Inflight essentials, fashion picks: How Dubai's most stylish jet-setters travel

Khaleej Times

4 hours ago

This weekend marks the great exodus as Dubai residents heed the last school bell of term as their cue to escape to cooler climes. Long gone are the days when a blow-dry and heels might have earned you the right to turn left on the plane. I posit that Emirates' iO (the exclusive invite-only tier above Skywards Platinum) members are as likely to travel in tracksuits, albeit cashmere, and trainers, probs Loewe, as they are in full glam. I asked the most frequent flier I know, dentist Dr Michael Apa, for his inflight essentials.
With 200,000 flight miles a year under his Brunello Cucinelli belt, Apa, who owns practices in Dubai, New York, Miami and LA, is no stranger to an Emirates A380 (around 112,000 of his flight miles a year are via Dubai). He always flies with Barebells protein bars and Crystal Light powdered drink mix. 'When it comes to what I wear, I keep it elevated but relaxed,' that means Cucinelli sneakers, backpack, and sweats, or a sweatshirt from L'Atelier Force. That's how the most stylish man in the air that I know does it. Here are my picks for runway style:
Romp home
Luxe lifestyle brand Varley works magic into its off-duty sweats, imbuing them with an elegance that defies the cosy, cloud-like feel of snuggling into one of its styles. This is casualwear that makes you look expensive. Varley's 'Betsy' or 'Davidson' sweats with a pair of Lululemon 'Align' leggings is the ultimate comfort combo. Or, I'm going to go out on a literal limb, and recommend Varley's 'Annika' romper, which will allow wellness warriors to low-key slip on a pair of compression socks during the flight.
Book chic
What Will People Think? by Dubai-based author Sara Hamdan is this summer's airport duty free book buy. But don't take my word for it, Mo Amer, of Netlix's Mo, says of the coming-of-age story that echoes across generations of Palestinians, 'A timely, yet timeless story that the world desperately needs.' A much-needed dose of life affirming storytelling to ease the tension.
Inflight service
I'm not one for multi-step skincare routines on a plane, or anywhere. But a mid-flight spritz of Summer Fridays 'Jet Lag' mist is the perfect plane pick-me-up. And while I'm a skincare sceptic, I do love a good gadget, and a long-haul flight is the perfect time to strap on Unicskin's LED device targeting neck and chin. Redefining facial contours while bingeing the best of Emirates' ICE is my kind of inflight service. Finally, why does the temperature during flights fluctuate so much? For those clammy moments when the crew crank up the heat, a covert swipe of a deodorant wipe by Dubai-based brand Trèpure, whose biodegradable wipes are chemical-free, will keep you refreshed and dry till landing.
Ground control
Airport concourses are long. Your footwear should reflect that. Miu Miu's 'Gymnasium' sneakers remind me of old-school plane livery, while suede and leather detail keep things suitably luxe. Always travel in socks, just in case you're asked to remove shoes at security due to an overload of Cartier 'Love' bracelets. No one wants to tiptoe through the scanner. Balenciaga's laurel-wreath logo pair are suitably preppy.
Throwing shade
While top-tier fliers are more likely to opt for quiet luxury and prioritise comfort when it comes to inflight footwear and clothing, I'm all for full-size, (imaginary) paparazzi-shielding shades. The biggest, boldest and brashest style to get your hands on is Saint Laurent's whopping 'Blaze' cat eye sunglasses, with their unapologetically oversized 'Cassandre' logo emblazoned across the wide temples. Both enigmatic and masterful, these are the iO membership card of shades.
Bag an upgrade
Few brands say 'summer' as successfully as Chloé, with its wafty chiffon and artfully undone aesthetic, not to mention the maison's near-ubiquitous 'Woody' raffia beach bags and sandals that dominate bohemian beach clubs from J1 to Juan-les-Pins. But now that everyone's done raffia, it falls on Chloé to reinvent the summer bag. Step forward the perfectly sun-bleached Chloé 'Plage' tote. It's the bag I'd want to be carrying, were I to step off a seaplane onto a barefoot Maldivian island this summer.
Bronzed beauty
The only thing that you should be bronzing this summer is your luggage. Stay in the shade, stock up on the SPF and get a spray tan. In 20 years' time you'll thank me. Save the glow-up for your suitcase. The Rimowa Original case has just been released in a sun-baked bronze, reminiscent of a UV-oblivious Greek god. So, forget bronzed skin (unless it's from a bottle) and opt for a bronze suitcase instead; Rimowa's aluminium will age far better.
Sound control
I consulted the man in my life – sadly not David Bekham, although he is the face of Bowers & Wilkins PX8 – for the most desirable headphones right now, and he positively salivated over these. Pro tip: don't forget a Bluetooth plane adaptor and two-pronged dongle to connect to the inflight entertainment system.