< Previous20 - MOODBOA R D - Rainbow Bright What do we want? Optimism! When do we want it? Now! 1. All of the Colours digitally printed bull hide by Solange Azagury-Partridge for Bill Amberg Print, print.billamberg.com 2. The Villa Noailles Boutique in Hyères, France, has been given a bright makeover by Pierre Yovanovitch 3. Mambo armchair by Spanish brand Houtique, houtique.es 4. La DoubleJ x Salviati Murano glasses, ladoublej.com 5. Rainbow Spectrum lacquer tray by Matilda Goad, matildagoad.com 6. Versace Resort 2021 7. Chachacha pouf by Houtique, as before 8. A peppy palette at Prada AW20 9. Cristalloide Rainbow console by Hervé Van der Straeten, vanderstraeten.fr 10. The Happy Rug by Sonya Winner, sonyawinner.com 11. Rainbow ombré sequined cushion by Ashish, matchesfashion.comP HOTO S: LUC BER T R A N D 12 3 8 6 9 10 11 6 7 4 5 AD_036_20_Radar_Moodboard_11452013.indd 2013/12/2020 09:36:41 AM21 - CR A F T - For its new Home & Offi ce Objects collection, Berluti collaborated with a group of respected European makers, including Vienna brass workshop Werkstätte Carl Auböck. Creative director Kris Van Assche has commissioned Berluti editions of iconic archive designs, many of which are no longer in production yet are highly prized by collectors. Our favourite though, is a new set of vases by London-based designer Simon Hasan, made using a 15th Century craft technique in which vegetable tanned leather is heated in water on wooden moulds. The seam is secured with stainless steel hardware and the organic forms are sealed inside with resin, before being fi nished in the Berluti atelier with its signature hand-applied patina. berluti.com – S.A. Mould Maker AD_036_21_Radar_Berluti_11448781.indd 2113/12/2020 05:44:31 PMS T YLE CULTURE N E WNE S S GQ MIDDLEEAST.C O M Untitled-2 101/11/2020 14:33:29T ravel enthusiasts Azel Ait-Mokhtar and Youri Asantcheeff are the two creative minds behind fl edgling design studio Ibkki. The duo — who graduated in 2015 — met while studying interior design in Paris, where they are now based. They knew immediately they would work together, thanks to their common passion for handcrafting (metalwork for Asantcheeff and wood for Ait-Mokhtar). “One day, I invited Youri to Algeria, my parents’ country, to show him the treasures of the Kabylie region,” says Ait-Mokhtar. “One of my father’s friends introduced us to some local craftsmen. We met an artist we bonded with and decided to launch Ibkki.” Taking time to fi nd out more about the artisans Ait-Mokhtar and Asantcheeff are collaborating with is at the core of the studio’s ethos. Their creative process lies in the concept of residency, with collections taking between fi ve and eight months. “Our initial trips are spent fi nding exceptional craftsmen,” they explain. “Then we work closely with them every day in their workshops. Our approach is that of appren- tices, in order to learn ancestral techniques.” Experimenting with diff erent types of han- dles, decorations and glazes gives life to unique pieces (mostly vases, but also plates and bowls) with bright colours and geometric forms. “We wanted to get away as much as possible from the formal archetypes of traditional Kabyle pottery, while drawing inspiration from other aspects of the culture,” Ait-Mokhtar explains. “We love to confront things that don’t normally work together and see how things go.” The designers use local materials where possible, combining deep and contrasting 23 The founders of Ibkki draw inspiration from Numidia — the ancient territory of the Berber people — to create colourful ceramics Nomadic Spirit T - NA ME TO K NOW - lthi t Al B hues inspired by the colours of Algeria. “Every piece that we make has a link to something that infl uenced us during our stay,” adds Asantcheeff . “Through our new collection, ‘The sun’s not gone’, we want people to have the feeling of being surround- ed by the mountains, the sky and the sea; the nostalgia of reminiscing about the sun’s warmth on your skin.” Already planning new projects, Ait- Mokhtar and Asantcheeff have started a collaboration with a fashion designer and a brand that crafts rugs in Iran. Soon they will return to Algeria to create monumental pieces with a local master. “We also have the dream to go to Mali to meet indigo-dyeing artists,” says Ait-Mokhtar. “We want to explore other materials and travel to diff erent countries to meet new craftspeople and continue to be inspired by other cultures.” ibbki.com – KARINE MONIÉ Azel Ait-Mokhtar (left) and Youri Asantcheeff . AD_036_23_Radar_NameToKnow_Ibbki_11454011.indd 2313/12/2020 09:37:32 AM24 - BOOKS - S uperlatives vie for attention when attempting to describe Beijing’s Forbidden City. The largest and most well-preserved palace com- plex in the world, it’s more citadel than mere royal residence, struc- tured as a series of linked courtyard buildings containing a bewildering number of rooms (9,999 and a half, according to legend, but the real number is a little less). As a museum, the palace hosts one of the most varied exhibition programmes on earth, showcasing its unri- valled collection of paintings, ceramics, lac- querware, jade and textiles. Cultural fi gures as diverse as Franz Kafk a and Marco Polo have professed themselves overwhelmed by its power (Polo described it as “the greatest palace that ever was”), and even the fearsome Chairman Mao saw in it a rival. His Communist Party imagined demol- ishing the Forbidden City and constructing a socialist equivalent in its place that would outrank it in scale and magnifi cence. Such an edifi ce deserves a monumental tribute, and Assouline’s new book Forbidden City: The Palace at the Heart of Chinese Culture ($995) strives to be just that. It’s pre- sented in a glossy red box reminiscent of Imperial lacquerware, and includes an intri- cately carved map of the palace layout. An introductory essay explores not only the 600- year history of the building, but its enduring symbolic relevance in modern China; it is penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson, who’s worked in the country for over 20 years. Along with lavish photographs, depicting architecture, artefacts and aston- ishing ornamental trees, it off ers an enchant- ing glimpse of what life was like for the emper- ors, armies, merchants and concubines who walked its grounds. Assouline.com – A.B . P H O T O S : H A IW E I H U /G E T T Y; O S VA L D S IR É N , E A S T A S IA N M U S E U M , S W E D E N ; W O R L D M O N U M E N T S F U N D . Described as ‘the greatest palace that ever was’ a new book explores the wonders of Beijing’s Forbidden City Secret Citadel Yongle Emperor (r. 1402–1424), third emperor of the Ming dynasty. LEFT: Interior of the Juanqinzhai, a hall in the Palace of Tranquil Longevity THIS IMAGE AND ABOVE: Views of the magnifi cent, 114 feet-high Meridian Gate, or Wumen. AD_036_24_Radar_Books_11452904.indd 2413/12/2020 09:38:44 AM25 - DECOR ATING - For 2021, Jotun has unveiled ‘Rediscover’, a paint colour collection which taps into our collective yearning for security and peace of mind during times of uncertainty. The soothing range features 17 newly developed colours complemented by 12 timeless hues selected from the paint specialist’s 60-year-strong archive. Responding to the mood of the moment, Jotun’s experts have curated four distinct colour stories: warm, earthy shades inspire a feeling of comfort; soft neutrals dial down the visual volume in space; muted pastels have a dreamlike, nostalgic vibe; and airy blues and ‘weathered’ tones recall the the sea and sky as we spend more time indoors. Our favourites are the botaniclal ‘Greef Leaf’ and stony grey ‘Objective’, shown here. colourtrendsme.jotun.com – SAIQA AJMAL Wall Power AD_036_25_Radar_Jotun_11450181.indd 2513/12/2020 09:58:17 AM- WELLBEING - HAVE A BALL Italian luxury label Loro Piana has launched a wellness collection spanning leisurewear, workout gear and lifestyle products in partnership with supermodel and yoga afi cionado Christy Turlington. The ‘Art of Wellbeing’ range off ers a stylish twist on fi tness; exercise balls, weights, yoga mats, skipping ropes and water bottles have all been decadently wrapped in Loro Piana’s waterproof cashmere. An avid yogi since the age of 18, Turlington is is committed to spreading awareness of the health benefi ts of the practise, making her the perfect poster-girl for the new collection. ‘I know I can positively alter whatever mood I am in by just moving,’ she says. loropiana.com – CHANDLER TREGASKES FUTURE OF FITNESS Fitness equipment doesn’t come more sophisticated than Technogym’s and its latest innovation is a gamechanger. Accessed via consoles on all of the designs (including the sleek Bike Personal, right) and the Mywellness mobile app, Technogym Live combines all of the brand’s own content with new programmes from sought-after trainers around the world. The idea is that you can create an a bespoke routine to suit your needs and change it up as you like. Better still, with Technogym Sessions, users can stream one-on-one workouts on demand. technogym.com – A.B. With many of us still working from home, it’s the perfect time to nuture better health habits. Here’s the ultimate kit Get Physical AD_036_26-27_Radar_Wellbeing_11456461.indd 2613/12/2020 09:59:25 AM27 - SPACES - The Sensasia Stories Spa at Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates is a spectacular new arrival on Dubai’s burgeoning wellness scene thanks to a theatrical-yet-thoughtful interior by design studio Roar. “Sensasia is a pan-Asian brand, so we cast the net wide to understand the architecture of the region,” says creative director Pallavi Dean. “The end result is a nod to all of these cultures – but a very contemporary version.” The illuminated arches that dominate the lobbies are a case in point. The colour palette is earthy and restrained with layers of tactile materials; it’s a calm, cocooning space, designed for all senses. sensasiaspas.com – S.A. Feast for the Senses AD_036_26-27_Radar_Wellbeing_11456461.indd 2713/12/2020 09:59:45 AM125 Between the Lines Richard Yasmine’s After Ago collection is a tribute to Beirut’s architecture – and resilience 28 AD_036_28-29_Radar_Design Richard Yasmine_11445363.indd 2813/12/2020 10:00:51 AM- DESIGN - It was interior architect and product designer Richard Yasmine’s birthday when the Beirut blast tore through his house in the Ashrafi eh area. He now refers to 4 August as the day he was reborn. “I lost a big part of my life and career that day,” says the designer who has demonstrated the resilience that the Lebanese are renowned for by creating an evocative new collection of objects. Ranging from vases and seating to shelving, all the ‘After Ago’ pieces are both sculptural and functional, and decorated with rhythmic black- and-white lines which echo arches – a meaning- ful tribute to Beirut’s architectural heritage, which is undergoing an unforeseen metamor- phosis. “The city has experienced many diff erent chapters throughout the years and always rises from the ashes,” he adds. The black and white stripes connect to the lay- ered history of the Lebanese capital and the col- lection artfully demonstrates how the repetition of a simple motif can create a range of objects. Inspired by art deco, the Memphis movement and brutalism, the streamlined designs are imbued with meaning and a touch of fantasy. Yasmine always endeavours to take a fresh approach to the cultural traditions of his home- land, collaborating with local artisans while also embracing the creative potential of new technol- ogies. But to produce After Ago, he went back to basics, crafting and painting each piece himself using a range of materials: foam, lightweight con- crete plaster, acrylic and stoneware and clay. richardyasmine.com – SAIQA AJMAL AD_036_28-29_Radar_Design Richard Yasmine_11445363.indd 2913/12/2020 10:01:03 AMNext >