Lookout Emirates

The UAE icons style sensibilities were recognized by watchmaker JaegerLeCoultre, which made Mohammed Sultan Al Habtoor a friend of the brand to promote its luxury time pieces.

Mohammed Sultan Al-Habtoor: Life, His Way

Its hard to keep up with Mohammed Sultan AlHabtoors colorful career: from model to soldier to fashion designer to stylist, hes done it all. T Emirates catches up with one of the regions most recognized faces to get to know more about who he really is.
By Orna Ballout Photographs by Ayaad Damouni D the Agency

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T Emirates: The New York Times Style Magazine

T-shirts from Mohammed Sultan Al-Habtoors fashion line House of GlaMO.

deep fragrance captures my attention, so I glance up and see Mohammed Sultan Al-Habtoor, who is charismatically strolling into Capital D Studio for his interview with T Emirates. Dressed simply in a traditional Kandura, he lets his chiseled features do all the talking: big dark eyes, a warm smile and immaculate grooming make it clear why hes a such a hit, and why some of the biggest brands are eager to work with him. Polite and very chatty, 31-year-old Al-Habtoor hails from one of the UAEs most successful families: his uncle is Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor, Chairman of the Al-Habtoor Group renowned for its businesses covering everything from construction to cars and hotels to real estate. With the familys achievements, Al-Habtoor admits that he could have made life a lot easier for himself had he taken a role in one of its many businesses. But he wasnt interested in following in his familys footsteps. I love to constantly challenge myself, so when I chose to step away from the family empire, or whatever you want to call it, I put myself in trouble, yet at the same time I did myself a huge favor, he says. If it didnt happen, I dont think wed be sitting here having this conversation. Al-Habtoor remembers how, as a youngster, he stood out from the rest of the kids at school. I was freakishly

tall. I remember when we were in kindergarten some of the other kids would say: Oh, Mohammed is like a giraffe. I was always the tallest, skinniest one. With his model attributes, he made his foray into the fashion world at a young age. I had a stint in Paris Fashion Week when I was 13. I never took it seriously, school was always more important but fashion weeks always fell around school holidays, so if I ever got the chance and agencies wanted me, Id go. Al-Habtoors path led him from striking poses on the catwalk to marching in military boots. He joined the national army in Dubai, before landing a coveted place at the prestigious Sandhurst Military Academy in England, where he was commissioned as an officer. During his five-year stint in the army he excelled, earning degrees in both political science and marketing. But he was destined for different things. I was hoping one day to be a cultural minister and work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but circumstances changed and I moved back to Dubai to support the family when it was needed, Al-Habtoor says. Coming from a successful family ultimately had its drawbacks. On his move home he faced a challenging time finding a job. People were intimidated, he says. Coming from a huge family, maybe they thought it was strange that I wanted to work for their entities or that my family was pushing me, but it was nothing to do with my family.

Issue 2, 2013

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Lookout Emirates

I love to constantly challenge myself, so when I chose to step away from the family empire, or whatever you want to call it, I put myself in trouble, yet at the same time I did myself a huge favor.

In one job interview, Al-Habtoor admits, he was transparent and almost desperate to be hired, but he managed to get a job working alongside an influential team that set up Art Dubai. It was actually really challenging getting people to see that Dubai had so many more cultural aspects to offer aside from real estate and tourism. Throughout his life, Al-Habtoor felt pressure to exceed expectations. It was almost as if I felt like I needed to prove myself 10 times more, because people looked at it as oh, you know the bullying and all that comes with being privileged. But he was too determined to let anything stand in his way. The stereotype is there, unfortunately, its sad,he says. I was too focused, and made changes that were pretty much personal, like styling and participating in fashion shows, and being one of the first boys in the UAE to do any of that. People certainly paid attention. Nowadays Al-Habtoor, a local icon, is admired for his stylish attributes and bubbly personality, with a dedicated following of Tweeps keeping tabs on his every move. His schedule includes working as a stylist at Capital D Studio, managing his fashion brand, House of GlaMO, which creates cool, sometimes controversial t-shirts and overseeing a New York-based events and management company, The New York Issue; and aside from driving forward his own projects, hes in demand for a host of brands such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, who linked on to his style sensibilities and made him a friend of the brand. His hectic schedule takes him all over the globe, flying between Dubai, Paris and New York, his favorite cities. We tended to go to Paris every summer and winter growing up; Mum would take us to all these museums and make it a priority for us to learn something new every time, he says. I love the lifestyle, cafes and the fact that they dont speak English its an adventure. And I just love the drive of New York, the style, the pace it excites me a lot. With his impressive fashion experience and an enviable list of contacts Rushka Bergman, Venus Williams, Kelly Rowland, Andrej Pejic and Olivier Rousteing are just a handful of his friends what does he think of his home countrys fashion efforts? It has already come a long way, Al-Habtoor says. Finally we have an industry that manufactures, and Esmod Dubai fashion institute, which

Showcasing simple style, Mohammed Sultan Al-Habtoor lets his model features do all the talking.

is the core as to how any city in the world can become a fashion hub. The next upcoming event is Fashion Forward, a fashion week focusing mainly on local and regional talent and taking them to the next level. Im one of the FAME board members, and its my duty to support any way possible to develop Dubai as a fashion capital. When it comes to inspiration, many of his fellow Emiratis come to mind. Im very grateful for our countrys leadership whove really put us on the map; my father, without him I wouldnt be here today; and all my fellow art and fashion lovers; even the foreigners here who have supported and educated us and made it easier to understand a different culture, sense of humor and being so cosmopolitan. For style inspiration, he considers Yves Saint Laurent, now named Saint Laurent, number one. Im very happy Hedi Slimane has taken over. The fashion world takes you by surprise every day. Theres always something in and out its difficult to keep up with! In the future, expect big surprises from Al-Habtoor. Good ones, I promise, he says. Theres going to be amazing collaboration on an international level, be it artists, luxury, fashion or maybe musicians, you never know. And what advice can he offer young hopefuls wishing to follow in his footsteps? At least once a day try and make someones day better, even by smiling or by doing a good deed. It pays off in the long run. Live positively, make it happen, life is too short, make the best of it because no one is going to live it for you.

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T Emirates: The New York Times Style Magazine