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.
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'
Results
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
MO
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
match info
Manchester United 3 (Martial 7', 44', 74')
Sheffield United 0
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Barcelona v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
More coverage from the Future Forum
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The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
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
