New York, London, Paris, Milan and...Dubai?

 

 

New York, London, Milan, Paris. For any self-respecting fashionista, the penny (or rather, Dirham) has already dropped. They are all eclectic, elegant cities that are synonymous with the world of fashion. Their history is cemented in thousands of books, their designers worshipped the world over, and the iconic trends will remain on high-streets and runways for many years to come. In short, their influence on the industry is timeless.

 

However, as the world we live in becomes one that is dominated by mass commercial travel and our travel plans become more ambitious every year, it seems no country is off limits for us to be inspired by when it comes to our wardrobe. The world is our oyster! Our grandparents may not have even had a passport, our parents may have been the pioneers for exotic adventures but we, today, seem to have become transient in our very nature. Of course, we all have a natural bond and love for our homelands, but we know that the opportunities to travel and sample other cultures are limitless.

 

Globalisation is all around us. It’s in our cuisine, home decor, on our TV’s, our art and literary choices and in our fashion. Many up and coming cities are on the cusp on joining the likes of London, Paris, and Milan when it comes to being fashion-forward cities of the world.  Our very own Dubai is perhaps one of the key burgeoning cities that must be mentioned.  Dubai can often be labelled as a conservative city, not a word that resonates with leaders in the fashion industry. However, while Dubai is a conservative city and one that upholds its strong customs and faith, it offers a unique opportunity to see how an influx of nationalities and a transient, ambitious youth movement has created an unexpected, yet deserving, fashion ‘it-crowd’.

 

 A fashion capital is a city which has a major influence on international fashion trends and as the undoubted fashion capital of The Middle East, Dubai certainly ticks that box. The sceptical side of me should also point out that it has been said many times that fashion in Dubai, in terms of real people, day to day, is actually quite boring. A trip down London’s Oxford Street, Manhattan’s 5^th Avenue and Champs-Élysées in Paris is a visionary feast for the eyes, full of colours, crazy looks, sky-high heels and make-up and hair to make you do a double-take. A trip to Dubai Mall or a walk along the Marina won’t give you that same shock value, but you will see impeccably dressed men and women, albeit with a little-less flesh on show. The Dubai-based designers taking the credit for some of these glamorous creations are making a name for themselves across the world thanks to their beautiful and elaborate abaya designs. Handmade fabrics in an array of colours and styles are being praised for their beauty around the world. In this year’s Spring and Summer catwalk shows, many fashion houses have already used Middle Eastern colours and prints to inspire their designs and it is not showing any sign of slowing down.

 

 So whilst Dubai might be lagging behind its crazy, eccentric fashion counterparts, its take on fashion is unique for that very reason. Within the dress code that exists, Dubai has managed to create a burgeoning fashion industry that is both modern and traditional. Fashion may have no limitations, but here in Dubai, it does. Local customs are honoured and respected but the dedication to look glamorous is so strong that Dubai is still able to draw attention to itself and its fashionistas. The fact remains however that Dubai is known for being brand-focused and all about having the must-have designers and looks. Having the on-trend brands and the money to buy them is worlds apart from other cities and their consistent need to push the fashion envelope and be daringly different. On-trend or trendsetter? Two very different looks, possibly the very dilemma limiting Dubai from reaching the dizzy heights of the fashion industry.

 

 

 

 

Best Dressed or Best Tressed? Is the Real Crowning Glory this Awards Season our Fave Celebs Hairdo?

 

Forget Christmas, Valentine’s Day and the one day that revolves around just us, our all-important birthday, the real highlight of the year is upon us, Awards Season! As our favourite celebrities sashay down numerous red carpets across the globe, it’s a feast for the eyes thanks to their gravity defying gowns and flawless make-up. However, the inevitable hot or not lists in the media are focusing more and more on another critical part of the process, the make or break hairstyle. With chameleon stars such as Rihanna, Katy Perry and Anna Hathaway opting for dramatic cuts and crazy styles, the ‘hairdo’ is now another way to accessorise your look and compliment the whole ensemble.

Much is documented of A-listers all round commitment to getting in tip top shape ahead of awards seasons. Out come the personal trainers, dermatologists and nutritionalists that travel with them at all times to drop those last few pounds but the preparation to achieve awe-inspiring locks is started just as early. Over styling leads to dry, brittle, tired-looking hair, so in the run up for the big night, every effort is made to ensure the hair is nourished, full and shining nearly as bright as those illusive statues.

Founder and Managing Director of Miriam Quevedo haircare, Miriam Quevedo believes that committing to using a high-quality shampoo and conditioner is the first step to maintaining healthy hair no matter what stresses life can throw at it. Discussing the distress and damage such heavy styling can have on hair, Miriam said: “For a plant to have strong, healthy leaves you have to feed the root. Maintaining great hair is no different, you need a high-performace product that penetrates the scalp to reach the root of the hair while also fighting the three causes of ageing and damage, the natural aging process, environmental damage from pollution, stress and heat styling as well as chemical damage from keratin treatments, dying, perming, curling and bleaching. Our hair should be treated in the same way we treat our skin.”

This year’s Best Actress Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain has become an icon thanks to her love of old-school 1950’s Hollywood glamour, with her pale skin and tumbling red hair. Anne Hathaway’s pixie cut has allowed her to shed her girl next door image whilst bag girl Rihanna uses her hair like a handbag, changing the colour and style almost daily thanks to a 24 hour stylist and love of weaves. One thing’s for sure, the 2013 awards season will make headlines, not just because of the household names picking up the prestigious awards but also thanks to our burgeoning obsession with celebrities real crowning glory, their luscious locks. Trying to emulate the iconic styles yourself? Best get your maintenance routine in full swing to off-set the damage thanks to all the hours you’ll spend at home trying to re-create them yourself. Well they do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

 

Are Celebrity Fragrances Killing the Art Form of Perfumery?

In today’s society it seems we can’t escape celebrity culture. It’s no longer models gracing the covers of luxury magazines, it’s our favourite singers, actors and TV stars. Searching the market for a new phone, TV, holiday destination or family car? Chances are that one of your favourite celebs will be selling it you, dangling the carrot of a lifestyle just like theirs if you indulge in the latest must-have product they are endorsing.

The fragrance and perfume industry is a key area of the beauty world that has been hit by the same celeb-endorsing bug. Celebrity fragrances are now a lucrative business, everyone from Rihanna to Lady Gaga has released their own signature scent, with teen sensation One Direction recently announcing plans to launch their own sweet scent. The prestigious fragrance industry is seeing the market saturated with these scents, creating a new generation of consumers choosing their fragrance purely based on the image on the packaging and a targeted advertising campaign to tap into the millions of fans ‘on-trend’ celebs have. Seventy three celebrity scents were launched in 2012, I’m sure such an excessive number must be taking away from the art form of perfumery and the longevity many of the most prestigious, luxury brands pride themselves on having in the market.

Brad Pitt’s advert for Chanel was recently voted the worst advert of 2012, considering he was paid millions to star in the adverts, was his involvement really worth it to such an established brand as Chanel? Or was the perfume giant simply trying to keep up with the growing move towards celebrity endorsement? Call me cynical but I wonder how involved some of the celebrities are in the creation and design process. If we are forever bombarded by how busy such mega-stars are, how do they find the time to create their fragrances? Something which takes even the most experienced of perfumers months, sometimes even years, to finalise. The creation process is often an all-consuming development over an almost holistic and at all times, authentic journey for the most dedicated of perfumers. Worryingly, thirty-one of the top one hundred selling perfumes in 2012 were endorsed by a celebrity, leaving one to wonder if such entries really are the best products or simply supported by a marketing machine worthy enough to push such big-name brands.

A worrying development is that perhaps the face of the brand is now more important than what is actually in the bottle. The next generation of consumers are unfortunately so highly influenced by their favourite musicians and actors, that their choices in life are so easily guided by the likes of Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Beyonce. The small light at the end of the tunnel is that the average lifespan of a celebrity fragrance is just three years. Could this signal a change in the industry? Could some young consumers be taking more pride in choosing their scent and paying more attention to the work of the perfumer instead? Let’s hope so. Here at Mitonia, we represent many of the world’s most unique scents, bringing a variety of luxury, niche brands to our fans in the GCC. Brands such as LINARI, BOIS 1920, Ineke and Humiecki & Graef are created using the finest raw materials, resulting in a combination of superior quality and a high olfactory complexity. Individualism is key, leaving little room for celebrity endorsement by the latest pop star to reign supreme in the charts.

Let’s hope the sweet smell of success for niche fragrances continues to heighten and our celebrity-crazed culture takes note.

For more information on Mitonia visit: www.mitonia.ae