by Candice DeVille | Jan 27, 2015 | Style Inspirations, Travel
I discovered many things during my holiday in Dubai, but none more amazing and thrilling to me than what I learnt about their culture through the language of fashion.
Generally speaking, the West has a very uninformed view of Middle Eastern fashion, what it is and all the hidden secrets. My education began in a most unexpected way.
One afternoon while wandering The Dubai Mall alone, I took myself on a mission to capture the beautiful fabrics and finishes of the pieces I’d seen in the windows of the Souk. Incredible colours, fine embroidery and jewelled hems all called my name. I had very much wanted to purchase an Abaya on my trip, but after seeing these jewels, I was a little afraid to look at the price tags. So I stayed at arms length, appreciating from outside the glass.
As I wandered along, a well-dressed young man smiled at me from the doorway of one of the more opulent stores, “Please come in, have a look around.” I almost shook my head but tentatively stepped inside, a bright and gleaming countertop catching my eye. This was no ordinary store. Like being dropped into a museum gallery, I realised at once that what I could see was something extraordinary. True artisan works of the highest quality, showcased like a medieval tapestry.
Eager to demonstrate their wares, he began to remove the fabric piece by piece, placing it softly on the countertop. He could see I was hesitant to touch the pieces and immediately started to drape them over my shoulders with, “please, see the quality of this stitching. Each piece is unique and takes over two years to complete.”
Stunning, utterly stunning. The weight of the fine silk, the hand rolled hem, the carefully selected colour variations giving depth and life to the motifs. I began to exclaim at their beauty and compare fabric weights, asking questions as I went along. We looked at each other and realised that the other had a true appreciation for the skill in these pieces; he offered to dress me in the full ensemble.
by Candice DeVille | Jan 9, 2015 | sponsors, Travel
One of the best words I can use to describe Dubai is “Surreal”. The way the light hits the buildings, bleached of colour and towering in stature. The grandeur in its clean and tidy splendour that feels simultaneously ancient and new.
Although it has a long and rich history, nothing in Dubai is truly old. The city has sprung to life from the ashes of the old, with the speed and glamour of an F1 racer. It is easy to be so overwhelmed by the final picture; it is difficult to see which colours went into painting it.
Being the history lover I am, learning more about the story of Old Dubai held (and still holds), a great fascination for me. Unlike many big cities where the old sits along side the new, this is not the case in Dubai; the adventurer in you must seek it out.
The obvious starting point, and where I began my journey not long after stepping off the plane (not rest for the wicked), was in Old Dubai. Somewhat of a misnomer, Old Dubai (or Al Fahidi Historic District) is instead a replica of the old style of buildings, alleyways and quarters that made up the earlier Bedouin settlements on the mouth of the Gulf. Many of these settlers were Iranian, and their style of architecture is mimicked in these buildings. Their open turrets providing the first known natural air conditioning, with poles and wet sheet systems.
I consider myself very fortunate to have had the most excellent guide who shared so many nuggets of history with me. Xavier has a real passion for his adopted city, and I was to discover, the majority of the population are all adoptees. With me for the week, Xavier (of 1001 Events) gave a whole new depth to my journey that could not have been gained from guidebooks, answering my incessant questioning with insight and humour. Not only of the historical and economical, but also the idiosyncratic.
Wandering the warm alleyways of Old Dubai, I felt I’d landed in quite the other world. Perhaps it was the jet lag and the warmth, but there was a distinct feel of stepping out of the Tardis and into another realm. Sandstone walls took on a silken texture, colourful enamelware whispered stories and a lone Raven called from atop a towers edge.
A generation of shopkeepers stops to tell me the stories of the enamel portraits, painted by great artists and the brush of a single hair. Pride and awe fills their voices as tales of beauty light their eyes.
by Candice DeVille | Dec 19, 2014 | sponsors, Travel
The Dubai Aquarium and Zoo is a place of wild things and wonders.
I am a bit odd when it comes to water. I love to look at it, I’m obsessed with aquariums and sea creatures, but I absolutely cannot dive. In fact I can’t even really snorkel. I do try, but there is a subconscious gear that kicks in and stops me from breathing so it isn’t the safest option for me. This is probably why I’ve developed such a love of aquariums.
Watching everything swim by as if flying, free and elegant, fins billowing in the currents. I will take any opportunity to sit for hours and contemplate my existence in such surrounds. I sitting in the dark listening to music and watching iridescent jellyfish pulse by is bliss to me.
When I knew I was coming to Dubai, a visit to the aquarium and underwater zoo was very high on my agenda. Seeing the huge expanse of water filled with sharks, parrotfish and leopard stingrays with the cheeky grins, made me insanely happy. While everyone else walked through the inside of the tunnel, I wanted to sit on the floor, with my cheek pressed to the glass and have a bit of a chat with the occupants.
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You may think me a little bit crazy, but there is such a sense of serenity in this I wanted to try and capture a little piece of it for you.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a grown up with a thing for the otherworldly, or a wide-eyed child, this is an experience that everyone can enjoy. I highly recommend you take the time to not only see this beautiful display, but also just to be. In the oversized glitz and glamour of The Dubai Mall, this small piece of serenity will make you hold your breath for all the right reasons, as you stop and let this clear blue world float by.
by Candice DeVille | Dec 16, 2014 | Travel
When was the last time you sparkled? The last time you felt like a diamond in the perfect setting, where the light could touch each facet of your face and throw a different colour? This is how I feel right now.
The last two weeks have been made up of the moments that change you forever. I cannot imagine a more perfect setting for my story than The Address Downtown Dubai; my personal castle with a glittering court of service staff.
While the castles of legend overlook a deep and treacherous moat, The Address Downtown plays host to the most spectacular view of the Dubai dancing fountains. From high up on the balcony of the cigar lounge, we watch as light and water interplay in a single dramatic song. The sandstone arches of the Souk tinged with the blue light of evening, the Burj Kalifa presides over all.
by Candice DeVille | Dec 11, 2014 | Travel
There are only ever a handful of moments in your life that make such a deep and moving impression on you, that you know you will never be the same again. Last night this happened to me.
Even as I type this for you I can feel my chest getting tighter and my eyes welling up; such was my sense of awe in the desert of Dubai.
For every film you’ve ever seen or any landscape you have imagined of this golden landscape, nothing can adequately prepare you for what lies in wait for you in these rolling dunes. At once more vast than you can comprehend, yet the smallest ripple in the sand is nature’s perfect and transient work of art.
