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Bill Gates is not wearing a seatbelt. I worry about his safety as we speed along the cleared roads of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, flanked by military outriders, but his aides either don’t notice or know not to mention it, so I decide I shouldn’t wear one either. The goats have been…
If ever there was a perfect hotel to visit in time for our Born Again issue then it is Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps. [Oh, and speaking of timing, it’s nice to know Lady Luck is on our side, as our visit took place in early-February 2020, just a few weeks before the coronavirus [&h…
2019 was a strong year for LVMH and its owner, Bernard Arnault. They acquired Tiffany & Co. for 16.2 billion USD, opened a third LV factory in the US (the world’s largest luxury market) and ended the year 82 billion USD up in terms of market value. You would therefore expect more of…
The 400 USD Quest is Oculus’ (aka Facebook’s) fourth consumer VR headset and it’s the one you’re going to want to own. It was released in May and like the slightly older Go unit, it’s a standalone design that doesn’t need to be connected to a phone or a PC. But where the Go is […]
Launched just last September, Dubai-based Maison Orient is a newcomer to the e-commerce scene that’s creating a space exclusively for talent from this side of the world. “When I started discovering amazing talent from different countries, I realised how under-represented the…
Just another personal watercraft (PWC)? Certainly not. Taiga’s Orca’s suspended “floating” seat design betrays how this one has no engine and instead relies on electric power for a quiet yet powerful ride. Taiga’s Orca isn’t cheap – at 24,000 USD (for the carbon vesion) – b…
For the better part of a century, Breitling has enjoyed a global reputation for its links to the world of aviation and of course its pilot’s watches. But though that relationship used to be manifested in the form of the Breitling Jet Team, new CEO Georges Kern has grounded the old squad…
Kenneth Ize, remember the name. The Lagos-born and based designer was a finalist of the LVMH Prize for emerging talent, and he’s putting Africa on the fashion map. It’s the kind of exuberant fabric you might see at a Nigerian wedding. Hand-woven by artisans using a techniqu…
Architect Lina Ghotmeh digs into Lebanon’s heritage to create a contemporary landmark that’s as innovative as it is nostalgic. The urban landscape across from the Port of Beirut has undergone a small but significant change. At the edge of Saifi and just beyond Downtown Beirut’s eastern …
Last September, Breitling announced it had become Etihad’s official timekeeper and to fête the partnership they launched the 5,000 USD Aviator 8 Day & Date 41, which was at the DWW. It runs on Breitling’s Caliber 45 (which is an automatic movement with more than 40 hours of power re…
World renowned for her ability to merge Japanese austerity and Middle Eastern ornamentation, we couldn’t resist the chance to see inside Nada Debs’ Beirut home, as it revealed another chapter in the story of this designer with a vision. Nada Debs has an eye for colour. It’s evident from…
Linda Sarsour is a Palestinian-American who simultaneously criticises Israel while working on the campaign of a Democratic candidate who might well be the first Jewish US president. Few phrases in the world of politics are wheeled out more commonly than the cry of anti-Semitism. While m…