The wait is finally over; iconic Italian fashion houses Prada and Miu Miu have put down roots in the UAE as part of a joint-venture with partner Al Tayer Insignia. With a combined floor space of around 280 square meters at Dubai's Burjuman Shopping Centre, the labels' ready-to-wear collection bags, shoes and accessories are something to behold.
There's something about visiting the new Prada store in Saks Fifth Avenue that prompts better posture, head held higher - adds a saunter to the step, even.
After rounding the centre's many twists and turns, I finally spied the boutique's imposing black Marquina marbled façade, with its chromed trimmed window displays. In one, an exquisite pair of red suede Camoscio pumps.
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Making my way across the freshly vacuumed carpet inside, I instantly regretted having worn a simple maxi dress and flip flops: it is a space, designed by architect Roberto Baciocchi, that has clearly dressed up for the occasion.
The flagship boutique for the Italian brand in the region - the first in the UAE, open from last week - was always going to make a statement. Its geometric interior with ceiling-high shelves of handbags and gleaming light-boxes filled with wallets and purses, had me wondering where to start.
In the end I made my way to a mirror-backed recess in which hung arguably the softest leather jackets known to man. From conventional black to bubblegum pink and sunset orange, these cropped designs took biker chic to a whole new level. Also making me wish it wasn't 40°C outside: double-faced cashmere coats trimmed in mink and belted winter jackets with luxuriously thick fox-fur tippets.
Then, there were gloves - lots and lots of them. Bicep-skimming, camel coloured suede ones with gold stud holes that felt like a second skin and the fingerless ones, that made me imagine taking the wheel of a convertible Alfa Romeo 8C Spider.
The gloves also extended to evening wear, with satin creations complementing the high-necked gowns on the mannequins dotted around the store. And because no girl is complete without a clutch this season, naturally Prada had one for every occasion including those heavily jewelled to match the embellished necklines of the floor-sweeping column evening dresses.
Having gazed googly-eyed at what felt like every item of the label's autumn/winter 2011 ready-to-wear collection, it was time to rest my weary bones and sink into one of store's plush lilac velvet sofas. As luck would have it, I found myself seated in front of a towering, multicoloured shoe display. And because it would have been rude not to - I let my feet purr inside some patent kitten heels and do a quick turn in some python calf length boots.
As I bid a fond arrivederci to Prada, it was time to take a hop, skip and a jump across the corridor and say buona sera to the fashion label's funky little sister Miu Miu. Another new addition to Saks, the stunning exterior with its brass studded damask and walls upholstered in gold brocade gave the boutique a warm and welcoming glow.
I found myself drawn trance-like to the dazzling, glinting shoe display to the right of the entrance. From Dorothy-in-The-Wizard-of-Oz-like chunky heeled pumps, to trainers and low-rise sneaker boots with metal toe caps: almost everything had been given the sequin treatment.
The collection was about full-on glamour and wonderfully unabashed in its celebration of all things sparkly. For the more conservative of tastes, Miu Miu had things covered by means of a stunning pair of midnight blue pumps with a token "Cinderella" Swarovski crystal heel.
The bags were equally intricate, continuing the fairytale theme in the method of display, they were perched on glass toadstools and mirrored shelves around the store.
The show-stopping accessories were the mink stoles. Colours ranged from warm honey to rich chocolate, with pelts fashioned into single loops finished off with a small bow detail.
Reminiscent of the unrivalled glamour of the 50s, furs were draped on the shoulders of fitted winter coats and even snugly wrapped around the hips of pencil skirts like cosy peplums. Daring to dream and imagining this versatile item having pride of place in my wardrobe - I searched in vain for a price tag. A friendly sales assistant came to the rescue and said the words I feared to hear : "Dh27,000".
My curiosity sated and hopes deflated, it was time to head for home. I had spent a wonderful evening in the finest Italian company, but had to admit, when it comes to designer clothes of any label - the adage undoubtedly rings true: if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it.
Kamindu Mendis bio
Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis
Born: September 30, 1998
Age: 20 years and 26 days
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team
Batting style: Left-hander
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
SPECS
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
