Coffee Rituals, Airport Manicures and Discovering Artistic Talent: 24 Hours With Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi
The head of Sharjah Art Foundation and fashion label QASIMI shares her entire day with Bazaar here…
I’ve always been an early riser, but I do try to get a lie-in once in a while if I have a quiet day, which is rare as I’m constantly travelling between my homes in London and Sharjah, and pre-Covid I would travel to art fairs across the globe.
I usually start my day across many time zones, as I have a number of roles including President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, President of The Africa Institute in Sharjah and Creative Director of fashion label QASIMI which is based in London, so, I don’t really have a set routine from day to day.
Homebound: A Journey in Photography by Aida Muluneh is on view at the Sharjah Art Museum until the end of December 2020
The first thing I do when I wake up, and I know this is bad, is check my phone! My bedroom in Sharjah is bigger and brighter than my bedroom in London, but both are clean, if a little cluttered at times. I have a lot of art at home in London but some is in storage until I find the space for it.
My favourite artworks are always by artists that I have been close to and have worked with. One artwork that is very dear to me was a gift from Rasheed Araeen. It’s a self-portrait in ink on paper from 1964.
Next up is a shower with Aesop’s shower gels, and Natura Bissé for cleanser and creams. I get my hair blow-dried once a week, and I’ve been known to get manicures at City Airport in London when I’m waiting for a flight. In fact airports are where I used to do a lot of my shopping before the pandemic.
I don’t take too long to get ready, dressing according to what I have planned or who I will be meeting that day. My wardrobe is very eclectic, I have a lot of items by designers like Bernhard Willhelm, Duro Olowu, Gucci, Celine, Valentino and of course QASIMI. There are a few items from our previous menswear line that I love, like the Cagoule and the Abu Nanas Felt Coat, both from our AW20 collection. Robert Pattinson wearing a QASIMI SS19 hoodie was one of the brand’shighlights, and if I could choose, I’d love to see Angela Davis in our clothes.
When it comes to accessories and make-up, I like a bold red lipstick – these days I use Rita by NARS, a waterproof black eyeliner by Chanel, large hoop earrings and rings. I change bags frequently, but I prefer one that I can carry my laptop in, like the Bottega Veneta men’s shoulder bag I bought 10 years ago. I always have a red lipstick, spare contact lenses, sunglasses, perfume, keys, phone and wallet in my bag, and these days, hand sanitiser and a mask!
Next thing is a hot drink, and when I’m in London, I love to play the piano while I wait for my tea or coffee to cool down. I have been playing piano since the age of five, and I started playing the clarinet 10 years ago too.
In Sharjah, I tend to go for a coffee at one of the cafés I have opened in various art spaces and venues as I need to check on how they’re doing and they’re close to work. I have my usual double espresso and generally have a few of those each day.
Fragment of Femme au paon (1947) by Baya (Mahieddine) is part of the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection
I am intermittent fasting, so I haven’t been having breakfast, but when I do, I would usually go for a couple of softboiled eggs, a slice of sourdough toast, some avocado slices and Greek yoghurt.
The exact time I leave the house varies. In Sharjah, I drive to work, which takes around 30 minutes. In London, I like to walk to the QASIMI studio, which takes around 45 minutes. I get a lot of work calls, emails and messages done while I’m walking. I’ll catch up with my team and what’s happening in my industries, I follow the BoF Professional app for news in fashion and read art journals, such as Hyperallergic and ArtAsiaPacific.
I am very focused and driven at work, but also laid-back in my approach. I prefer a friendly work environment, but I do tend to work long hours. I’m a team player: it’s important to get input from your colleagues and learn from each other. I can’t think of anything I don’t like about my job. By far, my proudest achievement has been my work at Sharjah Art Foundation – turning a biennial into a foundation. The most rewarding thing is seeing how art and culture can bring people together, not just locally, but also internationally.
For a break from work, I’ll go for a walk, it calms me down and helps me clear my head. I walk everywhere when I travel. COVID-19 has kept me in one place for a while, which was nice, and I managed to have a routine for three months or so, but I also miss travelling. Usually, I would be in a different city every few days, that’s why I always stay in the same hotels so I can wake up in a familiar bed and room.
Jacket, Dhs4,121, QASIMI
At lunch, I head to one of the cafés and restaurants that I have opened around Sharjah. I have worked closely with the chefs on the menu, so I prefer to eat there with whoever wants to join me. My favourite lunch is Fen Café & Restaurant’s Chicken Katsu, or Abayomi’s Yucca Fries and Chicken Yassa. Generally, I try not to eliminate anything from my diet but just focus on calories in and calories out.
In the afternoon, it’s back to the office or meetings. One of my roles is to discover new artists, some through curators at various art fairs, museums, biennials and exhibitions, and some I find when I get invited to art schools as a visiting tutor. I was lucky to have been in Sydney for the biennial when the pandemic started, so I managed to experience a brilliant event. I am sad to have missed the Berlin Biennial though, and as President of the International Biennial Association, it’s important that I find the time to visit and support other biennials during these difficult times.
After work, I usually go out with colleagues or friends for dinner. One of my go-to outfits is a navy dress by Maison Rabih Kayrouz.
If I’m not out, I love to cook; when I was growing up, I wanted to be a chef. Other evenings I relax at home, watching TV or reading. My favourite films include Tokyo Drifter by Seijun Suzuki and The Lives of Others by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.
I am a light sleeper and often fall asleep with the TV on, which I know is terrible! Typically, I have about five hours of sleep, anything more is a bonus. I know it’s the worst thing, but the last thing I do before bed is check my phone.
Sheikha Hoor’s picks
We Won’t Budge by Manthia Diawara, Dhs40
Audacious Lipstick in Rita, Dhs160, NARS
Coriander Body Cleanser, Dhs166, Aesop
Natura Bissé, Oxygen Cream, Dhs321
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s November 2020 issue