A collection of 10 handmade carpets, called One Love, gives form to the idea of taking a unified stand against the sweeping effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Nine designers and architects from nine countries across five continents came together to create the series of distinctive designs, which were brought to life by Hands Carpets. The company uses nonallergenic wool from New Zealand, fine bamboo silk made from renewable forestry and hand-dyed yarns to craft high-quality carpets that line the floors of some of the most recognisable buildings in the world, including Burj Al Arab, the White House and The Plaza in New York City.
Hands Carpets also supports initiatives that work towards the welfare of the carpet-making community and eradication of child labour. Its artisanal wool rugs, kilims, dhurries and contemporary hand-tufted carpets are all manufactured in-house and are in compliance with Leed green building air quality regulations.
The One Love collection was conceived and curated by Mumbai architect Padmini Pandey and enabled by innumerable discussions over transcontinental video calls. The carpets are hand-tufted in wool, bamboo silk and botanical silk, and each one-off piece takes up to 10 weeks to craft and retails at Dh14,700.
A part of the proceeds from the collection's sale will go to Project Mala, a programme dedicated to the education of children. The sale of each carpet will sponsor a year's primary education of one underprivileged child living in and around the carpet-making centres of India.
"We, as architects and designers, have the power to shape and mould societies," says Pandey, who founded her eponymous architecture and interior design company in Mumbai in 2011, after spending five years honing her craft in Italy. "We must exercise this power of design to contribute to society's welfare. When creativity is used in the case of adversity, it empowers the concept of humanity rising above all odds."
The nine designers, who were invited to reimagine the eternal but common elements of the sky and the sea, come from all corners of the world. In addition to Pandey, they are: Pamela Caspani from Australia; Regina Davila from Guatemala; Sheena Poerwantoro from Indonesia; Luisa Scanu from Italy; Karla Celorio from Mexico; Katia Santillan from Peru; Svetlana Selivanova from Russia; and Tuna Meier from Turkey.
These rich geographical influences shape the carpets. From vividly coloured Australian reefs and the complex patterns of Russian ice fractals to the contemporary icons of Italian architecture, each carpet speaks of its designer's distinct cultural make-up.
Peruvian architect Santillan, who also teaches interior design at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, drew on the small and large mountain ranges of the Andes for her design, creating a colourful yet abstract rendering of her roots. Poerwantoro celebrates Indonesia’s natural heritage and multicultural identity by reimagining her homeland as a vast archipelago simplified into the form of a human fingerprint.
Celorio references Mexico's rich and diverse terrain, with its beaches, underground sea caves, mountains and volcanoes; while Pandey looked to the holy city of Banaras, where she says the river Ganges and the divinity of Hindu deity Shiva are believed to converge.
While nine of the carpets are solo endeavours and have the same dimensions, the 10th is a collaboration between four designers, Pandey, Santillan, Poerwantoro and Davila, and it breaks form. The circular piece captures the essence and cultural influences of each of the nine designers involved – to become a symbol of collaboration, connectivity and cultural unity.
“This tenacity to not just survive but to evolve in the face of adversity is inherently human,” says Ravi Patodia, managing director of Hands Carpets. “One Love is a reflection of the resilient human spirit that is driven by pure artistic instinct.”
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
HOW TO WATCH
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T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
