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Lookout Qatar18 This and That Qatar Wadha Al Hajri, Qatars participant in

the global fashion scene, has revealed her Autumn/Winter 2015-16 collection; local brand Al Motahajiba launches a high-end luxury collection called Signature; Graff and its fascination with timekeeping; the Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture facilitates a visual dialogue between selected photographers from each country.

24 On Auctions David Bennett, the chairman of

Sothebys international jewelry division has earned the title 100 carat man for the unique feat of selling seven diamonds weighing over 100 carats.

27 Legacy Bottega Veneta goes back to its roots of

pure craftsmanship to revive its legacy.

Quality Qatar35 Another Thing Ralph & Russo's handmade fan shoe is

inspired by Grenada's Alhambra.

BEADED BEAUTYThe Monumental Sculptors exhibition by Jean-Michel Othoniel, at Galerie Perrotin Hong Kong, in 2014.

Page 47

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T, THE STYLE MAGAZINE

OF THE NEW YORK TIMESEditor in Chief Deborah NeedlemanCreative DirectorPatrick LiDeputy Editor Whitney VargasFashion Director Joe McKennaManaging Editor Minju ParkPhotography DirectorNadia Vellam

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Arena Qatar39 On Sculpture French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel is

modernizing the gardens of the Chteau de Versailles with his monumental and joyful glass fountain sculptures.

43 On Art Photographer Aparna Jayakumar has made

Doha her new home and hopes the city will serve as a springboard to explore the region and document the lives of its people.

Copyright 2015 The New York Times

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21July - August 2015

Scaling New Territories of Timekeeping

Sara Al Obaidly is delighted to have been chosen as one of the first women photographers to be sent to Turkey to capture its landscapes

and to gain a deep insight into the country as part of the Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture organized by Qatar Museums. The

Qatar Turkey exchange program continues to build on a legacy of connecting people through cultural activities. In terms of my visual interpretation of Turkish people, what became apparent throughout the journey was the nation's love and adoration for Mustafa Kemal Atatrk, the revered founder of Turkey, named

Atatrk, translated as Father of Turks. His portrait hangs in every city, town and village we came across, says Al Obaidly. He

remains the national hero, and from my journey it seems as though he certainly will be for generations to come. Al Obaidly was accompanied by Saleh Al Marri on the Turkish expedition.

Accustomed to working alone with a clear vision in mind of what she is looking to achieve, the concept of working in a group was definitely a step outside of the familiar for Al Obaidly. However,

being exposed to the same location as my fellow photographer only motivated me to think outside the box, pushing me with each frame I took, says Al Obaidly. With this in mind, I gained immeasurable

insight into myself as an artist and as a creator. A journey of self-realization and confidence building, Al Obaidly learned what it is that draws her to a location or a subject. Approaching a stranger

for a portrait or asking to stop the car on a busy road to jump out and take a shot, as a reaction to a gut feeling that the particular

location just couldnt pass me by, she says of her enriching journey. In September 2015 an exhibition in Qatar will showcase the works of

Qatari and Turkish photographers. SINDHU NAIR

The Turkish Window

It has been a little over seven years since the British jewelry house Graffs foray into the world of watchmaking. Judging from this years response at Baselworld, the storied jeweler has hit all the right notes. Naturally, diamonds and jewels feature heavily in the watch pieces; the womens Halo collection launched this year, is a gem fiesta, incorporating sparkling stones meant to catch attention. But it is the houses serious commitment to research and development in its watch-making manufactures that puts Graff in the big leagues. To date, Graff has to its name a stable of watches that feature high complications and movements, two of them

world firsts, including a sports watch with a 300-meter depth rating, and the thinnest flying tourbillon that is fully set with diamonds. We try to push the

boundaries, even though we are relatively young in this industry. But our commitment gives us the legitimacy, says Hugues Jucker, the international sales director. The decision in 2008 to seriously pursue this new territory came from a

desire to enter the mens market, as Graff has long catered mostly to women. Still, in the Middle East, women are Graff's most important watch buyers, and the

company has a bestseller in its Butterfly watch. The house offers dress watches, technical watches, sports watches and a bespoke line. They all carry a signature

triangle crown at the noon mark. We pass the 3-meter test. Anyone within this range will be able to spot the crown, Jucker explains.

Graff is available at Ali bin Ali Jewellery. DEBRINA ALIYAH

TO WATCH OUT FORGraff's Halo secret ring watch; Master Graff's structural skeletal Tourbillon.

PICTURE BOOKClockwise from right: Sara Al Obaidly

at work; the landscape and the people of Turkey through her lens.

29July - August 2015

WHEN BOTTEGA VENETA reopened its doors in Villaggio Mall last fall, it was an understated classy affair done very much in tune with the houses proclivity for quiet luxury. The excitement revolved around one Napa tote that glimmered through a technical construction of overlapping layers of leather, resulting in irregular streaks of color and texture. The one-of-a-kind Monalisa Glimmer bag was the result of the houses signature intrecciato technique, with innovations in color and texture, and aptly rung in the reintroduction of the brand to the Qatari market.

By allowing the products, which reference craftsmanship, to take center stage within the universe of Bottega Veneta, the company's creative director Tomas Maier, has completely transformed a once-declining business into an institution that is now synonymous with Italian leather expertise. The turnover is so thorough that not many actually remember the flashy and logo-driven aesthetics of a pre-Maier Bottega Veneta. When Maier was tasked to inject new life into the house in 2001, his vision was to restore its legacy of skilled craftsmanship and understated design. After all, Bottega Veneta, which simply means Venetian Store in Italian, was founded on the quality production of leather goods by Vincenza, Italy's craftsmen. In a

methodical meets Zen kind of way, Maier went about stripping away the stereotypical glitz and glamor associated with luxury fashion and realigned Bottega Veneta to its origins. I am proud to say this vision has been realized. In fact, I would say that we have even raised the level of craftsmanship, he says.

Maiers vision lives in the 18th century Villa Schroeder-Da Porto, restored and reconstructed as the houses new atelier, which began operations two years ago. Located some 18 kilometers from Vicenza in Montebello Vicentino, the villa is surrounded by a 55,000-square meter park and is now home to more than 300 craftsmen and staff. But this is no ordinary trophy asset or showhorse that has been erected to claim legitimacy to the trend in reviving la egacy in craftsmanship. Maier understands the soul driving the art lies in the people who create the products for the house, all of whom were consulted and involved in the establishment of this new atelier. These days, hand-craftsmanship is one of the greatest luxuries, he says. Through joint committees, surveys and site visits, the staff had a say in creating the new workspace that they now occupy. A shuttle bus service, ample parking space, traveling allowances, an in-house company restaurant, and recreational services make up a perks list that sounds like it better suits a Silicon Valley tech

BY DEBRINA ALIYAH

Bottega Veneta goes back to its roots of pure craftsmanship, celebrating raw material, reviving its legacy and

strengthening the link between the craft and its locality.

The Hand that CreatesLegacy

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THE VISIONBottega Veneta,

creative director Tomas Maier has succeded in

giving the house a new direction.

30 T Qatar: The New York Times Style Magazine

giant than a traditional atelier. The structure itself is an extension of Maiers philosophy on

sustainability and the creation of products that last a lifetime. Construction materials and resources are extracted within a limited range of the original villa, energy comes from 1,200 square meters of solar panels and water from aquifers is used for acclimatization. More than three-quarters of the existing building structures were restored, and the surrounding historical park was studied to recover the pre-existing nature, including the surrounding plants. Largely based on a university campus model, the area boasts expansive outdoor and open areas intended for multi-purpose use, and areas to encourage collaboration and relations between staff. The atelier is now the first in the fashion sector to have obtained a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the platinum level from the Green Building Council, in recognition of its environmental sustainability.

However, the houses commitment to this project runs deeper than a sense of corporate responsibility; it is a recognition of the link between craft and locality. Craftsmanship at its highest

It is just as important for a culture to preserve its craft traditions, as it is to

preserve great works of arts or historic architecture, says Maier.

BESPOKE MOMENTS Clockwise from left: The intrecciato technique of tightly woven cross-hatched design; craftsmen at work experimenting and improvising on materials and techniques; the restored and reconstructed Villa Schroeder-Da Porto is the houses new atelier, the first fashion house to have obtained LEED certification.

level is deeply rooted in its place. The artisans who produce our leather goods in Italy bring to their work generations of local tradition and a shared sensibility that cant be replicated elsewhere, Maier explains.

Bottega Venetas expertise has always been the intrecciato technique of tightly woven cross-hatched design, using the light and pliable glove leather of the Veneto region, making it a pioneer of supple handbags in the 1960s while others were still producing rigid and boxy designs. The technique has, over the years, been further developed through Maiers work with the craftsmen and has become the foremost signature of the houses work. The intrecciato is evidence of the human hand, Maier says. The designers first bag ever

for the house, the Cabat, was made using a specially developed two-sided intrecciato weave that resulted in a seamless tote.

At the atelier, the continuous process of innovation paints a bright future for the traditional craft, just as Maier had first achieved through the making of

the Cabat. The birth of unique colors, like of the Napa Glimmer tote, comes from experimentation and research, including testing rooms that score the durability of the leathers.

Its what keeps the job so interesting. We are always developing innovative materials that the artisans will experiment with using traditional techniques, or an adaptation, as needed, Maier explains. The atelier is now also home to La Scuola dei Maestri Pellettieri di Bottega Veneta, a craftsman school established by the brand a decade ago, to revive an experience similar to traditional long-term apprenticeships. We are nothing without our

artisans, and any longevity we would expect is dependent on our ability to train new generations in these age-old techniques, Maier says. Beyond the formal training that could possibly lead to a career within the houses atelier, the school also recently collaborated with University IUAV of Venice to offer a three-month course in advanced handbag design and product development an invaluable immersion into the knowledge and artisanal know-how particular to the Veneto region. It is just as important for a culture to preserve its craft traditions, as it is to preserve great works of arts or historic architecture, he adds.

Maiers nearly 15-year tenure has extended the houses craftsmanship reach into fragrances, jewelry, watches, ready-to-wear and furniture. As you would wear one of Bottega Venetas minimally-designed, but luscious leather-fabricated dresses, you could also work on a custom-made desk that is surfaced with intrecciato weaves. The intermediary element between them all is less about the prestige of a brand name, and more of what Maier constitutes foremost as luxury: understated, personal, rooted in rare materials and superb craftsmanship.

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LegacyLookout Qatar