lifestyle TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Features Taksim plays romantic music at Feb Kuwait festival By Nawara Fattahova

s part of the Febrayer Al Kuwait festival, popular Turkish band Taksim Trio O2 performed on Sunday Aevening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The band, con- sisting of three members, began its performance at 9:00 pm and presented classical romantic music on the occa- sion of Valentine’s Day, until 10:30 pm. Hosni Senlendirici plays on the clarinet, AytaÁ Dogan plays on the zither and Ismail TunÁbilek plays on the buzuk (lute). The band released its first album in 2007, and also distributed music for many Arab singers, including a popu- lar song by Kuwaiti veteran singer Abdullah Al-Ruwaished. This is not their first time performing in Kuwait. The band also sang part of Ruwaished’s song. Dogan said that they are happy to be performing in Kuwait, especially since the audience interacts with them. Valentine’s Day gets pulses racing at frozen NY Fashion Week

ew York Fashion Week got pulses racing on Valentine’s Day, with boyish allure from Victoria Beckham, a dance Nparty from Diane von Furstenberg and stunning magic realism from Prabal Gurung. Supermodel Karlie Kloss and Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour led fashionistas braving 11 degrees Fahrenheit (12 Celsius) on one of the coldest week- ends in 20 years in New York on day four of the style bonanza that wraps up Thursday. Beckham began the day by sending a boyish yet fine-tai- lored feminine collection down a carpeted runway, with her English footballer husband David, and their children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper front row. Models strode the carpet- ed runway in checks, houndstooth and stripes in a collection that showcased Beckham’s increasingly sophisticated and evolving personal style, her Spice Girls days long gone. Beckham’s answer to wrapping up warm is layering up, so spaghetti strap dresses were paired with luscious ribbed knits, checked double-breasted coats with ribbed sleeves and knit- ted leggings. “I don’t know what to say, I feel quite overwhelmed, so I’m really happy,” said the English designer backstage after win- ning praise from style editors, dressed unusually casually in white sneakers, tailored dark trousers and an oversized white (From left) Lily Aldridge, Irina Shayk, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Jourdan Dunn, Elsa Hosk and Alanna Arrington pose wearing sweater. “There are some more masculine fabrics, which I’ve Diane Von Furstenberg Fall 2016 during New York Fashion Week on February 14, 2016 in New York City. — AP/AFP photos used,” she told reporters. “It feels like a very feminine collec- tion to me but I love adding those menswear elements to real- danced in a little tableau. Von Furstenberg also joined them ly toughen it up.” Beckham, whose second store opens in briefly, throwing a few shapes with the models to the strains Hong Kong in weeks following the success of her Mayfair bou- of 1979 disco hit “We Are Family.” Prabal Gurung, the New tique in London, said she used light fabrics to take into con- York-based Nepalese designer, summed up his collection as a sideration her clients in different climates. “Asia is my fastest- fashion designer’s take on magical realism inspired by French growing market,” Beckham told AFP. “I really love Asian artist Henri Rousseau’s 1905 oil painting “Woman Walking in women, I feel that they really understand fashion and it an Exotic Forest” and the 1813 poem “She Walks in Beauty” by seemed like the perfect place for the second store.” There were Lord Byron. coats galore but also plenty of bare shoulders. There were luxurious oversized coats with exaggerated fur collars. A designer who often finds inspiration in nature, he Karlie, Gigi, Kendall opened the show with models dressed in snow white, and “I just wanted to look at what I’ve worn and what I love and intricate feather and leaf designs were picked out on coats in just rework those pieces to make them feel new and fresh, and prints and hand-embroidered lace. Contrasting with snow just show how my personal style has evolved,” Beckham said. were pewter, midnight, ivory, cherry, blackberry and pale blue One well-wisher presented her with a beautifully crafted posy sky, his classic east-meets-west approach mixed hand-knit of pink and white roses backstage and wished her a happy Nepalese cashmere and printed, pleated leather. Model Jourdan Dunn Valentine’s Day. But when asked if she had special plans later His coats were breathtaking, such as a snow wool duffle Sunday, the 41-year-old mother of four said: “I’ll be working!” coat with white fox fur trim, and an oversized pale blue jacket Diane von Furstenberg dispensed with the catwalk to invite with an enormous pale blue and midnight blue fox fur trim her guests to celebrate Valentine’s Day and “love power” by collar running down the front. “Amazing,” “wow,” breathed sipping champagne and nibbling vodka jelly hearts as models members of the audience as Gurung appeared for a little wave danced. at the end of the show and a burst of applause. — AFP She hosted the event at her studios in the Meatpacking District, where Kloss wore a long golden wrap dress, and mod- Model Coco Rocha els of the moment Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner posed and

Fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg (left) and editor- The Victoria Beckham Fall 2016 collection is modeled during Fashion Week in New York. in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour.