As he publishes his 100th issue at the helm, Esquire Middle East’s long-time Editor-in-chief, Matthew Priest, shares snippets of wisdom, discusses boom time in the Middle East and herbs
I’ve been in Dubai for 14 years, which means I’ve spent more than a third of my life here. That wasn’t the plan, but it’s become home.
Even after 100 issues, when the new magazine arrives on my desk it’s still a buzz. Although when I open it, I usually see something I don’t like. It could be something tiny, but I’ll notice it.
The best part of my job is playing with words. I will agonise over a headline, a comma, a phrase. I can spend an entire day looking at the cover, trying to get the words right.
I’m rubbish with numbers; better with words.
I cannot take a compliment. If someone says, ‘You look nice’, I always offer something self-deprecating in return like, ‘Thanks, but I haven’t had a shower today.’ I don’t know why I do it. I’ll bring it up with my shrink.
At Esquire Middle East we use the phrase: celebrating Arab excellence. We try not to focus on the tropes of the Arab world, instead let’s celebrate achievement; let’s celebrate people; let’s celebrate the aesthetic; let’s celebrate the culture.
Every month we make screenshots of the culture in our region. What was going on? What were people talking about? What were they buying? What were they saying? Where were they hanging out? What were they wearing?
Dubai is the most exciting place to live in the world right now and I feel lucky and privileged to be here. In the future people will look back at Dubai in the 2020s in the same way they look at New York in the 1920s or London in the 1960s. They’ll say, ‘We were lucky to have lived in the boom time’.
A big part of the job is being observant and aware, and being ready to question and challenge. My job is about listening to others and working with a team. A day in the office is constant conversations about what they’re watching; what they’re wearing; what music they’re listening to; what problems they’re having; the traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road; the rising rents prices; what are people really saying?
I wasn’t a good writer until I hit 30. I read back some of my stuff now and it’s not great. I think as you grow, a good writer learns to trust themselves, believe in their voice.
Self-confidence and self-belief is everything. It’s a fundamental thing I try to instill in my daughters. Children are going to make bad decisions. But if they believe in their decision and believe they’re doing it for what they think is the right reason, then ultimately they’re going to make better quality bad decisions.
I don’t like blame. Blame is looking backwards. If an error is made, you could spend the next hour trying to pin down who’s at fault, which, for me is a waste of time. I’d rather focus on finding a solution rather than pointing a finger.
If you dress well, you’ll sit up a little straighter. Take pride in who you are and how you present yourself.
Being an Esquire guy is committing to self-improvement. It’s not a ‘one-and-done’ mentality.
Every piece I edit, I ask two fundamental questions: does it entertain and does it educate? Every story needs to do at least one of those things. Both? Now you’re on to something.
‘What’s your favourite herb?’ is the perfect interview question. Everyone has an answer to it and it always starts a conversation. I once asked an influencer what his favourite herb was and he said ‘borage’. I was like, what the f*** is borage? It turns out his dad was a herbologist.
I think men have been on a much better path in recent years. There’s been a lot of important learnings and I think the next generation of boys are going to be the best version of us.
A magazine should supplement your life. The content should help improve you and make your life better. We don’t judge anyone, and we certainly don’t know better than anyone else, but it’s our job to scratch the surface so you don’t have to.
I always say that if I’m not dead or in jail, then I’m either doing something really right, or not doing it right enough.
The rise of digital society has accelerated people’s need to form opinions. But these days people don’t consider their opinions, they just have hot takes.
Compliment a man and they’ll remember it forever. If a man is told he smells nice he’ll wear that fragrance every day for the next 10 years.
The Middle East has been supercharged. The world is taking a bigger interest in Arab culture and the Middle East is influencing culture, fashion and music around the world. There are more voices from the region now and global brands are now making Ramadan and Eid collections, which didn’t happen 10 years ago.
When Esquire first launched in the Gulf in 2009, luxury in the region was all about the fastest Ferrari and the goldest Rolex. But the level of knowledge has grown significantly. People now demand quality, substance and storytelling.
I’m from a tactile generation and I think there is a beauty in holding a magazine. It’s a luxury product.
Putting together a magazine is art. The combination of images and words—what do they say? You have to think about flow, variety, colour, pacing, narrative, negative space, all of it. You’re asking someone for their time, so you need to give them value for that, and creating value takes care and consideration.
The only thing I’m allergic to is bad conversation. I go to an event armed with four or five anecdotes that I recycle all night.
Do I enjoy public speaking? No. But I’m not afraid of it. Ultimately no one’s rooting for you to fail or stumble or be boring—knowing that takes the pressure off.
What’s my favourite herb? Rosemary.