Colourful kites danced in the air above Dubai’s Sunset Beach as part of a pop-up illustrating Hermes’s playful side.
The Hermes Kite Festival made its debut in Indonesia in October and, after its recent sojourn in Dubai, will make stops in Argentina, China and South Korea. Open to the public, it is an opportunity for people to engage with the brand in a relaxed, informal way. “This is something I like very much,” says Christophe Goineau, creative director of men’s silk and men’s universe designs at Hermes. “It is an entry to experience Hermes as a playful, colourful but also accessible maison.”
The French fashion house's charming silk scarf designs, Plumets et Panaches, Robe Legere and Sur mon Nuage, were transposed on to technical fabrics and then set loose in the wind, as part of the Dubai event. The beach itself was transformed into a whimsical playground, with live music, a kite-making workshop and plenty of comfortable seating from which to watch the aerial displays.
“Sometimes, especially for silk, we like to create a meeting point for our customers, or our friends,” says Goineau. “We want to invite them to just share a moment with us — to talk, have a drink, listen to some music, play, do some workshops and have fun.”
There are a lot of things Hermes takes seriously ― its craftsmanship, artisans and the quality of the materials it uses and the objects it painstakingly creates. But there is also a sense of humour and playfulness that events such as the Kite Festival aim to highlight. “We are not so classic,” says Goineau.
This is particularly true of the silk scarf, an Hermes signature that acts as a blank canvas upon which stories can be told. Hermes started creating its scarves in 1937, and there are already thousands of iterations in existence. But the possibilities remain endless, says Goineau. “We can work on the design, we can work on the colours, the shape and the materials. If you change something slightly each time, there is a never-ending story."
The maison collaborates with independent designers, artists and illustrators to ensure that inspiration never runs dry. “We love to meet exciting people,” says Goineau. “We love to meet new designers, illustrators and artists, and we love to have a conversation with them. And then, they bring to Hermes their own universe. We try to create a good balance between their style and the Hermes style, so you may recognise the artist but, at the end of the day, it is 100 per cent an Hermes scarf.”
Also falling within Goineau's remit are ties, which, perhaps surprisingly, he says are still popular, despite the continued casualisation of men’s fashion. The obligatory tie for daily office wear may be a thing of the past, but this has just made Hermes’s beautifully designed versions more covetable.
“As you are not going to wear it every day, and you are not buying it as an obligation, you now enjoy buying the tie. You may wear it less, but at least it is beautiful. We haven’t seen that the tie business is down at Hermes. What makes a big difference is men are buying ties for pleasure. Before they were all buying the same tie, like it made them part of some kind of group. Now they want something more specific.”
In response, Hermes has expanded its offering, providing more choices than ever. “We developed the collection in a very specific way,” says Goineau. “It’s a lot more open. Now we have a lot of different ties — woven, knitted, cashmere, or cotton for summer. To be honest, it’s more interesting to do a tie collection now than it was 10 years ago.”
Menswear may be evolving, but in a business context, there are still limited opportunities for men to truly express their individuality. Your watch may be concealed beneath your shirtsleeve and your shoes may be hidden under the table, but your tie is there for all to see. “It says something about you. And in the silhouette of a man, it sits right in the middle. It’s not big but you can’t miss it. In the first three seconds you meet someone, that is the first information you get,” says Goineau.
Top of Goineau’s mind at present is the exploration of new materials. At Hermes, casualisation translates as comfort. “Right now, I’m thinking of lifestyles and the way people are living,” says Goineau. “So far, it is not in the collection, but I am looking at mixing different fibres, as well as fibres that are not natural, to create something that is useful.
"For example, something that doesn’t crease or something that is rainproof. People want things with less constraints. If something is rainproof, or you can put it straight in your washing machine, anything that makes your life easier, that’s something I’m focused on.”
For Goineau, a move away from purely natural materials, the bedrock of Hermes — whether in the form of exquisite leathers, the purest silks or the best bone china — has required a change in mindset.
"I have so far worked with 100 per cent natural fibres, whether it is cotton, silk, linen, cashmere, yak or whatever. But I think in the next collection, I will start mixing in other things. For the next summer collection, I am working on linen, but it creases a lot, so I’m trying to find a way to get all the characteristics of linen without the inconvenience.”
Either way, the Hermes commitment to quality — tied in with that trademark touch of fun — will remain unchanged.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE squad
Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
RACE CARD
4.30pm: Maiden Dh80,000 1,400m
5pm: Conditions Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 3 Dh300,000 1,400m
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown Group 2 Dh300,000 2,200m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (30-60) Dh80,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Handicap (40-70) Dh80,000 1,600m.
How%20champions%20are%20made
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EDiet%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E7am%20-%20Protein%20shake%20with%20oats%20and%20fruits%0D%3Cbr%3E10am%20-%205-6%20egg%20whites%0D%3Cbr%3E1pm%20-%20White%20rice%20or%20chapati%20(Indian%20bread)%20with%20chicken%0D%3Cbr%3E4pm%20-%20Dry%20fruits%20%0D%3Cbr%3E7.30pm%20-%20Pre%20workout%20meal%20%E2%80%93%20grilled%20fish%20or%20chicken%20with%20veggies%20and%20fruits%0D%3Cbr%3E8.30pm%20to%20midnight%20workout%0D%3Cbr%3E12.30am%20%E2%80%93%20Protein%20shake%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20intake%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204000-4500%20calories%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESaidu%E2%80%99s%20weight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20110%20kg%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStats%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Biceps%2019%20inches.%20Forearms%2018%20inches%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
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Predictions
Predicted winners for final round of games before play-offs:
- Friday: Delhi v Chennai - Chennai
- Saturday: Rajasthan v Bangalore - Bangalore
- Saturday: Hyderabad v Kolkata - Hyderabad
- Sunday: Delhi v Mumbai - Mumbai
- Sunday - Chennai v Punjab - Chennai
Final top-four (who will make play-offs): Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
Match info
Who: India v Afghanistan
What: One-off Test match, Bengaluru
When: June 14 to 18
TV: OSN Sports Cricket HD, 8am starts
Online: OSN Play (subscribers only)
The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
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PLAY-OFF%20DRAW
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EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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