{"id":34473,"date":"2023-04-13T15:00:30","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T11:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/?post_type=articles&#038;p=34473"},"modified":"2023-04-13T21:13:33","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T17:13:33","slug":"the-home-you-choose-editors-letter-habitats-grazia-05","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/articles\/the-home-you-choose-editors-letter-habitats-grazia-05\/","title":{"rendered":"Editor&#8217;s Letter: The Home You Choose"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cSo you\u2019re in Dubai now, but if you could live anywhere in the world, where would you be?\u201d an Emirati artist asked me a few days ago. My answer? \u201cDubai.\u201d I can explain. Next year, it will be a decade since I pitched up in the UAE with two suitcases and a dream the same week that Karl Lagerfeld debuted his Chanel Cruise Dubai \u2013 an oud-scented love letter to heady Arabian nights in an lantern-strewn show space built just for the night on an off-shore, man-made island. It was a brave move for me, but it felt like more of a risk to stay still.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cq-U9BUNDkF\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cq-U9BUNDkF\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cq-U9BUNDkF\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Grazia Middle East (@grazia_me)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>However, as someone who seeks much of my sense of identity, conversational touchpoints and place in the world from being in amongst the current cultural moments \u2013 the newest exhibitions, the hottest performances, the latest openings \u2013 the seeming disconnection from the vibrant theatre, dance and music scene I knew hit me hard. I would have to wait two years before Dubai Opera opened its doors, bringing the world-class classical music and musical theatre I grew up with to the emirate, and until 2017 for the Louvre Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n<p>Since my arrival in the city of superlatives, a lot has changed both in the UAE\u2019s creative landscape, and more importantly how I feel about my role in it. The psychological shift from seeing myself as a consumer of culture to being a contributor playing a part to help shape and document it was most important realisation I made to transform own my perspective.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m in good company. This spring sees Louis Vuitton launch the Dubai City Guide as the first Middle Eastern destination in its series, celebrating many of my favourite contemporaries and co-conspirators, guest edited by Butheina Kazim who started Cinema Akil, the region\u2019s first art house cinema, and featuring fashion designer Faiza Bouguessa, founder of the covetable brand that bears her name, among others painting a more authentic, elevated and nuanced picture rarely portrayed in the popular culture that\u2019s exported from the emirate.<\/p>\n<p>This month saw the first Dubai Fashion Week \u2013 a partnership between Dubai Design District (d3) and Arab Fashion Council \u2013 which promised to \u201ccement Dubai\u2019s position as a global fashion capital\u201d, from 10-15 March 2023. According to Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District. \u201cWhere there was Paris, Milan, London and New York, there is now Dubai. From economic activity to tourism and creativity, Dubai has carved its own space among the world\u2019s cosmopolitan capitals, and fashion is one industry boosting its status. All eyes are now on the Middle East for fashion and creativity, and now the sky is the limit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet this is resolutely not an account of how Dubai has finally won the approval of the international fashion cognoscenti, or gained the recognition of European luxury brands that matter. This story is far more exciting than that. It\u2019s the opportunity to dream bigger, change the narrative, challenge established ideologies, and write the next chapter. Let\u2019s make it one that goes down in history.<\/p>\n<p>My advice to those struggling to make Dubai feel like home? Dance, discover, love, make art, make a difference, be part of something, be drawn towards those who share your dreams, find what that stirs your soul, and if it\u2019s not here, create it. This will turn Dubai from a curious habitat that\u2019s so far away from home into a city that will change your life the way it\u2019s changed mine.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2022\/04\/alison-tay-sig.jpg?w=179&amp;resize=179%2C62\" \/><\/p>\n<p>ALISON TAY<br \/>\n@THESTYLEEDITOR<br \/>\nALISON.TAY@ITP.COM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":217,"featured_media":34628,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[260,35,3209],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.5 (Yoast SEO v20.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Editor&#039;s Letter: The Home You Choose<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"GRAZIA&#039;s Editor-in-Chief, Alison Tay, writes about how Dubai became her home for her Editor&#039;s Letter in our fifth print issue, Habitats.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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