SAINT LAURENT Summer 20 Le Smoking

SAINT LAURENT

SUMMER 20

LE SMOKING

Art Direction : 

Anthony Vaccarello

Photographer: 

Juergen Teller

Talents : 

Kate Moss

Freja Beha Erichsen

Stella Tennant

Liya Kebede

Mica Argañaraz

Anja Rubik

Naomi Campbell

#YSL 

#SaintLaurent 

#YvesSaintLaurent

@anthonyvaccarello

SAINT LAURENT SS20 #YSL30 – Rami Malek

SAINT LAURENT

SPRING SUMMER 20

#YSL30 – RAMI MALEK

Art Direction: 

Anthony Vaccarello

Director: 

David Sims

Talent: 

Rami Malek

ysl.com

#YSL 

#SaintLaurent 

#YvesSaintLaurent

@anthonyvaccarello

GIVENCHY Haute Couture SS2020 Une Lettre D'Amour Collection

Givenchy Haute Couture SSS020 Une Lettre D' Amour collection by Clare Waight Keller reprise the gardens as metaphors signposts and signals for lives lived, friendships nurtured, seasons passed from the walled 'rooms" of Sissinghurst to the orchards of Monk’s House and Hubert de Givenchy’s Clos Fiorentina,  considers gardens as a tapestry of time.

Nurturing the spirit of nature’s ephemeral beauty with human hands, a sapphic romance between women and flowers blossoms in cascading petals around the feminine form.

As the bright promise of a spring day fades into moon shadow, allusive structures evoke the proud iris, playful pansy and sprays of delicate gypsophila.

From micro to macro, the intricate systems of flora oscillate in delicate, pearl hung circumferences.

Hours, days and decades melt away in a love letter from woman to woman, or man to mentor from Elizabeth to Orlando, Hubert to Cristobal, and far beyond.

Budding in the pure whites of camellia and tuberose, pale shades of the White Garden pervade the collection in the soft lustre of silk mikado tailoring, plissé Vichy checks and a verdant symphony of floral garlands Later marigold, violet, periwinkle and blushing dragée pinks burst forth before the nocturnal allure of shimmering metallics shade from rose gold to brightest silver Undulating tiered gowns and operatic capes become landscapes for a minutiae of delicate blooms, from vibrant pansy jacquard and dense cloqué to the sunny dégradé of gypsophila embroidery.

Tracing the line of a millefeuille ombrelle hat, whorls of petal shaped volume descend from flounced shoulders or gather in parachute skirts from an empire bust, allowing each flower silhouette its own unique symbiosis of botanical colour and immaculate Haute Couture texture.

Pearl drops are suspended en tremblant organza filament embroideries sweep the floor, and archive guipure lace shivers into the third dimension.

A monochrome finale evokes the shadowplay of moonlight, as Elizabethan macramé and duchesse satin is thrown into sharp relief.

La Metamorphose Haute Couture SS2020 Les Couleurs de l’Âme Collection - mylifestylenews' Top 10's Pick

La Metamorphose Haute Couture SS2020 

Les Couleurs de l’Âme Collection

The collection is a tribute to the woman as a muse, evanescent inspiration for the poet.

This transparency of french tules is sublimated with the chiffon, the silk, satin and taffeta, in a whirl of pastel true colors and the as poem flows by the poet -Sully Prudhomme......

Deep in my heart, behind my brow,

There is a soul, invisible but manifest:

The suspicious will look for it;

I spread it, then feel it!

Everywhere sparkle the colors,

But where does this power come from?

There is a blue who kills me,

Because the eyes are made of it.

  

Each body has its outline,

But where does the touching shape come from?

How do you make the great loves,

Small line of the mouth?

The humming air makes sounds,

But where does the close delight come from

Which these thrills bring

When a voice lights it up?

  

Deep in my heart, behind my brow,

There is a soul, invisible but manifest:

The suspicious will look for it;

I spread it then feel it!

La Metamorphose Haute Couture SS2020
Les Couleurs de l’Âme Collection

LEONARD SS2020 Collection - mylifestylenews' Top 10's Pick

LEONARD SS2020 Collection, designer Christine Phung injects the label with high-tech, sporty twists for today’s active lifestyles. A seductive, modern, day-to-night wardrobe centers on reinterpreting the energy of the Seventies through a modern prism.

“What really interests, me is women’s quest for liberty in that period: it was a time of joie de vivre, euphoria and freedom of movement,” the designer explains.

As if fractured by the facets of a disco ball, painterly Pointillist motifs, pulsing, colorized sound waves and pixelated patterns capture the rush of a night on the town, conjuring images of Bianca Jagger, Farrah Fawcett, Grace Jones and Donna Jordan, Andy Warhol’s androgynous, platinum muse.

Revisited in new scales and proportions, four quintessential Leonard motifs gain fresh currency while flou takes on new structure.

Fluid fabrics and fitted cuts embrace athleticism and emancipation, from yoga-inspired brassieres to a plunging halter-neck dress in pleated silk voile, its waist cinched with a signature Leonard patterned band.

The expert anatomic placement of flowers - orchids, arum lilies, and birds-of-paradise - adds to the sensual appeal of silhouettes that blend body-con and draping.

Pastels mingle with stronger colors; a canary yellow blouse with print trim displays the ease of a cape; a sharp-shouldered black gown indulges flights of fancy in fragmented panels of print.

An evening coat in super-fine technical taffeta with a mirror finish glistens as it defines the silhouette, while a re-colorized, printed jacquard lends a discreet edginess.

Elaborate embroideries merge with prints, sportswear fuses with fringe, asymmetrical draping and laminated finishes conjure movement, and glossy jacquards look ready to dance ‘til dawn.

Finale

Belgian Cafe Dubai Festival City - Dubai's Original

If moules-frites, burgers, ribs, porterhouse steak & prime cut your kind of ideal fun for a weekend indulgence, as well as bottomless varieties of your favorite premier crafted beers on tap, head down to Dubai’s original 1920s European bistro-style Belgian Café in Festival City to embrace the winter sun by sitting at the outdoor terrace while the weather is still pleasant. mylifestylenews writes.

 

When you enter the Belgian Café that is part of the Crowne Plaza complex at Dubai Festival City, you are immediately transported to Europe, perhaps back into the 1920s.

In here, you can embrace the essence of Brussels with its interior that is decorated in the dark wooden paneling. Antique ornaments and collected items from the past such as the brass accents, bevelled mirrors, retro posters, wrought iron and glass chandeliers, plus a mix of banquettes and chairs in the same style are scattered and decorated all over, with the motif to transport you back to the past.

When the weather is beautiful in Dubai, outdoor terraces become everyone’s favorite spot to enjoy the winter breeze overlooking the skyline of Dubai through the creek, kitted out in the classic European café pavement furniture with the chequered bistro chairs and tables under the umbrellas.

There was some groovy house music to set a brunch vibe by its resident DJ, without being too intrusive, while we perused the menu. We came for the Friday brunch Belgian Fun Fest – that's all you can order from the crafted menu with bottomless beers and appetizer refills.

The menu is not large, but all your Belgian favourites seem to be covered and you get to choose one main course each as well as a live dessert station for after. A good selection of Belgian hops on tap and others ranging from Stella Artois, Cidre, Hoegaarden, Hoegaarden Rose, Leffe Blonde and dark Leffe Brune, Belle Vue Kriek……just to name a few and a café menu that oozes classic favourites.

To set the taste buds salivating, an amouse bouche of pretzel bread and Belgian fries with mayonnaise is brought to the table along with our first beers for the day. The pretzel bread had a fantastic smoky malt flavor and was served warm and was utterly delicious, while the fries were perfectly hot and crispy.

<Duck Rillette with syrup de liege on multigrain bread>

Once we settled in, the Hoppetisers started flowing, alongside with the food as all the appetizers came at once on takeout paper trays, with individual items separate on its own. We first sampled the fine hand pulled duck rillette, the meat was tender and tasty and yet overpowered by the syrup de liege, which is sweet and sticky.

<House Cured Salmon with pickle beetroot aioli on multigrain bread>

The salmon had a beautifully smoked flavor that was to die for and not too much of the beetroot content yet made the color look inviting, it was a perfect balance to allow the salmon to take centre stage on the tongue.

<Cheese Croquettes with truffle mayo>

Moist and perfectly crispy, it was deep-fried to a light fluffy texture for the filling and it goes along well with the beer.

<Bitterballen with curry mustard aioli>

Quite similar to the cheese croquettes and rounded out with the flavoursome minced beef fillings.

<Shrimp Croquettes with tartar sauce>

Another deep-fried item from the appetizer selection with a creamy light filling and the right piquancy for the shrimp flavor.

<Crispy Chicken Wings with BBQ sauce>

Smoky and rich, the chicken wings are well marinated with the BBQ sauce and cooked to a delectable flavor and chunky bite.

<Goat Cheese Salad with cherry tomatoes, beetroot, apple, grapes, mesculum & balsamic dressing>

A good palette cleanser in between those deep-fried items despite the bland goat cheese which lacked that punch in flavor to bring out the highlight of the dish.

<BBC Special Burger>

Homemade beef patty, crispy veal bacon, onion marmalade and gouda cheese, this is the in-house special burger and is worth the wait. Tender and tasty beef and the veal bacon was nicely done with a juicy texture overall, plus a generous salad on the side.

<Smoked Beef Brisket with mashed potato, sundried tomatoes, pickled cabbage and mustard>

We opted to try more than the usual main courses so that we could get a handle on the breadth of offerings, so we had an additional order for the smoked beef brisket. The portion is quite generous, but brisket is a cheap cut of the meat and most of the time it needs to be cooked slower and longer. As we found the meat to be not as tender as we would have liked or expected, it was totally dried and also lacking of the intense flavor.

<Belgian Mussels>

Moules is a must order when it comes to Belgian food sampling. There are five different ways offered here to cook the mussels to your liking, from mariniere, Thai, garlic and cream, natures or provencale. We opted for the Thai red curry version and it was utterly enticing and delicious. Despite that the mussel was on the small side, the flavor and portion size was spot on, accompanied by some large thick cut frites. You can’t dine in any Belgian café without ordering the fries, as this is quintessential Belgian snack food that is the perfect accompaniment for the meat dishes. To some, it may be strange but mayonnaise dipping is the way to enjoy the thick cut frites for its authenticity and tradition.

<Belgium Waffles>

A choice or waffle and crepes prepared a-la minute and the server keeps persuading us to have the waffles and it was to be anticipated, however due to some technical glitch, the live cooking station was not operational on the day we visited, but we still got to try the Belgium waffles with a dark chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream which was brought out from the main kitchen instead. It was presented in a paper box tray and did not look very appetizing, as there was too much crammed into too small a box, topped with a watery chocolate sauce. The waffle had a funny salty taste and soggy which was not to our liking. While the menu said, it shall come with fresh fruits compliment and icing sugar, it was totally out of the picture and you can tell that the desert was done in a hurry to please. A total let down to end the meal.

The service team was quite switched on, with the manager spending time with most tables, but the service was a little inconsistent – one moment there is someone in your sight lines and then there is nobody when you want them, plus not enough time spent checking tables. For a casual weekend brunch out to enjoy the winter sun and some light bite with a taste of Belgian flavours, overall, it is still quite enjoyable to have some good company to share the laughter and the limitless hops served.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 4/5

Design & Decor: 4/5

Food & Beverage: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Value For Money: 4/5

Experience: 4/5

Belgian Cafe Dubai Festival City
Lower Level

InterContinental Hotels, Dubai Festival City

P.O. Box 45777

Dubai, UAE

Tel: +971 4 701 1111

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.