< PreviousInside Dolce&Gabbana’s Alta Sartoria: perhaps the wildest, most luxurious shopping experience in menswear I See It, I Want It, I Got It W ORDS AD AM B AID A WI GQME_017_50_51_NOW_STYLE_Dolce Shows_11279387.indd 5030/04/2020 15:50:30ALTA SARTORIA Style I t was around 1am, and the drinks, penne and adrenaline had magnifi- cently loosened up the vocal cords on stage. Hits from Adele, Queen and El- ton John were being lovingly, if imperfect- ly, recreated. It was like a live television set, only better-dressed. This was a party done wild and exotic and with no compromise on detail: a six-screen mega-production that had all the grandeur of a localised version of The Voice. There were interstitial screens playing stingers (short, radio-station-like music hits), there was an MC, there was a live band, there were golden, micro- phone-shaped trophies dotted across the room, and, on stage, a hand-picked selection of Dolce&Gabbana’s VVIP clientele. This here, inside Metropol, the Milan club owned by Dolce&Gabbana, was the grand send-off to one of the most extrava- gant and exclusive experiences in interna- tional fashion: Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana began presenting the men’s and women’s haute couture collections some eight years ago, as a sort of luxe, bespoke counterpoint DANDY WARS Alta Sartoria sees the super-rich com- pete to own stunning one-of-a-kind pieces ing an affinity between shopper and brand, so much so that the very things that give each an identity – like the gait in which one walks, the way one dresses for a meeting, the way one cuts their hair, the way someone greets their guests at a dinner – becomes intertwined. And, when it comes to their most valued clients, Signori Dolce and Gab- bana do this dance well. Few brands can do something so personal on a scale so grand. Though, in our current moment, the idea of a “des- tination show” is a far-flung fashion memory, it’s not difficult to say that this biannual event manages to feel something entirely more wonder-filled than even the most dizzying and inventive cruise or couture shows. Here, you arrive at Malpensa airport discreetly. Instead of a typical trans- fer service – from airlines that are no stranger to high levels of service – the brand insists on send- ing one of its own private drivers, each of whom feel as though they’ve been cast for, say, a Light Blue fragrance commercial. Discussing all of this glamour and pam- pering is not to suggest that there isn’t a to- tally-real undercurrent of adrenaline to the whole exercise. Once the whispers started spreading in ultra-wealthy circles, peppered with details from these otherworldly Dolce vita itineraries, a glammed-up smorgasbord of the world’s most wealthy fashion fans began flying in, at their own expense. There have been seed-round-flush Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, South American industrial- ists, nouveau-riche Chinese businesspeople, old-money fund managers, and, though very discreetly, more than a few royals. It’s as pure a concentration of wealth and power you can imagine – and they’re all vying for one-of-a-kind pieces, marking Alta Sartoria as not only an elite social gathering, but an event that’s amongst the most dandy (and silent) competitions on the planet. With company like this, it’s a shopping holiday where you most certainly will plan every outfit to the hour. On stage at Metropol on that closing night in Decem- ber, one American client, who simply said that he worked in finance, could be seen wandering confidently around the club wearing a literal golden crown, one that was perhaps procured from Alta Gioielleria, the brand’s high jewellery collection. But it’s not just an arms race to be the best-dressed in a room in whatever far-flung location the brand has chosen that season: even during the runway shows, clients can be seen requesting their chosen pieces on the now-legendary WhatsApp groups whose existence the brand won’t officially confirm or deny. The thinking is that these chat groups are where the one-of-a-kind Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria masterpieces are allocated – on a first-come, first-serve basis. So it was at the setting for this Alta Sar- toria: Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, the Ambrosian Library, home to the Pina- coteca Ambrosiana gallery. After weaving through the backstage pre-production area, you could look left and see Caravaggio’s Basket of Fruit, right and see Leonardo’s Codex Atlanticus. Again, a spectacle of spectacles – the most personal of personal. “We won’t know why we got permission to show here,” Gabbana said before the show began. “But we got it.” The designers described the show as, “the culmination of a dream”. Though Milan was on the list of more grounded locations for Alta Sartoria, what became clear is the bond the designers had with their city. “In a few hours, our sartorial creations… will become everyone’s heritage.” The collection that followed was as lavish and romantic as the brief – Renaissance-lev- el, renaissance-inspired couture. There were luxe coats dipped in criss-crossing patterns of 24-carat gold, more velvet than you could ever hope to wear at La Scala, and, on one ornate cape, a recreation of the fruit that appeared on Caravaggio’s nearby canvas. The clients stared, they filmed, they WhatsApped, and soon after, they owned. Earlier this year, a few months after the theatrics at Metropol and Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Reuters reported that the designers had received offers for the group. “But we have no intention to sell,” said Stefano Gabbana. And, for a brand built on intimacy, and on a singular, controlled fantasy, that was little surprise. Much like the DNA of Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria themselves, the most private world of Stefano and Dominico feels destined to remain personal – by invitation only. ■ One American client could be seen wandering confidently around the club wearing a literal golden crown. to Paris’ dominant couture shows and the jet setting-rise of ready-to-wear cruise col- lections. D&G’s Alta Moda and Sartoria shows – which actually encompass three- or four-day experiences – have been presented everywhere from London to Tokyo to New York to discreet pockets of Italy. And each of these events have been a sort of sartorial Olympics for those shoppers who hold the brand dearest: a chance to see and shop one-of-a-kind creations, right off a runway that takes the idea of “invitation-only” to an entirely different sphere. But, of course, the runways and the shop- ping are only one part of this outsized crea- tion. Guests are also treated to an itinerary that regularly includes private art gallery viewings, trips to the beach, five-course dinners, and masked balls. (This event, in Milan, included lunch on stage at La Scala, which, for those not versed in virtuosos like Bellini, Puccini and Verdi, is the equivalent of being privately invited onto the pitch at Camp Nou.) In its most dramatic form, the business of luxury is, really, the business of loyalty: forg- @GQMIDDLEEA S T SUMMER 2020 51 GQME_017_50_51_NOW_STYLE_Dolce Shows_11279387.indd 5130/04/2020 15:50:44Style ACCESSORIES WORDS: AD AM BAID A WI PHO TOGRAPHY : MA TTHEW BEEDLE There’s a case for carrying a little iconography, everywhere you go Earn Your Stripes OKAY, OKAY, OKAY: when it comes to Fendi, we’re all familiar with the interlocked F motif that has graced coveted pieces the world over. But don’t sleep on the power of the Pequin – the instantly recognisable stripe that was born in 1987 under the tenure of Karl Lagerfeld and the Fendi sisters. It’s one thing to create iconography, but another altogether to create a logo that’s logo-less. These black and brown tobacco stripes have a knack for elevating anything they adorn – particularly bags. As we’ve noted a few times, the man-bag (also known as, y’know, the bag) is entering its moment, with men’s accessory lines increasingly reimagining legendary silhouettes for a new gender. Silvia Venturini Fendi’s Fall 2019 collection debuted a new Fendi Baguette for men – and the iconic Pequin motif has continued into her SS20 line-up and beyond. It’s a stripe that speaks loud – an icon created with just a few strokes. And in an age dominated by logomania, there’s never been a more stylish time to carry an icon. 52 SUMMER 2020 @ G Q M I D D L E E A S T GQME_017_52_NOW_Style Fendi_11274934.indd 5230/04/2020 15:52:23ILL US TRA TION: MICHAEL HOEWELER IMA GE : SUPPLIED Buyer Beware I see it all the time: people hoping to make a statement by adding diamond embellishments or even personal branding to their prized watches, to suit their personal tastes. And look, I understand why people might wish to make these modifications. Sometimes brand colour palettes can be quite conservative – I’ve seen traditional dials switched out for pastel colours, but it can come at a cost. The first thing to be aware of when buying a modified watch, or when considering modifying a watch that you wish to purchase, is that you will instantly lose the warranty from either the brand or the retailer. Real talk: No authorised retailer will service a modified watch. On top of this, if the timepieces have been modified and opened up, with alterations made such as a dial that has been changed or col- ours of the metal that have been altered, then it’s really tricky for someone else to service or execute repairs on parts that The risk to your investment is even greater if you buy from an unauthorised retailer or dealer. We’ve had clients bring authentic, brilliant watches to our ser- vice centre, only to discover that they’d been sold a stolen watch. When that happens, we have to report it to the po- lice – which means the client loses out completely, as the watch will be seized. These situations often happen when people turn to re-sellers who are hawk- ing timepieces that are hard to find in the primary market – if you can’t buy it through an authorised dealer, but manage to find it in the black or grey market, chances are it’s stolen. Or fake. These watches might have an original case with a fake movement. The rise- and-rise of these unfortunate incidents is why some brands such as Audemars Piguet, MB&F or H. Moser & Cie are moving towards providing pre-owned timepieces, in a totally similar way that say, Mercedes or BMW might. It’s also why some larger businesses are establish- ing certified pre-owned platforms, like Watch Finder or Watchbox.com. There is one more risk you should be aware of when buying a watch. It’s a little more nebulous, but no less real: ignoring your gut instinct. If anyone tells you that buying a cer- tain watch will guarantee ROI, or start talking about how it will have a set value tomorrow – beware. Always buy what you like, always buy for the right reasons. Take a glance at some of the most popular mod- els of the mo- ment: the Patek Aquanaut or Nautilus, or the Rolex Dayto- na. There was a time, not ter- ribly long ago, that these mod- els would sit in our display window, for weeks on end, without moving – especially the Nautilus. People just weren’t interested. But consumer interest changes. Now, we can’t put a Nautilus on display anymore. We don’t have enough stock to cater to demand. ■ COLUMNIST Watches Watch columnist Hind Seddiqi breaks down the risks to avoid when buying a new timepiece The Audemars Piguet Millenary is a hidden gem in the AP family: a watch that brings back the old tradition of fine watch making of the Vallée de Joux, with a modern twist. This reference has long since caught my eye. Okay, take your eyes off the vintage collection- inspired opal dial, and the frosted gold finishing – they will still be waiting there when we’re done. My reason this watch is worth owning? The equally sophisticated and gorgeous movement that reveals one of my favourite pieces of eye candy: a visible balance wheel. Millenary Frosted Gold Opal Dial, price on request, Audemars Piguet A TIMEPIECE ON MY MIND aren’t original. And as the modifications are often made in very uncertified plac- es, it means that the watches then end up with problems that are very difficult to fix. These modifications can give the false impression of a vintage timepiece or limited edition – buyers need to check the reference number when buying in order to ensure they are getting some- thing original. Customers should also be wary of buying watches with modified bracelets. My family’s company see a lot of personal shoppers selling timepiec- es with bracelets that weren’t originally supplied by the brand – whether for aes- thetic purposes or to dupe the customer into thinking the timepiece is original – either way, the warranty will also be completely invalidated. In almost all cases, a watch will lose a significant value the moment it is altered. One exception: Marlon Brando casually engraving his name to the back of his Rolex GMT Master. Engraving is a personal touch you can embrace, too. Let’s put modifications aside, though. “Modification can give a false impression of a vintage timepiece or limited edition.” @GQMIDDLEEA S T SUMMER 2020 53 GQME_017_53_NOW_WATCH_Column_11275013.indd 5330/04/2020 15:53:51The Mercedes-Benz line-up of SUVs might be the luxury cars that finally acquaint style and versatility The Go-Anywhere Car T here was a turning point, you’ll remember. When the SUV went from market curiosity to all-out driver infatuation: they were bigger, roomier beasts with satisfying elevated seating and offered an elusive feel- ing – the feeling that you can go anywhere in this thing. And, amongst the rise-and- rise of the ultra-luxe SUV, Mercedes-Benz has meticulously built-out a line-up that’s worthy of at least one spot in the garage. This cast of mesmerising characters all have the DNA you’d expect from the three-pronged star: stylish, sporty, hand- some. They all come with the MBUX, the brand’s bleeding-edge, wildly intuitive infotainment system, which is replete with controls varying from touch to voice, a personal assistant, and artificial intelligence that will dutifully remember everything from your favourite music playlist to your daily commute. “The best or nothing,” and all that. But together, they offer no short supply of diversity. Take, for instance, the achingly cool, stupidly handsome Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupé. All at once, it’s an (admitted- ly superpowered) mid-size four door. But then, you take in the signature AMG de- sign cues, like the distinct radiator grille. Then, you look past the comfort and sport modes and realise that you have options marked “trail” and “sand”, too – and you remember that, yes, this beast can indeed go off-road. Then again, maybe you’re more of a family person – the kind who might want a no-compromise SUV with boatloads of style and versatility. OK, fine. Meet the Mercedes-Benz GLB, and get acquainted with a 7-seater that doesn’t come with any of the traditional drawbacks of the third row. Available on request, the two extra seats are blissfully uncompromised – they have two drinks holders between them, and two stowage compartments that hide a USB charging port. In the Mercedes- Benz GLE – something of a trendsetter in the modern SUV category – the optional third row is even more appealing, thanks to what the brand dubs an “easy entry” function in the fully electrically adjustable second row. Access matters, after all. But all this practicality and style wouldn’t be what it is without smarts. Take, for instance, the DISTRONIC sys- tem, which is available in the UAE, Oman and Kuwait, amongst others. Say you’re driving the Mercedes-Benz GLC. Say that, unbeknownst to you, there’s a traffic jam a few kilometres ahead. Naturally, it’ll let GLS: the literal S-Class of SUVs. The lat- est model is, miraculously, even larger than its predecessor. Call it the king of interior comfort… even for those in the third row. Every seat is electrically adjustable. There are five zones of climate control. If you opt for the rear comfort package, a 7-inch tablet (which has its own docking station) will be ready and waiting for the rear seat rows. Not enough? You can opt for luxury seats with a lumbar massage function. Lest we get carried away even further from, you know, driving, it’s worth re- membering that the GLS is not lacking. It welcomes off-road, even when off-road is less than welcoming. Here, you’ll appre- ciate the intelligent suspension. Bogged down in a sand dune? No sweat. Recovery mode will automatically raise and lower your suspension level several times, mod- ulating the ground pressure of the tyres to gain traction. The GLS essentially rocks itself free. And if all of that free-spirited riding leaves the car a little dirty, you’ll find a final moment of magic in an unexpected place – the carwash. Press a button, and the suspension will move to its highest position, helping to remove any last bits of sand or dirt from the last off-road trip. The exterior mirrors fold. The sunroof and side windows close. Inside, climate control silently switches to air-recirculation mode, to keep things fresh. Everything just feels right. And, if for a second you’re think- ing that all of this is a little excessive? We respectfully disagree. Because, if we’ve learned anything from this line-up, it’s that not even a car wash needs to feel ordinary. ■ GQ Partnership you know – that’s thanks to the help of information from the LiveTraffic system. If, for whatever reason, you choose not to take an alternate route, DISTRONIC will pre-emptively reduce speed close to the jam, all while features like Active Lane Keeping and Active Emergency Stop re- main ready to lend a hand. And sure: we appreciate smarts. We ap- preciate convenience. But every now and then, you need to be reminded that you’re driving something with a little grunt. In those moments, you’ll want to reach for, say, the Mercedes-AMG GLA, and its optional personal racing engineer, AMG TRACK PACE. Woven right into the MBUX, it’s something of a racing coach, ready to offer analysis and improvement of your (we’re sure already competent) driving skills. The system is aided by the GPS and data like lateral and longitudinal acceleration, pedal positions and steering angles. Well-known race tracks – think Nürburgring or Spa Francorchamps – are already stored. But, if you’re one for indi- viduality, it’s possible to record your own circuits, too. But maybe after all of this, you want to go back to where it all started: the reason SUVs went from an experiment to an all- out obsession – size, power, style. For that, we’d direct you to the Mercedes-Benz NEED TO KNOW + Mercedes- AMG GLE 53 Coupé Engine 3.0L inline six-cyl- inder with 48v Output 435hp with EQ Boost Consumption 9.3l/100km Contact mercedes-benz- mena.com 54 SUMMER 2020 @ G Q M I D D L E E A S T GQME_017_54_ADV_Mercedes_11275410.indd 5430/04/2020 15:55:07PHO TOGRAPHY : EFRAIM EVIDOR I t’s tough to remember a time when the conversation on Arab-Ameri- can relations didn’t revolve around disenfranchisement and tension, certainly when living in a post-9/11 era. But the fact is there’s far more to con- temporary Arab-American identity, as a new book by Damascus-born, Califor- nia-raised author Dima Alzayat explains. “I wanted to explore what Arab-American belonging looks like and how individuals are shaped, not only by particular Arab cultures or diaspora communities, but also how a specifically American culture and environment grants or denies them agency,” explains Alzayat of her debut short story collection, Alligator and Other Stories, released this month. That’s not to say that the book avoids tension altogether. The centrepiece story ‘Alligator’, for example, is a compila- tion of first-person accounts, newspaper clippings, letters and social media posts about a Syrian-American couple and a vigilante lynch mob. But just as the Arab-American experience is multifacet- ed, so too is Alligator. Throughout its eight stories, Alzayat’s debut explores gender, family, intergen- erational trauma, assimilation and race. Crucially, the stories evoke displacement in a variety of ways: as a Syrian, as an Arab, as an immigrant and as a woman. Alzayat, who lives in Manchester and is currently a PhD student and associate lecturer at Lancaster University, says it’s important for her to tell stories through the lens of everyday scenarios. Whether that’s a young woman looking back on a childhood with her brother in ‘Ghusl’, or harbouring career ambitions in ‘Only Those Who Struggle Succeed’. “These are the stories that interest me the most,” she says. “Feeling like you’re outside or on the margins of something, whether that’s a social group or an entire society, can lead to valuable insights.” Throughout the stories, a feeling of otherness underpins everything. To Alzayat, this was essential because, well, that’s how she experiences the world, too. “I was born in Syria and lived there until I was seven. I still very much remember what it was like to arrive in the US and not speak English and feel very much on the outside of things. That feeling never really went away,” she recalls. “Now I’m a Syrian-American living in the UK and that feeling is renewed. It makes me pay attention to who else might feel othered, too, and the kind of stories to be found in that space.” The book also grapples with questions around immigration and how identity can be in a state of flux as an immigrant. “Making identity central to my writing is an attempt to reflect the reality that it keeps so many people excluded or marginalised from certain spaces, opportunities or conversations,” she says. “All of the different identities that people have, whether we are talking about race, gender or anything else, significantly affect the kinds of lives they’ll live.” Given that characters’ ethnicities are revealed early on in stories about dias- poric communities and immigrants, one story from the collection stands out. ‘Disappearance’ features protagonists whose ethnicities are not central – nor even vital. “So much of the diaspora and immigrant fiction that gets published centres ethnicity as the sole defining trait of a character or a family or a com- munity,” she Alzayat. “While it’s im- portant, it often replaces other themes or concerns, and that’s something I wanted to push beyond.” Alligator and Other Stories is part of a surge of releases from female writers from the Arab diaspora in recent years, along- side Palestinian-American Etaf Rum’s A Woman Is No Man, Lebanese-British Zahra Hankir’s anthology collection, Our Women on the Ground, and Egyp- tian-Brit Alya Mooro’s part-memoir The Greater Freedom. Like these authors, it could be argued that Alligator offers an alternative narrative of women in the US from the Arab or Middle East- ern diaspora, away from sensationalist or tired tropes. However, Alzayat is keen to distance herself from this idea. “I don’t think I can, or should try to, rep- resent or reshape a region or a people. That isn’t really a responsibility that a writer can lay claim to,” she maintains. “Who gets to write and who gets to be published is linked to factors that privilege certain backgrounds and lan- guages over others.” Even so, there’s no denying the positive effect of literature published about women of Arab heritage, by women of Arab heritage. “This means that that we are writing about ourselves, instead of only being written about,” says Alazayat. “The more voices in the mix, the better!” It’s an opinion that comes with the caveat of representing the women often repre- sented poorly in the media. “At a time when Arabs and Muslims are demonised socially and politically in the US, the UK and elsewhere, as an Arab-Ameri- can woman, I think my voice can be a valuable contribution to the stories that those communities have to tell.” Ultimately though, Alzayat hopes she’ll succeed in her goal to show read- ers that identity is significantly more complex than we perhaps recognise. “I hope to have presented a multiplicity of voices that complicate and add nuance to what is expected of an Arab-American and, by extension, American stories.” ■ Alligator and Other Stories (Picador) by Dima Alzayat is on shelves from May 28 BOOKS Culture “We are writing about ourselves, instead of only being written about.” W ORDS LA YLA HAIDRANI T he Pati ent P u rsuit o f Nua nc e Syrian- American author Dima Alza y at is the latest in a string of Ar ab and Middle Eastern female writers to pr esent a mor e moder n por tr ait of identity @GQMIDDLEEA S T SUMMER 2020 55 GQME_017_55_NOW_Culture_Book Interview_11282163.indd 5530/04/2020 15:57:10W ORDS ANDREW NA G Y PHO T OGRAPHY EFRAIM EVIDOR S TYLING KEANOUSH ZARGHAM Get Your Rocks On You know what they say, diamond-set watches are a man’s best friend Watches ICE WARNING The Ultimate Flex RICHARD MILLE When you’re a watchmaker such as Richard Mille, your day-to-day involves rubbing shoulders with superlatives. So, to go large – like, really large – requires a move so excessive that it’s almost simple. Here’s how you do it: Take the legendary calibre RM017 movement, the iconic Carbon TPT tonneau-shaped case and just add diamonds. Lots of diamonds. RM 17-01 Manual Winding Tourbillon, price on request, Richard Mille GQME_017_56_61_NOW_WATCH Diamond_11271302.indd 5630/04/2020 16:01:30 The Rock Star C AR TIER There’s maximalist and then there’s this! With 1288 diamonds in total, you’ll find 1.64 carats on the case, 0.93 on the black lacquer dial – cue that move with the shake of the wrist – and 16.73 carats on the bracelet. In fact, with so much rock to navigate, we’d advise combining this with a sturdy pair of boots and a backpack. Révélation d’une Panthère, price on request, Cartier @GQMIDDLEEA S T SUMMER 2020 57 GQME_017_56_61_NOW_WATCH Diamond_11271302.indd 5730/04/2020 16:01:42 The King-Maker ROLEX Any update on a classic is always a tricky business. When you’re talking about the watch that changed the day-date game back in 1956, then forget about it. Unless you’re adding diamonds to the bezel, of course. Yeah, 18 Karat yellow gold, a president bracelet and the Rolex gem-setting team doing their stuff? That ought to do it, actually. Day-Date 40, price on request, Rolex 58 SUMMER 2020 @ G Q M I D D L E E A S T GQME_017_56_61_NOW_WATCH Diamond_11271302.indd 5830/04/2020 16:02:02 ICE WARNING Watches The Power Move CHOP ARD The best way to style-out a white gold Chopard piece throwing down 22.8 carat diamonds? A little empire building. From Arabesque motifs – based on embroideries where monarchs would add their insignia – to Roman hour markers and lugs that call on ancient columns. Strap this one on and make for a boardroom takeover of your own. Imperiale collection, price on request, Chopard GQME_017_56_61_NOW_WATCH Diamond_11271302.indd 5930/04/2020 16:02:15Next >