90's Jewelry the Fashion Industry Needs to Bring Back ASAP!

If you were a child of the 90's then you definitely bought a few of these. You also thought you looked damn good in them, too!

I grew up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia but traveled to the US every year. And let me tell you, coming back after summer vacation all blinged up made all the them playground bitches seethe with jealousy.

Let me know which one of these you wore... and let's petiton the fashion industry to bring them back!

Ying Yangs were definitely a wardrobe essential back then. Especially if the pendant is hanging from a synthetic leather necklace. Let's face it, you wouldn't have it any other way.

You could see this one pinned on baby onsies and blankets. They are pinned by over-zealous Arab parents to ward off the evil eye but in reality, they were a choking mishap waiting to happen.

This piece is actually a double whammy: 1- The velvet choker: This tiny piece of fabric made you look goth and hardcore. 2- Peace signs, peace signs everywhere!

Very popular amongst skaters. Style tip: Match then with an over-sized t-shirt and baggy Jncos hanging off your buttocks.

No intro needed for these bad boys.

I actually had these with my bestie at the time. Even had them engraved.

These were so popular I was shocked they went out of style. The more colors and sizes you had, the cooler you are!

Elastic-y chokers.

What's in Her Jewelry Box: Kate Middleton

The Duchess of Cambridge catapulted into fame just a couple of years back and has already become the most fashionably-scrutinized person on the planet!

The best thing about Kate is that she's a bargain hunter, which goes against everything a "royal" should be. It means that lucky for us common folk, we can look like her for cheap.

She actually earned the nickname "Discount Duchess" for not splurging on designer goods and accessories. Her reputation of being frugal came to light when Kate borrowed her mother's blue frock for her first public appearance instead of buying a brand new one.

Blogs, websites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts have erected in honor of her classy and timeless style, especially her jewelry. These are my favorite pieces so far.

These 9mm Topaz and Diamond Beauties are by designer Kiki McDonough's Grace Collection. The studs go for about 4,000 AED.  

When I first saw this picture, I thought Kate was wearing an "evil eye" necklace to ward of envy. But it's just a diamond-laden pendant from Asprey London. Shop the style here if you have 14,000 AED to spare. 

White diamonds are so the thing of the past. Canari diamonds are where it's at. These earrings, however, are actually made of citrine gemstone and can be yours for 7,000 AED.

As you probably noticed, Tiffany & Co. happens to be my favorite jeweler. I think it's the simplicity of the designs mixed with the prestige of getting that Tiffany blue box. And apparently, Kate feels the same way as she's been seen wearing the Elsa Peretti pieces on several occasions. This Diamonds by the Yard Bracelet and can be purchased from the store for 5,000 AED. There's also the cheaper Sterling Silver version. 

Japanese Mother of Pearl. Fine Cute Pure Diamond Earrings.... NOT! These bad boys are fake and will set you back 340 AED. 

These earrings are actually 9K gold yet are selling for 8,000 AED. They're nice but totally not worth that! Waste your money here. 

This Trinity necklace from Cartier costs a jaw-dropping 300,000 AED.... WHAAAA? This doesn't even make any sense... Such a simple design! Something you would find at Accessorize.

Barbie Boobs, Clitorises and the Occasional Cockroache, Here are Some of the Weirdest Jewelry You'll Ever See!

We all know that the Internet can sometimes be a sick, sad place. But that's only because we live in a sick, sad world.

To avoid the dark side of the World Wide Web, I advise to never start a Google search with the word "weird". There are some seriously twisted people out there and they've all managed to utilize social media.

I searched for weird jewelry and decided to share my findings. Unfortunately, you will not be seeing these items on LavalierDubai.

** Warning: Pictures and Descriptions Contain Vulgarity and Inappropriateness**

  

The clitoris is a beautiful thing. But sometimes, it's so hard to find it because it's so small. Use this necklace as a road map for your partner. You can thank me later.

Go all Lady Gaga on everyone's ass with this steak necklace. Tip: avoid animal interaction.

Keep your neck cool during the hot summer months with this ice cube statement necklace.

Show the world just how much you love taking pictures of your food and posting them on Instagram with this crochet purse.

Another great tip for you and your partner. Instead of having the awkward conversation of what you enjoy, just wear one of these rings. You can thank me later.

We all had a pet we loved. And that pet died. What better way to commemorate your loved one than to wear their corpse around your neck?

An fun DIY project with grandma.

God gave you a beautiful, symmetric face. Show Him you a disagree.

Barbie tits & ass jewelry... Show Mattel how much you miss this childhood staple.

Ear-ception.

Got a pest problem at home? Don't just exterminate them, start putting them to some good use!

Got a partner that NEVER remembers to change the toilet role? Give them this as a constant reminder.

Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with your browser.

This is not so much odd as it is nostalgic. What girl didn't rock these bad boys during the early 2000's?

Persil's Arwa3 Abaya (Awesomest Abaya) Contest Winner Talks Exclusively to Lavalier Dubai

The day of the finale at The Armani Hotel - Dubai

Middle Eastern TV has been riding the reality competition TV bandwagon. MBC, for example, just aired the Arwa3 3abaya contest, which is now in its 5th season.

The search for the awesomest Abaya design began with 8 contestants. It was a grueling competition to the top with elimination every week and it ended in May with one winner: Reyan Hanafi.

Reyan was gracious enough to discuss herself, her brand and where what she expects in the future:

Tell me a little about yourself.

I'm a recent graduate from the American University of Sharjah and I studied Architecture with a minor in Design Management. I'm Sudanese but I was born and raised in the UAE, mostly in Abu Dhabi. Although fashion design was not in the forefront of my professional plans, fashion illustration has grown with my from an early age and my sketches are all over my notebooks for as long as I can remember.

Basking in the Glory: Reyan takes questions after her big win!

How Are Architecture and Fashion Related?

Although many might say that architecture and fashion are unrelated, I think that my architectural education gave me a good eye for composition, design and proportions. One of the main reasons I believe I succeeded in the abaya contest is because the judges sense my architectural touch: my designs always seem to have a structural, clean aesthetic to them.

Tell me more about the Persil Arwaa Abaya Contest. 

I originally heard about the contest through a friend who recommended that I apply when I posted a few of my sketches on my Instagram account. I don't usually sketch abayas and I thought that my lack of experience would hold me back in comparison to the other contestants. But I think that’s what gave me my competitive edge. I tried bringing in new concepts into the world of abayas by producing things that are out of the box.

How would you define your city's fashion? 

Well growing up in Abu Dhabi, it's a beach city with a slow relaxed vibe, unlike Dubai. High street buys, flip-flops and ballerinas are a staple here.

Reyan (Right) with her competition checking out one of the designs featured on the MBC reality show

What was the first item of clothing you ever designed? 

The first piece I ever designed and made was actually on the show. I have stacks of imagined and sketched collections, but I never really dove into my love for fashion until I won the contest. Even though it was my first design, it wont Top Abaya of the Week.

How long does it usually take you to design and construct a piece? 

Designing a piece doesn't take much time for me. On the show I would produce up to 8 sketches and would start dwindling down and combining concepts to a final one within the allocated 90 minute time limit. 

Winner is finally revealed!

What are some of your favorite clothing stores/catalogs/websites? 

I think the one store that I can consistently trust to find an outfit is Zara. They have a keen eye to pick up trends from the runway and then make it available at main street prices. As for blogs, I frequent Style.com for inspiration. Also, through the show, Persil has given us the privilege to have access to wgsn.com, a trend forecasting company that is used by all the big fashion houses to keep an eye on what the future trends are for several years to come. 

What is the future of your brand? Where do you see yourself in the next few years? 

Although my start in professional fashion design was for abayas, I found it's too constricting. I see myself in the pret-a-porter side of fashion world. In the next few years I want to open my own boutique, selling ready to wear high end fashion, with a clean modern aesthetic. 

Where can readers find out more about you and your work? 

For now my design work can be seen on my behance account: http://www.behance.net/ReyanHanafi . but that's mostly my work in exhibition, furniture and architectural design. As for my work in fashion that would have to wait a bit until my first line is out hopefully in time for this fall or next spring season.

Another Disastrous Heist: 3.6 Million AED Stolen at the Cannes Film Festival

Yesterday, I posted about the Tiffany & Co's heist at their flagship 5th Avenue store. Two diamond-laden necklaces were stolen in broad daylight and this brazen robbery spurred a national debate on jewelry store security, or lack thereof.  

I figured there wouldn't be another heist of note for at least the next few months. But, boy, was I wrong. 

3.6 Million AED (1 Million USD) worth of Chopard jewels were stolen from Novotel Hotel in Nice, France. The jewelry was meant to be worn on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival and was stolen while the a Chopard employee responsible was out to dinner.

If you haven't noticed, the Swiss luxury firm has been a staunch promoter at the French festival. A-List celebrities and the world's rich and famous have been doning their gorgeous pieces for the past 15 years. Chopard also sponsored and designed one of the most coveted awards at the festival, the Palme d’Or, a prize awarded to the best director (the winner this year: Abdellatif Kechiche, Tunisian- born French director of Blue Is the Warmest Color, a story about a passionate lesbian relationship in France).

Designing the Golden Palm (Palme d'Or)

The final product, presented to the best director

360,000 AED Heist at Tiffany's Last Week Spurs Debate on Jewelry Store Security

Tiffany & Co's Flagship Store on 5th Avenue, New York

Jewelry retailers in the US and around the world can learn a thing or two from a little-known pawnshop in Harlem, New York. Especially after the premiered jeweler Tiffany & Co.'s store on 5th avenue was heisted last week, with 360,000 AED (98,000 USD) stolen and no suspects in custody.

According to police records, a man wearing a dark suit, a tie and a riding cap (a riding cap with a suit?), carrying an umbrella (in the summer?!) came into the store to inquire about two pieces of jewelry: a diamond-laden necklace worth 250,000 AED (68,000 USD) and another for 110,000 AED (30,000 USD). When the saleswoman turned around to calculate the price, the man stole the peices an ran out. 5th avenue in the summer is swarming with people and the thief was lost in the crowd. No Comment from Tiffany's.

EZ Pawn Shop, Since 1996 in NYC

When the EZ Pawn Corp employees saw the security camera footage of the heist (below), they were quick to notice why it happened. EZ has been in business for 66 years and they've learned a thing or two about keeping their store as secure as possible. Mattie Simon, the sales clerk at EZ, explains simple ways to reduce the chances of getting robbed:

1. Customers can only buzzed in and out, making a getaway a lot less likely
2. Hooded sweatshirts and caps are completely forbidden by management as the security cameras will not be able to see the perpetrator's face. In fact, when EZ owner David, or his daughter, Lauren Kaminsky see a hooded person in any of their 11 retail spots on their security monitor, they automatically call the store and flag the issue.
3. Another one of Simon's tip seems completely ridiculous: look at a person's footwear. In her experience, if the shoes are tightly laced, then someone is looking to runaway 
4. In the heist, the security guard had his back turned to the door which allowed the thief to run out, undetected. This is a huge No-No at EZ Pawn
5. Only one item is shown to a customer at a time and there are no exceptions to this rule. Even if the customer is adamant on comparing two items in order to decide which one to buy. Better to lose a sale for the day than to lose an item forever. 
6. Ring trays are also a huge problem as it's easy to snag piece while pretending to look at another.
7. And last but not least: black coffee. When you hear a saleswoman at EZ Pawn asking for some black coffee with a heightened sense of urgency, you know something isn't right. Of course, no on is really asking for coffee. It's a code and once it's heard, a designated person will block the entrance. Some other codes they used: "Can you grab me a tissue?" and "Can you lower the AC?"

You'd think a renowned store like Tiffany's would have Guantanamo-style security but apparently not. As this heist proves, crimes can happen anywhere and at anytime (this happend in broad daylight) even in Dubai,  one of the safest places to live and that almost every inch of the city is monitored with CCTV cameras. That's why it's imperative for all stores, small and large, in Dubai or out, to stay vigilant and invest in high-end surveillance technology (the footage from the camera is so grainy!) They must also adopt smart tactics, like the "black coffee" code, that are effective and, best of all, for free!

Movie Jewelry: The Internship

Last night, I laughed so hard at the Ibn Battuta movie theater, that I am sure I embarrassed everyone around me. I was literally gasping for air and yes, a few deep snorts here and there.

The movie is called The Internship starring Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Rose Byrne. It's about two late-30's salesmen who lose their jobs only to find themselves as Google interns. Hilarity ensues as these two try to compete with young, tech-savy Ivy League-rs for a job at one of the best companies in the world. (Rotten Tomatoes Review gave it a 33% but I beg to differ!)

Aside from the great quips, I was really interested in the neck candy Rose Byrne's character was wearing. In one of the scenes, she had on a beautiful gold Wishbone pendant. I quickly researched to find it's a Jennifer Meyer creation.

Dana, Rose Byrne's Woraholic character, is Wilson's love interest in The Internship

Meyer laucnhed her collection in 2005 after working in the fashion industry for designers like Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren.

Her styles are simple and elegant made from white, yellow and rose 18-karat gold with delicate precious and semi-precious stone accents such as diamonds, black diamonds, turquoise, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

18-karat rose gold diamond wishbone necklace. Shop the trend here.

18k Gold Diamond Stick Necklace. Shop the trend here.