Brooke Astor

While a Manhattan jury recently spent months listening to arguments as to what exactly transpired in the last years of legendary socialite Brooke Astor’s life, there is no doubt among the style set about her place in history as a fashion icon. A pillar of the community, a fixture on the social circuit of New York City, and an admittedly privileged beneficiary to a vast fortune, Astor gave nearly $200 million during her five decades — she died at 105. Always coiffed to perfection and enveloped in plush furs and skirt suits by her friend, the designer Oscar de la Renta, Astor conducted herself with class and poise. A woman of beauty and substance, Astor took her first job at 44 as features editor of House and Garden magazine. Despite the life of luxury she was used to, Astor recognised the needs of the larger community and put her mind to helping improve the quality of life for those less fortunate. Not one to simply throw money at a problem, Astor took to the streets, identified areas of need and solicited her equally wealthy friends for financial assistance. Often upon inspection of New York State’s crumbling neighborhoods, she arrived in Chanel dresses, pearl necklaces and diamonds. She once told the New York Times, “If I go up to Harlem or down to Sixth Street and I’m not dressed up or I’m not wearing my jewellery, then people feel I’m talking down to them.” Part of Astor’s iconic status was her ‘what you see is what you get’ attitude — a rare trait for the richly padded circles in which she ran.

Z for Z

Zaeem Jamal, the creator of Z for Z, is something of a modern day renaissance man. Interested in art, music, architecture and interior design, it was a natural step for the Dubai-based businessman to venture into designing. His young label has taken him all over South Asia to bring the best fabric and embellishment to his creations. In his first presentation at Dubai Fashion Week, he wowed the audience, showing more than 30 dresses ranging from resort wear to cocktail and evening gowns. His aesthetic can be described as understated elegance, with a little bling added for good measure. An obvious fan of the way dresses sit and flow on the female frame, Jamal experiments with light tones of white, soft pink and yellow with well-cut silhouettes in chiffons and silk jerseys. Subtle ornamentation, in the form of linear gold and silver threadwork, ensure that every last detail is expertly finished. Perhaps the most stunning of the show were the dresses which, in tune with Dubai ladies’ love of all things that sparkle, displayed crystals and shimmering stones over the bodice, shoulder straps, necklines and waistbands. While some might argue that Bollywood star Dia Mirza stole the show in Jamal’s one-shoulder red gown, many who know the humble designer would say it was his expertly executed vision that earned the standing ovation.

(Z for Z is sold at Samsaara, Dubai)