Saturday 28 February 2015

So you think you got Style!?.... Meet man of the Hour Glen Martin




What word best describes your style? Classic
What are you listening to right now? Pattie Labelle
What inspired you and what you do? my parents
The last drink I had was…? Ginger Ale, no ice & LOTS of orange slices
What job would you be doing if you were not a Brand Manager? Retail Consultant

Where would you go first in Dubai if you were a tourist? XVA Hotel Al Fahidi ( Bastakiya) Neighbourhood
Name a guilty pastime pleasure? Eating desserts
If you had to pick a theme song for your life, what would it be? Sister Sledge, He's the Greatest Dancer
What’s the first thing you do in the morning? drink warm water with Lemon
Who's you numero uno style icon? Sean Connery as James Bond
What’s your favorite quote of all time? "Fashion Fades, style is eternal" - Yves Saint Laurent




Sunday 15 February 2015

24hrs in the Life of Fashion Designer and Lifestyle Consultant Van der Haer




7.00am 
I usually wake up and start checking emails with an Americano and sippin on some lemon water to cleanse.
 I'd rather be designing frocks and rolling around in French crepe chiffon all day! But hey, business and fashion go hand in hand like cheese and ham! 
After checking all my social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc Honestly, it seems like Lifes one big popularity contest these days! The key is translating ones popularity into sells!


7.30am I get showered and dressed to impress (always!) I fix some breakfast which on a good clean eating day is a green smoothie mixed with berries, frozen banana and some spinach and whey powder blitzed in my Nutribullet -never leave home without it!

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9-10.30pm Gym
Living in Dubai your constantly fighting for balance between the courtesy catered champagne events and keeping fit! I this time round am making it a point to be a lifestyle and not a band aid for bad habits. My fave thing is using weights and doing squats! Best results you'll ever get!

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11-12pm Inkas & Unique magazine
What do you get when you meet a armored vehicles company and Jet set magazine publisher? Inkas and Unique Global magazine that's what. I meet with Dubai Celebrity Artist,Jim Wheat of Dollarsandart, and entering the premises am gobsmacked at the slick Bond like interior housed in a warehouse in Dubai Investment Park. All that was missing is some gadgets but the armored vehicles fitted out for Royalty and HNI did more then kept my attention. What's this to do with fashion? Well the clientele who buy these souped up 6 figure vehicles very well buy Van der Haer. Unique Global also talk to me about getting in touch to an interview for their online private jet magazine.  

Not your average client..


11.30 Precise 3-d Printers
I meet with the C.E.O Lothar and catch up after a long time having been away, we also discuss exciting new design possibilities and our collaboration. I cant wait to share with you the exciting new designs I'm working on with Precise Ltd. who specialize in 3-D printing! If your not familiar with the concept yet, then check it out!
Cristina Franceschini Design06
Cristina Franceschini Design07
Images Cristina Franceschini

12.30-1.30: Lunch Social House
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In love with this Chinese food hub !

2pm: Fragrance Du Bois

 "You were born an original, don't become a copy" Coco Chanel 


I was invited to sample the Du Bois Oud Fragrance Experience. I had little to no idea what to expect of this exotic oil perched from Aquilaria trees that tediously yet organically creates its very existence.
 Meeted and greeted I was introduced to the C.E.O Dean Henry. Dean led me into a room overlooking the City's Media Hub and Marina and we sat and discussed a little background on the brand before walking me over to a beautiful custom steam trunk that housed dozens of little black glass bottles with even more exotic and enticing names color coded labels on them. A bit like Alice through the looking glass ;-)






5 Interesting Oud Facts

  1. Ouds origin can be traced back to Biblical times. 
  2. It's value is worth more then gold
  3. Its derived from the dark resinous wood of the Aquilaria tree
  4. This resin occurs in less than 7% of trees in the wild
  5. Oud is highly valued and traded in the Middle East to date.
C.E.O Dean walks and talks me through the intricate process of extracting their priceless Oud oil but more so how they replant the trees with every one extracted. Finally! A luxury product with a conscious that's also sustainable!
If I ruled the World...

Dean Henry 'nose' just what hes doing- sorry, I could'nt resist the pun!


If your gonna pop bottles..your gonna need Du Bois to step your game up!

The Bespoke fragrance especially created for Boxing champ David Haye

Box of Chocolates are so last year!
Need a special gift for a specials someone?!
Try this Du Bois custom made box of fragrance delights!
Decadent crystal bottles cut through the Dubai's sunny skyline

Even the Aquilaria wood is recycled into charm bracelets for keepsakes.

Attention to detail from conception-to-product-to -client

This beautiful custom crock steam trunk opens up to a Pandora's box of Du Bois Fragrance samples for each and every personality!

4pm: Head home with Dubai traffic, I pick up tickets for The Meydan Races where I've been invited by Jim Wheat to wine dine and watch the races from the V.I.P Box tomorrow night with Fashion One TV as our guests. 

5pm Emails catchup and the last of phone calls for the day. If Im lucky I get to sketch and develop ideas for my Ready-to-wear launch collection in April for Si-Fashion Gallery. I then will shut off play some Lemon Jelly or Ibiza Chill and cook some homey food. 

10pm 
If I'm a good girl its bed and a book and if its a must then I'm seeing a client or friend for a couple virgin cocktails and talk of upcoming events and new collaborations for a couple hours before I turn into a pumpkin!lol



Thanks for tuning in....to be continued!....