De-luxe shopping

Grey pieces of paper board up the windows of the new boutique at Jumeirah Village Mall like a precious gift all-wrapped up and waiting to be unveiled at the appointed time.

The black stone floor sparkles like a gem and the clothes -hung pristinely on the siderailings -add a unique character to this new store.

Alejandra Tokoph-Cox, looking pristine, smiles and welcomes me to examine her new business venture here in Dubai. She beams with the euphoric aura of a woman who has just given birth. Tokoph-Cox takes Tabloid! on a guided tour of her new-born fashion boutique.

Belts and sashes

"Most of the clothes in the shop are going to be classic and trendy -with an edge. Sophisticated clothes that carry you through more than one season," Tokoph-Cox begins the designer tour.

First stop: Kay Unger. "These dresses are knits, however, they're not too warm. Plus they're nicely lined for that added comfort.

"Right now anything with a belt or sash is very popular for autumn 2006 as you can see on these pieces by Unger. Kay Unger is very popular with the stars of the TV drama series Desperate Housewives."

Moving swiftly on to Pink Tartan.

"Pink Tartan is a Canadian fashion house based in New York. Their dresses for next season all feature belts and sashes: the feel is light and flowy -fun and bright colours to spruce up the cooler months ahead."

Ruffled shirts

Tokoph-Cox enthuses, "Metallics is a key colour for the coming season and Pink Tartan carry a cute, little wrinkled jacket in metallic grey; wear it with skinny jeans and a belt for added edge.

"Ruffles are a big feature in Pink Tartan's autumn collection especially on their burgundy and silver satin menswear inspired shirts."

"One of Pink Tartan's signature pieces for this season is called the Newport shirt, it features a big, dramatic collar which looks great with the wide-bottomed cropped trousers -a nice alternative to the skinny trousers."
velvet bows

New York designer James Coviello is our next port of call.

"Coviello features a lot of deep and rich colours in his autumn 2006 collection. He has a fantastic bias-cut plaid story which features flattering dresses in plum and rust." Tokoph-Cox is a big fan and is adamant the woman of the UAE will soon feel the same way.

"His look is very romantic and he often incorporates feminine touches such as the velvet belts and bows into his designs." Tokoph-Cox continues.

Coviello also designs knitwear for designer, Anna Sui. A key piece of Coviello's collection is something called the bed jacket, it works really well with a little camisole and plaid skirt.
Light fabrics

Luxecouture carries designer Alvin Valley's two fashion lines: diffusion and couture. The diffusion line has a ruffled top that is cinched at the waist for a more fitted look. Again the Valley pieces feature light materials which is perfect for the UAE climate.

"A great look form his collection is the Soho jacket matched with cropped pants or jeans. Valley does a short double-breasted jacket that is just to die for. And his Grace trousers -skinny and extra long -look adorable when worn with the jacket from his sold-out shark-skin collection." Tokoph-Cox herself wears the fitted, grey double-breasted jacket from Valley's diffusion line and Siwy Denim skinny jeans (another brand she is also carrying in her boutique).

Military

Tokoph-Cox takes a deep breath as she introduces me to the world-wide famous wide-waisted trousers by Valley. "The zipper is low bit the thick waistband adds some height so it sits just around the belly button and gracefully covers a multitude of sins."

Chaiken's army/military jacket is juxtaposed with Valley's shark-skin range. One of the new colours for autumn 2006 is vine, and US fashion house, Chaiken, uses this olive green hue lavishly in her collection.

"A really big look right now is the cropped double-breasted jacket worn with matching cropped trousers.
puffing up

"Chaiken is a New York based designer, who does a lot of menswear inspired clothing for women which is another major look for autumn 2006." Tokoph-Cox explains,

"Her light-weight handmade sequin cashmere is a decadent piece and is bound to be a huge success in the glitzy, fashion-conscious UAE."

Puffs are everywhere in autumn 2006. Chaiken's Portrait skirts features a dramatic puffiness in its shape; it falls flat at the front but bunches up at the back."

Tokoph-Cox is a great advocate of the bubble skirt. Although it must be said that this look is not ideal if you already have a considerably large posterior; although you could wear the puff at the front and leave the back flat.

Embellished

"The clothes in this section are a little bit more embellished and the materials used are more richer hence the higher price points."

Tokoph-Cox steers me to our final destination: the haute couture segment. "The main designers featured here are Alvin Vally and Carmen Mark Valvo and there's Brian Reyes on the way. Hollywood starlets Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson always wear Brian Reyes. The key pieces are the luxurious key-hole shirt and the bubble skirt."

Fashion flair

What is Luxecouture?

It's refined classic clothing with an edge for a woman aged between 25 and 50 who exudes confidence and has places to go. A professional woman whose style is a little bit more dressier and put-together. And that's the style of the store -hence the name.

Have you got any other boutiques in the Middle East?

No, this is my first store. Our plans are to, hopefully, expand here in Dubai and open up a bigger store somewhere else in the city.

Why did you choose to open the first store in Dubai and not your home city, New York?

New York is the fashion capital of the world, in my opinion. They have everything. On every block. Whereas Dubai is up and coming in the fashion world and is trying to make a place for itself so I wanted to get here just in time.
What is your ultimate must-have piece of the new season?

I would have to say the tailored menswear inspired blouse. It'll take you through your business meeting to lumch and dinner and then out on a night out.

How would you describe your personal style?

Pretty tailored, I like classic clothing. Today I'm wearing the double breasted Alvin Valley jacket, skinny jeans in the new black by Siwy Denim and a gorgeous locket by Nadri. I really like clothing that I don't have to through out at the end of each season -in other words, clothing that is refined and classic.

Who are your favourite designers?

I have a lot of respect for every designer that I carry in my store, otherwise I wouldn't be stocking them. But my personal favourite would have to be Alvin Valley, that's because he has these classic and feminine designs and knows just how to work colours and fabrics together perfectly.

What size range to do cater to?

The sizes in Luxecouture range from a (European) 34 to 44. And depending on the style I have chosen certain sizes that work better with the cut and fit of the designs.