Anna Miriam

Ramadan at Starbucks

Forget the red cups, it's all about the Ramadan cups at Starbucks.

Starbucks has designed some wonderful abstract Arabesque cups with a hint of the evening sky (such as the moon and stars). Their use of warm brown tones in the design reminds me of coffee while symbolizing the warmth and meaning to Ramadan.

Ramadan at Home Centre

Home Centre have designed a great Ramadan ad that includes the crescent moon, their products and a meaningful message.

The use of plates to create the moon is an interesting concept. It symbolizes Ramadan in more ways than one, reminding readers about the message of Ramadan, fasting during the day and it shows of their plates as well.

Ramadan Design

Ramadan is a special time and as the month approaches, people and venues are getting ready.

Companies such as Wild Wadi and McDonalds have already started to place their Ramadan Kareem ads. I love the unique way companies incorporate the moon in their cards/posters/ads/etc to wish people well during Ramadan. Over the holiday I will be posting some of my favorite ads.

I'll leave you with a McDonalds ad from 2006.

S*UCE Design A Dress Competition

Dream of being a fashion designer? Love S*uce? (Who doesn't?!) Well the S*uce Design a Dress Competition has just started. S*uce wants you to send in your dress designs, the winner will get to create a 4 piece collection co-sponsored and retailed at S*uce. I love it!

S*uce always stocks the most innovative designers, regional and international. Now's your chance to be one of them. We love last year's winner, Tima Ouzden's line, Dju Dju, which she created with S*uce.

Email the lovely Melina at melina@shopatsauce.com for competition guidelines.

Deadline is October 1 2010

Maybelline's "Born to Be" Winner

Alf mabrook to Afiifa Moin for winning the Maybelline "Born to Be" abaya design competition.

Afifa won 10,000 USD, Maybelline products for a year and internship at DAS Collection.

We're looking forward to seeing what's next from the budding designer!

Enjoy your prize, you've earned it!

Harper's Bazaar Fashion Illustrator of the Year

Are you Harper's Bazaar Fashion Illustrator of the Year? Well they're looking for you.

Harper's Bazaar Arabia is holding a competition, calling all amateur illustrators to submit original illustration of a key autumn/winter 2010 catwalk look shown during New York's Fashion Week last February.

Selected entries will be displayed on the Harper's Bazaar Arabia.com website and at an exhibition taking place during the Harper's Bazaar Fortnight of Fashion 2010 at The Dubai Mall from 7th-20th October.

The winner will receive some pretty fantabulous prizes valued at over DHS 10,000.

This is a great opportunity to get recognized and to cash in on, well, major cash dollar bill!

Entries will be open until September 1 2010. Go to www.harpersbazaararabia.com to enter.

E.VIL a la Burj Al Arab

The glittery/Swarovski/crystalized/iced fashion brand, E.VIL, has designed a black and white graphic tee which reads, "THE PRIVATE BEACH OF BURJ AL ARAB".

I love my graphic tees and this one is pretty fantabulous. Who gives a fudge about being a recessionista? Bring on the mocktails, dip my ice cream bars in gold and pass me my Chanel surfboard.

In the words of Lady Gaga, "bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich".

The private beach of the Burj Al Arab? Yes, please.


Shirts are available at Harvey Nichols in the Mall of the Emirates.

Left-Handesign

Check out these modern, kitsch and quirky invitations designed by Dubai based graphic design boutique, Left-Handesign.

Led by Radhika Mayani, Left-Handesign is one of the coolest graphic design companies to come out of Dubai.

I really love the invitations above, the cards are simple but you can see there has been a lot of attention to detail.

Their site, www.left-handesign.com, is great too. They have a quote on their homepage from Paul Valery that says, "the best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up". I think this quote is perfect and so true, it says a lot about Left-Handesign that they chose to put it up.

As a graphic designer myself, it's really exciting to see genuinely good work to come out of Dubai instead of just importing Western designs. This is amazing time for home grown culture, designers and artist.

We <3 Left-Handesign!

Check out:

www.left-handesign.com
left-handesign.blogspot.com

Maryam Keyhani Jewelry - We're obsessed!

We're officially obsessed with Maryam Keyhani jewelry - just about the prettiest we've seen. Her jewelry is playful, luxurious and delicate, often combining unexpected textures such as pearls and feathers. There is a lovely sense of asymmetry to Keyhani's jewelry.

What I love most about Maryam Keyhani's jewelry is that when I look at it, I see art - not accessories. Her website, www.maryamkeyhani.com, reminds me of being a child in museum where your mother tells you not to touch anything but all you want to do is run your hands over everything.

Yes, I'd like to get my hands on all of her jewelery!


Check out:

www.maryamkeyhani.com

Sweetcover Laptop Case

I have been looking for the perfect laptop case for the past year and a half or so. I love my MacBook Pro, I like to pamper it with lacie external hard drives or Lady Gaga headphones (yes, I'm a bit of a geek) but I still have never found a laptop case/bag that I felt was good enough for my mac.

I have an extensive list of characteristics that I take into consideration when searching for the perfect laptop case/bag.

1. It has to be cute.

I hate bags that look like they're made for a computer. They are generally way too big, black with shiny polyester material and it looks like some ancient Dell laptop belongs in it.

2. I don't want it to be made out of cheap material.

It doesn't mean it has to be expensive but I've paid a lot of money and put a lot of love into my laptop, so it only deserves the best.

3. It needs to be unique.

There are millions of people out there with the same laptop as me, so it's really important that I can customize my computer - even if it's just a little bit.

4. The case/cover/bag has to have straps

I used to have a simple cover for my laptop. I thought it was cool to take a minimalist approach (ie you don't need a laptop bag) but when you travel it's really annoying to try and fit your computer into a bag that's really not made for one. It can also be dangerous to your puter (yes I meant to say puter). Plus, if you don't have the right support (ie straps) it can be uber painful carrying around computers.

5. Does it come in pink?

I'm pink obsessed, just because you grow old doesn't mean you have to grow up. I will probably end up being one of those crazy 80 year old women that wear pink from head to toe but at least I'll be happy. I see no exception for my puter.

My ongoing search for the perfect laptop case has been a major stress in my life. One time I spent six hours googling cases. Every time I found one I remotely liked I felt that I had to compromise on one thing or the other.

Earlier this year I thought I had found my perfect match with Mulbery's magenta clutch laptop case. I thought it would be really cool if my laptop case looked like an oversize clutch from Mulbery - but then I thought, "do i really want to carry a 15-in laptop in my arms every time I go somewhere?" - no.

It's been a miserable search, until tonight. On my way to watch Prince of Persia in the Mall of the Emirates, I stopped at a kiosk selling black and pink laptop bags/cases/etc. At first glanced I brushed it off, assuming that it was probably some cheap brand - clearly why they would be at a kiosk, right?

I could not have been more wrong. The bags were from a brand called Sweetcover, from France. It's made out of a faux crocodile skin leather, which feels great and is heat resistant. The bag has handles, which you can pull up or push in to hide them - so you can hold the bag like a brief case. The bag also comes with a very comfy removable shoulder strap (which is almost impossible to find laptop bags with cute shoulder straps). The bag will carry your laptop but if you open the bag it also acts as a cover (see above images). Of course, best of all, the bag comes in pink!

The bag retails for about 300DHS, depending on which one you buy. Head down to the Mall of the Emirates or check out www.sweetcover.com

Mega Exhibition @ Bloomingdales, Dubai Mall

The Mega Exhibition has moved from the DIFC to Bloomingdales in the Dubai Mall (the household section opposite Wafi Gourmet).

The exhibition displays all sorts of cute little Megas designed by various artists. They can be seen all around the Bloomies shop. One my favorites is featured in the window, it's brown and says "little brown mega", carrying loads of litte brown bags! Too Cute!

I really lurve the window display, I like the cut out, the big void, the colorful silhouettes of the Megas against the black background.

If you're lurving the Megas too then you can go to Bloomies and purchase your own to decorate or keep a crisp white. I'm huge customizable vinyl toys collector so of course I had to get my hands on a Mega! I'll be decorating it in the next few days and will post pics!

Maybelline's "Born to Be" Finalists

A few months ago we put a post on the Maybelline's "Born to Be" Cosmetic Couture design competition. Maybelline asked people to design a collection of abayas, which had to be inspired by their new make up line. The prize includes: 10,000USD, an internship at DAS collection and Maybelline products for a year! It's a pretty sweet prize.

The five finalist have been chosen (which can be seen at www.maybellineborntobe.com/vote.aspx).
My fav finalist is Areeb Malik, a Preston University student who has designed some beautiful abayas. I really like her illustration style and her designs are romantic, gothic and glamorous all at the time same time.

The finalist are required to now construct and make their design (hard!), I can't wait to see them.

Will keep you all posted.

www.maybellineborntobe.com

Meet Mega @ the DIFC

Meet Mega, an eight inch customizable toy created by Emirati designer Mohammed Abedin. 100 UAE based artists were invited to customize their own Mega, which are now down at an exhibition at the DIFC.

My favorite Mega, is the lovely little Lady Gaga, designed by Mohammed Hindash. The pint size Lady G looks absolutely faboosh in her acrylic black jacket.

You can order your own customizable Mega from the Cuadro art gallery in the Gate Village for less than 200 Dhs.

www.foo-dog.com

Satwa Exhibtion by Zayed Univeristy

Head down to the DIFC (in the exhibition hall next to EDGE) to see Sen10r Exhibition - a Senior Exhibition by Students from the Department of Art and Design, Zayed University, from June 5 – 17, 2010.

The exhibition generally commented on the revamping of Satwa. My favorite pieces were by Arwa Salahaldin Sharafi, who said, "My works are intended to evoke feelings and emotions. They are not mere pieces of art, but are mediums for spreading a message, an influential one."

Two of her designs (above) read, "Did you know 10,000 Satwa residents were asked to evacuate their homes for a new project called Jumeirah Garden City? – Maintain Satwa's People".

As a graphic designer myself, I think Sharafi's pieces are subtle, delicately drawn and bold in it's message.

Congrats to all the designers for getting their thoughts across so beautifully. Now let's just hope some people are listening!

Mercedes-Benz AD Competition

Mercedes-Benz is having an AD competition for their new GLK Grand Edition, which they say is uber unique (actually I added the uber).

They want you to design an ad for the GLK Grand Edition and the winner will actually receive a GLK. This is a pretty sick prize.

I'm totally going to enter it. If I win, I'm going to take it to BRABUS and get it done up!

For more deets and to enter the competition go to:
www.mb-glk.com

ActiveHybrid BMW X6 comes to the GCC

BMW is launching a hybrid version of the X6 and one from their 7 series. Both cars will be sold commercially to the GCC countries.

As an SUV girl, I'm tres excited for the ActiveHybrid X6. Gas is significantly cheaper in the M.E. and we/I tend to forget that it's not great for the enviro. I think BMW's new ActiveHybrids will be an awesome car to introduce to the UAE. I heard it's not cheap but hey, did we really expect an SUV from BMW to be cheap?

Besides, can we really put a price on a clean environment?

BTW, I couldn't resist putting up this lush gold X6. Was that your work FOILACAR?

Funky Bling @S*uce

So if you don't already know, S*uce is one of my favorite stores - and not just in Dubai. Even in New York people are talking about S*uce (I'm here for the week).

I'm S*uce obsessed, because everything they touch turns to gold. Their most recent addition is defo something to be obsessed about, hand custom cuffs from Funky Bling.

The cuffs at S*uce include the words Helwa (Arabic for pretty) or
Kashkha (Arabic for a cool/awesome girl) and come in all sorts of delicious neon candy colors.

I think these cuffs will go great with an abaya. I like the visual of a soft black sleeve with the contrast of the hard colorful cuff.

Full collection of Funky Bling rings, cuffs and necklaces is available at
S*uce, Dubai Mall, The Village Mall and Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi.

The Core Exhibition at Dubai Mall

Ajman University of Science & Technology has an exhibition down at the Dubai Mall called The Core.

A number of design chairs are on display. It's really interesting to see such different ideas of aesthetic and creativity.

I particularly liked Roza Parviz Moulaei's chair, titled, "Pray For Peace". There is an element of humility and restraint to it that appeals to me.

Go down to the the Dubai Mall and check it out or visit www.ajman.ac.ae/thecore for more info.

Maybelline's "Born to Be" Competition

Maybelline has just launched their site for their 2010 design competition. If you're between the ages of 18-35, reside in one of the GCC countries and are interested in fashion design then continue reading.

Maybelline wants you to get inspired by their latest make up to create an evening wear Abaya collection. Not only will you have to design 3-4 looks but you will have to construct the garment (depending on how far you advance). The rules state very clearly that you cannot hire nor have help. Strict and hard if you don't have construction skills but the prize is pretty impressive.

The winner will receive:

- $10,000USD to launch their fashion career.

- An internship at Das collection

- Maybelline products for a year

- And loads of press obvi!

Check out www.maybellineborntobe.com for more deets on the comp.

For inspiration, I leave you with, "Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's Maybelline"

Sylvia Toledano

I received this gorge Sylvia Toledano bag as a birthday present. The bag is named, "A La Vie" and is decorated in Austrian crystals. It also came with a matching tiny crystal pen inside. Super kawaii! The French label makes the most amazing evening bags with super contemporary designs.

I'm not a particularly frilly girl but this sparkly evening bag does call to me and it's not just the skull because I want all of Sylvia Toledano's bags. I love Toledano's idea of elegance and frankly, her bags just make me smile.


Hope you guys like my Gaga-esque inspired pic.

Sylvia Toledano's bags can be bought @S*uce.

Check out www.sylviatoledano.com

DU balloons flyerover Dubai

Anyone see the DU balloons fly over (around) the Marina? It happened about an hour ago.

The balloons, in the shape of the DU logo flew through the Marina and onto Sheikh Zayed Road (some even landing on the highway).

I checked out the website and the only thing I could possibly link the balloons to is the fact that you can get the movie "UP" on demand - but this was after a few click thrus around the site.

So if this is just a marketing exercise to get people to notice DU, well I have to say it's more BOO than DU.

Launching hundreds of ginormous balloons can't be great for the environment BUT if you are going to do it anyways, why not do it during the day when people can actually see the balloons??