Woman This Month - November 2011

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2 | November 2011 | woman this month 20 62 22 82 28 contents | november 2011 Shopping 8 This Month’s Most Wanted: Jewel Tones 10 The Ring Thing: Finger Bling! 12 Do the Drop: Dangly Earrings Features 20 Lessons in Style: New Book, New You 22 Life’s a Dream: A DJ on a Mission Fitness 28 Ten Tips: Fitness Tricks 30 Best Buys: All the Products 32 Ten Best: The Top Venues Fashion 46 Fashion Forward: November Trends 48 Racks to Runways: Fashionable Dubai 52 Celebrity Fashion: As Seen on the Stars Beauty 56 News: November’s Picks 58 Fragrances: Sweet and Feminine Wellbeing 62 Campaign: Rheumatoid Arthritis 64 Feature: Free Your Mind Parenting 72 Feature: Do the Run Around 75 Column: Healthy Kids Regulars 6 Write Here, Write Now 82 Travel: Where to go Next? 80 Recipes: Healthy Eating 84 Horoscope: Your future in the stars 88 Columnist: Fairy Tales NOVEMBER 2011, issue 105 Accessorize joins in this month’s jewellery craze. More inside. Bahrain Edition #&"65: ] '"4)*0/ ] )0.& ] 8&--#&*/( ] 1"3&/5*/( ] -0$"- *446&4 /07&.#&3 ] *TTVF (FNT (BMPSF $FMFCSBUJOH UIF 'JOFTU +FXFMMFST *TTVF 'SFTI 0VUMPPL #MPHHFSµ 30 58

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4 | November 2011 | woman this month Welcome EDITOR's letter This issue marks the launch of our three month long fitness campaign! Woman This Month is determined to help the women of Bahrain to sit up and take note of the damage that a sedentary lifestyle can do to the body. Many people are under the impression that exercise is all about tonnes of effort, hours of time and pouring sweat. Okay so it is, in part. However, what a lot of people don’t realise is that having a go at improving muscle tone and stamina doesn’t have to be all hard work. The gym can be a fun and sociable place, with experts on hand to help tailormake a routine to suit you. Plus, exercise releases endorphins in your body which make you happy — so you can improve your mood as well as your physique! So, to kick off the first month of our campaign, we have an issue jam packed with health and fitness advice. Not only have we sent our own reporters out to gather information about the best ways to approach exercise, we have also rounded up the Kingdom’s leading experts to talk about what each of their premises has to offer. If you are already sold on the fitness idea and need a little light relief, then head straight for our jewellery feature. As Jewellery Arabia is just around the corner, we’ve gone straight to some of the exhibiting designers to talk about what they will be showcasing. Whether you are taking Woman This Month with you for a stroll in the sunshine or propping it up in front of you as you run on the treadmill, we hope that we have gone some way to equipping you better for a brand new, totally fit and refreshingly re-energised you! Natasha Bird Editor For of the moment news, tips, advice and fun links, follow Woman This Month on Twitter @WomanThisMonthB responsible editor Jubran AbdulRahman chairman & publisher George F Middleton publishing director David M Robertson editorial consultant Dr Paul Balles editor NATASHA BIRD contributors ALISON COLDBRIDGE Dr Claire McInroy george r vaughan James Claire staff writers Elma Bartholomew Maryam A. Toorani Wafa Ebrahim Abdulla print production manager Sabu Sebastian layout & graphics ROBYN VAN DER MERWE Dalal Al-Sabbagh RomEO San Miguel media coordinator NAMRATA ASSER media executives ESKY Girmay SHANI DAVEL sales manager Mayukh Majumdar circulation FAWAZ AL BALOOSHI photography editor anil Ravi Shankar photographers Shankar Kunhambu Subeesh Kumar NS printing press Union Press, Bahrain Contents copyrighted 2004© Reproduction in whole or in part by any means without the express written consent of the publisher is prohibited. ISBN No: 1 899348 11 5. Licensed by the Ministry of Information, Directorate of Publication and Press. Code: SWTM 410 woman this month is for women in Bahrain wishing to celebrate a unique cosmopolitan lifestyle and community spirit in an objective and proactive manner. For subscriptions visit www.womanthismonth.com Advertising rates are available upon request. Please e-mail [email protected]. The publication of any advertisement in woman this month is not necessarily an endorsement of the advertiser or of the products or services advertised. Although every effort is made to ensure factual information, woman this month cannot be held responsible for errors in contributors’ material, nor do the opinions expressed by individual writers necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. editorial Submission of articles is welcome. Send queries, letters and articles to the editor at the address below. The publisher reserves the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed. bahrain office address Red House Marketing p.o. box: 20461, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain telephone: (17) 813-777 fax: (17) 813-700 email: [email protected] website: www.womanthismonth.com published monthly by Red House Marketing (Jersey) Ltd. P. O. Box 641, No. 1 Seaton Place, St. Helier, Jersey JE4 8JJ, Channel Islands, U.K. in association with Al-Hilal Publishing, P. O. Box 224, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Woman This Month is a member of BPA Worldwide Look Sharp! Fix Up,

6 | November 2011 | woman this month Letters Your October issue of WTM, in which Natasha Bird interviewed Dr. Margot Badran was illuminating and a call to action. With the presence of our four women in parliament and eleven in the Shura Council, it is apparent that more and more women are affirming their right to be heard. Women can no longer stand to be treated as second class citizens, without a voice. Dr. Badran’s dedication and commitment to studying the role of women in the Islamic world, based on the teachings of the Qur’an is to be highly commended. In a bid to be taken more seriously, all women need to take a stance, stay true to their convictions and be united in their fight for freedom and equal rights. If one woman can make a difference, imagine what the future holds for each and every one of us. C. Farose, by email. A Call to Action The Feminism Issue I really appreciate that this magazine talked about feminism in the October issue. It is a commonly used word when I discuss Islam with my peers. A lot of people don’t know anything about it, but they are still throwing around the word as if they own it. I have been in Bahrain for three years and I am married to a Bahraini. I was not originally a Muslim, but now that I have been living in their culture for years, I appreciate its values. So often women assume that the Muslim religion is antiwomen and this isn’t true. I can see that in Bahrain, the Muslim religion is often used to treat women with respect and love. My husband, who is Muslim, treats me superbly. Leslie, by email. WRITE IN AND WIN Send your letter to [email protected], by fax to 17 813-700 or by post to PO Box 20461, Manama. The star letter will receive two amazing slimming treatment sessions at Bliss Salon. Using a state-of-the-art LPG machine, this treatment is three times more effective than anything else available in the Kingdom! Bliss Salon contact details can be found in the Pink Pages at the back of the magazine. Write Here Write Now 9 woman this month | October 2011 | 8 | October 2011 | woman this month *OUFSWJFX 'eminism” has become a dirty word. It shouldn’t have and it’s bizarre that it has, but it has. So, what is it about this particular term for female equality that makes it stick in people’s throats? It isn’t just that men see it as a label for the disruption to their status quo, because there are many, educated women who also recoil at its mention. In some parts of the world, the word has been hijacked by minority groups who have used it as an excuse for extreme behaviour. It has become identifiable with bra-burning and man-hating, which is a shame because these things have nothing to do with the original tenets of feminism. In this part of the world, though, the stigma attached to the term possibly has more to do with the fact that it is seen as a Western term, or a Western phenomenon. Wrong again. One of the most interesting things that I gleaned from my conversation with Dr. Margot Badran was that feminism, as a term and a concept, developed fairly simultaneously in the East and the West. It seems, then, that this association with the West may just be another method, contrived by opponents of the feminist cause, for putting women off the push for equality. It might seem odd to solicit the opinions of an American on the subject of Islam, but it would be imprudent to let her nationality cloud your reading. Dr. Badran is more than qualified to talk about such subjects. She is an academic, lecturer and author, whose career has centred on gender and feminism. She has spoken globally, held many fellowships, won a plethora of awards, helped set up the women’s studies programme at the University of Sana in Yemen and has written on women and gender for the Al-Ahram weekly in Cairo. More than this, though, she has made it her life’s work to study the role of women in the Muslim world and has dedicated herself to reading, understanding and discussing the teachings of the Qur’an. According to Dr. Badran, “feminism” appears as a word in the late 19th century, but it doesn’t actually enter the English vocabulary until the next century. Interestingly, it appears to develop in both the United States and Egypt at roughly the same time. So, to call it a singularly Western phenomenon is inappropriate. In fact, in Egypt it emerges in the context of the rise of Islamic modernism and as part of the anti-colonial struggle, which argued against the inequalities of Western colonisation. Badran points out that: “certain patriarchal forces or conservative groups know that if they want to suppress a movement in the Middle East, the most effective way to do it is to label it Western, as something that is beyond Islam and a threat to the culture. This is a pernicious manipulation, but it has such power that people buy it”. “It is a contentious word, but use it, to uphold the value of it, because if even I won’t, then who is going to?”. It seems glaringly obvious to me and to Dr. Badran, that the more time one spends denigrating the word, the less time we will spend concentrating on its meaning — social justice and equality. Because this is exactly what Islamic feminism refers to, in its most basic sense. “It is an articulation of the idea of the equality of all human beings. What makes it Islamic feminism is that this understanding of social justice and gender equality is derived directly from reading the Qur’an. It is a feminist discourse that is grounded in interpretation of the Qur’an and also the Hadith”, says Dr. Badran. The Qur’an is extremely complex. To suggest that it is not open to interpretation is to ignore its depth and value. As Dr. Badran points out, “You could choose to read into it some degree of inequality. For example, the Qur’an mentions polygamy. Marrying up to four wives is technically allowed”, so it might appear to condone the practise. However, “the conditions are so stringent that if you actually followed them, you’d find it very difficult to actually practice it”. In the society in which the Qur’an was revealed, polygamy was rampant. So, according to Dr. Badran, the Qur’an is less concerned with excusing the practice and more with trying to contain it. “The Qur’an contains a message of human equality and justice and encourages working toward the implementation of these ideals in the real world, but many people get stuck on what is permissible, rather than on aiming to live out these higher ideals or principles”. Knowing the context in which the Qur’an was conceived, asserts Dr. Badran, will help you to understand it as a more egalitarian document. And it is this egalitarian interpretation which fuels Islamic feminism. If you ask me, now is the perfect time to get over any disdain for the terms and to discuss the principles. In Bahrain, more and more women are finding their public voice and asserting their right to be heard. Now, more than ever, we can see that ideas about women circulated by conservatives — such as the idea that a woman’s place is solely in the home — are problematic. Women are not a singular, homogeneous group. We are each unique and must be allowed to act so. Dr. Badran suggests that, quite apart from letting the term “feminism” intimidate or bother us, the best thing we can do is use it and talk about it. “We need discourse to help us clarify, realign and legitimise our thinking. If people are going to use religion to tell you what to do, you need to be clear about your own understanding and the justification for it. Islamic feminists are able to say, “excuse me, no I don’t have to do what you say, and this is why, according to the Qur’an’”. Even if it is structural changes that need to take place in order for women to have equal rights to men, it is study, discussion and greater understanding that will facilitate the movement to make these changes happen. For example, the famous revision of the family law, in Morocco in 2004, making men and women equal heads of the family, came about after many forces, including well-versed feminists, campaigned for its modification. Having spoken to Dr. Badran, it seems that to suggest, as many do, that women already receive equal rights, is misguided. It is also unfair to suggest that the rights that women do not receive are not afforded to them by the Qur’an. There is still a long way to go before women can enjoy gender equality and social justice. We are lucky enough to live in a country which permits female academia and allows women a public voice, so it is about time that more of us started using it. It is abundantly clear that, of all the words we should seek to outlaw, “feminism” isn’t one of them. It is a concept that has been with us for years, in word, and for centuries, in practise. It is the term for our freedom, the term for our rights and our equality. Most of your day-to-day practices, including reading this magazine, wouldn’t be available to you without it. Even if you find the word irritating, it is silly to use that as an excuse not to talk about female rights. A word is a word, but injustice is all-consuming. %JSUJFTU 8PSE 5IF /BUBTIB #JSE UBMLT UP %S .BSHPU #BESBO BCPVU UIF UIFPSZ CFIJOE *TMBNJD 'FNJOJTN BOE XIZ UIF XPSET TQBSL BMBSN JO FWFO TPNF PG UIF NPTU GPSXBSE UIJOLJOH BNPOH UIF .VTMJN QPQVMBUJPO We need discourse to help us clarify, realign and legitimise our thinking. If people are going to use religion to tell you what to do, you need to be clear about your own understanding and the justification for it. 47 woman this month | October 2011 | 46 | October 2011 | woman this month $BNQBJHO .PUIFSIPPE JT UIBU UJNF JO B XPNBOµT MJGF XIFO XFµSF TVQQPTFE UP SFWFM JO UIF KPZ PG UIF OFX CBCZ #VU XIBU IBQQFOT XIFO GBS GSPN GFFMJOH FVQIPSJD ZPV GFFM MJLF LJMMJOH ZPVSTFMG 'JHIUJOH 5wenty-five year old Reem has just had a healthy baby girl after a normal delivery. Yet rather than elated, all she feels is tired and miserable. Instead of smiling endlessly, she occasionally dissolves into tears for no apparent reason. Despite being a first-time mother, she is taking no pleasure in the baby at all. What Reem feels and countless other new mothers experience is Postpartum Depression, a widespread illness that can take a devastating toll on a mother’s mental health. While it is common for mothers to experience a period of low mood after childbirth, PPD is more severe, occurring in 10 to 15 per cent or one in seven to ten mothers. According to psychotherapist Thoraiya Kanafani, it is important to make a distinction between Postpartum Depression and the usual “baby blues”. “Baby blues are extremely common among women within the first two weeks of childbirth and do not require professional help. However, if the symptoms persist for longer than a month or become more severe, it can develop into Postpartum Depression and professional help should be sought. If left untreated, PPD can last for months or years and may put the mother and child at risk,” she warns. 5IF TJHOT A mother suffering from PPD experiences dramatic mood swings, loss of sleep, appetite and interest in activities. She may appear confused, fatigued, experience uncontrollable bouts of crying or major disruptions to her sleep cycle. In the most severe cases, a mother’s thinking can be disrupted to the point of psychosis and she might develop a desire to hurt herself. Severe or ongoing PPD can hinder a mother’s ability to care for and bond with her child during the critical early developmental phase of an infant. $BVTFT CFIJOE 1PTUOBUBM %FQSFTTJPO While there are a multitude of factors contributing to PPD, it mainly results from hormonal changes within the body, especially the fluctuating levels of oestrogen and progesterone. The stress of the new responsibility and change, sleep deprivation, high parenting expectations, and lack of a support network all add to the stress levels of a new mother who is often juggling the multiple roles of wife, mother and career woman alone. Women who have a family history of depression are genetically more susceptible to it. )BOEMJOH UIF CMVFT While it’s possible to recover completely from PPD with the right treatment, those who suffer from this condition have a greater chance of experiencing it again with the next baby. Often, new moms worry about the way they feel and their lack of bonding with their baby, but they avoid seeking help because they’re ashamed to divulge their feelings. However, depending on the severity of the condition, a series of interventions, including dietary changes, exercise and therapy can help these mothers shake away the blues. &BU IFBMUIZ BOE FYFSDJTF Since a major cause of PPD is changes within the body, a good diet and healthy eating habits are important to fight this condition. “We tell young mothers to develop healthy eating habits and ask them to exercise. If she can lose the weight she gained during pregnancy, it makes her feel light, energetic and good about herself,” says Julie Abillamaa, senior dietician at Health Watchers Bahrain. A diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can help lift the mood of mothers who otherwise feel frustrated and lacking in energy. Increasing intake zinc-rich foods, such as eggs, sea food and legumes, boosts the immune system, while colourful fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants including Vitamin C, A and selenium, which help the body recover from tiredness. “Eating bigger portions is not required of new mothers. If breast feeding, a mother needs to increase her food intake by 400 calories at the most. Mothers who eat healthily can actually drop up to half a kilo of weight every week during the lactating time,” says Julie. Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins which make you “happy” and half an hour’s exercise could be enough to make a mother feel comfortable in her own skin. The trick, Julie advises, lies in preparing yourself during the pregnancy and monitoring your weight gain instead of acting when it’s too late. 5BML JU PVU Therapy is the most effective way to treat PPD when it is moderate to severe in nature. In cases where the illness is experienced with severe functional impairment or with psychotic or suicidal characteristics — which is rare — it is necessary to seek therapeutic as well as medical help. “It’s best to talk about what you’re feeling. Psychotherapy is a very effective way for mothers to communicate openly, in a non-judgmental atmosphere, about what they are experiencing. If you or someone close to you is suffering from PPD, it is important to seek professional assistance from a medical doctor and a mental health professional,” says Thoraiya. "TL GPS TVQQPSU Every mother needs some “me time” everyday, so that she can look after herself and simply “be”. For this, support from family and friends, especially her partner, is crucial. Furthermore, a support network is essential to every mother experiencing PPD. “Having a support group or network could be a pivotal part of a PPD treatment programme because, regardless of the difficulty one is encountering, it is comforting to know that there’s someone who offers non-judgemental support, is able to listen and provide sound advice, and who has experienced the same, but has come through the difficulty,” says structural yoga therapist, Lavina Faleiro. Lavina offers pre and post-natal yoga classes as well as birthpreparation workshops in collaboration with colleagues Jasmine Smith, doula and Vicky Honar, lactation consultant and midwife. The group also offers breastfeeding and early parenting support groups for mothers-to-be and mothers with babies. Lavina feels such a network is especially important in Bahrain, where a Bahraini mother might find herself isolated, if extended family members are working, and expat mothers, who may find themselves without support because their families are all back home. Mums In Bahrain is another social networking website where moms can meet and exchange notes with other mothers. Boasting over 5,000 members in Bahrain, the club recently held a seminar at the Royal Hospital in Bahrain with dedicated doctors advising mothers on PPD. The website is also launching an interactive section: “Ask the Doctor” on its website, where parents will be able to communicate directly with family doctors and paediatricians and have their queries resolved. For further information: Health Watchers Bahrain 17 811-449; Thoraiya Kanafani 36 692-377. UIPTF #BCZ #MVFT No More Baby Blues Your article in the October issue on post-natal depression gave a sad account of a woman’s experience. Someone once asked me what it feels like and the only thing I can compare it to is swimming in glue. It’s impossible to get anywhere no matter how hard you swim. It’s a crippling feeling that comes when you least expect it or indeed least have time to deal with it. You have a wonderful new baby — a bundle of joy and then, suddenly, you feel unhappy. It’s hard to motivate yourself to do the simplest of things. It takes blood, sweat and tears to be a mum. The only way to get over it is to take action. See your GP, get out of the house, give yourself small goals each day, talk to people, laugh, breathe, chill out, accept help and think positively. Just think that you are a fantastic and wonderful person. You have created another human life. Be proud. Be positive. You will be a stronger person when you get through to the other side of this. Euna, by email.

8 | November 2011 | woman this month Shopping Gem Tones As this issue has a jewellery focus, we thought we’d take a little look at how jewellery, specifically the beautiful and bold colour of many of the world’s most coveted gemstones, is influencing Autumn/Winter fashion. Carolina Herrera. Available in Bahrain City Centre and Boutique 1. Christian Louboutin. Available in Saks Fifth Avenue, BCC. Miss Selfridge. Available in Bahrain City Centre Koton. Available in Bahrain City Centre. Reiss. Available in Bahrain City Centre Dorothy Perkins. Available in Bahrain City Centre

10 | November 2011 | woman this month Shopping With Jewellery Arabia around the corner it’s all eyes on the bling. The bigger, bolder and more dazzling the better. Prepare yourself for the tantalising shapes, cuts and lustres that will be on display at the exhibition by slavering over some of these beautiful designs. When it comes to rings, mixing and matching is the order of the day. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Ring Bling Find Some New Look Dior Star by Julien MacDonald at Debenhams Carolina Herrera Bansri Jewellery Chopard Piaget Accessorize Marks and Spencer Ted Baker at House of Fraser

12 | November 2011 | woman this month Shopping Dior Louis Vuitton Massimo Dutti Chanel Kenzo Martine Wester Lanvin Hoss Intropia Coast Drop earrings have exploded back onto the scene with some force! It’s time to do away with those sixties inspired clip-ons and those classic pearl studs and reach for something a little more flamboyant. Whether it’s brightly coloured gemstones, twisted metal structures or fluttering feathers, just make sure its dangly and attention-grabbing. ‘Til You Drop Shop

20 Tips 14 | November 2011 | woman this month They say jewellery can make or break an outfit. To avoid the latter WTM is keen to turn your every day look from drab to fab with this year’s Autumn/Winter accessory trends. Wafa Ebrahim Abdulla A Treasur-ous Affair 20 Tips:

15 woman this month | November 2011 | More is…more 1. Mix and Match. For that eccentric look, don’t be afraid to mix different types of jewellery. Pair different stones together; elegant with bulky and your outfit will not go unnoticed. 2. Gold vs. Silver. Which colour metal should you go for? Why not both. Sometimes a clash of gold and silver is just what the outfit needs to pop. So, don’t hesitate to couple the two. 3. Animalistic Ballistic. Who says animals belong in the zoo? We beg to differ. A leopard-head ring or an owl necklace is just the quirkiness your day requires. 4. Pattern-o-Mania. This season it is all about patterns, but that doesn’t mean you should not accessorise. Adding solid coloured jewellery can actually tone down the screaming designs of your outfit. 5. Over the Top. A trend that has stuck around and that we all love, is oversized jewellery. Paired with a chic outfit, chunky pieces will give you an edgy look. 6. Stack ‘em Up. Just because bangles are big, it doesn’t mean you cannot wear a few. In fact, wear them stacked on both wrists, what fun! 7. Monochrome. You might think that monochrome is dull, but think again. Single-colour jewels can make a monochrome look pop! 8. White Wash. Look like a million bucks and accessorise with diamonds. These rocks work perfectly for a special occasion or any night-time event. 9. Tropical Lush. Escape to a tropical island without boarding a plane and embrace fruity jewels, serpent cuffs and citrus beads. Today you are… 10. 50’s Glamour. Travel back in time to the 50s with delicate jewellery. Wear pearls, flower-top and cocktail rings. Think Grace Kelly! 11. Rock ‘n’ Roll. Channel your inner rock star for a fun evening. Add eagle-feathers or twisted cobras to black and leather outfits. 12. Goddess Inspired. Go for luxury and crystals to pull this look off. It will help you transform a conventional look with a vivacious twist. Smokey Eyes 13. Ethereal Beauty. Turquoise and gold is a match made in heaven. Mix them together for a Helen-of-Troy-inspired look. 14. Warrior Princess. Modern-day-women fight battles too. It doesn’t mean you cannot do it in style. Wear metal plates and draping chains along with chevron leather to perfect this look. Designer inspired 15. Donna Karan. On the runway this season, this American designer has paired single-bead choker-pearls with neutral palettes of gray and taupe. 16. Ralph Lauren. “China Girl” inspired, Ralph adopted the colours green and coral-red for bead necklaces and earrings. 17. Diane Von Furstenberg. This Belgian-American icon has revitalised a basic look with stacks of bangles. Vampy Lips 18. Betsey Johnson. Betsey’s vibrant take on fashion has brought us “The Choker” from her punky, edgy, colourful collection. Must haves 19. Bag-a-licious. Transform an old bag with a beaded necklace wrapped around the straps. You could even bedazzle it by adding crystals — good as new! 20. Extra Pizzazz. Wear a few jewels in your hair or add crystals to your nails for that extra something.

16 | November 2011 | woman this month Showcase It was a beautiful day for a boutique opening party. The sun was softly shining down on the invited guests through the domed skylight in the Moda Mall atrium; introductions and beverages were accompanied by the delightful trill of harp music and models glided among the chatting crowd, dripping in diamonds and other precious gems. Truly a feast for the senses! In amongst the movement of the ribbon cutting and the photoshoots, co-president of Chopard, Caroline Gruosi-Sheufele was gracious enough to grace me with her presence for an in-depth discussion of the latest collections, the exciting prospect of the new boutique and their imminent presence at the Jewellery Arabia exhibition. Natasha: How long has the new boutique been in the works? Caroline: This boutique has been over seven years in the making! It is the longest boutique project that we have ever had, but it has certainly been worth it. We have spent a few years honing our ideas, changing the scope of the Chopard boutique concept and perfecting the space. Luckily for Bahrain, the concept that they have ended up with is our newest and freshest. Our latest ranges and our accessories are more clearly showcased in this boutique and Bahrain is the first country in the Middle East to have this style. Natasha: What are the new collections for Autumn? Caroline: We are reintroducing our Animal Collection, which we brought out last year to celebrate our 150th anniversary. Among the high-end jewellery we have a new collection called Temptations. This comprises of a lot of colours, a lot of pieces with semi precious stones. It is very fresh and very refined. I have a lot of experience with semi precious stones, so we have made use of that in this collection. Natasha: Is there a particular sort of woman that you imagine wearing these designs? Caroline: A woman with taste! In all seriousness though, we love selling our collections to any woman who appreciates quality. Natasha: What will you be showing at Jewellery Arabia? Caroline: We will be showing a wide selection of pieces from our collections. We want to make sure we appeal to a range of different people. We will have pieces from the Animal and Temptations collections, as well as some of our cuter, fresher designs from our Mickey Mouse collection. Natasha: Are different designs popular in the Middle East to elsewhere? Caroline: No. This is why our core product lines are so good, because they sell everywhere. For me, a good product is something that is international, that pleases across the borders. The core products lines are good because they sell everywhere. For me a good product is something that is international that pleases across the borders. Call 17 520-088. Tasteful and Exquisite cHOPARD As Chopard opens its brand new boutique in the plush setting of Moda Mall, Natasha Bird speaks to co-president Caroline Gruosi-Sheufele about their latest collections.

17 woman this month | November 2011 | Al Zain is famous for more than just precious stones and metal. It is their reputation for craftsmanship, unique design and longstanding excellence in their trade which keeps customers coming back time and time again. Their exquisite jewellery pieces are made from 18 and 21 karat white and yellow gold and each is set with precious and semiprecious, including different types of diamond and the queen of all the gems in the Gulf, natural pearls. Bespoke designs Unlike many of their competitors, who are merely retailers, rather than designers, Al Zain designs and produces all their own jewellery. They have been known for generations as makers of excellent custom jewellery, creating inimitable heirlooms and family jewels. Al Zain’s chief designer and gemologist is known for taking private meetings with clients, preferring to create signature, unique designs over anything mass produced and easily replicated. The design team work tirelessly to meet a client’s specific needs, based on their budget, taste and lifestyle. For their haute-couture collection, expert goldsmiths produce the precise combination of alloys to create the perfect metal setting Masters of Their Art Al Zain Established in 1930, Al Zain stands as one of the oldest jewellery houses in the Kingdom. Their handcrafted pieces are sought after far and wide. for the stones. The setting is moulded, shaped, filed and polished to complement the diamonds without overshadowing their brilliance. All Al Zain settings are polished to a high lustre are fitted with comfort and wearability in mind. All Al Zain diamonds are set by experienced jewellers and are inspected before leaving the shop. Precious gems — status symbol As we all know, the purchase of diamonds, rubies, pearls and emeralds is not for the faint of heart. One of the best things about buying these gorgeous gemstones is that there is a certain exclusivity about them. They are not found on every finger, ear and neck in the Kingdom. When it comes to diamonds, their structure, hardness, brilliance and beauty are unsurpassed. Formed millions of years ago, relatively few of them actually survive the hazardous journey from the depths of the earth to the surface. Al Zain selects the finest of Colombian emeralds — one of the most revered and expensive of all gemstones. Emeralds exhibit the most beautiful, intense and radiant green. Truly exotic. Al Zain’s rubies are Burmese in origin. This is the stone of royals. It doesn’t get more luxurious than a vibrantly red ruby on your ring finger. Call 17 212-444.

18 | November 2011 | woman this month Showcase MMs Khulood A.Qader is something of a phenomenon. Of the many jewellery designers and jewellery merchants in the Gulf, it would be difficult to find someone more qualified for the job. Having completed her bachelor’s degree as a chemist, she moved on to what she was truly passionate about — jewellery. Khulood went on to study at the GIA — the Gemological Institute of America, where she received a gemology certificate, equipping her with the expertise to assess the shape, colour and the quality of lustre among many of the most coveted gemstones in the world. It is this expertise, coupled with her years of industry experience, which she has brought to the table to create her own company — Curve Jewellery. “I am a gemologist, so I love to use all the gemstones available, such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies, quartz and turquoise, but I am also a pearl specialist”, says Khulood. “I bring a particular knowledge to the table which lets me select the most valuable and beautiful pearls. I look for the whiter ones, which people love and tend to carry more value and I use a variety of sizes, although the larger ones are more expensive. Gulf pearls are particularly special. They have a unique quality and are highly sought after, which means they are becoming more and more of a rarity. I try to use pearls all over my collections, including in the engagement rings”. Not only is Khulood versed in the art of gemology, she is also a passionate and skilful designer. She is able to blend her knowledge of the gemstones with her eye for pattern and aesthetics, to produce some very special and individual designs. “I am inspired by nature and I often draw from different types of flower, but I also like to bring in some architectural elements. My knowledge of the gems means I know exactly what will look good where. Diamonds, for example, are very hard and can handle many designs, even some of the most intricate and detailed, whereas emeralds, on the other hand, you have to be much more careful with, because they will not just fit easily into any shape, pattern or metal”, she explains. Probably the most appealing aspect of Curve Jewellery is the offer of customisation. Khulood will personally sit down with her clients and co-design according to their taste and means. She can customise highend pieces in order to make them more affordable and she spends time developing a personal relationship with everyone she serves. Curve Jewellery is located in Isa Town. Call 17 622-448 A Lesson in Unique CURVE JEWELLERY As jewellery is one of the main focuses of November, we went down to Curve Jewellery to have a look at one of the more unique boutiques in the Kingdom.

19 woman this month | November 2011 | Social Butterfly Chopard Boutique Launched Under the patronage of HE Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, Swiss luxury brand Chopard, in partnership with Bahrain Jewellery Centre held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the Chopard Boutique in Moda Mall. The event was also attended by Caroline GruosiScheufele, Chopard co-president HE Shaikha Hessa, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, Sausan & Rahma with models wearing Chopard jewellery HE Shaikha Hessa opens the boutique Dr Abul Qassim Shirazi, Dhawiya, Ahmed, Shaikha Nadia & Mohammed Naushad, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, Dr Abul Qassim Shirazi & Raghu

20 | November 2011 | woman this month Interview in Style A Lesson She might be the editor of Woman This Month, but Natasha Bird has more than one string to her bow. She’s recently seen her first eBook published, so we grabbed five minutes of her time to talk about it.

21 woman this month | November 2011 | split into 100 chapters, each one no longer than 100 words. So, essentially, it is a collection of little nuggets of information, which makes it really easy to dip into and pick up and put down whenever you have a spare five minutes. It’s certainly not War and Peace, but then it isn’t trying to be. In one of our favourite chapters, titled “Candyfloss”, she laments the use of a particular shade of pink, claiming that it is the “colour of newborn baby girls, bubble gum machines and accessories for Chihuahuas” and might leave you looking a bit like you are “competing with Barbie for Ken’s affection”. In another, she likens some people’s posture in high heels to a cavewoman who has “just clubbed a small goat and is dragging it back to [her] cave”. It isn’t all about laughs though, as Natasha tells us. Some of the chapters contain genuinely insightful bits of information, aimed to improve the way women think of themselves. She lambasts the idea that women need to become more conservative, as soon as society tells them they are “old”. In the “Dress Your Age Myth” chapter, she says, “If you are happy and healthy, self-assured and confident, then don’t let out-dated rules govern your wardrobe”. When asked about these more self-help chapters, Natasha says, “Well it’s just so silly to let worries about our appearance stand in our way. Women still have a long way to go to achieve equality, so if we are too busy apologising for ourselves and the way we look; we’ll never concentrate on the things that really matter. So I put together a few quick rules to help make sure that women not only make the best of themselves, but also to help make sure they feel good about themselves in whatever they are wearing”. Natasha’s book 100 Lessons on Style in 100 Words or Less is available to buy for kindle, ipad and your computer at Amazon.co.uk, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Smashwords and Kobo. Check out the facebook page www.facebook.com/100lessons, and the website www.100lessons.com for more details. Natasha Bird has a few tricks up her sleeve. The latest rabbit she has pulled out of her surprisingly deep hat takes the shape of an eBook on style. Part self-help, part fashion, this book is an easy but delightful read. We sat Natasha down to have a chat about her latest project. Approached by a design and publishing company to be part of a series of digital books called100 Lessons in 100 Words or Less, Natasha jumped at the chance to realise one of her longstanding ambitions. “I just saw it as this great opportunity to combine three of the things I love most in the world — fashion, women and writing. I am a fashion addict. I am up early every morning, trawling all the best blogs, watching the trends like a hawk”, she told us. Many of the results of her obsession with fashion can be seen between the pages of this very magazine. She is adamant, though, that this book is not simply about fads and trends, whether brown is the new black or how high your heels should be. “My interest in fashion and style has never been restricted to what the designers dictate. I have always been passionate about women. I am a strident feminist, who believes that women are simply great and are way too often made to feel insecure or less significant than they should be. The female psyche is an amazingly intricate thing, but it is riddled with problems”, she told us. “I think low self-esteem is one of our biggest and most unfortunate failings. There is so much pressure out there — from men, from gossip magazines, but also from ourselves and our peers — to be thinner, taller, better endowed, smaller footed and so on. Everyone has their insecurities, but among women, you often find that these fears are so consuming that they actually stand in the way of our achieving something important for ourselves”, Natasha elaborates. So, enthused by her love of women and her passion for fashion, Natasha decided to use the 100 Lessons series as a platform for helping women to feel better about themselves. “This sort of thing has had a surge in popularity, what with the likes of Trinny and Susannah and Gok Wan, so I had to make sure that I had something different to offer”, Natasha explains. “ I have always admired Gok — he’s done brilliant things for the women of Britain — but I thought that there was probably space for someone a little bit younger, but also an experienced writer who might be able to inject a bit of humour into the topic because, let’s face it, if we can laugh at ourselves and poke fun at our own insecurities, then we have as good as conquered them”. “It is a book with three main ingredients. It’s one part self-help, one part style advice and one part comedy”, says Natasha, “or at least I hope it’s funny! My friends have said it makes them laugh, but I hope it’s not lost on other people”. We were lucky enough to have a preview of the book, before it hit the shops and we are inclined to agree with Natasha’s friends. The book is It is a book with three main ingredients. It’s one part self-help, one part style advice and one part comedy.

Interview 22 | November 2011 | woman this month While the world might revolve at the same speed as it did a hundred years ago, the pace at which we live seems to increase exponentially as time goes on. This is the age of fast money, search engines, social networking, eBusinesses, viral advertising and conspicuous consumerism. We’ve learnt that if we want something, often all we have to do is Google it. But in a society that understands or expects instant gratification, what happens when we discover that success can be taken away as quickly as it was bestowed upon us? If I learnt anything from my interview with DJette Kiwi, it’s that if you want to live out a dream in a world that moves as fast as this one, you have to have more than one of them. Although Kiwi’s first dream was never handed to her on a plate — she trained extremely hard and competed even harder to become an Olympic hopeful in the art of Judo — she knows more than most what it means to feel the carpet pulled out from under your feet and to have to start again from scratch. DJette Kiwi stumbled into judo by accident. “I had two brothers”, she jokes, “I needed to learn self-defence!”. In fact, Kiwi had always had a competitive streak — “I was already doing kick-boxing and someone suggested that judo would be more appropriate for me”. Her tiny frame means that her reach is pretty small — not ideal for the boxing, but it turned out that she had a natural flair for judo and quickly became good at Dreams can be built in a day and broken just as easily. No one said life was going to be plain sailing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride. Believer Daydream Natasha Bird

23 woman this month | November 2011 | it, so she started competing and attracting attention for her special talent. Within a few short years, Kiwi had turned judo from a hobby into a future. She won the Prime Minister’s scholarship to Auckland University in New Zealand, a year and a half earlier than many of her peers, on the grounds of her judo skills. In her last year, she went on to win a Commonwealth gold medal — a coveted and highly prestigious accolade for any athlete — and soon she found herself travelling all over the world to train and compete. Kiwi was living many an athlete’s dream. At just 21 years old, she was touring the globe, gaining recognition and facing competitors many years her senior. All too soon, though, this particular dream was to come crashing down around her. She was in Paris, preparing for the World Team Championships, having been chosen to represent the Oceana Region in her weight class. All eyes were on her, as selections for this event were presumed to be a precursor for the Olympics. “I think that, as many athletes do, I had reached a point where I was just taking in information and my body was responding to it instinctually. You realise, when you are at that level, that your main competition is yourself. You confront yourself and each fight is about discovering and learning from your own flaws”, Kiwi remembers. “I had my eye firmly on the Olympics and I definitely saw a bright future ahead of me”. She was unlucky. In the draw, she found she was to face the seventh best judo athlete in the world in her category. “I nearly beat her and at 21 that was a major achievement, but something happened and I didn’t quite manage it. A few days later I was told that I had ruptured a disc in my spine and that my career was effectively over”, she says, more nonchalantly than you might expect. But this isn’t the story of someone whose life was over at 21. It is what she did next that is really testament to her strength of character. “At first, I was in denial, but then, as I watched the Beijing Olympics on television, it really hit me. I was devastated. The thing is, though, that I had great friends around me”, she recalls. Kiwi’s friends helped her to realise that the world hadn’t ended with her judo career. The collapse of one dream signalled the beginning of another. With remarkable resilience, she picked herself up, dusted herself off and set about conquering a different world arena. Kiwi learnt that the best cure for disappointment was to throw herself wholeheartedly into other projects. “I was living in Paris at the time and I began taking every opportunity to go out to events and to meet people. This is how I came across Hovannes K., the producer from the world famous Buddha Bar. I began writing the lyrics for some of his songs and then doing the vocals. I ended up doing a stint as a trend-forecaster for Tally Weil but, before that, I took up a PR position within the Coste group and started to help them to throw these big parties once a week”. With a finger in every pie, it was easy for Kiwi to uncover her hidden talents. Her parties became a resounding success and she discovered she had a real flair for giving the people on the Parisian social scene exactly what they wanted. “Michael Jackson’s ex-choreographer once said to me: “ Baby, of all the best parties I have been to in Paris, yours is my favourite!”. Quite a compliment, coming from him. Finding that the club scene was her new calling, she soon began training as a DJ and playing at some of the best and most exclusive clubs in Paris. “My first residency was in a restaurant bar, but I soon began doing sets at Montana and then at Black Calvados” — the club owned by sultry rocker Chris Cornell. In a relatively short space of time she found herself partying and playing alongside musical luminaries, such as Mr. Hudson and Pharell. Luckily for us, DJette Kiwi is now resident in Bahrain, helping us to develop our own clubbing scene. She’s played at 338 and is regularly called upon by Ground Zero to lend them her musical expertise for their venue soundtracks. “Paris is a place of such vibrancy and decadence, but it has been great to make the change. Bahrain has a lot going on, but the excitement, for me, lies in what it has yet to discover. New York house music, for example! When I first put on a NYH track, I found that no one else was really playing it, but everyone loved it! It’s a young market and it’s so much fun to explore the gaps and to introduce people to new things”, says Kiwi. There’s no doubt that hitting the big time as a DJ is the realisation of another popular dream. It seems, then, that the key to life in a world that can have you reaching for the stars and falling back down to earth with a thud from one minute to the next is resilience. DJette Kiwi seems to understand, more than most, that the world is a fickle place. To keep people entertained, you have to be willing to change it up with regular frequency. In her own words: “Life isn’t about having one shot at greatness. It is about taking every shot and hoping one or two of them hit the mark. You learn more when you fail, than when you succeed, as long as you just keep getting back up again. My life has had its ups and downs, but I have loved every minute of it”. Paris is a place of such vibrancy and decadence, but it has been great to make the change. Bahrain has a lot going on, but the excitement, for me, lies in what it has yet to discover.

24 | November 2011 | woman this month Feature Women may not always have power and public recognition handed to them on a plate, but it certainly hasn’t prevented them from demanding it. Here is a look at some of the most influential women to grace the earth in the last hundred years… Influential Women A Century of Rosa Parks 1913-2005 Rosa stunned the world when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, at a time when black people were still supposed to occupy a different section of the bus to their white counterparts. It was this which sparked the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, led by Martin Luther King Jr. Her actions became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. Sonia Gandhi 1946-Present The Indian national and politician landed in the top 25 of the Forbes 100 Influential Women list in 2010. After being elected for the fourth time in a row as the president of the Indian National Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi became the longest serving president in the party’s 125 year history. She was elected as president of India, but deferred to Sikh economist Manmohan Singh. She is, unequivocally, one of India’s most influential women. Marie Curie 1867-1934 Marie Curie is the Emmeline Pankhurst of the scientific world. She blazed a trail for thousands of other brilliant female scientists, proving that women can be just as daring and just as excellent in traditionally male disciplines. She co-discovered the elements radium and polonium, coined the term “radioactivity” and was one of the first to suggest radiation as a cancer fighting tool. What’s more, she was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in two areas. Virginia Woolf 1882-1941 The famous novelist and essayist changed the face of literature and discourse. She popularised the continuous train of thought process for writing prose and allowed us to enter her protagonist’s minds in ways that other authors hadn’t managed to achieve before. She also reminded us, in A Room of One’s Own, the burdens of the female condition and what women ought to be able to achieve, should society’s restrictions not stand in our way. Natasha Bird

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