Now headed up by CEO Antoine Pin, the brand’s core collection consists of three iconic families designed by Jack Heuer, cue the TAG Heuer Carrera, Monaco, and Autavia, and it’s rounded out with the contemporary TAG Heuer Link, Aquaracer, Formula 1, and Connected lines.

_{TAG Heuer for 2025 F1}

Back in the driving seat and perfectly exuding its motto, “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” TAG has announced that it is once again the F1’s official timekeeper, and right in time to celebrate 75^th anniversary of Formula 1 this year.

With a rich history in the sport that spans over seven decades, 2025 marks the revival of their partnership that embodies luxury, precision, innovation, performance and speed. After all, TAG Heuer was the first luxury brand to have its logo appear on a Formula 1 car in 1969, the first to sponsor a team in 1971 and, with 239 wins and 15 World Drivers’ Championships to its name, it’s one of the most successful brands in history to be associated with Formula 1.

_{Steve McQueen wearing TAG Heuer}

“In a sport defined by mental resilience, physical strength, strategy, innovation, and performance it is only natural for TAG Heuer to be at the very heart of Formula 1 as Official Timekeeper” says Antoine Pin, CEO of TAG Heuer.

He continues, “With decades of history in F1 connecting us to the most successful drivers and teams of all time, we are honoured and privileged to be the name connected to the very thing that defines the winner: time. As Formula 1 and their exceptional team continue to build on the amazing work that has been done to create one of the greatest properties in sport, we are excited to be part of the journey and create new stories to enrich TAG Heuer.”

_{Ayrton Senna wearing TAG Heuer}

Formula 1 has become one of the most culturally significant and successful sporting championships in the world, with 750 million fans worldwide and a fanbase that’s becoming younger and more diverse—just head over to TikTok to see its popularity amongst a younger audience.

The 2024 season saw 1.5 billion viewers tune into the action-packed season, where the wheel-to-wheel racing went down to the wire between McLaren and Ferrari for the Constructors’ Championship in Abu Dhabi.

On the next stage of the F1 x TAG Heuer partnership, Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1 says the timekeeping brand is a natural fit, “With their focus on innovation, accuracy and excellence, they are a natural partner, and I am excited to see how our intertwining heritage can tell new stories for the future as we celebrate our 75th year.” 

As part of the collaboration, TAG Heuer will have a significant presence both on and off the track, through trackside branding, Fan Zone and Paddock Club activations and new product ranges that encapsulate the drama of Formula 1. Roll on the Australian Grand Prix in March.

by Felicity Carter

The post TAG Heuer is back as Official Timekeeper for Formula 1 first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Glass speaks to Ramla Ali whose epic story as a former child refugee turned boxing champ, turned fashion model and activist continues to win her many plaudits  

Professional boxer, activist, author and model, Ramla Ali is sitting comfortably. Nestled into a rainbow-hued dressing gown, hood up and looking like the world No.2 IBF and WBA boxing champion she is, Ali is an open book, discussing the trials and tribulations of being a top athlete.

She has an epic life story that extends far beyond her years. No wonder she has a BAFTA and Oscar-winning team behind her biopic, In The Shadows, starring Letitia Wright in the lead, which is due to be released this year.

_{Photographer: Elliot James Kennedy}

But well before Hollywood came knocking, Ali’s story began in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. One of seven children, Ali and her family had to flee the war-torn country when her 12-year-old brother, Abdulkadir, was killed by a stray grenade while playing outside. With the trauma of war dominating her early years, there was little time to celebrate births, and she is unsure of her age – but she and her older sister decided on September 16, 1989, as her birthday.

After a perilous boat crossing to Kenya, where hundreds died, the Ali family took refuge in Kenya, waiting for hours in long queues for UN aid and food. It was here that Ali’s dedication to charity was cemented: “If it wasn’t for all those people helping me and my family, who knows where I’d be. For me, charity is so important. I always say, there’s so many things that I’d love to achieve in the ring, but more than that, I want to be remembered for everything that I did outside the ring.”

_{Photographer: Elliot James Kennedy}

From Kenya, the arduous journey continued, taking the family to London, firstly to Paddington in temporary housing and then on to the East End, where you can now find a magnificent mural of Ali commissioned by Numbi Arts on Bethnal Green Road. Looking up into the distance, Ali’s portrait encapsulates her steely determination and quest for a positive future. “Chase Courage” is spelled out in a handwritten scrawl above the mural, reminding people of this local hero and her hunger for change.

Having been bullied at school for being overweight, Ali first slipped on a pair of boxing gloves aged 12 at her local leisure centre, where she tried a boxercise class and immediately “fell in love” with the sport. “In return I was getting healthy, losing weight and gaining more self-confidence.” After the centre closed down, she turned to her neighbourhood kickboxing gym. Since then, she has fought and won 14 Muay Thai fights. 

Ali explains how most boxing careers begin as an amateur, competing on a national level before representing your country and then on to the Olympics. Post-Olympics, the hope is to turn professional and “get paid to box, basically”.

Like much of her life before, Ali’s journey into boxing was not quite so smooth. Despite winning the nationals twice and being a British citizen, she was never selected to represent England or Great Britain. Devastated, Ali was close to quitting: “You want to try and be the best possible version of yourself that you can possibly be and I remember thinking back in 2016, ‘what’s the point if I can never make it to the Olympics?’” 

_{Photographer: Elliot James Kennedy}

It wasn’t until a fellow athlete and friend suggested she represent Somalia did Ali find another route to boxing on the world stage. At first, she was hesitant. “People were just going to think, ‘well you could never compete for England or Great Britain, so Somalia is the next best thing’.”

But later, she became convinced that doing so would help raise awareness about the country of her birth. Having stepped up, she became the first person in history to win a gold medal for Somalia in boxing and also the first female in history to represent Somalia at the Olympics. But again, the path to the Games wasn’t easy without the financial resources of a big country backing her.

At one point, Ali and her husband and manager, Richard Moore, became almost homeless trying to fund the training and logistics that come with competing on an international level. Then in stepped the fashion industry, saving and supporting Ali’s boxing career.

From the outside, modelling and boxing couldn’t be further apart and yet the two complement one another in Ali’s life. While most of her competitors were full-time athletes, she found herself “on set for 12 hours, and then leaving to go training. I was so tired but I had to do it because when you want to achieve something so bad, you stop at nothing to do it.”

Her fashion credentials are supermodel worthy, having been hand-picked by the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, in 2019 to be shot by the late great Peter Lindbergh to grace Vogue’s famous Force For Change cover alongside Greta Thunberg, Jacinda Ardern, Sinéad Burke, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and more.

Ali is signed with IMG models and it is evident that legacy fashion houses can’t get enough of her, with Burberry, Cartier, Coach and Dior campaigns under her belt. Dior, alongside Alexander McQueen and Off-White, has also created custom looks for Ali in the ring. 

_{Photographer: Elliot James Kennedy}

Ali’s experience couldn’t be further from The Devil Wears Prada stereotype. “I once walked on to set with six fresh stitches above my left eye from a match. I thought I’d be asked to leave but everybody loved it and they embraced it, wanting to show the fact that I’m a boxer. I’ve learnt you should never judge a book by its cover. People always think that fashion is cut throat, where you have to be a size zero and six foot tall or you’ll never make it.” In short, Ali has found the industry to be a “very welcoming” space with “a lot of inclusivity”. 

Ali reached dizzying fashion and personal heights at the 2022 Met Gala dressed in a jaw dropping, whimsical white Giambattista Valli gown paired with Cartier jewels and Jimmy Choo shoes. Later that night, she shared an emotional hug with tennis star Venus Williams, thanking her and sister Serena for their inspiration.

“Seeing two black women dominate a predominantly white sport and kill it … I always say representation is so important. You can’t be what you can’t see, and seeing them do it just showed me that I could possibly do it as well.”

Long before this encounter, Ali was also leading by example. After getting her coaching qualifications, she launched The Sisters Club in 2018, a charity that offers free weekly sports classes in boxing, football, running and basketball across London, New York and Florida, sharing with vulnerable women discipline, self-defence skills and the positive mental and physical effects of exercise.

One year later, her charitable and sporting pursuits merged when she became a UK ambassador for Unicef and turned professional. But it didn’t stop there – throughout that first year in the professional ring, Ali donated a quarter of her earnings to the Black Lives Matter campaign. 

_{Photographer: Elliot James Kennedy}

Ali’s boxing career also marks her out as the first female to fight in Saudi Arabia (where she knocked out her opponent in the first round in just 65 seconds) and the first female English Muslim to win an English amateur boxing title. Her fiery talent has caught the eye of world class fight promoter Eddie Hearn, who proved very understanding when she decided to take a break after her last fight in November.

The camp she trained at before then “was so emotionally draining”, to the extent that she couldn’t box or even watch her friends compete. She turned to a sports psychologist “to make sure my mental health was in check”. Thankfully by January, she was ready to return to the ring, “I found a coach here in London. His name’s Larry Ekundayo and he’s just made me fall in love with boxing again.” 

While the conversation surrounding mental health and sport is on the rise, Ali reminds us to never “believe what you see on social media. People always post their wins, they never post their losses”.  Today she’s “not afraid” to open up about her “tough times” because “I’m hoping me talking about it is going to help someone else. And why wouldn’t I want to do that?”.

In 2021, Ali spread her message to a new audience with her writing debut, Not Without A Fight: Ten Steps To Becoming Your Own Change, a self-help book published by Stormzy’s Merky Books and Penguin Random House charting Ali’s 10 most important fights. 

_{Photographer: Elliot James Kennedy}

When questioned on where she would like to see change in boxing, she points immediately to the glaring pay disparity between male and female boxers, one of the biggest in professional sport. Ali is also uncomfortable with the increase in female boxers showing “a lot more skin because they think that will bring them the fans and put more eyes on the sport”.

She agrees that if that “empowers” and “liberates” a woman then she should do it. “But I also think you that you don’t have to do that … I always say if more women supported women, we’d have a bigger audience and the more eyes that are on women competing, the more money we’d get paid.” 

It seems as though the exceptional effort Ali has put into turning her life around is finally paying off. Last year, she was ranked one of Time’s 12 Women Of The Year and in just few a months’ time we shall see her back at what she does best, boxing, with a fight scheduled for announcement.

Despite Ali not receiving the support she should have had at the start of her career, it seems her destiny, mixed in with hard graft, has other ideas for her. So how does someone who has forever forged her own way in life know they are on track? “I never knew I was on the right path,” she quickly replies. “I always knew I just wanted to do something that made me happy and that’s what I ended up doing.”

In honour of Glass’ 15-year anniversary, I ask Ali what she would say to her 15-year old self, to which she responds, “Never worry about the box that people are trying to put you in because it makes them feel good. Always be true to yourself. Always go out there and try to achieve your dreams because no one can live your life for you. And make sure you live a life that’s full and that’s happy.” 

by Charlie Newman

ramlaalisistersclub.com

Photographer: Elliot James Kennedy

Stylist: Lewis Munro

Make up: Jessica DeBruyne

Hair: Nicola Harrowell

1st photography assistant: Madison Blair

2nd photography assistant: Matt Trapp

Stylist assistant: Ada Matylda

Talent: Ramla Ali

_{Look 1: LOVE necklace in 18K yellow gold, Clash de Cartier ring in 18K rose gold with onyx and diamonds, both CARTIER, Jacket PATRYCJA PAGAS, Trousers KIKO KOSTADINOV} 

_{Look 2: LOVE necklace in 18K yellow gold, Clash de Cartier ring in 18K rose gold with onyx and diamonds, both CARTIER, All clothing KIKO KOSTADINOV, Shoes DIESEL}

_{Look 3: LOVE necklace in 18K yellow gold, Clash de Cartier ring in 18K rose gold with onyx and diamonds, both CARTIER, Jacket PATRYCJA PAGAS, Top, trousers KIKO KOSTADINOV, Shoes DIESEL}

_{Look 4: Juste un Clou earrings in 18K yellow gold with diamonds CARTIER, Jacket ISSEY MIYAKE}

_{Look 5: LOVE necklace in 18K yellow gold CARTIER, All clothing KIKO KOSTADINOV, Shoes DIESEL}

_{Look 6: Clash de Cartier ring in 18K rose gold with onyx and diamonds CARTIER, Jacket TOD’S, Jacket CHOPOVA LOWENA, Shorts TOGA, Shoes GUCCI} 

The post Ramla Ali traces her journey to boxing champion with Glass first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Emphasising the mind, body and spirit, Aman imbues each treatment with local healing traditions to provide innovative treatments. Now, furthering its presence in the wellness world, Aman has just announced Novak Djokovic as its first Global Wellness Advisor.

_{Novak Djokovic}

Having won 24 Grand Slams and set the record as the tennis player with the most consecutive weeks at World Number 1, Djokovic is no stranger to mental and physical well-being.

Following the appointment of Maria Sharapova as an Aman Global Wellness Ambassador in 2023, Djokovic is certain to further enhance Aman’s wellness offerings with his expertise and attention to detail. In particular, the famed sportsman will have an adversarial role with Aman Essentials, focusing on future product development and brand extensions.

“To remain competitive at the highest level, over an extended time period, demands far more than skills,” explains Djokovic. “Over the years, I have cultivated a comprehensive daily wellness routine, combining mental health, nutrition and fitness, that has enabled me to achieve sustained success both on the global stage and in my personal life. Sharing those learnings with Aman guests will be both a privilege and a pleasure.”

_{Amanruya, Turkey – Experience, Tennis Court}

Additionally, as part of Aman’s wellness programming, Maria Sharapova will host Building Resilience: A Maria Sharapova Retreat at Amanzoe in Greece from the 23^rd to the 26^th of September. Meanwhile, her half-day Strength and Recovery programme is available within Aman New York’s daily spa programming.

by Sophie Richardson

_{For more information or to book, please visit here.}

The post Aman appoints Novak Djokovic as its first Global Wellness Advisor first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Now, following the first races in Jeddah, Venice and Monaco, the grandeur and beauty of Lake Como will set the scene for the E1 World Championship later this month.

_{E1 boats powered by batteries and electric motors. Photo courtesy of E1}

_{The E1 race series was launched at Monaco Yatch Club in September 2020. Photo courtesy of E1}

The Italian Alps that surround Lake Como are cloaked in green during the summer, a dramatic and lush background for a raceboat regatta and adrenaline-fuelled action on the lake’s surface area of 146 square kilometres.

For a viewing experience of a lifetime, a special package at Villa d’Este includes accommodation and access to the exclusive Ocean Club throughout the weekend of the event. There will be opportunities to meet the pilots of the nine E1 teams competing for the ‘Champions of the Water’ title, experience the podium, and also enjoy world-class hospitality.

_{E1 is the first and only all-electric raceboat world championship. Photo courtesy of E1}

_{Team Raffa. Photo courtesy of E1}

Villa d’Este has a luxurious setting along the lakefront on the south-western shore of Lake Como and its grand gardens provide superb relaxation when timeout is needed from the exhilarating boat races. The hotel’s facilities include the Beauty Center and Sporting Club with a heated indoor pool, a gym, sauna, steam room, squash court, a putting green, outdoor fitness equipment and 8 tennis courts.

by Sean Sheehan

_{UIM E1 World Championship is from 23rd – 24th August. For more information and booking, see Villa d’Este}

The post Villa d’Este to host new “Formula One of the Seas” – E1 World Championship first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

_{Aurelien Giraud by Kenny Germe}

_{Louise-Aina Taboulet by Marili Andre}

Paying homage to the elegance in movement and the notion of resilience alongside the limitations of audacity and dreams, Dior merges the worlds of fashion and sport in celebration of the international multi-sport event. 

Building on these themes, Dior has formed ties with multi-medalist international athletes such as long jump specialist Erwan Konaté, Paralympic swimmer Alex Portal, tennis player Casper Ruud, rower Matteo Sartori and climber Matteo Zurloni.

Further, the brand has strengthened relationships with Olympic athletes who already have established relationships with the brand as Dior Ambassadors, fencers Cheung Ka-Long and Sara Balzer, skateboarders Louise-Aina Taboulet and Aurélien Giraud, boxer Estelle Mossely, surfer Kauli Vaast, and 110-meter hurdles champion Sasha Zhoya. 

_{Estelle Mossely by Marili Andre}

_{Edward Cheung Ka Long by Kenny Germe}

Dior’s association with the 2024 Olympic Games further projects the values of respect, audaciousness, devotion, discipline and creativity that sit at the crux of the French Maison.  

by Nicole Pereira

The post Dior partners with Olympic Games athletes ahead of Paris 2024 first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Reflecting on his record-breaking success with Mercedes-AMG, the immersive space will showcase the highlights of his career that he has had with IWC on his wrist.

_{Lewis Hamilton x IWC}

With special editions made exclusively for the driver and also more commercial pieces on display, the exhibition will delicately balance the timepieces with memorabilia and artefacts that helped accomplish the wins and drives of the British sports star.

From the Silverstone race suit in 2021 that he won the race in, to the Ingenieur Chronograph Edition Lewis Hamilton, to IWC branded driving gloves from the 2013/14 season and of course, Mercedes-AMG F1 W10 Power+ car.

_{IWC Pop Up at Battersea Power Station}

For a limited time only, enjoy the reflective pop-up of Lewis Hamilton and IWC’s decade-long partnership this July.

by Imogen Clark

_{Register to get a ticket here}

_{2nd-7th July 2024 at Malaysia Square, Battersea Power Station, London, SW11 8BJ}

The post IWC Schaffhausen and Lewis Hamilton celebrate 10 years of partnership with Battersea Power Station Pop Up first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Should further proof be required, Richard Branson just installed a court on Necker. So it stands to reason that the world’s hottest hotels are jumping on board. From the Hamptons to Hawaii, you can get your dinks in, and now there’s a new kid on the block: Kagi in the Maldives.

_{Pickleball court at Kagi}

Billing itself as a ‘boutique wellness island’ with just 50 villas, the resort is utterly tranquil in every way. No motorised watersports, no golf buggies, no bicycles. Seaplanes aren’t even allowed to land in the vicinity. The only noise to interrupt the birdsong and gently lapping waves is the cheerful tock of pickleballers at play… We’ll come onto this in a bit.

First, I need to tell you about the wellness side. There are daily stretching classes, yoga and pilates plus sound healing, massage and facials of every variety. All the oils are natural – marula and neroli – because, on Kagi, nature rules. Giant heads of frangipani line the sandy paths. Orchid-filled flower beds are fenced in by rows of baby coconut husks. Sprouting coconuts adorn restaurant tables.

All the colours and textures of Kagi adhere to an elemental scheme: towelling cushions the colour of seaglass, woven latticework screens and pearly pool tiles that shimmer brighter than any I’ve seen. 

_{Leo Bear playing Pickleball at Kagi, Maldives}

The food is sublime. At the spa, it’s health food par excellence: paleo bread to rival Bodyism’s, chia green smoothies and reef fish ceviche straight from the sea. But if you want to indulge, the creamy truffle tagliatelle at Nonna’s (the resort’s Italian restaurant) is 100 per cent worth the calories.

Now onto the pickleball offering… I’m pleased to report, it’s ravishing. The court meets the highest international standards – flawless smooth surface, bright painted lines and a professional-grade net. As for the opposition (bright-eyed hotel staff), they’re highly charged and impossibly athletic. Excellent fun. Areef, the hotel’s General Manager, is a born-and-bred Maldivian – and pickleball-obsessed, so you’ll never be short of a player.

Full disclosure: ‘too hot in the kitchen’ (inside pickleball joke, sorry) takes on a whole new meaning in the Maldives where temperatures simmer around the 30-degree mark year round. I lost every game. Went back to my villa with a beetroot-coloured face. But with a backdrop of swaying palms and Indian Ocean breakers, it really is every inch the fantasy. 

The question is, are you up to the challenge? 

by Leo Bear

_{For more information visit https://kagimaldives.com/.}

The post Glass tries pickleball in paradise at Kagi, Maldives first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The campaign features a t-shirt with the graphic, “I SUPPORT SPORT FOR CHANGE”, as AC Milan and Off-White come together to showcase the positive change that can arise from the power of sport.

Transpiring in the Dandora and Korogocho slums of Nairobi, the Fondazione Milan initiative works with the organisation Alice for Children, which aims to support the at-risk children and women of Kenya.

The partnership comes with the belief that sport — in conjunction with educational activities and psychological aid — can encourage and support girls to become strong and self-dependent women.

The project will offer 1300 at-risk 10 to 18-year-old Kenyan girls the chance to be part of a training program where they will practice football and gain confidence in their strength and worth during a tender time in their growth, resulting in their motivation to fight for their rights and encourage a more inclusive society.

The t-shirt, in support of the program, is beige with bold red writing and features the Off-White logo and the AC Milan Diavolo mascot. A portion of earnings made from t-shirt sales will be repaid to Fondazione Milan in support of their Sport for Change initiative, which believes in the abilities of sport to tackle education inequality and poverty and motivate the youth to continue evolving their talents.

Additionally, the organisation encourages the unification and social inclusion of suburban and urban districts.

The t-shirt is seen in a campaign worn by Nadia Nadim and Kosovare Asllani, players of the AC Milan women’s football team, and Samuel Chukwueze and Yacine Adli of the AC Milan Men’s Team, amongst other supports of the Italian football group.

by Nicole Pereira

The post Off-White and AC Milan reunite for female football initiative in Nairobi first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The collection seeks to redefine outdoor fashion and functionality, with the capsule being the first collaboration between the sister brands.

With an issued report stating a high level of loneliness in young adults, Merrell and Sweaty Betty work towards encouraging outdoor activities to battle the loneliness young adults are facing through the release of their new collection.

“We know women are willing to try all sorts of methods when it comes to self-care and, together, our brands are championing the solution that the most available, long-term form of self-care is getting outside and moving your body,” — Lindsey Lindemulder, Vice President of Marketing

The collection sees a variety of outfits and footwear which prioritise functionality while still ensuring contemporary and stylish silhouettes. As for footwear, two variations of shoes are available, including the Moab Speed 2 and the Speed Fusion Web sandal, while unique takes on Sweaty Betty’s best sellers are also part of the capsule. 

Superhits such as the Swifty Workout Tank, Power Bra, Power Cargo Short, Power Cargo Workout Legging, Athlete Seamless Workout Tee, 2-in-1 Hiking Jacket, Convertible Hiking Pant and Whisper Anorak make up the stylish yet practical garments available in the collection. As for accessories, the collaboration also sees the Crest 8L Sling and Crest 1.5L Lumbar Pack to store all your hiking necessities. 

“This year, we’re rallying around a celebration of sisters and togetherness – whether that’s your actual sister or your community, women are able to refresh and treat themselves when spending time with each other outdoors.” — Lindsey Lindemulder, Vice President of Marketing

The collection hones into the importance of life’s simplicities, such as the adventures of the outdoors when approaching self-care practices and putting an end to the gimmicky self-care market we encounter daily. The collaboration further emphasises the significance of sisterhood and nature’s wonders waiting to be explored in the company of friends this Spring.

“This collection will give her the confidence and style she needs and enable her to go on any adventure with the sisters in her life,” — Lindsey Lindemulder, Vice President of Marketing 

by Nicole Pereira

The post The leading footwear brand Merrell and activewear label Sweaty Betty partner up on a capsule collection first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

_{^{From Autumn Issue 55}}

Ezra Frech has been using a running blade since he was four. It didn’t take long for the American to weaponise his disability into extraordinary ability across track and field events.  Fast forward to today, the 18-year-old is one of the youngest athletes to represent the US at the Paralympic Games, garnering him the title of one to watch. 

Born with congenital limb differences, missing his left knee and shin bone, as well as fingers on his left hand, Frech underwent a life-changing operation at three years old that would leave him using a prosthetic leg.

Never once deterring him from playing sport or seriously pursuing athletics, by the time he was eight he had broken national youth records across the board and had come to realise his exceptional agility in the high jump, long jump and 100-metre sprint. 

_{^{Photographer: Sam Dameshek}}

Since evolving from his wunderkind status, Frech has accumulated medals across his three events, taking home gold, silver and bronze, all helping him get closer to that No.1 global ranking. Beginning the year by breaking the world record for the T63 Men’s High Jump at the World Para Athletics Championships, Frech’s sights are set on the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.

While trials for this still await him, the athlete is as multifaceted outside of sport as he is inside of it with his non-profit foundation, Angel City Sports. Founded in 2013 by him, his family and close friends, the collective have provided an adaptive sports programme for children and adults with disabilities, aiming to give them the same opportunities as other athletes.

You have never let the disabilities you were born with hold you back. Why have sports been so important to you?

Sport was not just a passion for me in my early years, it was my identity and gave me a community. Being on the track, basketball court or field allowed me to escape from all of the challenges and hardships that came from living with a physical disability. It allowed me not to see myself as “the kid with one leg” but rather as just an athlete.

Why have you elected to do the long jump, high jump and the 100m when track and field athletes often focus on a single event? 

It is definitely rare to see track athletes compete in these three events. But I have always been someone who loves to push the boundaries of the possible, on and off the track. Each of these three events presents unique challenges.

With a prosthetic knee, it’s very difficult to get the blade over the high jump bar. The long jump is all about mastering how much pressure you put on the blade. And in the 100m, my challenge is to hold my form throughout the race. I relish the challenge of being the best in the world in all three of these amazing events.

_{^{Photographer: Sam Dameshek}}

What is your training routine? 

I am currently in the off-season, so my training consists of staying in shape with swimming workouts, weightlifting, yoga and a weekly family pickleball competition. However, I will start up on the track again shortly.

During the season, I train five to six days a week with track, plyometrics and weight room workouts. I also stay consistent with weekly physical therapy and massage sessions to keep my body healthy throughout the season. Additionally, meditation and visualisation play a large role in my preparation. 

Earlier this year you participated in the World Para Athletics Championships and broke the T63 Men’s High Jump World Record. Can you describe the lead-up to that moment and what it means to you?

Winning my first world title and breaking the world record has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid. It was truly surreal to see it unfold in real-time. I had envisioned this moment so many times, I almost felt like I had been there before, that I knew the outcome before it happened. It was one of the best days of my life, given the years of sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears. 

_{^{Photographer: Sam Dameshek}}

How are you using your Tokyo 2020 experience to prepare for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games next summer, and what are your hopes for Paris? 

In Tokyo, I missed the podium by an inch in the high jump. It was devastating to be so close yet to fall short on the world’s stage. I have learned resilience at a deep level. This loss fuels my work ethic. It drives my pursuit of the best coaching, technology, nutrition, training and recovery programme.

I swore to myself I would never feel that feeling of failure again in a major championship or Paralympic Games. In fact, as a constant reminder, my phone screen saver is of my competitors celebrating with their flags that day.  

The pressure to compete on the world stage must be daunting. How do you manage this? 

Honestly, I don’t allow myself to feel any external pressure. I have high expectations of myself and hold myself to a really high standard in training and competition. I know that any fear or anxiety will only sabotage that. I trust the work I put in – there is no place for pressure.  

_{^{Photographer: Sam Dameshek}}

Being a world champion and world record holder at 18, what is the secret to your success? 

I think the secret to my success has been that I dream very big. Oftentimes people shy away from setting large goals for themselves because they are afraid of not accomplishing them, but I take the opposite approach. I believe that setting audacious goals is important because it allows us to push beyond what we believe we are capable of. We leave potential on the table when we set goals that are too easy to accomplish. 

One of your coaches told you to “finish well”. How has this message stayed with you? 

When I was in kindergarten, I couldn’t make any of my shots on the basketball court and left the court crying. My coach at the time stopped me and told me to go back out there, saying I had to “finish well”.  It shifted something within me and dramatically changed my life perspective.

I have taken that lesson everywhere with me, even at higher levels of competition. I can still hear his voice in my head when I’m having a bad training session or competition, reminding me that, regardless of how I start and how bad things might be going, I need to “finish well”. 

_{^{Photographer: Sam Dameshek}}

There are challenges that come with being an athlete but there are probably more if you have physical differences. How do you stay positive? 

Growing up I had a difficult time dealing with my disability. I often felt like an outsider or that I didn’t belong, because everywhere I went in public I was stared at. There were always people pointing fingers and whispering.

As a little guy, I would get hurt and upset when this happened. As I got older, I realised that there was no point in feeling sorry for myself or wallowing in sadness. I decided that I couldn’t change my disability, therefore I might as well make the most out of my life. Over time, I came to understand that most people were not intending to be disrespectful.

Rather, they were simply curious and generally had good intentions. Now I use these moments as an opportunity to approach people and educate them on disability. This approach, combined with an amazing community of friends and family who love me and believe in me, has allowed me to stay positive through life’s challenges. 

As a co-founder of Angel City Sports, which provides adaptive and Paralympic sports for kids, adults and veterans with physical disabilities, what do you see as the main obstacles for athletes? 

The largest obstacle we face at Angel City Sports is awareness. Nearly one billion people, or 15 per cent of the world’s population, has a physical disability, yet most people don’t know about the Paralympic movement.

Most people with disabilities don’t believe sport is even possible for them. My goal is to change perceptions and how people with disabilities view themselves while growing the Paralympic movement. If you think the Olympics are amazing, wait until you watch and learn about the epic stories of the Paralympians and their journeys to the world stage. 

_{^{Photographer: Sam Dameshek}}

We are seeing an increase in diversity on the runway, including people with disabilities. Why is it important for people with disabilities to be represented in the fashion industry?  

Fashion allows for the expression of individuality and creativity. It helps people feel confident in how they present themselves to the world. I love how the fashion industry is innovative and changes our culture. It’s beautiful to think that the industry can shape the future and show us a world that is inclusive of different types of bodies.

I know for myself that I didn’t have someone with a physical disability whom I could look to in the fashion or the mainstream media. For me, this is about the next generation, so that the little girl in a wheelchair or the boy who is an amputee can see someone like themselves in the world of fashion.

Where do you see yourself in the future? 

I see myself becoming one of the greatest Paralympians of all time on the track, hopefully competing in four or five Games – I’ll only be 23 for LA 2028, my third Games. But off the track, my goal is to normalise disability on a global scale. I want to do this through media, social media, and by representing the disabled community in the fashion and entertainment industries. 

by Imogen Clark

Photographer: Sam Dameshek

Stylist: Christopher Campbell

Groomer: Riad Azar using DIOR BEAUTY

Styling assistant: Mia Hurley

Talent: Ezra Frech

Look 1: Coat, jumper, top, shorts ADVISORY BOARD CRYSTALS

Look 2: Top PALACE, Shorts SEBASTIEN AMI, Necklace ROX STUDIO

Look 3: Vest, jumper, top ADVISORY BOARD CRYSTALS, Hat AIMÉ LEON DORE, Socks FALKE, Trainers BALENCIAGA

Look 4: Suit, top BOSS, Scarf ADVISORY BOARD CRYSTALS, Hat LORO PIANA

Look 5: Coat SACAI, Vest CALVIN LUO, Top ADVISORY BOARD CRYSTALS

Look 6: Jacket, jumper, top LORO PIANA, Jumper worn as a scarf TARPLEY

The post Paralympian Ezra Frech talks to Glass about breaking records and perceptions first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The bespoke trunks will be designed for both of the AO trophies, handed over of the 27 and 28 January: the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for men, and the Daphne Adkurst Memorial Cup for women.

_{Louis Vuitton Trunk: Daphne Adkurst Memorial Cup}

_{Louis Vuitton Trunk: Daphne Adkurst Memorial Cup}

Hand-crafted by the Louis Vuitton artisans in the historic workshops in Asnières, the classic wooden frame of the trunk is decorated in the LV Monogram canvas and finished with the lozine leather trim, and same brass corner protectors, lock and clasp used since the 1860s. The front panels, which fold back to reveal the trophies are painted with a white V – standing for both Victory and Vuitton.

Bringing to life the signature blue courts that are played on during the AO, the interior and exterior reflect the tournament’s colour palette. Together the two trunks further emphasis the French Maison’s commitment to not only the sports, but its heritage in trunk making.

_{Louis Vuitton: Norman Brookes Challenge Cup}

_{Louis Vuitton: Norman Brookes Challenge Cup}

Touching upon the collaboration, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley stated, “The Australian open and Louis Vuitton both share a commitment to unparalleled excellence and innovation, while retaining great respect for history, tradition and celebration of legendary achievement and skill”.

“For more than 170 years, the Maison has been creating trunks that embody excellence, creativity and audacity, all values we share with the world’s greatest sporting event,” added Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

by Imogen Clark

The post Louis Vuitton announced as official trophy trunk partner of Australia Open first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In true UAE style, there’s a range of fun on and off-track experiences, including the foodie pop-ups and a stellar line-up for the post-race concerts.

What’s set to be the biggest turn out ever this week, Yas Marina Circuit will host award-winning hospitality experiences, along with global music superstars at the Etihad Park stage for the Yasalam After Race-Concerts presented by e&.

_{Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix 2022}

To sit alongside this offering will be newly designed spaces, including the Deck at Two, a VIP-viewing platform overlooking Turn 2 of the Yas Marina Circuit track, that will offer exclusive menus from Nobu Dubai and Hakkasan Dubai of Atlantis Dubai and estiatorio Milos from Atlantis The Royal; eateries nenowned for their seafood, sushi and grilled Japanese offerings.

There’s also the West Grandstand that’ll serve up a menu from The MAINE in a luxurious setting as you’d expect. Back by popular demand are favourites from Deck At Nine with Opa, Luna Lounge featuring Ce La Vi, Turn 1 with Il Borro, Alici and Maya Bay and Shams Suites with Gohan and Ninive.

To continue the party atmosphere, the place to be is the Etihad Park for the Yasalam After-Race Concerts presented by e&, and this year sees a star-studded line up with be DJ Tiësto, Ava Max, Chris Brown, Shania Twain, and the Foo Fighters to close out the weekend of racing.

_{Al Raha Mural}

To get closer to the action, race ticket holders can upgrade their Yasalam After-Race Concert experience with a Golden Circle Upgrade that allows closer access to the stage, and other perks such as fast-track entry and dedicated beverage points.

Let’s not forget, Abu Dhabi has carved itself out to be a destination with it all, courtesy of Aldar that has developed much of the region, ramping up its desirability. From adventure to relaxation, there’s also water sports, culture, art (cue the latest Cartier exhibition at the Louvre and the famous Al Raha Mural), and attractions for kids and big kids alike (see Ferrari World on Yas Island, and the world’s fastest roller-coaster).

_{Yas Island Ferrari World}

With all this rich culture to be soaked up, choose the ‘Yas All In’ ticket for access to the Yas Island’s theme parks, Qasr Al Watan, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is valid between 22 to 27 November. 

For luxurious stays while in region (and there are plenty of 5-star hotels to indulge in) look to Eastern Mangroves Anantara which is only 20 minutes by car from the track and is offering post-race deals.

For a little extravagance, Nurai Island is a sun-soaked haven; check into one of its luxury villas, relax but the crystal-clear waters, and pamper yourself with some wellness treatments—its’s a must-visit. The F1 offers the perfect opportunity to discover the culture and diverse offerings of the region.

by Felicity Carter

The post Glass reflects on the 15 years of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix first appeared on The Glass Magazine.