i t t l e

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luxury l ifestyle the new perFumiers

Once a discreetly held expertise, todays perfumiers are out and proudly

sharing their fragrant knowledge

W o r d s : K a s i a M a c i e j o w s k a

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ot so long ago fragrance promotion was all about the model. Kate Moss eyeing the lens for Calvin Klein Obsession. Karen Elson on her back for YSL Opium.

Lara Stone looking divine for everybody. In 2013 it seems, perfume houses are turning to a body part with a little less va va voom this season scentual seduction is all about the nose. Not every olfactory pathway will do however. This focus is preserved exclusively for those experts on whom the leading beauty brands rely. Companies like Chanel, Dior and

LOreal all depend on the knowledge and artistry of their noses. These experts make concoctions that

generate buzz for each new season and, from time to time, will become classic scents that represent the name.

Over the past month the London department store Harrods has been hosting a series of events called Meet the Perfumiers. Champagne and macaroons with Joanna Norman from Chanel; a masterclass with Michel Almairac from Chlo. The programme opens up this previously hidden process and speaks to peoples desire to learn more about this sensual product.

One of the programmes contributing noses was Roja Dove, whose Haute Perfumerie at Harrods

npage left: image courtesy of

Harrods meet the perfumiers

Above: master perfumier

roja Dove

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luxury l ifestyle the new perFumiers

offers private consultations. Dove has his own brand called Roja Parfums and works separately to create bespoke signature scents. He previously spent twenty years at Guerlain, and has lectured on fragrance at The Science Museum in London, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Perhaps his rarest accolade is the high praise bestowed upon him by the fashion designer Tom Ford, who has said, Roja Dove is the fragrance connoisseurs connoisseur.

This esteemed perfume fanatic relishes the opportunity to maintain old-fashioned standards of quality and artistry. As with everything bespoke, his clients come to him for something extraordinary. They want to close their eyes, inhale something beautiful, and let their emotions take over. They want the world the way they want it and are willing to pay for it, says Dove.

Top-level bespoke fragrances like Doves have long been available to those for whom money is no object but over the past year the concept of personalised perfume has spread to a more accessible level. Ludmila Bitar was conscious of the demand for bespoke among many seasoned shoppers when she founded her label Ideo Parfums this year. The Beirut-based perfumier of French-Armenian descent previously worked at LOreal Paris and Takasago in Tokyo, where she consulted for Shiseido and Givenchy, before branching out on her own.

Bitar says her company is the only contemporary olfactory house in the Middle East, despite the regions perfume legacy. She sources all her ingredients from Grasse, in France, the fragrance capital of the world and works with each client to create a unique fragrance pathway that taps into memories and associations.

Her new boutique in Beiruts Ashrafieh will boast the citys first fragrance bar, at which you can have a personal consultation in half an hour for an affordable price. The world has a perfume map and different regions like different smells, so for the store I wanted to re-create the feeling of the old souks, where you had the savonnerie next to the parfumerie, with all the different scent families from around the world.

The majority of Ideo Parfums clients are in the Gulf and North Africa. People from these countries understand olfactory culture and its role in creating an ambience. While bespoke fragrance can already be ordered in high quantity across the Gulf, Ideo Parfums is the first to offer a tailored service one bottle at a time.

ludmila Bitar,

founder of ideo parfums

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ADORNINGTHE

CENTURIESHistorys finest jewellery meets

todays sparkling showpieces

E D I T O R I A L : K a s i a M a c i e j o w s k a

Before Bling there was Beauty

the worLd's Finest JeweLLery luxury l ifestyle

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luxury l ifestyle the worLd's Finest JeweLLery

14th-century jewellery elements from Iran at The

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Gold sheet, turquoise, grey chalcedony and glass

the m

etropolitan museum

of Art

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Flora & Fauna necklace by Bulgari

Yellow gold, pink and blue sapphires, emeralds, diamonds

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450BC rams head armlets from Cyprus at The British Museum, London

Gold-plated bronze

the British m

useum


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Panthre bracelet by Cartier

Yellow gold, onyx, diamonds

and emeralds

Nouvelle Vague bracelet by Cartier

Rose gold, diamonds, hematites,

amethysts, smoked quartz and pink opals

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16th-century wedding ring from Germany at the V&A Museum, London

Enamelled gold and diamond

the V

&A

museum


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Tattoo Heart and Dagger

brooch by Harry Winston.

Platinum, diamonds and sapphire

Heart earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels

Rose gold and carnelian

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11th-century granulated and repouss bracelet

from Syria at the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha

Gold

17th-century gem-set earrings from India

at the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha

Gold, diamonds, rubies and emeralds

the m

useum of islam

ic Art


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Fascinante bracelet from the Cher Dior

collection by Victoire de Castellane at Dior

Yellow gold, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, Paraiba

tourmalines, rubies, demantoid and spessartite garnets

Mejesteuse earrings from the Cher Dior

collection by Victoire de Castellane at Dior

Yellow gold, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, Paraiba

tourmalines, demantoid and spessartite garnets

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19th-century gem-set crown from Nepal at the Farjam Collection, Dubai

Gold, cloth, metal thread, pearls, precious and semi-

precious stones, Bird of Paradise feather plume

the farjan C

ollection


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Paon de Lune hairpin by Boucheron

White gold, aquamarines and diamonds

Bouquet dAiles hairpin by Boucheron

White gold, yellow gold, emerald,

pink morganite, diamonds, sapphires

and spessartite garnets

Secret tiara by Cartier

White gold and diamonds

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fashion

news

{ THe MODeL FACe OF AUTUMn wInTeR 2013 } its not like Cara Delevingne is about to disappear, but coming in a close second this season is the striking Californian girl alana Bunte. having finished her studies at the London art school Central saint Martins, Bunte is now free to star in as many photo shoots as possible. This season weve already spotted her in Vogue italia, Vogue Japan, Vogue Russia and the seminal British fashion bible by Katie Grand called Love magazine. on top of that shes a face for Louis Vuitton and alexander Wang. With her dark hair, pale skin and blue-green eyes she has an international look that is sure to take her far. she even has a newly short crop of hair always the best trick for grabbing some attention.

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{ LABeLs BRACe FOR 3-D PRInTeD FAKes } The new technology of 3-D printers is making it easier than ever to produce fakes. soon you will no longer need a factory to manufacture goods but will be able to print out 3-D products at home or order them to be made online. You can already watch videos online of how to reproduce specific items such a sunglasses and accessories. as the range of 3-D printable materials increases, the quality and accuracy of these fakes will improve. as a result the Wall street law firm Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP is advising companies to keep up and use 3-D printing to their advantage rather than letting technology threaten their standing. Lessons can be learned from the music industry, in which iTunes cornered the market for buying digital music online, attracting those who would have downloaded music illegally otherwise. if the fashion industry can come up with a digital marketplace that distributes products in a similar way, it may be able to stem the tide of fakes that Carter Ledyard & Milburn suggest is coming.

{ ROGeR VIVIeR OPens BeIRUT FLAGsHIP } This october the classic Parisian accessories house Roger Vivier will open a stand-alone store in Downtown Beirut. Vivier himself was credited with inventing the stiletto heel, no less. he was also known for his Baroque-style square buckles that became the brands most recognisable style after Vivier made shoes for Catherine Deneuve to wear in the 1967 film Belle du Jour. The company is now under the artistic direction of Bruno frisoni, recommended by the aristocratic french model ines de la fressange who serves as muse, consultant and international brand ambassador to Roger Vivier. De La fressange is currently scheduled to attend the opening in Beirut.

{ MARC JACOBs new BeAUTY sTORe } With the launch of his new make-up line, the new York designer has opened a store dedicated to beauty products on Manhattans Bleecker street. The new shop stocks the 121-piece colour cosmetics collection, as well as his signature fragrances, which is also stocked at sephora and at marcjacobsbeauty.com. following the opening in new York, Marc Jacobs beauty stores will launch in 11 american locations from La to Miami, but well have to wait for their success before the brand decides to open similar shops around the world. The celebrated designer, who also leads creative operations at Louis Vuitton, confesses that he sampled his new cosmetic creations himself, i personally tested the products. Witness my brown and luscious lips. We cant argue with that Marc. Check his autumn Winter catwalk collection to see his 80s-inspired look for this season.

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{ CLUB TO CATwALK AT THe V&A } hot on the heels of its hit exhibition on David Bowie, the V&a Museum in London is now showing Club To Catwalk: London fashion in the 80s, which celebrates the outlandish looks and creative melting pot of the British capital three decades ago. The exhibition shows the colourful younger work that led to the success of todays fashion personalities like nick Knight, John Galliano and stephen Jones, and of associated artists like the important dancer and choreographer Michael Clark. This retrospective of vintage designs offers a wealth of inspiration for young artists and designers today and shows both the similarities and the differences between creative culture in London now and how it was back in the 1980s. The exhibition continues until february 2014.

image: sketch for Blitz by John Gall iano

Victoria and albert Museum, London.

{ LAnVIn seRVes UP LUXURY FOR LITTLe Ones } Were sometimes not sure about designer clothes for children. They grow out of them! They spill ice cream on them! They dont care about labels! They look like weird mini-me robots in grown up clothes! But we make the exception for Lanvin. The sugar-sweet style of head designer alber Elbaz is almost better suited to children than to grown-ups (almost) and this season is no exception. Twirly princess dresses, big floppy bows, adorable velvet jackets, mini ballerina pumps, shiny wellington boots and of course glittering tiaras make this seasons Lanvin Petite collection perfect for dressing your little ones on special occasions this autumn.

V

ictoria and

Alb

ert Museum

, Lond

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{ COLLABORATIOns GALORe AT VeRsUs } Versaces little sister label Versus has recently re-launched with a campaign featuring a plethora of cool kids from the worlds of fashion and music, ranging form lauded pop singer Grimes to young fashion designer of the moment J.W. anderson. The brands latest collaboration is somewhat more down to earth however, as it gives the packable nylon zip-up jacket by K-Way the Versus look in signature black and white. The label has also given K-Ways iPad cases the same treatment. The op art look of the geometric print echoes the 1960s Mod look that is central to the brand, which has a retro anglo-italian style to it. Donatella Versace reflects, Versus lives on the street and these pieces are an amazing new way to get the Versus look and bring attitude and energy to everyday essentials.

{ GUCCI GOes OnLIne In UAe } Gucci enthusiasts in the United arab Emirates can now shop directly from Guccis online store. The new service launched this summer. Creative director frida Giannini comments, i am delighted that our Emirati customers will now be able to shop online. i believe we have created a Digital flagship destination, where our customers can experience the beauty, quality and craftsmanship of Guccis collections in a luxurious way it is also very important to me that social networking capabilities are an integral part of the new site as shopping for fashion is almost always an experience that is shared and enjoyed with friends. The sites horizontal navigation format is designed to be iPad friendly and the full Ready-To-Wear collection is available as well as accessories, luggage and watches. The brand now offers direct e-commerce in 28 different countries.

Paris Haute Couture leaps from feminine tradition to modern futurism this season

W o r d s : A v r i l G r o o m

he world of haute couture is small but influential. Its super-wealthy customers are growing in number, with many young and from emerging markets, and not from the traditional families who had been ordering couture for generations. Their interest in highly embellished, hand crafted pieces and items that reflect the wider world of fashion is influencing an area long regarded as a laboratory of artistry and ideas. Some want the ultra-feminine, decorative styles on which couture tradition

is founded, while others prefer a modernist approach. This is reflected, more than ever before, in the two strands of this autumns Paris shows.

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fashion HAUTE COUTURE REVIEW

TradiTionalUltra-femininity and the finest handwork are coutures traditional forte, with Valentino and Elie saab the top exemplars. Valentinos two designers have made the delicate, decorated, demure long dress their own, and for autumn add Renaissance prints and embroidery fit for Botticelli angels - even in tweed. saab subtly refines his lace and embroidery techniques further each season, this time varying his fragile neutrals with rich red, green and navy.

Giambattista Vallis gorgeous dresses seem inspired by a fin de sicle flower garden, and similar shapes are mirrored in alexis Mabiles confections of lace, chiffon and bows. Jean Paul Gaultier plays on his longstanding love of fur, printing it on to silk and leather, as well as using the real thing. new contender Georges hobeika showed off his light and very feminine touch, while Russian socialite designer Ulyana sergeenko sets her womanly costumes in a mythical Medieval ice age.

Valentino

Giambattista Valli

Elie Saab

Valentino

Alexis Mabille

Jean Paul Gaultier

Valentino

Giambattista Valli

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Valentino

Valentino

Jean Paul Gaultier

Alexis Mabille

Giambattista Valli

Elie Saab

Jean Paul Gaultier Alexis Mabille

Alexis Mabille Elie Saab

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ModernTwo surprising houses go modern this season. Diors cult designer Raf simons makes his new Look fresh, global and even sporty, with colour blocking and techno textures, while Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel is bent on futurism, with his stage set of a ruined old theatre in a super-modern city delivering powerful symbolism behind his retro-futurist clothes with short hemlines, wide patent hip-belts and decoration based on squares and grids.

Tough-girl, punk style - a current trend - comes from designers who have always loved it. Versace does it best, with fabulous curves, brilliant tailoring and sexy, peel-back corset lacing, while tough leather and draped jersey make up alexandre Vauthiers interpretation.

armanis Priv collection is one of his purest and best, with elegant shades of nude and silvery metallics. Maison Martin Margiela subverts tradition by remaking vintage pieces, from latex sheets to beaded prom dresses, while Christophe Josse applies traditional embellished beading and embroidery to clean, modern shapes.

Dior

Christophe Josse

Dior

Alexandre Vauthier

Chanel

Christophe Josse

Armani

Maison Martin Margiela

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Chanel Armani Christophe Josse

Dior

Maison Martin Margiela Versace

Chanel ArmaniDior Alexandre Vauthier

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accessoriesThe couture shows are now a big accessories launch pad, this season with glamorous parties for everything from Versaces first high jewellery collection of bold diamond medallions and gorgeous ruby flower earrings, to alber Elbazs quirky, wittily packaged eye make-up for Lancme.

other accessories that are sure to have influence in the months ahead include Chanels 1960s-style square-brimmed hats and quiffs, Diors sporty moulded trainer stilettos and draped neckerchiefs, Maison Martin Margielas crystal and flower-beaded masks, and metal belts, both the narrow bands shown at Elie saab and the folded metal ribbons at Gimbattista Valli.

Elie Saab Maison Martin Margiela

Dior Chanel

Chanel Dior Giambattista Valli

Dior Elie Saab Giambattista Valli Maison Martin Margiela

Maison Martin Margiela

LIFes A CRUIse!Look lively in patterns and prints from the new Resort collections

I l l u s t r A t I o n s : Ya s m i n a n y s t e n E d I t o r I A l : K a s i a M a c i e j o w s k a

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CRUISE COLLECTIONS fashion

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fashion CRUISE COLLECTIONS

THIS PAGE:

Mary Katrantzou

FACING PAGE

(left to rigth):

Reed Krakoff

Peter Pi lotto

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THIS PAGE

(left to rigth): :

ann Valrie hash

Givenchy

FACING PAGE:

Erdem

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LEFT TO RIGHT:

Kenzo

Roksanda i l incic

Kenzo

Roksanda i l incic

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THIS PAGE:

Josh Goot

FACING PAGE:

stella McCartney

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Rochas

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Preen

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THIS PAGE:

Thom Browne

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Marni

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fashion FASHION TRENDSP P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P

P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P

























































London-based trend forecaster Thomas Rees unpicks the top four trends from the Autumn Winter Ready-to-Wear catwalks

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PAsTeL wInTeRPastels lift the autumn winter look this year. Typically a season of deep hues, designers are

changing things for AW13 with a surprising colour palette that suggests a disconcerting optimism

that rings of a surreal and childish world. Saccharine tones reference cakes and candies from

days gone by, with candyfloss pink, parma violet and vanilla ice cream proving popular on the catwalks.

Hyper-feminine fabrics mix with fun and playful textures that look sexy, cute

and kooky all at the same time.

Richard Nicoll

Simone Rocha

Jonathan Saunders

Richard NicollEmporio Armani

Topshop Unique

Jil Sander

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sKIn On sKInFur has always conveyed glamour and decadence and is back on the catwalk with a vengeance this season.

This new look for fur is modern, streamlined and cool. Shorthaired furs such as beaver and pony skins give coats and jackets a high gloss finish that defines the season. These adorn coat hems and accessories, to

present a minimalist, pared-down take on luxury for this season.

Those for whom fur is one step too far can rest assured that leather alone will keep you looking on the money.

Head-to toe leather continues the clean aesthetic of the modern fur looks but with a darker edge that feels

luxurious but lean.

Proenza Schouler

Jil Sander

Marni

Michael Kors

Jil Sander

Alexander Wang

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fashion FASHION TRENDST T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T

T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T

























































TOP HeAVYThe nineties may be the decade to quote right

now but the eighties contributes just as strongly to this trend with its strong shoulder shapes.

This boyish silhouette defined Alexander Wangs much anticipated first collection as head designer

for the beloved French house of Balenciaga. The look popped up at Balmain in a more eighties

incarnation that rang of power dressing and high-indulgence. Kenzo and Mugler had the most fun however, with their splashes of colour giving a

glamorous take on dressing like one of The Muppets.Channel Cher in the movie Clueless and cover your

top half with a cropped, fluffy sweater. Pair with high-waisted, high-shine trousers and a pair of pointy sling-back shoes and the look is complete.

Balenciaga

Thierry MuglerKenzoBalmain

Thierry Mugler

Balenciaga

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CHeCK OUTDesigners showed a nostalgic penchant for

masculine checks for the coming cold. Spanning styles from the workmans plaid shirt to

confident oversized tailoring, this look drew references from a myriad of different places.

Ever the genius, Phoebe Philo showed us why Cline is still the decades leading label as she elevated the humble laundry bag to luxury status in her statement check pieces complete

with taped seams and fraying edges.Such grungy details popped up at Givenchy

as well, with small dark checks blending with nineties-style romantic floral prints alongside

leather details and brightly coloured hair. Meanwhile Issey Miyake reminded us that the Japanese do it best as his collection showed off

magnified and distorted checks overlaid with stripes that left the models looking dapper and debonair. Stella Mccartney

Givenchy

Cline

Celine

Stella Mccartney Issey Miyake

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fashion EXHIBITING CLOTHES

hether fashion can ever be art is one of the industrys great debates. While most designers modestly say they are craftsmen, for some the passion goes further. Italian master of glamour and embellishment Roberto Cavalli pleads for people who buy his clothes, To understand that for me its one

small piece of art. Who can blame him? The hand-worked embroidery, beading, lace and leather that embellishes his designs, and that of many others - Valentino, Dior, Chanel, Armani, Louis Vuitton, Giambattista Valli and Oscar de la Renta are some who come to mind - is the equal of many of the historic pieces that feature in the growing number

The catwalk is no longer enough for fashion labels looking to show off their artistry

wof museum fashion exhibitions, viewed as akin to art. The McQueen exhibition two years ago at New Yorks Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute attracted the greatest ever numbers for a fashion exhibition, with last years Prada/Schiaparelli and the current Punk show not far behind. Paris exhibitions on designers such as Balenciaga, Vionnet and the upcoming Alaia show are becoming higher profile. Londons V&A has had successes with everything from Yohji Yamamoto to Hollywood costumes. Increasingly, therefore, the buying public equates top-end fashion design with the art tag that museum endorsement gives it. Even new pieces now sell as investments, and wealthy customers are seen as collectors as much as clients.

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A high point is the museum collection by Christian Lacroix for the revived

brand Schiaparelli

faCinG PaGE ToP:

alexander McQueen savage

Beauty, t it le gallery, at

the Metropolitan Museum

Costume institute, new York

faCinG PaGE BoTToM:

alexander McQueen savage

Beauty, gothic romantic gallery,

at the Metropolitan Museum

Costume institute, new York

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Performance art features in imaginative shows from Issey Miyake, this season walked in fast-weaving patterns to electronic reel music, reflecting the collections surreally magnified tartan designs. Alexander McQueens shows often became highly symbolic art, most notably with car paint robots providing the live, random print on a white dress, a tradition being continued by Sarah Burton, particularly in this summer s dramatic homage to the importance of bees to mankind. Conceptual shows from Viktor and Rolf, involving distortions of scale, and Hussein Chalayans transformable clothes involving coffee tables and aircraft wing flaps have become legendary examples of fashion as art.

Now brands from Chanel to Cline are showing on a much smaller, more curated scale, so buyers and clients are up close and personal

Designers are very happy with this change of attitude, even if most dont say so, and it validates presenting their work in ways that are as much art installation as catwalk show. Pioneers in this area include Belgian deconstructionist Martin Margiela, who set out to emphasise the clothes rather than the catwalk razzmatazz in artistic ways, focusing on them with models in anonymous face veils, walking in handheld pools of light in grungy settings like disused railway tunnels, and setting a trend for gritty venues. More recently, Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton - who has always enjoyed collaborating with artists, such as Yayoi Kusama last year, celebrated a collection with a performance art display in one of Pariss grand palace museums and since has built extravagant show sets often with cinematic references.

LEfT: Christian Lacroix for

schiaparell i at Muse des

arts Dcoratifs. Photo:

Dominique Maitre

ToP LEfT: Coffee table skirt

by hussein Chalayan, 2009

ToP RiGhT: anya hindmarch

accessories exhibit for aW13

BoTToM RiGhT: issey Miyake

catwalk performance aW13

BoTToM LEfT: anya hindmarch

accessories exhibit for aW13

EXHIBITING CLOTHES fashion

fashion

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with the handwork and have at least the illusion of super exclusivity. Even accessories get the art treatment, such as Anya Hindmarchs witty handbag displays involving thousands of dominoes that never quite fall, or kinetic contraptions apparently driven by the designer herself pedalling a bike. The high point so far has to be the couture museum collection designed this summer by

Christian Lacroix - one of fashions greatest artists - for the revived Schiaparelli brand and shown in Pariss Muse des Arts Dcoratifs alone, where his own archive has been showcased in the past. As a statement of the new closeness of fashion to art it could not have been clearer. The catwalk is no longer enough. The best brands now choose to make an exhibition of themselves.

hERE anD faCinG PaGE:

Christian Lacroix for schiaparell i

at Muse des arts Dcoratifs.

Photo: Dominique Maitre

EXHIBITING CLOTHES fashion

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fashion ART AS FASHION

aking artworks from the white walls of the hallowed temples that we call art galleries and reformulating them for the human body is a mightily precarious task. Not least because the artist, one imagines, might take issue with such a drastic change

of context, and furthermore because the arts original power stands at high risk of being lost in translation.

Mother of Pearl, the clothing label that makes charming, playful, wearable fashion pieces, does just that however, yet avoids these pitfalls by collaborating directly with artists.

For Cruise 2014 it has worked with the London-based duo Emma Biggs and Matthew Collings to create bold geometric and floral pieces that are fun and outgoing but also dapper and feminine.

By contrast for Autumn Winter 2013 a partnership with Polly Morgan has resulted in a line full of animal prints and earthy colours,

Mother of Pearl is the fashion label that makes clothes out of art to remarkable effect

T as inspired by her famously girly take on the traditional practice of taxidermy.Past collaborators include some of todays best leading and emerging artists, such as Francesco Simeti, Gary Hume, Fred Tomaselli, Fiona Banner, Jim Lambie and Matt Collishaw. Quite a remarkable feat for one brand, but one made possible by Mother of Pearls energetic creative director Maia Norman, who founded the brand in 2004 and re-launched it in 2009 to general approval.

This Californian surfer girl who now lives in the south of England happens to be the wife of the worlds highest selling artist Damien Hirst and mother of their three sons Cyrus, Cassius and Connor. She first met Hirst through his gallerist Jay Joplin, owner of the White Cube and the contemporary art

mogul who launched the YBAs (Young British Artists), who defined conceptual art in the 1990s. Many of those she works with therefore are her peers and her friends, as well as artists whose work she respects no doubt.

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What makes Mother of Pearl such a hit is its combination of high artistry and down-to-earth practicality. Women need to get things done after all, as Norman proves herself as a mother, designer, businesswoman, and enthusiastic surfer who frequently travels the globe.

Women also want to get on with their lives without sacrificing on style of course, which is why the labels mixture of casual pants, cosy knitwear, long dresses and well thought out coats often feature the gorgeous prints that have come to define the brand.

The result is a look that is sporty and kooky but also artistic and feminine, a testament to the skill of the labels designer Amy Powney, who researches each artists work and develops a colour palette and prints that work on textiles each season, before finishing each design with the labels sport-luxe signature.

Norman has said that she envisions her label as being designed for an active, optimistic, generous woman, and she is right on because who wouldnt feel happy wearing perky prints like these.

BRiGhT BLUE LooKs:

Mother of Pearl Resort14

GREY & BLaCK LooKs:

Mother of Pearl aW13

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{ Fendi For Fountains } Luxury fashion house Fendi is the latest Italian label to open its coffers for the restoration of public works in the countrys capital, Rome. This follows the decision of its compatriot shoemaker Tods to finance the restoration of Romes biggest attraction, the Colosseum. Fendis creative director Karl Lagerfeld has promised $2.93 million to help the city rebuild the Trevi Fountain, a Baroque masterpiece and leading tourist attraction immortalised in Fellinis film La Dolce Vita. The spectacular water feature reached its 250th birthday last year, and is starting to show its age as stone angels are literally falling from grace. How long before the fountain features little black bows and long chains of pearls?

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{ Qatar receives its First unesco recognition } Qatars tireless campaign to become the Gulfs number one hub for culture has borne fruit. In July, the peninsula within a peninsula garnered its first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Al Zubarah is the archaeological site where researchers have discovered the exquisitely preserved remains of an 18th century pearl-fishing town. The ruins of the fortress sit low on the coastal desert landscape and have been commended for giving insight into how life was back when pearls were as precious as oil.

{ Living La vida versace } The infamous mansion in which Gianni Versace was shot dead is up for sale. The extensive villa, located in the highly desirable Ocean Drive area of Miami, Florida, has been valued at over $50 million. Versace was killed on the steps of his seaside home one morning in 1997, and since then the house has been used as a boutique hotel for tourists who arent afraid of glamorous ghosts. The mansion will be sold at auction on 17th September and is expected to sell within 30 minutes.

{ LaX gets muLti-media makeover } To the joy of every traveller who has ever had to spend a day in an airport, Los Angeles International Airport has recently installed seven mammoth media features to entertain its weary travellers. Made up of video screens, the features make the most of the lofty architecture of the Tom Bradley-designed terminal. The displays, designed by entertainment studio Moment Factory, display soothing abstract videos, such as waterscapes or kaleidoscopic mosaics, or provide information on flight times in creative, unexpected ways. The Time Tower is the highlight - this 72-foot-high virtual clock tower wraps around the central airport elevator and ensures that nobody misses their flight without being boring.

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{ south korean and chinese Fashion students win Big } The fashion world is now looking East for design talent as well as for sales boosts. Three South Koreans and two Chinese have won prizes from the Eyes on Talent fashion award this year, which recognises outstanding work from young fashion students. Such news may come as no surprise to those familiar with the surge of East Asians into international fashion schools, but these awards acknowledge the quantity of talent emerging from the region.

{ gucci shows support For the women oF the worLd } Chime for Change is a charity founded by Gucci to empower women and girls from around the world. Founded by celebrities including the singer Beyonc and actress Salma Hayek (who is married to Franois-Henri Pinault, who owns the Gucci Group), this philanthropic community funds projects that help different types of women across the fields of education, health and justice. Their support includes funding the care of survivors of sex trafficking to helping Syrian refugees. Chime for Changes most recent event, The Sound of Change live concert at Twickenham Stadium in London, raised $3.9 million.

{La scaLa ceLeBrates verdis 200th Birthday through photography } Opera maestro Giuseppe Verdi (1813 1901) would have been 200 this year. To mark the occasion the appropriately titled Italian picture archive Scala has released a collection of period photography featuring both Verdi himself and related scenes from the theatrical music scene he inhabited. A key figure in the tumultuous Risorgimento (the Italian reunification), Verdi wrote 29 operas over 58 years. Due to the political content of his work, as well as his strikingly moving and expressive operas, the composer is held in high regard by critics, historians and classical music fans alike. The release of this retrospective from Scala provides the perfect excuse to delve deeper into this inspirational figures life and imagine what it would have been like to know the man behind the music.

{ chinas Latest giFt to the worLd: art maLLs } As the luxury goods market blooms in East Asia, so the super-malls have followed. One Chinese entrepreneur has extended the mall experience to include contemporary cultures ultimate desirable commodity Art. These Art Malls are being opened by property and communications company New World Development (NWD). The idea is as simple as can be - art is given space among the retail outlets and cafes. After launching the first K11 art mall last year in Hong Kong, NWD recently opened a new K11 in Shanghai and due to their rampant business plan, will surely spawn another elsewhere in the region in the near future.

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world Six of the Best

01MaMa Shelter , branches in istanbul, Paris, Marseille, lyon

Whats the concept? The interiors are designed by Philippe Starck and each room features quirky signature plastic masks as lamp shades and minimal artsy chic. Elected as one of the worlds top hotels by travel writers the world over, Mama Shelter offers the perfect balance between Bohemian intimacy and understated luxury.

Who goes there? Unpretentious types. Its low-key style attracts everyone from young couples on a quick city break to design-conscious businessmen and trendy young families.

hoW much? Paris Mama Double: $115 / Mama Suite: $390. Istanbul Mama Luxe: $100 / Big Mama Terrace: $230

What makes it special? Each hotel offers locally-written, non-tourist guides to help you avoid over crowded yawns and discover the citys coolest spots and most-hidden hangouts. The hotel restaurants are continually lauded as excellently casual.

www.mamashelter.com/en/

02the thief , oslo

Whats the concept? The in-house art curator Sude Nordgren has hand-picked pieces of work for each of the 119 rooms. He brings his experience from international-class galleries to your bedside so you dont have to step out into the Scandinavian cold to view the citys best art they even have an Andy Warhol.

Who goes there? Art lovers, of course. This hotel attracts a sophisticated crowd who know the value of world-class creativity and its ability to transform the atmosphere of an interior.

hoW much? Prices stretch from $330 to $520 for a double, depending on when you book

What makes it special? The Thief is an admirable blend of luxury and modernity. Its one of the only hotels in Oslo to have bay-view terraces where the icy North Sea laps up to your window, and is located in Tjuvholmen, one of the citys trendiest urban renewal projects.

www.thethief.com/en/

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art Hotels

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03lalala hotel , Poland

Whats the concept? Seven teams of artists were each given free reign to create their perfect hotel room. Some went for a childhood fantasy feel while others went pop-goth. Each room is an explosion of site-specific collaboration that offers the chance to sleep in a one-off interior environment.

Who goes there? Youngsters who like to while away the hours making up stories and living in dream worlds.

hoW much? Prices range from $60 to $100 thanks to its location in Eastern Europe

What makes it special? Each room is so wildly different that you could spend a week sleeping one night in each. Thanks to the owner being a wine importer, the hotel restaurant offers 200 different wines, all at affordable trade prices.

www.lalala.lu/

04the ProPoSal , Zurich

Whats the concept? The Proposal isnt actually a hotel, its an art gallery. Every few months the venue hosts three-day-long exhibitions and offers ultra-quirky accommodation for art aficionados who want to sleep with the installations. Thats right, the rooms are the art pieces and the art pieces are the rooms.

Who goes there? This is one for art-obsessed fun-seekers. Its not high-end, its not five-star, but it is so uber-cool that youll be stocked up with outstanding dinner party anecdotes for at least a year afterwards.

hoW much? $130 per person, per night

What makes it special? Probably the only gallery in the world where they let you sleep in the exhibition. The Proposal has two rooms, so youre sure to feel gloriously exclusive and decidedly soothed before you take in the sights of Zurich.

www.theproposal.cc/85106

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world Six of the Best

05 Swatch art Peace hotel , shanghai

Whats the concept? Artists are invited to take up residencies of between three and six months at the hotel. The artist stays at the hotel for free and in return donates some of their work at the end of their stay. As a guest you get to stay in close proximity to the artists who are shaping the art world of today.

Who goes there? The decadent rooms and central-Shanghai location mean this is an interesting mix of upmarket travellers and the 18 artists in residence at any one time.

hoW much? Rooms start at a reasonable $460 and rise to a blistering $8440

What makes it special? Unless you fancy a sleepover in a Bohemian flatshare, youre unlikely to find another place to live alongside emerging artists as they make their beautiful creations.

www.swatch-art-peace-hotel.com/

06sagamore, the art hotel , MiaMi

Whats the concept? Loads and loads and loads of art. Miami art collectors Cricket and Marty Taplin started their collection 25 years ago and have flooded the halls, rooms, lobbies and even the elevators with top-notch works that reveal their passion and expertise.

Who goes there? It has always been a beach spot but since Miami has now become a global art hot-spot, the Sagamore is the place for jet-setting art collectors to take the temperature of the local talent before dipping into their wallet and splashing out.

hoW much? Rooms from $244 for a double to $1200 for the penthouse

What makes it special? The hotel is within easy reach of The Bass Museum, Lowe Art Museum, Miami Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum and The Wolfsonian-FIU. Get busy.

www.sagamorehotel.com/Art/

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world MATTHEW STONE 'S GUIDE TO LONDON

Balanced Vision (self portrait), by Matthew Stone, 2013

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My City with

Matthew StoneWhat are the best and worst things about London?The constant gentrification of London is both a blessing and a curse. Artists and young creatives move to cheaper areas so they can afford to live in the city while following their dreams, and then entire industries of organic coffee-shops, art galleries, boutiques and rent increases follow them, pricing existing residents and artistic communities out of the area.

The rate of change is astounding and areas like Peckham and Dalston become nightlife hotspots almost overnight. It is both exciting and depressing at the same time!

Can you share some of the citys best-kept secrets?There are so many obscure museums that are worth tracking down. There is the Freud Museum that has his original couch. I like the amusingly named Horniman Museum with its Victorian overstuffed and bloated walrus - it looks like it is about to explode because the taxidermist had no idea that walruses have folds of skin so he stuffed it completely!

Art-lovers might like to follow the First Thursdays gallery trail around East London and should also check out Last Fridays, which is the younger South London version, complete with open studios and exhibitions in converted churches and at Bold Tendencies, the open air gallery on the roof of a multi-storey car park.

Whats the real London?Real London can be found at the markets. While its great to take in the tourist traps of Brick Lane and Portabello Road, there are more authentic markets such as East Street Market in Elephant & Castle and Ridley Road Market in Dalston that provide an electric connection to the heart of day-to-day multicultural London.

The market stalls are run by a mix of Cockney East-Enders, Asians, Greeks, Turks and West Indians, and people from all backgrounds shop here - from club kids buying fabric for an experimental party

Balanced Vision (self portrait), by Matthew Stone, 2013

Flow Force, by Matthew Stone, 2013

look, to middle-class mothers picking up sweet potatoes and kitchen roll. Soak up the people and talk to the stallholde

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