Category: All About Wheels – Automotive (Cars, Car Clubs, SUV’s, RV’s etc)

Irresistible Designs of Walid Atallah

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An evening with Walid Atallah

I reckon we are super lucky to live in a city that has amazing fashion designers and Walid Attalah has to be one the leading ones not just regionally but Internationally. Afterall he is internationally known for his exquisite evening and bridal designs, and for his skillful use of diamonds, precious stones and Swarovski crystals – remember that beautiful wedding dress worth U.S. $ 1.2 million that created waves in the fashion industry (I think that’s when I first really noticed his work).

We are both born in 1973 so I totally admire the fact that Walid has reached so much higher success than I could ever do and love listening to him about his journey to where he is in the fashion scene today as inspiration. Thanks to Ashraf and his impromtu coffee timings, I got to spend an evening early last week with Walid for a tour of his shop and got a sneak peek on what’s coming next and what drives him creatively for his awesome collections.

Walid was born in Beirut in an affectionate family who were inspired by beauty and style. He naturally followed his heart, studied fashion designing and graduated from University of Chicago. I was fortunate to watch him work as he flitted through his base in Dubai looking, touching and contemplating his designs in progress. Walid chose Dubai to launch his fashion-design career using fascinating designs mixing the charm of the East with the West. He was the first designer to add diamonds in his collection – every woman desires his outfits, which makes his final ensemble very irresistible.

Today Walid has made his mark in the to fashion capitals of the world by introducing numerous collections of dozens of memorable fashion pieces at his shows which have been a success throughout the Arab world, Italy and France, where he received the International Design Excellence Award of the Association of French Fashion Designers. He has made two appearances at the Couture Fashion Week in New York two years in a row with a favorable and enthusiastic response from the audience and peers in the fashion industry. He has also done shows in London and Toronto that he is very proud of.

While walking around looking at his gowns, I also discovered that Walid has his own line of luxury jewelry made of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, blue pearls from the sea and Tahiti, and fine watches. Not only that, this talented and versatile designer has also launched a Ready-to-wear line called “W”, which includes jeans and tops for women in fashion and modern today.

It was also interesting to see beautiful shoes as I walked around looking at Walid Atallah’s dresses and he tells us how after the shoes and jewellery, his next venture will be to do a perfume. Naturally his passion for always spending time sketching as a hobby has paid off. Initially he was designing dresses for his sister, including once making a dress for her from a blanket and then did costumes for theatrical productions at school. He knew he had made the right choice when he felt immense joy after seeing the end product of his dress made out of diamonds and emeralds.

Walid who is married with one daughter and two sons is delighted that his daughter is showing an interest in the fashion design industry. He feels more inspired now to continue his expansion plans to other Emirates as well as Qatar, Saudi and Oman. And although Walid feels he has become more moderate with his designs, its only because he wants to concentrate more on the creation of originals which reflect different types of femininity. He is inspired by beauty, by dreams, flowers, nature, gold, birds and other elements of nature and he feels the variety is reflected in his new collections.

My first introduction to Walid and his beautiful wife was at a fashion show that Walid specifically worked on for Mercedes-Benz. Since then, he has done various unique shows, all very commendable with Rolls Royce, which I thoroughly enjoyed in Abu Dhabi and with LG and Philips. To make the optimum use of his time, Walid likes to focus on work during his most productive and creative hours. If this comes at 5am, then he will get up and sketch instead of keeping to the usual working hours…. I am a strong believer in this way of working after talking to so many successful people in the creative industry.

Walid hopes now to continue to expand his business with more branches in UAE, Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Libya and is looking at other vibrant markets….I know he will make it happen!

My tryst with the Infiniti QX56

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The Infiniti QX56 I had so much fun with all of last week 🙂

I’m having withdrawal symptoms….normally when I get a car to be seen around in, it’s usually a sporty little number worth half a million or something that is top of the range for Millionaires but still at sedan level. And if I do get lucky and get a SUV sent to me, it never fits my shoe rack properly and if it does, there is no space left to organise my gym bag, evening bag, beach bag, magazines etc in such a way that I don’t have to do a major clean up after a dune bashing session.

So naturally when Infiniti sent me the nice big Infiniti QX56 on a truck last week, I kinda expected yet another SUV experience but once inside, even I was overwhelmed by the size….its HUGE! It’s fantastic  for buyers who need seats for eight although I would have preferred a seat for 5 and then use the rest of the space for the many things a diva can’t do without in her car….i was able to fit in about 45 pairs of shoes on the rack once I rolled the seat over plus all my bags which has never happened before….normally I have to ration what I put into the cars I get to check out.

The QX56 is Infiniti’s super big SUV and I like the posh interior, the gracefully styled dashboard and the small touches on the exterior that makes it stand out as an Infiniti. It looked like it has very rugged capabilities but as usual I am never comfortable taking cars off-road that does not belong to me…I like the comfort of knowing that if something happens, its my car and I am solely responsible for it.

As a petrol head, I love the Infiniti’s 5.6-liter V8, 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft or torque funnelled through a seven-speed automatic that gets the throttle to the max. The Infiniti promises a 0-60 mph time of about seven seconds, gas mileage and although people tell me that QX’s independent suspension does a fine job of controlling its ride quality, I had to put in some power into my arms/hands to control it in tight corners….maybe it’s just my delicate built but it was fun none the less.

Needless to say, the car is very spacious, with big front chairs and little Diva (NJD) had lots of fun playing at the back and for once she reckons, she didn’t have to bump into the ‘junk’ I normally throw in the back or shoes to fall over. She even reclined the back seat for a nap and showed me some cool features I was not aware of.

The car had all the usual power features; navigation option, DVD audio, a moon roof, a power tailgate, Bluetooth with audio streaming, pushbutton start, USB connectivity for audio players and so much more…if you have a big family or like big SUV’s, this is definitely a car for you.

Little diva NJD enjoys the space and reclining seats at the back

NJD reckons she is ready to drive … 5 more years to go!

Ford Explorer – Reinvented

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I really loved my time with the Explorer - didn't have time for dune bashing with it but I get to do that with my Fortuner anyway

After listening to my story on the reasons why I drive a Fortuner (cos of that famous space between the boot and the back seat that perfectly accommodates a shoe rack), big Brother decided to give me a top of the range reinvented Ford Explorer for a week to see if it fits a diva’s needs.

What he didn’t tell me is that this reinvented sport utility vehicle offers an unmatched combination of convenience, capability and technology which I loved not to mention the V6 engine, the clean, modern exterior design, flexible interior with clever storage solutions, three rows of flexible seating and room for my on the move 65 pairs of shoes and boots. Basically I plucked my rack from the Fortuner and dumped it into the Explorer….although it wasn’t a perfect fit, it still held up for the 7 days without getting the shoes all over the boot area.

I particularly liked the Explorer’s EPAS system that gives assistance based on speed, turn-in and direction….the optimized steering feel plus optimum manoeuvrability in parking situations was awesome. The optional active park assist technology scans for a suitable spot, calculates the trajectory and steers the vehicle…diva likes.

Also new for me was Ford’s terrain management system. Rather than using four-high, four-low and auto settings, Explorer terrain management is selectable by situation. The settings on the shift-on-the-fly include normal, mud and sand. Terrain management also includes Hill Descent Control, which provides engine braking to increase driver confidence and control when descending a steep incline…my sand dune adventures have led me to loads of trouble before so this feature is super welcome.

Overall I had loads of fun with the Explorer…took a couple of colleagues in it for a spin as well. My daughter thought it was huge and like me, enjoyed the extra space the car provided. Diva approves!

Super spacious for all of diva's clothes, shoes, magazines, beach stuff and like!

All-New 2012 Ford Focus

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NJD enjoys the sun roof while waiting in the Focus - it was the first car in the line-up at DWTC as we wait to kick-start the Dubai Peace Drive

The last time I drove a Ford was during University and it was a perfect car to go to classes in especially during weekends when the better half was off work but I had classes. The first time I ventured on my own, I landed the Ford in a drain….i was traumatised – the Ford came out unscratched so I was sold on the robustness of the brand. So when Tareq gave me the latest All New Focus for a week promising a new experience with its new good-looking design (the man knows diva has discerning taste), refined driving dynamics and with ample technology to keep me gadget happy, I jumped at the opportunity.

The All-new Ford Focus comes in three body styles: sporty 5-door hatchback, sleek 4-door sedan and stylish 5-door wagon. As I am a spoilt Island chick, the advanced technologies includes Active Park Assist and Torque Vectoring Control. The new Focus has a modern, cockpit-style interior, with the stylish centre console wrapped around the driver and providing outstanding access to the vehicle’s major controls….even little diva NJD was able to reach from the back and change stations while waiting for me to load the car with my shoe rack and portable wardrobe. Which brings me to the boot space.

Anyone who knows me and the drama queen of a Fortuna that I drive knows that my preferred car needs to accommodate all my latest magazines, at least 30-40 pairs of shoes, 2 gym bags, I beach bag, 1 bag for boots and one emergency vanity case for the on the way home Moroccan baths. Well….Tareq is my witness because he watched me incredulously as I packed the boot of the Focus and transferred all my girly stuff from the boot of the Fortuna to the Focus and vice versa.

Then I checked out Ford’s latest generation Human Machine Interface (HMI) system, used within the cockpit, with twin five-way toggle switches on the steering wheel controlling the two main vehicle displays…not bad.  I agree the interior does combine outstanding functionality with outstanding craftsmanship. The cabin’s bold and contemporary graphics, the sculptured shape of the soft-touch instrument panel and the choice of superior trim materials all help to give occupants the feeling that they are travelling in a premium-class car.

I do like the Active Park Assist….no comments here about me needing it – at least I park with panache which is more than you lot can boast about!!!! And its nothing to do with the new Electric Power Assist Steering system….its my style that makes a statement (I wonder if I can patent my parking style – the front wheels are always turned an angle which is my trademark)

The new Ford Focus’ powertrain range delivers spirited performance and offers outstanding fuel economy and CO2 emissions… I like that. Plus the fuel economy is enhanced by the availability of a new six-speed dual dry-clutch PowerShift automatic transmission, providing the responsive performance of a traditional manual transmission with the convenience of a user-friendly automatic. Low-friction dry clutches are employed, combined with six well-spaced gears to provide drivers with responsive acceleration from rest, smooth transitions between gears and optimized fuel economy when cruising….NJD loved the sunroof option as well…awesome.

The All New Focus is certainly an exciting new chapter in the Focus success story…check it out and let me know what you think!

Interior view of the All New Focus

Aston Martin Zagato V12

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NJD with a red Zagato V12

Since I’ve been enticed by fellow car enthusiasts to start blogging about the new cars I normally drive around the city, my debut piece will be on none other than the Aston Martin V12.

I know most of you would expect me to open this chapter of my writing life with Rolls Royce as that will always remain my favourite, not only because of the brand or my fascination with the Spirit of Ecstasy, but because the people at AGMC are super awesome – I adore the movers and shakers behind Rolls Royce, BMW and MINI. I digress….but today I write about the Zagato V12 simply because I saw one yesterday while I was driving the All New Focus on cruise control and had a good look at the car at my level…normally I’m stuck in a four-wheel drive zooming and don’t take time to actually see the finer details on a car while on SZR. The Zagato V12 was sexy…..and that’s not an understatement. There was something futuristic about its look and feel.

I first checked out the Zagato V12 at the Armani Hotel with my daughter (NJD) at a private preview and then later at the Motor Show. She is my alter ego most of the time so I feed off her and value her opinion which is not coloured by brands or preconceived ideas about a car. She was fascinated by the hood and thought the design made it look like something that would look pretty menacing on the tracks….she right when you look at the tech specs of the car.

The V12 Zagato is powered by a 6.0 litre V12 engine producing 510bph and 570Nm of Torque. The interior is stunning with the look doing justice to what we expect in terms of design that has an Italian touch.

According to Clement who had invited us to the exclusive  preview last November, the V12 Zagato was meant go into strictly limited production of up to 150 cars in summer 2012. The red V12 Zagato on display in Dubai was sexy and to diva’s liking.

And although the V12 pays homage to the previous models, there is something about it that wants you to package it and take it home….I’m personally imagining being in it on a countryside drive right now somewhere in Tuscany.

Patron of the Arts

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Performers at a recent exhibition from Uzbekistan supported by Dubai Culture - I loved it

Thanks to Yasser & his team, my daughter loved the performance by a Chechen Dance troupe recently organised by Dubai Culture

The last few weeks has been awesome for Dubai Culture – I’ve always known the team there to be super dynamic (I seriously want to know where people like Yasser and Bilal get their energy) but I reckon recently they have surpassed themselves after hosting one amazing cultural performance/exhibition/celebration after another.

So when the equally amazing team of Asda who know I lap up anything that’s remotely associated with Art & Culture and would support the boys there anytime contacted me about the The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts Awards,I jumped up and headed towards Jumeirah Zabeel – its not just the superb hammam there that pulls me towards this amazing hotel.

This key initiative was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and honoured 47 organisations and individuals for their contributions towards the city’s cultural scene …which I may add grows twofold every time I get my fabulous self to set some time aside after work to check my social calendar.

Organised by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage, the awards were aimed at encouraging patrons of the arts to further strengthen the evolution of the city’s cultural landscape through patronage.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority was there and he looked so different than when I first worked with him during DSF 2000 – he has managed to get increased support from Government departments and organisations, in addition to a vast pool of new patrons for culture and the arts.

It was awesome to see some of my favourite organisations and the representatives from Emirates Airlines, Jumeirah Group, Dubai Duty Free and AGMC – BMW being honoured – these guys do great stuff for art & culture and the people behind these brands are the nicest you will find in Dubai.

I’m hoping more things like Art Week, Art Dubai, Design Days, Dubai International Film Festival, Gulf Film Festival, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre add to the culture and arts scene of the city….we definitely need to give more recognition as well to the performing arts which has struggled heaps over the last 10 years. The tides are changing thanks to the amazing work of Dubai Culture and this diva is pleased to be in a city that brings so much of the worlds static and performing arts to us on a silver platter. Smiling heaps!

Corvette UAE Club (CUC) Pre summer drive

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My drive today was in a red Corvette (Fahad's)- part of the CUC entourage

Today was an awesome day for NJD and me. After a leisurely breakfast with sweet Sakina and my weekend grocery shopping, I joined other Board members, Corvette drivers/owners at the Ibn Battuta Mall for our quarterly leisure drives that usually ends with a dinner at the Yas Island or Courtyard Mariott.

In the past we have done mostly Abu Dhabi drives in conjunction with Road safety campaigns, no phones while driving campaign etc but today was a low key event which made it nice and cosy. NJD joined Osama in his new black Corvette with red motifs while I joined Fahad in beautiful red one – I have to say we missed Hamad this time as I am usually his co-driver/passenger as well as our past race track driver Al Falasi, his wife Shamma and little Khalifa.

Of all the leisure/networking groups I am a member of, I find CUC the most tight knit as a family…all the members watch out for each other and I’ve always felt super protected and respected with the same level of comfort I would have with my close family members. In that way it stands out hence the reason I make extra effort to be part of the Club’s events. Today we skipped having police escorts we normally arrange so the route was a lot more flexible. We had fun at Atlantis as the entourage became the hottest attraction amongst the throng of weekend visitors and tourists who became camera happy as the cars passed by.

We toured to Madinat after Atlantis and then to Dubai Marine International Club where a photoshoot of the cars/members took place against the backdrop of yachts and the clear blue waters of Dubai. At DIMC, a London chick started jumping up and down as I got out of the car to pick NJD and she started screaming she had never seen so many nice cars all at once and almost mobbed me. It was a hilarious sight and it took me a while to realise she was probably a newbie in Dubai who in a Barasti influenced mellow state got a bit overwhelmed seeing so many Corvettes in one place and wanted to be  friends + go for a ‘drink’. (I can be ‘duh’ at times). Naturally I didn’t have the heart to tell her she didn’t remotely come close to the quality of friends I would choose to be associated with and I certainly didn’t wanna hang out with her at Barasti with my child – first impressions do count!

Anyway, thanks to Christian, a superb chef and one of our members since we first began, the drive finished at Courtyard Marriott with a dinner that was organised by Christian’s team. I skipped dinner for another event that in true diva style I overlooked in favour of Russell Peters & Once upon a time. (I am becoming a TV series addict in my old age).

I’m sure I’ll go to bed smiling today as I had an awesome time with Sakina, NJD, old friends from the Corvette family and packing in loads of laughs from Russell Peters with a bit of fairy tale drama. And it feels awesome to be part of a club that started out as a CSR initiative to educate super car owners on safe driving, be part of events for children with special needs and in the process has become part of a family where members look out for each other. CUC is yet another reason why I love being in the UAE so much.

Corvette Line-up at DIMC

Diva is smiling….HEAPS!!!

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Diva in the Mercedes SLK350 convertible

This year I decided to celebrate my birthday one week ahead…..partly because the love of my life NJD is going away on a ski trip to Switzerland on my birthday so my focus will mainly be on her this week…afterall this is her first trip on her own with her friends and at the age of 11, she may be confident about travelling and sliding down an icy mountain with no qualms but this mama is having mini heart attacks every hour as the trip gets closer.

So,,,,after a hectic and heavy week last week that included heaps of mental stress, PMS and warning signs to everyone around me to watch their step if they value their life, I decided to go on a sabbatical….not just any sabbatical but where I would live the life that I have become very accustomed to…in pure luxury.

Thankfully my early birthday presents came in form of experiences – Nick of Daimler reckoned diva needed a HOT car so he arranged for me to have for a few days none other than the top of the range 2 door sports car Mercedes SLK350 which I realised when I signed my life away to him was worth close to US$68,000/- (AED248,000/- roughly). But it was all good when at the touch of a bottom the roof came down and my hair went all sorts. It was an awesome convertible and since I get to drive the most expensive cars as and when I want, it really means that it must be fabulous if I start crooning about it. I don’t normally write entire blogs on cars but this baby deserves a whole piece dedicated to the fabulousness of the SLK….watch this space!

To top it off, Sarah decided that since I was meditating and moping anyway with all the problems my mind and body was going through, why don’t I breeze down to Abu Dhabi in the Merc and she would arrange for me to stay at the Suite in Shangri-la that came with a fabulous balcony, and separate living and dining area. Now most of my Malaysian friends were in Abu Dhabi this Friday so I breezed in, picked little diva up for the weekend and we spent the most amazing time at the Shangri-la suite, spa and I got to catch up with my Malaysian friends on Friday at the ‘Glorious Malaysian Galore’ festival in Mushrif Mall (Amazing stuff every evening until the 3rd of March). Lots of dancing, Malay food & Tim Hortons…what more can a woman want???

So all in all, I had an awesome time Friday night and Saturday thanks to two amazing people plus my Malaysian friends (Sakina & Sally ++) at a time I really needed to wind down. I feel a lot better in terms of being chilled and physically…well….if my PMS gets any worse and if these herbal remedies from Abu Dhabi don’t work their magic, I am seriously thinking of becoming a hermit for a week next month. (I wouldn’t be surprised if all the men in my life have noted the dates down to make sure they disappear during that period…women tend to be a bit more understanding and supply loads of chocolates, luxury holidays, sinful food and sweet & sour snacks instead).

Anyway… Having such a great time has left me smiling heaps…. I can’t wait for Sakina to return again to Dubai as she encourages me to get out of my shell, travel to new areas in UAE and generally have fun. I just hope she gets here while NJD is away cos I will be missing the little tyke heaps when she leaves on the night of my birthday and be away the next 10 days. Or I shall distract myself and write about my 2 nights of living in luxury at Qaryat Al Beri indulging in all sorts of fun stuff.

BIG BOYS TOYS – BETTER THAN BEFORE

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With His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum - chatting about cars, travels etc

I have to say that apart from meeting and catching up with His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum (Admire him for his great work with the Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre), my biggest fascination at the Big Boys Toys exhibition has to be the multi-million dirham luxury mobile home. Big Boys Toys is the region’s premier lifestyle event and features exclusive products and services for the man who ‘wants it all’. From limited edition super cars to personal aircrafts and luxury products never before seen, the show had essentially all desired items in one ideal location at Atlantis.

Going back to the multi-million dirham ultra-luxurious mobile home, the ‘eleMMent’ Palazzo. The eleMMent Palazzo, by Marchi Mobile, is a mobile palace for the elite. The expandable pop-up flybridge lounge is fitted with multiple bars overlooking two floors that contain a master bedroom with an integrated bathroom and a couch that can be converted into bar furniture at the push of a button.

A programmed central control provides all important information at a glance, with set-up and dismantling being executed by a touch screen panel. An added security feature allows for remote video access, via an additional control unit, of the exterior and interior, and also permits to pre-set the lighting and temperature.

Naturally diva cant go to a show like this and not talk about cars. Middle East’s own exclusive Nissan GT-R VVIP, with a 0-100kmph in 3.6 seconds dazzled with 24-carat gold-plated aspect panels, grill, and the exclusive VVIP badges, while exuding awesome power in look and aspect.

Another debut, the ‘Hulme CanAm Spyder’ named in honour of Denny Hulme, New Zealand’s only Formula One World Champion and double CanAm Champion, is not for the faint hearted. It is a unique car for those with a desire for performance, F1-type exhilaration and style. It is a true driver’s car powered by a hand-built, supercharged, 7000cc, Chevy V8 engine, providing amazing torque and tractability.

A definite favourite among the extreme sports enthusiasts and recreational riders is the Dual Tracked Vehicle (DTV) Shredder manufactured by BPG Werks. The DTV Shredder is the first true crossover vehicle for action and power sports. A combination of tank, skateboard and motocross bike, it is the first year round, all-terrain vehicle and it fits in the trunk of a car. With the DTV Shredder, the outdoors becomes the personal playground.

Last year I met with an interesting inventor during a visit to the Palace of Sheikh Hamad in Abu Dhabi who had the most amazing helicopter for personal use. I must write about this guy at some stage as I remember him giving me a CD with his company information. This year I reckon the guys at Artaaj did an awesome job as always. Well done Raha and heaps of thanks to Tareq and His Highness for making the visit even more interesting.

 

Spirit of Ecstasy

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My friends in Dubai know Rolls Royce is one of my favourite brands not only because I love the car but also because the people behind it are so amazing, awesome and a delight to be with. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of being a VIP guest of Rolls Royce CEO, Torsten Muller in Abu Dhabi with the Who’s Who of the UAE. It was naturally an incredible experience catching up with various members of the Millionaire Group who I don’t fraternise with enough due to my personal and professional commitments. Although Rolls Royce is not a brand people will normally associate me with as a petrol head chick who hangs out with cars you normally find on the race tracks, recently though I’ve become fond of their cars because the people who work at Rolls Royce or AGMC have become my extended family and are always there to cheer me up with their smiling friendly faces whenever I pop into their showroom or events.

Everyone who has met Torsten will tell you how amazing he is as a person and as a leader and you get inspired by his passion for the Rolls Royce brand. He explained in detail the story behind the Spirit of Ecstasy, the enigmatic symbol of Rolls-Royce when I first met him and I thought about this mysterious woman many times since, often drawing comparisons or being intrigued about her every time I sat in a Rolls Royce since.

Catching up with Torsten briefly again this week reminded me that perhaps I should write something about Spirit of Ecstasy especially as this year she celebrates her centenary. To commemorate the occasion, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars had commissioned world-renowned British photographer Rankin to create a series of one hundred contemporary images, each one inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy. The pieces were wonderful and I still have pictures of this amongst my favourite photographs so far this year. This week though, also in celebration of the centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy, the distinctive hood ornament adorning all Rolls-Royce models, a diamond-enrobed commemorative model valued at $250,000 has been created by Mouawad Jewellers. Its stunning to say the least – I put a picture of this online but my BB camera didn’t do any justice to it.

Both Mouawad guys and the gorgeous Alaa of Rolls Royce later sent me their cool versions of the pictures and yes….it looks awesome. My laughing partner who always seems to bring the cheeky side of me to the forefront, Margaret is behind the publicity of Mouawad and she also talked about the Mouawad Centennial version of the Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. The low down on the jewelled ‘Flying Lady’ is that apparently three of Mouawad’s master craftsmen spent 350 hours meticulously arranging and placing 2,300 brilliant cut diamonds onto the symbol (value – a whopping US$250,000/-).

Originally called the “Spirit of Speed”, the “Spirit of Ecstasy” first appeared on the top of a Rolls-Royce in 1911. The inspiration for the Spirit of Ecstasy was commissioned by the 2nd Baron John Scott Montagu of Beaulieu. He asked his friend Charles Sykes to design the mascot, which is thought to be modelled on Eleanor Velasco Thornton who was the secretary and lover of the Baron Montagu. Eleanor had bewitching beauty, intellect and spirit but didn’t have the social status to marry the man with whom she had fallen in love. (sniff). The small statue Sykes created depicted a young woman in fluttering robes with one forefinger placed on her lips.

Eleanor’s relationship with John remained a secret for ages, mainly because both lovers acted with utmost discretion. John was a pioneer of the automobile in England. From 1902 he was editor of the “The Car” and Eleanor was his secretary. Friends of the pair knew of their close relationship but they chose to overlook it. I remember being so sad to find out that Eleanor was not able to enjoy the success of the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy as she lost her life while accompanying Lord Montagu to India. He survived but grieved losing the love of his life. It is such a romantic but sad story…..every time I see the symbol, I feel the strength of the love of this couple and visualise Eleanor as an iconic beauty, with power, grace, mystique and intrigue.

I am sure that while Rolls Royce cars are uber cool, the story of the Spirit of Ecstasy is equally fascinating, mysterious and heart warming.