As I was so hectic with the conference itself, sadly, there are few images on the glory of pearls. So the title of this posting is a bit of false advertising. Apologies! For info on the event, see the real site: www.ad-pearl.com The exhibition was impressive and all the prominent speakers lived up to their reputations (including Pamela Golbin from the Louvre’s fashion museum in Paris, Jack Ogden from the Gemmological Association in London, Patrick Normand from Cartier UAE, Eric Valdieu from Christies in Geneva and Federica Frosini from Vogue Gioiello from Milan). Each had such rich and unique perspectives and narratives on the pearl to share. Federica & Patrick are missing from the photo below but Hayfa Matar, the ALLURE OF PEARLS segment’s extraordinary initiator and my cohort Hind Matar are!
Day one, Jack, Pamela and her lovely husband Francis, the girls and I all took a day trip from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain and the barren Jebel Hafeet mountain oasis. Cutting through shards of crumbling mountains, a winding road takes you (eventually!) to the top for a panoramic view of the deserts of the Al Ain district nearby.
Pamela & Francis
Proof that Hind Matar’s stilettos can brave any terrain. First Icelandic glaciers a few years ago and now heels buried in the Arabian desert at a camel market this week. Where can this woman not venture!?
And just when you thought the camel theme in an Emirati voyage couldn’t get more cliched… These bumble bee and Spiderman mutants were plastered all over Abu Dhabi when we got back to the city.
Hayfa, Hind & Pamela in Al Ain near the fort
At a pit-stop for the facilities in the oasis back near Hili oasis, we found these signs on the restrooms:
A glossy mosque mural…. a bit like everything in sparling glossy Abu Dhabi.
