The Life of a Fashion Designer: Thread, Fabrics and Yachts?

Apparently, Lebanese fashion designer, Elie Saab, has thrown away his thread and needles for a little extravagance on the high seas:

Elie Saab in collaboration with Weyves Couture and Oceanco unveiled the first of three megayachts to be designed by the Lebanese designer – the ES117 – at a high-profile launch event at the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show 2010.

Not only has he designed a yacht, but apparently he’s also stretched the boundaries of design never seen before in the yacht industry:

The magnificent 117m (384.78ft) megayacht is as impressive in its dimensions as the refinement of its design, characterized by its high ceiling, an innovation that Saab exclusively introduced to the yacht industry, and is the culmination of the efforts of an ensemble of extraordinarily creative individuals brought together under the Weyves Couture Concept.

Is there anything this man can’t design?

Yachts on display at the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show 2010

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Beirut Map Puts Abu Dhabi on Arts Map

Abu Dhabi is working quite hard to establish itself as the cultural center of the Arabian Gulf with offshoots of the Louvre and Guggenheim sprouting up on the island with the map of Beirut making its debut:

Marwan Rechmaoui’s “Beirut Caoutchouc”, a map of Lebanon’s capital made of 60 mats, was included in the first exhibition held on Abu Dhabi’s cultural island of Saadiyat.

Here is the exhibit:

Beirut Caoutchouc

Check out these great posts:

• When in Lebanon…
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Odd One Out

Here’s a press release from Abu Dhabi, can you pick out the country that does not belong?

The Abu Dhabi Transport Department has drawn up a list of companies from the US, the UK, Australia, Lebanon, France, Spain and Denmark which will compete for the role of consultant to the capital’s metro project. The winning firm will carry out a feasibility study, provide initial and detailed designs for the network, stations, safety and security systems and electronic control systems and supervise the eventual construction of the metro. ADTD will award the contract to the selected company once it receives approval from the emirate’s Executive Council.

I’m curious to know how a Lebanese company got into the list? Wouldn’t it be useful to have the company actually build a metro? Honestly, I don’t know which company it is but I am pretty sure that not a single Lebanese consultant has worked on a mass transport project of this nature. I can tell you, its no SimCity.

Update – September 16, 2009: I’ve got the Lebanese company in question: Dar al-Handasah (Shair & Partners). Now here is where I have conflicting information. On one site, its reported that Dar al-Handasah has a joint-venture agreement with Spain’s Ineco Tifsa. However, Middle East Tenders is reporting that Dar al-Handasha has a JV not only with Ineco Tifsa but also with France’s Egist and Spain’s Gestisa.

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• The Life of a Fashion Designer: Thread, Fabrics and Yachts?

“Like Beirut” But Down Under

We’ve got our first Austrialian recipient of the Looks Like Beirut Certificate:

Victoria Police deputy commissioner Ken Lay said the mangled wreckage from the two-car collision at Lynbrook left no doubt in his mind.
"There’s absolutely no doubt, looking at the scene yesterday it was like a scene from Beirut," he told Radio 3AW.

Absolutely no doubt about it. It couldn’t look like anything else.

For instance, there is no way it could look like this scene from Abu Dhabi:

 

Or this accident from the US:

Or this one from China:

Here’s my point: car accidents are the norm across the planet. Speed kills and I have seen this first hand in Dubai. So to compare the scene to Beirut just shows how ill-informed people are. A LLB Certificate should change that.

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All Is Not Bad…

…when it comes to Lebanese-Indian relations. Not all Lebanese are self-centered racists:

A young Lebanese man on Friday saved the life of a drowning Indian driver whose vehicle had fallen into the sea at Abu Dhabi Free Port.

Rabie Al Boubu, 33, did not think twice before jumping into the water to save the drowning man.

The incident took place at 7:35pm near the main street adjacent to the port.

Gulf News: The Indian motorist lost control of his 4x4 vehicle, which fell into the sea and started to sink, said the police.

And then there is the fact that I will be marrying one in 57 days.

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• You Won’t Go Hungry in Delhi
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