First of all, have I been living under a rock lately?! How come I never knew about Aspinal of London having its own store in Kuwait, in the Avenues to be more precise?!!! I discovered it by coincidence on my way to dropping my kids to Kidzania. And the next surprise was finding one of the hottest collaborations of the season on display right there in front of me!être cécile, the uber-cool brand created by one of my style icons Ysamin Swell, has teamed up with Aspinal of London, designer, manufacturer and retailer of luxury leather goods and accessories for men and women, to present us with a collection of handbags, backpacks, and leather goods that blends the classiness and luxury of Aspinal and the quirky coolness of être cécile. I was hoping to see the famous plaid backpack, made noticeable thanks to Yasmin Swell during fashion week, but unfortunately it wasn't ordered for Kuwait. My 2nd favorite pick is the multi-colored box bag shown in the photo above. It's kind of compact and first the essentials. They also had other styles on display that might appeal to others. Scroll down for more.
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être cécile x Aspinal of London in Kuwait!
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Golden Super Star.. That is What You Are
Golden Goose sneakers were the flavor of the day for my peeps at the office the other day (year we're lucky to have a no-dress code policy in the office! Don't they look super cool in a "you-can't-sit-with-us" kind of way?! I like Golden Goose Delux Brand brand just as much as any sneakers-loving girl, but I have this dilemma with the sizing! Golden Goose Delux Brand is that kind of brand which is not consistent with the sizing, much like Louboutin you know? Which makes picking the right size online a nightmare. I bought a pair once online and it really felt like I was wearing 2 sizes smaller. I don't know if it's just me or other people can relate to it? Let me know your thoughts.
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Outfit of the Day
Man I need to brush-up on my photography skills! Until then, here's a quick outfit of the day post. I took this one while visiting Harvey Nichols Kuwait and I fell in love with this box cross bag by Edie Parker. I was wearing my cropped denim pants by TopShop, Gucci'Princeton' fur lined loafers , and Co flared top from AlOthman.
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Outfit of the Day
Oh my! November flew by. I just realized that I posted one post only during the month of November! Truly a first since I first started blogging in 2007! And here I am, dusting off my favorite place in cyber space, and I couldn’t be happier! Yes, the past month have been busy with family and work, but I have to admit, it felt good to step back and slow down. It gave me a chance to do the things that I always wanted to do for myself and home but couldn't, and at the same time, I have to admit that I missed this place, and all of you. So let's see how many posts I can manage to post on my blog during the month of December.
Let's start with an Outfit of the Day post. I call this outfit my evening wear uniform of the season. I wore it at least 4 times this season and I'm not ashamed to wear it again! These Rosie Assoulin green silk-faille trousers worn under the label's open-front dress were very comfortable to wear and dance in. Plus it's so refreshing to wear something other than a cocktail dress or an evening gown. I paired the outfit with a pair of Alexander Wang sandals and my vintage Chanel mini quilted bag. Comfy and Chic if I must say.
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It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year ...
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Opal x May Jewelry = Joگal
I was approached by the lovely ladies behind local jewelry line Opal and the creative brain behind May Jewelry to photo shoot their latest collaborated line of everyday jewelry, Joگal, currently on display at Qirdala.
Joكale is the Latin word derived from the word jewel, which means playful. May Al Qassar of May Jewelry is notorious for her delicate letter designs, and Opal is recognized for their charming designs using colored beads and precious stones. The result? Playful yet utterly chic pieces of jewelry mixing the Arabic letters with the colored beads. I tired to be as creative as I can with the photo shoot with the help of my amazing friend J. I still need to brush up on my photography skills though! What do you think of the result?
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Exclusive: Confashions Visits Dar Hamad
When I received a call from the representatives of Dar Hamad to come for an exclusive tour and get a first look of this mysterious place, I was thrilled! I have heard so many things about this new venue and wanted to find out more. So I paid Dar Hamad a visit and was beyond amazed by the whole ambiance. Dar Hamad showcasestraditional Kuwaiticuisine and hospitality in all its eras but with a modern and fresh twist.
I was blown away by how gorgeous the interior is, every little detail is well-thought of and utterly unique. The ambiance is modern but managed to preserve the old Kuwaiti identity, taking inspiration from Kuwait in the 50's and 60's (even older!). The interior is designed by the talented Architect and interior designer Jassim Al Saddah of Bab Nimnim. I was also impressed by the management's vision for Dar Hamad. I can't reveal much for now but let me tell you, it will be more than just a restaurant that's for sure!
I haven't tried the food yet, but I have been told that the menu and the dishes are created by two local chefs Jenan Al Asfour and Chef Sadiqa. I can't wait to try out their menu. MMC group, which owns Le Notre, Nagwa, and Dikakeen, are currently operating and managing Dar Hamad on behalf of the owner of the place Ahmad Al Homaizi and family.
I haven't tried the food yet, but I have been told that the menu and the dishes are created by two local chefs Jenan Al Asfour and Chef Sadiqa. I can't wait to try out their menu. MMC group, which owns Le Notre, Nagwa, and Dikakeen, are currently operating and managing Dar Hamad on behalf of the owner of the place Ahmad Al Homaizi and family.
is segmented into different areas, there is the fine dinning area, the gourmet food shop, the Chai lobby, the seasonal roof terrace, a VIP/private Salon for private receptions and "Chai Al Thaha" events, and small hall for corporate and social events. According to the team, there’s nothing like Dar Hamad in the local market, especially with this its unique take on Kuwaiti cuisine and its Kuwaiti-inspired interiors. Scroll down for a quick tour of the place.
Thank you Dar Hamad for giving me access to what will soon be Kuwait's must-visit destination.
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Introducing ARNAA
It's always a treat for me to be introduced to local and regional emerging talents. A few weeks ago I received an e-mail introducing me to a new luxury women footwear brand called Arnaa by a Kuwaiti Shoes Designer Farah Sultan.
As I skimmed through the lookbook, I found myself loving the open-toe flats decorated with bright purple leather orchids. It would make such an ideal shoes to pack for an exotic getaway. Some styles would appeal to those who love quirky cool designs.
As I skimmed through the lookbook, I found myself loving the open-toe flats decorated with bright purple leather orchids. It would make such an ideal shoes to pack for an exotic getaway. Some styles would appeal to those who love quirky cool designs.
According to the brand's bio, Arnaa uses the finest, high quality materials to create stylish footwear that reflects a distinct taste for high-end fashion. All Arnaa shoes are made in Italy, at one of the best shoes factories that has produced some styles for Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin, to ensure that quality and precision is at the center of the production.
Farah Sultan has spent the greater portion of her life studying designs that represent the finest Italian artisan footwear. Following her attainment of a BA degree in Design Management, Shoe Technical Design / Pattern Making and Leadership in the most reputable schools, Farah has worked 5 years in her family business then moved to Milan to study at the prestigious Ars Sutoria School.
Scroll down to view her debut collection for SS 2016. You can view her lookbook by clicking here.
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The Made-To-Order Choos
If you've been following me on snapchat, you would have seen my coverage on Jimmy Choo's event in celebration of their new customized service. Because there is nothing worse than a "twinsie" moment, Jimmy Choo Kuwait has launched its Made-to-Order service, which allows you to customize the label's four top styles by choosing the shoe's color, heel height, materials (leather, silk, suede) AND you can embed your initials into the soles! The shoes then can be yours in 14 weeks flat! Smart!
I'm glad to see Jimmy Choo shaking things up a bit, because honestly the past couple of years, I felt like they have lost their mojo. I would definitely go for the above-shown style if I decide to try their made-to-order service. I'm also seeing some styles from the brand that made a big hit and would have loved to see them in-store in Kuwait like these, these, these, and these.
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Outfit of the Day
This 10 Crosby Derek Lam top felt like wearing a blankie, I wish its sleeves were longer, I would have worn it a zillion time in the cold weather. I loved the fact that it had two different plaid patterns and an asymmetrical hemline to give the illusion of an elongated figure, which I desperately need! I paired it with one of my favorite TopShop pants. They're covered with velvety polkadots and I've had them for at least 4 or 5 years! In spite of their color, they go well with most of the things I have in my closet. They're a keeper for sure! I finished the look with a pair of Gucci's fur-lined slippers, which have become my go-to shoes this season, with and without socks!
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Aurelie Bidermann's Jewelry Showcase in Kuwait
Several weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting Aurelie Bidermann's team members right here in my hometown and fell in love with their designs and what they symbolize. The Showcase was hosted by the ever-so-chic entrepreneur Afrah Bu Hamra. Fashion industry's favorite jewelry designer, Aurelie Bidermann, is recognized for its intricate, bohemian chic aesthetic and is really unique and highly contemporary and – well – just very Parisian cool! The everyday-line is quite reasonably priced for the quality and craftsmanship you're getting. The fine line however, is somewhat pricey, but then again, the designer is using diamonds and precious stones in her designs. I personally fell in love with feathers dipped in gold earring shown in the photo above and ended up getting them too. What I loved about them is that you can actually wear them in two way, you can flip them and get that all gold look, or go for the green side to add a pop of color to your look. Genius design! Scholl down from more highlights of the event.
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New Designer: Kamushki
A few months back, the representatives of an emerging jewelry brand called Kamushki have sent me an e-mail to introduce me to their brand. I was familiar with their designs thanks to instagram's explore page, but I never found out the name of their brand until they've contacted me. Kamushki is a brand that was co-founded by two Libyan-born Switzerland/Dubai-based sisters who had an eye for jewellery and loved to travel to build a knowledge of other cultures.
"In Libya we are big believers of the evil eye and one of the symbols of protection that breaks the eye is the fish.", expressed one of the founders of Kamushki. "In our Libyan traditional clothing there is always big gold fish intertwined within our heavy gold and also we tend to gift a bracelet or small pin with a fish when there is a new born."
Their brand is designed for the 'contemporary, chic and courages’ woman, and the unique designs in the Wishbone and Cyrene collection perfectly embody its heroine muse, creating innovative and eye catching jewellery that tells a story.
The creative sisters came up with their first collection which is the Wishbone collection. They used the fish but reintroduced it in modern, fun and chic way, hence the bone. As for Cyrene collection, it was named after Greek Women warrior which later on a city in Libya that was conquered by the Greeks was named after her. By using sports and fitness symbols such as dumbbells, barbells, medallions and whistles - the everyday items found at the gym, the Cyrene collection is designed to empower the wearer.
To give you more insight into Kamushki, visit their website here. You can follow the brand on Instagram by adding @kamushkijewellery.
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It's a (not so) Cruel Céline
Sigh… Céline shoes (heart heart). The most stylish way to step into the season. It's hard to express just how much I love Céline shoes. They're truly are some of the most staple shoes in my closet, remember last year's slippers with leather knotted details? Yup, still wearing them to this day and they look on-point! Whether I'm pairing them with striped baggy pants or with a dainty/jersey dress, the foolproof slippers pumps up any of my too casual-they-might-look-like-a-pajamas outfits.
Look what I've spotted at Céline boutique in Prestige, the Avenues. If I haven't had my black slippers, I would have bought these off-white beauties instantly.
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Event: Sabah Arbilli at Dar AlFunoon
Back in January, I had the pleasure of visiting Dar Al Funoon to get a closer look at Iraqi Artis Sabah Arbilli's latest paintings and sculptures in a solo exhibition titled: Decisions.
I became a fan of his work when I first saw his pieces displayed during the Islamic Art Exhibition in Kuwait two years ago. Sabah has this distinctive style of writing and refreshing form of calligraphy, he has this amazing skill to spontaneously create art pieces in front of people, involving the public to become a part of an artistic experience.
Born in Iraq, the full time artist Sabah Arbilli studied Masters in Visual Arts, at the University of Wales. Currently he is based in the UK and Qatar. Scroll down to check out some of my favorite pieces in the exhibition.
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Outfit of the Day
Hands down! Rabih Kayrouz is the BEST womenswear Lebanese designer so far. I got this pinstriped blazer with golden pomegranate-shaped cuff links from AlOthman Boutique. The blazer has diagonal side slits which gives the blazer an unexpected, yet flattering, shape. I paired it with my loose-fit patch-work jeans, which I bought from Berlin from a place called Manila Grace.
So why does Rabih hold this title in my fashion book? First off, you can never categorize his designs as the typical Lebanese designs, you would never see models on the runways dressed in lace gowns covered in beads and sequins season after season. His approach in design, minimalism chic, is never ever boring! His designs have the power to stand the test of time with such grace and high impact. I have personally met Rabih Kayrouz and found him to be so down to earth and easy to talk to, a rare quality these days. And last but not least, he gives back to his community in such a way that I don't think any other Lebanese designer ever did. Kayrouz co-founded in 2008 a non-profit organisation called the Starch Foundation which helps young Lebanese designers launch and promote their debut collections. Isn't this amazing?
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Outfit of the Day
Found this photo on my mobile which I took during the festive holidays. It was when I decided to go for a festive look in my vintage Kenzo jacket. I probably bought this piece at least 10 or 12 years ago when Kenzo had a branch in Salhiya Complex. I fell in love with it's kimono like sleeves and its embroidered detail. The quality was just impeccable, they rarely make them like this nowadays. It's definitely a keeper!
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Event: Kuwait International Exhibition on Islamic Arts
For the 2nd year in a row (or maybe 3rd), I had the pleasure of attending Kuwait International Exhibition on Islamic Arts and its Application on Metal Crafts. The exhibition was held The Grand Mosque's exhibition area in Kuwait City. I wanted to get some ideas and inspiration for decorating my home. The event assembled 16 artisans, from various islamic countries like Algeria, Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, and more. I found myself more intrigued into exploring the art of calligraphy than metal crafts. If I had the time I would have loved to join the arabic calligraphy workshops that were held during the event. Here's a quick look at what caught my attention.
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Outfit of the Day
I really need to work on my outfit of the day posts. The photography is really bad! I'm posting them anyway as a form of my so-called documentation and reference. Here I'm wearing my all-time favorite cropped jeans from TopShop, by the way I truly believe that Topshop and Zara have the best jeans for my body type, and a pair ofPorts 1961 bow sneakers, my Sea military jacket covered in navy 3D lace florals, my TopShop knitted top, and my Ralph Lauren 'Ricky' Tumbled Bucket Bag.
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Event: Inaash Association: Art of Palestinian Embroidery: Past, Present & Future
A few months back I was invited to Inaash's exhibition which was held at Beit Al Sadu. Inaash is an association for preservation of Palestinian culture through embroidery. The objective of the exhibition is to raise funds to preserve this precious handcraft and to provide income to women living in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. What I loved about the exhibition is the way they introduced this very traditional embroidery using modern home and fashion accessories. They have collaborated with quite few renowned talents like Nada Debs, who helped design oversized pillow cases, and Naffisa who's known for her modern caftans and everyday casual chic pieces. Mind you, the items on display were quite pricy, but they're for a good cause. I ended up buying pillow cases, one vest and one jacket. I would really like to see more collaborated collection by these talents and more but at different price points, as I'm sure this would help to generate more money and attract more people.
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House of Teal
So I haven't been writing much reviews on here, but once I heard about multi-talented Bahrain-based interiors and space designer Ammar Basheir's latest retail adventure, I just had to post about it (and kick start my blogging days maybe?).
The store really should earn a five star review, walking through this beyond beautiful gallery, one feels as if he/she is visiting the home of a very chic family, with a flair for retro designs. Allow me to introduce you to House of Teal, Bahrain's most contemporary furniture and lifestyle boutique demonstrating innovation and originality in all its products and visual merchandising.
The store really should earn a five star review, walking through this beyond beautiful gallery, one feels as if he/she is visiting the home of a very chic family, with a flair for retro designs. Allow me to introduce you to House of Teal, Bahrain's most contemporary furniture and lifestyle boutique demonstrating innovation and originality in all its products and visual merchandising.
The ultra glam boutique offers a diverse range of home inspirations that include sofas, dining ensembles, living room, bedroom furniture and home accessories. Take a quick scroll for the photos below and prepare to drool!
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