Marc Quinn is one of the world’s most important living artists. Having emerged in the early 1990s, his organic readymades and sculptures of the human body have provoked astonishment and enthusiasm – in equal measure – and though he may have softened with age, he still looks to the rigorous world of science for guidance.
Founded in 1980, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an organisation that lives and breathes its one mission statement: ‘Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on or use for entertainment.’ No matter what you think of their tactics, you can’t but respect their dedication.
Mansoor Bhatti is a collector, not of things, but of people and their ideas rather. Via his Dubai-based creative agency Thingsbypeople, he’s been accumulating a roster of international visual artists and challenging them in the fields of photography, fashion, illustration, graffiti art and advertising.
It could be argued that Rubaiyat brought high-end fashion to Saudi Arabia. With their latest venture, the Rubaiyat Department Store in Jeddah’s Stars Avenue Mall, they’re offering over 300 brands as well as a personal shopping service to create a whole new retail experience.
When it comes to government-backed initiatives in the Arab world, the Qatar Foundation is a unique one. It’s a non-profit that’s leading the way not only in education, but also in scientific advancement, cutting edge research and technological capabilities.
Owner of Cookie Dough, Yasmin Agha, isn’t afraid to think outside the box. By combining the most exclusive, children’s fashion with expert tailor-made advice for parents, hers is a children’s boutique with rare added value.
From singing notes to smelling them, Amouage’s creative director Christopher Chong hasn’t entirely left his opera background behind as he usually draws from musical masterpieces. His latest fragrance, though – a tribute to the smoky Jazz clubs and Chinese Film Noir of his youth – is more personal.
We do, as the old music hall number goes, like to be beside the seaside. But it turns out you don’t need to be by the sea to live there. Enter Crystal Lagoons, a visionary company creating manmade lagoons everywhere and anywhere.
Dr. Hesham Sadek is pioneering research that could change the face of medicine. If his work in cardiac regeneration proves successful, he could end heart disease altogether.
One of the most recognisable actresses from the Middle East, Hiam Abbass is also a talented filmmaker. Her latest collaboration with Italian label Miu Miu though, is a step in a different direction.