As the effects of the coronavirus outbreak become ever more apparent, it's clear the only sensible way forward is to suspend large-scale events where crowds might gather to help halt the spread. One such event to be waylaid is haute couture fashion week, which was scheduled to take place in June.
Featuring a select group of hand-picked designers, haute couture is, and always has been, about catering to the sartorial needs of a small and extremely wealthy elite. Although only thought to number 4,000 customers worldwide (exact figures are hard to come by as couture designers are famously cagey about clients and the income they generate), this small number of ultra-rich support and maintain an industry that employs thousands of people across numerous countries.
So ,with the latest round of the bi-annual spectacle abruptly cancelled and an entire season relegated to the dustbin, where, exactly, does this leave the designers?
“We have put all our related operations on hold,” explains designer Zuhair Murad. With the label's main headquarters in Beirut, and a second atelier in Paris, Zuhair Murad is known for its sense of romance and femininity, and is a firm favourite with the likes of Najwa Karam, Jennifer Lopez and Priyanka Chopra, for its flattering silhouettes and delicate detailing.
“Realistically speaking, creating a couture collection in the necessary timeframe requires collective teamwork and effort, and we certainly do not want to compromise our team members’ health. It’s the most important thing for us and we will always prioritise it over anything else."
With a strong tradition of dressing up, coupled with a deep appreciation of handwork and the unique, the Mena region is, not surprisingly, a stronghold of couture houses. Alongside Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, Rami Al Ali, Georges Hobeika, Michael Cinco and Maison Rabih Kayrouz are all regional names that have been invited to show at couture week by the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the regulatory body that oversees the industry, and the only entity capable of bestowing the title of haute couturier to a brand (in short, if it is not recognised by the Chambre, it is not haute couture).
Admittance means adhering to strict and demanding regulations, from a minimum number of seamstresses employed to the number of fittings customers can expect, all while embracing new technologies as well as preserving ancient know-how.
Rami Al Ali, a Syrian designer with an atelier in Dubai, has dressed the likes of Beyonce, Chanel Iman and Helen Mirren. The label's gowns are infused with elegance and a touch of the designer's Middle Eastern heritage. With the next season suddenly gone, and with it the potential income, Al Ali remains pragmatic.
“I am still debating what would be the right decision for this season. I think it is all depends on how fast we can go back to normal life practices," he says. "I would most likely design a capsule collection and create a visual campaign to launch it. I don't believe designing a fully fledged collection will be a practical decision to many, as much as we all want to keep this industry and all its suppliers alive."
Couture pieces are lavished with exquisite and delicate embellishment, and so beautifully made it can be hard to believe it is work done entirely by hand, routinely taking 300 hours to complete just one dress. And that excellence does not come cheap, with prices starting at around $20,000 (Dh73,450) for something unadorned, quickly spiralling upwards to the $40,000-$80,000 mark, reaching as high as $1 million – the reported price of a haute couture Dior wedding gown.
Yet, despite these huge figures, couture runs with extremely high overheads and uses the finest materials. Taking months to complete, the skilled petite mains, as couture seamstresses are known, labour for countless hours on a single piece, and one dress can use tens of metres of frighteningly expensive fabric. Even couture house Viktor & Rolf openly admits it exists partly due to the cash injection given by its perfume arm.
People are connected via apps, working remotely or living an experience virtually, and it is becoming more and more of a practical solution
“So far we are having to cancel the ready-to-wear pre-fall 2021 collection and the couture fall / winter 2020-21 one," explains Murad. "We’ve also had to suspend the upcoming bridal collection. It will certainly affect us all because we work six months prior to the actual seasons."
However, perhaps all is not lost. Italian company Giorgio Armani cancelled its live show at Milan Fashion Week in February as the coronavirus outbreak began to curtail events, instead opting for an online stream. Shanghai Fashion Week did the same, live-streaming new collections from 150 designers in March. Following that lead, there may be a digital solution, suggests Al Ali.
"For the past few years, social media has taken a major role in connecting us directly with our clients and has proven to be a powerful tool. I believe it would be the fastest and safest method to launch any new product at this time. People are connected via apps, working remotely or living an experience virtually, and it is becoming more and more of a practical solution. Brands are paying much more attention to such social platforms, seeing the great effect it has and how fast consumers are adapting to it.”
In Shanghai, switching to digital allowed designers to offer customers a personalised viewing experience, as well as a see-now, buy-now option of the current season, plus the ability to place pre-orders on the autumn / winter collection. The result was an impressive 11 million views and a cool $2.82 million (Dh10,356,450) in sales.
However, Murad has misgivings about this digital approach, as he feels it cannot replicate the hands-on experience of seeing couture up close.
"For couture, customers want to physically see and feel the fabrics, they want to experience the many hours put into the gown," he says. "Customers enjoy the luxurious purchasing experience associated with couture, so it will be a bit tricky to implement that digitally. The early stages of made-to-measure would be easy to adapt to, as meetings could be done via Skype or Zoom."
The second stage, however, usually requires physical interaction, he says, as the client and maison discuss the custom-made looks.
"It will definitely be challenging for us to come up with a new, safe business model to replace this phase, while maintaining the customer experience. The couture fashion industry would really have to step up the game and discover new business models that are adaptable to the situation."
Murad is right – there is yet to be a digital alternative to the deeply personal experience of having clothes made to measure, so the couture industry need not panic just yet. After all, there will always be the super rich who like to dress in beautiful clothes. Al Ali instead sees this enforced break in the calendar as an opportunity to explore new ways to connect with clients, who are now ready to embrace a new approach.
“We have seen a movement of virtual shows starting to appear during fashion weeks, and we have also reached a level of evolution where the focus is mainly on the experience," explains Al Ali.
"Fashion has always been, and will always be, the mirror that reflects the transformations of society and the human race, so probably the near future will be about what you show and how you show, not where you show."
As designers before them have done in testing times, undoubtedly the couture industry will survive this strange and disconcerting time, although in quite what form, we will have to wait and see.
But what we do know is that, without them, the world would undoubtedly be a far less beautiful place.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Match info
Manchester United 1
Fred (18')
Wolves 1
Moutinho (53')
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
PROVISIONAL FIXTURE LIST
Premier League
Wednesday, June 17 (Kick-offs uae times) Aston Villa v Sheffield United 9pm; Manchester City v Arsenal 11pm
Friday, June 19 Norwich v Southampton 9pm; Tottenham v Manchester United 11pm
Saturday, June 20 Watford v Leicester 3.30pm; Brighton v Arsenal 6pm; West Ham v Wolves 8.30pm; Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 10.45pm
Sunday, June 21 Newcastle v Sheffield United 2pm; Aston Villa v Chelsea 7.30pm; Everton v Liverpool 10pm
Monday, June 22 Manchester City v Burnley 11pm (Sky)
Tuesday, June 23 Southampton v Arsenal 9pm; Tottenham v West Ham 11.15pm
Wednesday, June 24 Manchester United v Sheffield United 9pm; Newcastle v Aston Villa 9pm; Norwich v Everton 9pm; Liverpool v Crystal Palace 11.15pm
Thursday, June 25 Burnley v Watford 9pm; Leicester v Brighton 9pm; Chelsea v Manchester City 11.15pm; Wolves v Bournemouth 11.15pm
Sunday June 28 Aston Villa vs Wolves 3pm; Watford vs Southampton 7.30pm
Monday June 29 Crystal Palace vs Burnley 11pm
Tuesday June 30 Brighton vs Manchester United 9pm; Sheffield United vs Tottenham 11.15pm
Wednesday July 1 Bournemouth vs Newcastle 9pm; Everton vs Leicester 9pm; West Ham vs Chelsea 11.15pm
Thursday July 2 Arsenal vs Norwich 9pm; Manchester City vs Liverpool 11.15pm
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Leaderboard
64 - Gavin Green (MAL), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
65 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Victor Perez (FRA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
66 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Aaron Rai (ENG), Ryan Fox (NZL)
67 - Dustin Johnson (USA), Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (ESP), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Francesco Laporta (ITA), Joost Luiten (NED), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
68 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Matthieu Pavon (FRA), Adrian Meronk (POL), David Howell (ENG), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Sean Crocker (USA), Scott Hend (AUS), Justin Harding (RSA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Renato Paratore (ITA)
Punchy appearance
Roars of support buoyed Mr Johnson in an extremely confident and combative appearance
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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ARGYLLE
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Nashrah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Mutaqadim, Riccardo Iacopini, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Jose Santiago, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dalil Al Carrere, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Jayide Al Boraq, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
