The designer Lamis Khamis talks about growing up with fashion in Baghdad, Aqaba and London.
I was born in Baghdad and my family was quite liberal. My mum wore miniskirts in the 1970s. As a child, I was a bit of a tomboy. I used to love wearing jeans but also little dresses, dungarees and denim.
In Iraq, a lot of people made their own clothes but my parents used to travel a lot within the Arab countries and would buy me European-style pieces. I was fortunate to have really good clothes as a child. I was envied by other kids in my area. My auntie was a seamstress, so she used to make me dresses that I would find in magazines, even when I was young. I'd say: "I want this." We'd go to the market, pick the fabric and she would make it for me. I used to love that: having my own individual pieces.
When you look back, it's quite weird how I'm exactly the same now. Everything relates to your history and you don't really change much.
My dad is a hairdresser by trade, but when he was in Iraq he worked in an office job. We also lived in Aqaba, Jordan, for two years. We had an apartment next to the Red Sea and my father was head of shipping at the port. That was amazing. We had a beautiful life there. We ate fresh fish every day, grilled on the beach on barbecues.
When I came to London in 1979, my mum was very trendy. She used to take me to Carnaby Street. I still remember her wearing flares and she looked fabulous. She used to wear Biba and I still have a few pieces.
Coming to this two-bedroom flat in Cricklewood with the heating on all day and having to wear thick woolly jumpers was a shock. But I like the cold more than the heat. I find it easier to design for cold weather because you can do a lot more. You can layer things. You have a bit more excitement.
I'm lucky that I have a mum who has good taste. As we grew up we never really shopped in high-street stores. We always went to Bond Street. It's not that we were a wealthy family but she always loved good clothes.
I've always made my own stuff. I used to go down the King's Road and buy vintage Levi's from American Classics. Then I'd head down to Covent Garden to the art shop and get paints and beads and trimmings and cut them up and change them round.
At school I rebelled because of the uniform. All my schools had uniforms and I hated it. Every day I'd be called into the office. My parents got called in a lot, too. If they said you have to wear a red jumper I'd wear purple or change the socks around. I just didn't want to be like everybody else.
I studied art and design and after I finished the first two years, I went to the London College of Fashion to have a look around. I saw hundreds of students all doing the same thing - sitting and sketching - and I thought: "I don't want to be like that." It seemed like a chicken factory so I said: "No, I want my clothes to look different." I decided to study fine art. I did ceramics as well at Camberwell College of Art.
When I left, I wanted to go back to fashion but still didn't know how to go about it because I didn't have the technical abilities like pattern cutting. So I worked in advertising for a little while and did a few art shows.
Then one day I made a pair of trousers, which I have to say were really fabulous. I got a pair of vintage jeans, cut them up and covered them with vintage brooches. I'd bought the brooches from this old man on a stall in East London. He had loads and I just bought the lot. I love crystals and they were covered in crystals.
I was in St John's Wood in London and these women stopped me and said: "Where did you get your jeans?" I said: "I made them" and they went crazy. So I gave them my number and went into a store. As soon as I walked in, the shop assistants asked where I got the trousers. They called the store owner and she wanted to order several pairs to sell, so I said: "Yeah, sure." They sold out straight away.
A friend recommended I get a stand in Portobello Market, which I did in 2000. On my first day there I was approached by Patricia Field, the stylist for Sex and the City. I didn't know who she was but she bought most of the collection. The whole buzz of it is what made me think I made the right choice going into fashion.
Lamis Khamis is available at Tiger Lily boutique in Wafi City, Dubai.
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
SPECS
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
AVOID SCAMMERS: TIPS FROM EMIRATES NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20several%20factors%20for%20landlords%20to%20consider%20when%20preparing%20to%20establish%20a%20holiday%20home%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3ERevenue%20potential%20of%20the%20unit%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20location%2C%20view%20and%20size%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EDesign%3A%20furnished%20or%20unfurnished.%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Is%20the%20design%20up%20to%20standard%2C%20while%20being%20catchy%20at%20the%20same%20time%3F%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20model%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20will%20it%20be%20managed%20by%20a%20professional%20operator%20or%20directly%20by%20the%20owner%2C%20how%20often%20does%20the%20owner%20wants%20to%20use%20it%20for%20personal%20reasons%3F%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuality%20of%20the%20operator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20guest%20reviews%2C%20customer%20experience%20management%2C%20application%20of%20technology%2C%20average%20utilisation%2C%20scope%20of%20services%20rendered%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Adam%20Nowak%2C%20managing%20director%20of%20Ultimate%20Stay%20Vacation%20Homes%20Rental%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
England squad
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Blue%20Beetle
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Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
