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Luxury

A model walking down a runway wearing a dramatic black cape with puffed shoulders, over a white outfit, and black heels. The setting is an ornate, crowded fashion show venue.
Lifestyle

Chanel History: Timeline, Ownership, Coco’s War Record and 2026 Era

Chanel began as Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s millinery business in Paris, with an independent hat shop at 21 rue Cambon in 1910. The modern company is a privately held luxury house controlled by the Wertheimer family, not by Coco Chanel’s descendants and not by Dior or LVMH. In 2026, Leena Nair is Global CEO and Matthieu…

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A modern oceanfront infinity pool with two lounge chairs and a small table on a wooden deck, overlooking a serene body of water at sunset.
GOING OUT

Abu Dhabi Overwater Villas: Current UAE Stays and the St. Regis Mirfa Plan

For an overwater stay in Abu Dhabi, I would start with Bab Al Nojoum Hudayriyat—not the unbuilt St. Regis Mirfa. Mirfa remains an announced 2029 project. For a private pool over the water, Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah is another choice worth comparing. Anantara The Palm offers a genuine Dubai overwater villa, but that category…

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A person wearing a white dress and white sneakers is walking past a bright green garage door, holding a designer handbag. In the bottom right corner, an image of a person with white hair and sunglasses is overlaid.
Lifestyle

The History of Fendi: A 100-Year Dynasty of Family, Fur, and Fashion

Fendi is more interesting when you look past the FF logo. I would start with the women who built the business, then compare the Baguette’s compact shape with the Peekaboo’s opening interior. That tells me far more about the house than a list of famous customers. Founded in Rome in 1925, Fendi celebrated its centenary…

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A man wearing a cap, sunglasses, and a white T-shirt with a navy sweatshirt draped over his shoulders walks while holding a black bag. A vintage beige SUV is parked in the background with trees providing shade.
Lifestyle

Jumeirah Bouguessa Collaboration: The Blueprint for Experiential Luxury

When a non-fashion brand decides to “get into fashion,” the results often skew towards forgettable souvenir-shop trinkets or basic logo merchandise. It’s a common pitfall that dilutes a brand’s prestige rather than enhancing it. But what if a collaboration could transcend the gift shop, transforming a brand’s very identity into a tangible, wearable lifestyle? This…

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A man in a gray suit and blue polka dot tie waves with his right hand. The background features a blurry pink and red floral arrangement.
Lifestyle

Valentino History: Garavani, Giammetti and the House’s Creative Eras

For me, Valentino is at its best when the clothes make the entrance—not just the logo. Red gives the house its shorthand, but the pale 1968 White Collection and Piccioli’s eye-popping Pink PP show why reducing this history to one colour misses the fun. Designer Valentino Garavani and business partner Giancarlo Giammetti founded the house…

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Two bottles of Acqua di Parma perfume on a yellow surface, with a tray of flowers in the background.
Lifestyle

Acqua di Parma Gelsomino a Freddo: Notes & UAE Buying Guide

What is Gelsomino a Freddo? Jasmine with black tea and woods is an idea I would make time to sample. That contrast—not a grand promise about “luxury freshness”—is what draws me to Acqua di Parma’s Gelsomino a Freddo Eau de Parfum. It is Daphné Bugey’s floral-woody fragrance in Signatures of the Sun. I would try…

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A row of eleven Balenciaga perfume bottles, each with a distinct label and color, arranged against a neutral background.
Lifestyle

Balenciaga’s Original Ten Perfumes: Le Dix, Notes and UAE Buying

I would start this collection with a contrast, not a blind buy: Le Dix for the archive-led iris idea, 100% for rose, and Extra for pepper. Those are three genuinely different starting briefs. At the AED 1,135 displayed for a UAE Le Dix 100 ml listing, I want a reason to choose the liquid—not just…

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A luxury wristwatch with a champagne-colored dial, featuring a fluted bezel, a date window, and a two-tone metal bracelet combining gold and stainless steel, displayed on a reflective surface with a soft, blurred background.
Lifestyle

Swiss Watch Tariffs: The Policy Changes and What UAE Buyers Should Compare

Policy update, 11 October 2026: Switzerland’s SECO says the July 2026 Section 301 regime generally brings the combined US duty on Swiss goods to 12.5%, crediting the existing MFN duty, with exemptions and sector-specific rules. It is not simply another 12.5 points added to the earlier rate. The November 2025 framework’s 15% approach is historical…

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A man in a dark pinstripe suit, wearing sunglasses, stands with arms outstretched in front of a mountainous landscape with snow-capped peaks under a clear blue sky.
Lifestyle

How to Dress Like a Dubai Billionaire (Without the Billion)

Part of our complete guide to Fashion in the UAE. I’d spend on the fit before the label, every time. A plain shirt, trousers that sit properly and clean footwear are a stronger starting point than a designer purchase you cannot style. The “Dubai billionaire” look here is my take on restrained dressing, not a…

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A collection of luxury fashion accessories including black leather loafers with gold detailing, a beige quilted clutch, a gold and floral patterned handbag, black sunglasses, a gold bracelet, a gold watch with a black strap, and gold jewelry with black stones, arranged on a white background.
Lifestyle

Where to Buy Pre-Owned Luxury in Dubai (2026): Best Consignment Stores

I would buy the piece, not the promise of a bargain. Dubai’s resale shops give you ways to find a particular bag, watch or outfit, but the important differences are less glamorous than the labels: can you inspect it, what does “authenticated” cover, and what happens if you need to return it? I would settle…

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