S5 Ep5: Margaret Dabbs

What is the future of fashion? As a new show season gets underway, we have partnered with SHOWstudio to tackle the big conversations affecting the fashion industry in this new world.  Join us, whether it be via the live conversations, our immersive windows or a host of in-store experiences – stay tuned for the full roster of unmissable events.

It’s the season finale and Tiffanie, Stacey and Katie have saved the best for last. Their finds from around the store include deliciously decadent patisserie that just so happens to be vegan; a keep-forever accessory that promises to compliment every outfit in your wardrobe and a beauty product that both relieves stress and revitalises hair.    In the second part of the episode, Tiffanie catches up with Irish designer Simone Rocha, who makes her Harrods debut this season. She speaks to us about growing up as the daughter of designer John Rocha and her own journey to becoming one of the leading lights of the London design scene. “My father has had a huge influence on my silhouettes and love of textiles,” she says. “But I’ve translated that into my idea of femininity, which is where we differ. For me, femininity is about being strong, about being thoughtful and being interesting. It doesn’t have an age or size range.” She tells us about why her Irish heritage means so much to her, how she maintains her status as an independent designer and she talks through her latest collection – which was based on the Irish Renaissance play Riders to the Sea – and why her love of pearls was inspired by the politician Mary Robinson. 

In today’s episode, Tiffanie, Stacey and Katie reveal the rare and recherché finds they’ve unearthed from inside Harrods. Prepare to be inspired by esoteric fragrances; intrigued by a piece of jewellery with talismanic properties and compelled by three superlative pairs of sunglasses which are not just aesthetically pleasing but altruistic too.  In the second part of the podcast, Tiffanie speaks to the celebrated Spanish chef José Pizarro – credited with bringing authentic tapas to London – about his unlikely road to becoming a restaurateur. “I studied dentistry,” he says, “and while I was waiting for a job I took a cookery course. A month in, I knew this was it.” He tells us why Jamón Ibérico should always be eaten with your hands, why his customers are family and he also lets us in on the secret ingredient in his recipe for success (hint: it’s all about provenance). 

Tiffanie, Stacey and Katie talk through the treasures they’ve truffled out from Harrods this week, ranging from delicious – and rare – cheeses to dream bags and the very latest in futuristic foundations (if you thought 40 shades was impressively inclusive, try 72,000).                 Their guest this week is Sameer Lilani, EMEA director for jewellery powerhouse Amrapali. Founded in the 1970s, by cousins who shared a passion for traditionally-made jewellery, Amrapali has risen to become one of India’s most renowned design houses and Amrapali’s jewels (known for their exquisite craftsmanship and eye-catching deigns, are loved by stars of both Hollywood and Bollywood: both Angelina Jolie and Sonam Kapoor are fans). He fills us in on the evolution of men’s jewellery (thankfully the days of bling are far behind us) to the talismanic powers of precious gemstones. “It’s about connecting with your emotions,” he says, “I really do believe in the power and the energy of stones.”   He also talks about the Amrapali Gem Bar, available exclusively at Harrods, which allows clients to select rare, precious and semi-precious loose stones sourced from around the world and experiment with creating their own bespoke piece of jewellery. “We have everything from an amethyst at £1,500 to a pink diamond that’s almost a million pounds,” he says. “And it’s a real collaboration, you can actually design your own piece of jewellery.” 

In today’s episode Tiffanie, Stacey and Katie talk us through a game-changing – and sustainable – new skincare line so advanced that it’s based on research by a Nobel Laureate; a chandelier bar, where a storied crystal brand helps clients create a custom-made chandelier made from a possible 15,000 combinations, and an Oxford brogue created by a bespoke shoe-maker to the stars.  The guest this week is leading oculoplastic surgeon, facial aesthetics doctor and MZ skincare founder Maryam Zamani. She speaks to Tiffanie about why she prefers ‘tweakments’ over treatments (“the idea is that you’re doing something that doesn’t necessarily change you,” she says, “it just improves what you already have”) and why good skin starts at home. She likens having treatments to having a personal trainer: “If you have a trainer once a week, that’s great, but then you have to maintain it. It's not like you can gain muscles or definition with just one treatment.”   The award-winning skincare founder talks about the process of adding a dose of luxury to her doctor-led line, MZ skin, and why lockdown might actually have been a good thing for our complexions.  

Tiffanie, Stacey and Katie delve deep into Harrods to unearth crystal-studded Koi, an elixir of rare fungi known as Himalayan Gold – and an ingenious, fuss-free and sustainable, solution for wardrobe maintenance, which will make sure you never need a drycleaner ever again.   Later they’re joined by Harrods master roaster, Bartosz Ciepaj who spills the beans on how Harrods create the perfect cup. As judge in the global cup of excellence; a global competition to find the world’s best coffees, Ciepaj is well-versed in the art of selecting the crème de la crème of blends. He takes editor Tiffanie Darke through the process: from the roasting (Harrods roasts over 1,000 kilos a week) to how to brew it to best bring out the delicate nuances in the blends.  

In the first episode of the new season, we join editor-in-chief Tiffanie Darke, fashion editorial director Stacey Duguid and beauty editorial director Katie Service as they talk us through a show-and-tell definition of modern luxury: prepare yourself to hear about the most beautiful, brilliant and downright bonkers things Harrods can offer.  We also hear from Russell Young, an American-British artist best-known for his large-scale silkscreens of legendary cultural figures including Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe and David Bowie. Born in the north of England, Young spent time living on the streets before making it as a music photographer. His big break came when “probably more than half the pictures you’ve seen of George are mine,” he said, “we had a great relationship over the years". The album – which sold 25m copies – catapulted Young to international attention and by the ‘90s he’d shot everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Bob Dylan. In the 2000s he reinvented himself as a fine artist and quickly found fame for his diamond dust portraits, which – in January ­– became the first artworks in Harrods’ history to takeover the Brompton Road windows. “I inherited Warhol’s printing press, and the first diamond dust paintings I ever created was from a bag of Andy Warhol’s diamond dust,” he says. “I’ve always said that I pin the paintings on my studio wall at night and put a huge pile of diamond dust and at night Tinker Bell comes and spreads it around.”   Visit Russell Young’s FAME exhibition at the Harrods Halcyon Gallery, 3rd Floor and online at fame.halcyongallery.com

Where did Bottega Veneta come from? How do you build a crystal chandelier? What is the secret ingredient in the elixir of long life?  Join Harrods Editor in Chief Tiffanie Darke as she mines the world’s greatest luxury emporium for its most precious and fascinating finds. Joined by Fashion and Beauty Directors Stacey Duguid and Katie Service, each week the girls try to outdo each other with their bid for Harrods’ most desirable objects. With guests ranging from Indian jewellers to renowned aesthetic surgeons, they bring to life the extraordinary stories behind the things that really make us want to go shopping.

In the last episode of the season, we put our feet up for an exclusive chat with Margaret Dabbs. Blurring the lines between science and beauty, Margaret Dabbs is an esteemed podiatrist and entrepreneur. Put your feet up and listen as she tells Mariella how she made her beauty breakthrough.  "I’ve got a big level of compassion in me, but also I’ve got that fight which says pick yourself up and go for it."  “There isn’t a foot we can’t help,” says entrepreneur and podiatrist Margaret Dabbs. Proving that there is a place for hands, legs and feet treatments in the luxury market, Dabbs and her team combine chiropody and pampering while you ensconce yourself in a reclining chair.  This ‘medical pedicure’ – a term coined by Dabbs – doesn’t stop there. The aesthetician has concocted a life-changing line of ultra-moisturising products that will rehabilitate your worn-out tootsies. And guess what? There’s even a vegan range.  

Aesthetic doctor and sought-after skincare expert, Dr. Marwa Ali is known for her artistic yet subtle approach to cosmetic surgery. Here, she tells Mariella how she earned the trust of famous faces around the globe.    “If you want something enough and work hard enough, you will be able to achieve it.” There’s a new revolution among us in the world of cosmetic surgery, and it’s called baby botox – a less-is-more procedure practised by the master of ageless beauty – Dr. Marwa Ali. Believing that aesthetic medicine is not only a science, but an art, the esteemed skin doctor tailors her treatments to her clients, working to enhance their natural features rather than change them completely. Her advice? Use the right skincare for you, always do your research, and most importantly, prevention is better than cure.