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RIYADH: The Misk Foundation’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City in Riyadh and the Saudi Fashion Commission signed an agreement on Monday designed to empower the booming fashion industry in the Kingdom.
The parties said the partnership will enhance cooperation between them to develop education and training programs for young Saudi designers, explore opportunities for the incubation of entrepreneurism, and attract talent and investors to the fashion industry in the country. It also lays the foundation for collaborations to host a variety of fashion-related events and festivals in the city, they added.
The commission has also signed a lease at creative center The City Hub to build a world-class studio for product sampling and prototyping that will be equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, technology and expertise to enable the growth of the fashion-design ecosystem.
• The agreement to boost Saudi fashion sector was signed at the Ministry of Culture’s headquarters in Diriyah.
• Nonprofit City, which will be the first development of its kind in the world, is located in the Irqah neighborhood, adjacent to Wadi Hanifa, on a site spanning more than 3.4 square kilometers.
• Developers say it will offer unparalleled retail experiences by providing a platform for local fashion brands to pioneer innovative experiences that are creative, educational, engaging and transformational.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Culture’s headquarters in Diriyah by Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez, deputy minister of culture and vice-chairman of the fashion commission board; David Henry, the CEO of Nonprofit City; and Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission.
Cakmak stressed the significant role the fashion sector plays in the Kingdom’s cultural scene and stressed the need for cooperation to develop it, saying: “Fashion is a true reflection of Saudi heritage and identity. The signing of the memorandum of understanding reflects the commitment of the Fashion Commission to advance the growth of the Saudi fashion sector and enhance its contribution to the local economy in line with Vision 2030.”
Henry said: “This partnership is an important step toward enhancing the Kingdom’s fashion industry and aligns with the City’s vision to cultivate innovation and creativity in Saudi youth.
“We look forward to working together with the Fashion Commission to create opportunities that inspire the next generation of talent and cement the Kingdom’s position as a global leader in the industry while showcasing Saudi culture.”
Nonprofit City, which will be the first development of its kind in the world, is located in the Irqah neighborhood, adjacent to Wadi Hanifa, on a site spanning more than 3.4 square kilometers. Developers say it will offer unparalleled retail experiences by providing a platform for local fashion brands to pioneer innovative experiences that are creative, educational, engaging and transformational.
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DUBAI: Saudi social media influencer Model Roz is treating her 14.2 million Instagram fans to a sneak peek of New York Fashion Week.
The Jubail-born Riyadh-raised model, who prefers to go by her social media name, is currently based in Los Angeles but hopped on a flight to attend the fashionable festivities taking place in New York this week.
She attended the Naeem Khan show in a blue feathered mini dress, before hitting the red carpet at Bloomingdale’s 150th Anniversary party in a glamorous Caroline Herrera gown.
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The model, who has 1.6 million fans on TikTok, was then spotted at New York’s Rainbow Room wearing a luxurious green silk gown by Maison Margiela before showing off a daring look with crystal-fringed cutouts at the PatBo fashion show.
She took in the Brazilian brand’s latest collection while sitting on the coveted front row and posed for a number of paparazzi shots as she left the venue.
Roz made headlines around the world in 2019 when she modelled for a Victoria’s Secret’s Pink campaign, showing off the label’s sportswear in a sun-drenched video.
The model, with platinum blonde locks and Pinterest-worthy style, has also taken part in campaigns for US brand Guess and launched a makeup range with The Balm.
Roz moved to the US in 2013 to pursue a degree in interior design, but her hopes of becoming a model pushed her to give it a shot.
“Ever since I was young, becoming a model was always a dream of mine. It was a bit difficult for me as a Saudi woman… but to me nothing is impossible” Roz previously told Arab News.
Challenging stereotypes proved to be one of the major hurdles Roz had to face, but “with my persistence, I was able to prove to brands that I am not just famous… I am also influential to many people,” Roz said.
The model’s Instagram feed is littered with photographs of her various advertising campaigns, as well as visits to many a product launch party — from NYX Cosmetics events to TikTok gatherings, if there is anything pop culture-related going on in Los Angeles, chances are you will spot Roz in the well-heeled crowd.
DUBAI: Twenty four-year-old Bahraini Russian model and pianist Evlin Abdullah-Khalifa was named this year’s Miss Universe Bahrain.
She was chosen by a judging panel that included Egyptian actress Mai Omar, the Black Eyed Peas’ Jrey Soul, and influencer Faryal Makhdoom, among others.
Coming in first runner-up place was 18-year-old Lujane Yacoub and filling in the third spot with a tie at second runner-up were Mariam Naji from Raffi and Shereen Ahmed from Manama.
“My main purpose in life is to find success (and) to believe in myself because I struggled a lot with this problem in my life. And I realised that whenever you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. And I want to say to everybody watching to believe in themselves as well just as how me and my sisters believed in ourselves,” said an emotional Abdullah-Khalifa in an interview with Arab News.
The glamorous Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 beauty pageant kicked off on Sept. 7 with a series of online episodes, with the final episode premiering on Sunday night to reveal the new beauty queen.
During the final Q&A segment, Abdullah-Khalifa was asked: “When do you think a woman becomes empowered?” Her winning answer captured the hearts of the jury “I think a woman becomes empowered when she knows herself, when she knows her values, and when she knows what she is capable of. An empowered woman is a role model of the people and whose actions lead to success. And I’m here to be that woman to lead all the people to success and believe in themselves.”
Born to a Bahraini father and Russian mother, the winner declares herself to be an advocate for education and also seeks to raise awareness about anorexia, which she suffers from.
When asked about her Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 experience, Abdullah-Khalifa said to Arab News, “Beauty pageants changed me a lot. In this short time, I have become a totally different person, a better version of myself.”
The top seven finalists shot the eight-part series and engaged in several activities to further promote their various advocacies and charitable missions.
The first edition of Miss Universe Bahrain, which took place last year, crowned model Manar Jess Deyani, who made history for being the shortest-ever candidate of the Miss Universe pageant standing at 154.9 cm.
Abdullah-Khalifa said she owes her own win to Deyani. “The first thought about participating in Miss Universe Bahrain came to me when I saw Manar Jess Deyani on the international stage of Miss Universe. At that moment, I realised that Middle Eastern women can show up, we can glow up and we can show how beautiful and strong our women are,” said Abdullah-Khalifa.
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Deyani made waves when she chose not to wear a traditional swimsuit at the show’s preliminary round, receiving a lot of support and recognition from women and the community she represents.
“For me, this is what this show is all about: Celebration of individuality and freedom to choose especially on their clothing choices. I was very lucky to experience the Miss Universe pageant last year and I am so thankful to the whole team at Miss Universe because they are very sensitive and are all aware about culture and representation, so when I arrived there at the competition, they gave me an option to wear burkini during the swimwear competition round, which for me is so empowering as a lot of women can relate to that choice and statement I made the moment I stepped out of the stage,” said Deyani in a statement.
Meanwhile, the 71st Miss Universe pageant that Khalifa will compete in has been postponed to next year, a source confirmed to Arab News. While no reason has been given for the postponement, it is probable that two Miss Universe pageants will be held next year, with the 2023 winner being crowned later in the year.
DUBAI: British Moroccan model Nora Attal has shared photos from her latest campaign for American designer Tory Burch’s Fall-Winter 2022 collection.
The campaign, shot in New York City, also features Romanian model Andreea Diaconu and South Sudanese-Australian Adut Akech Bior.
A post shared by Nora Maria Attal (@noraattal)
In the image shared by Attal, the model is seen holding Tory Burch’s “Kira Square” crossbody bag, alongside Diaconu. The brand also shared the new campaign on their social media, captioning one of the posts: “Your first look at our Fall/Winter 2022 campaign, featuring a collection that started with the women of #NewYorkCity. Unique individuals who catch our eye in fleeting snapshots. We explored this through the lens of shape, geometry, color and convertibility.
“Shot in NYC, Tory Burch FW22 conveys optimism and ease, balancing the collection’s heightened sense of luxury,” the post continued.
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The US label recently also spotlighted other Arab designers in their summer campaigns. Moroccan-Italian model Malika El-Maslouhi posed for the brand’s activewear section Tory Sport, while Dutch star Imaan Hammam, of Egyptian and Moroccan heritage, was spotted in the label’s latest beauty campaign.
In a series of images shared on the brand’s Instagram page, El-Maslouhi wore a pleated, laser-cut tennis skirt with a white tank top and a blue and beige crossbody bag from the fashion house’s Summer 2022 tennis collection.
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Meanwhile, Attal had a summer to remember, turning 23 in June. She treated her Instagram fans to a snapshot of her celebrations, including attending a concert by US rapper Megan Thee Stallion at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, Spain.
Her birthday celebrations came hot on the heels of a sentimental moment for Attal, as the catwalk star tied the knot with her longtime partner, UK-based photographer Victor Bastidas. The wedding took place against the backdrop of orange and palm trees in the presence of their loved ones in Ibiza, Spain.
A post shared by Nora Maria Attal (@noraattal)
The nuptials were attended by Attal’s family and close friends, including her parents Charlie and Bouchra, her siblings, Bastidas’s family and fellow models Vittoria Ceretti, Blesnya Minher and Mona Tougaard.
Attal shared snippets from the wedding ceremony by way of Instagram Story reposts of videos and photos taken by the guests in attendance, who flew in from all over the world to attend the ceremony.
Attal wore a creamy white slip dress with thin straps, lace details and a ruffled hemline from French label Lanvin. She accessorized the elegant look with a long, lace-embroidered veil.
DUBAI: As the world looks back on the storied life of Queen Elizabeth II, fashion lovers could be pleasantly surprised to find the longest-serving British monarch championed Arab creativity on one of the most memorable days of her life.
On Nov. 20, 1947, the then-21-year-old princess married naval officer Prince Philip of Greece in a gown created by court designer Norman Hartnell.
The regal dress was made of ivory silk from China — not Japan or Italy given the recent end of World War II — and featured 10,000 seed pearls imported from the US — as well as show-stealing Damask brocade from Damascus, Syria.
The brocade fabric was brought from the Al-Muznar factory in the Bab Sharqi neighborhood of Damascus’s Old City and featured embroidery of “two love birds” exchanging kisses in a pattern known locally as “the lover and the beloved.” Woven with 12-karat gold thread, the brocade fabric was reportedly sent to the queen by Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli.
The luxurious fabric is one of many gifts sent from the Arab world throughout the royal’s life.
The dress was meant to symbolize “rebirth and growth” in Britain after the war, according to the Royal Collection Trust.
It took 350 women seven weeks to make, and featured elaborate floral motifs of jasmine, smilax, lilac and white rose-like blossoms added to the train. The design was inspired by Italian artist Botticelli’s 1482 painting of Primavera.
DUBAI: The glamorous Miss Universe Bahrain pageant kicked off this week with a series of online episodes, watch the latest below.
Set to culminate on Sept. 11 with the announcement of the final winner who will represent the country at the Miss Universe pageant next year, we’re taking a look at the seven contestants who have made it to the finals.
Maya Malalla
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The 18-year-old, apart from being busy with beauty campaigns and fashion shoots, works with children with autism. Her aim in life is to champion Bahraini culture, especially the women of her country.
Lujane Yacoub
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At 18, Yacoub is currently enrolled in Bahrain High School as a senior, where she has been serving as president of the Student Council. Apart from winning deals for her theater work, she is also passionate about cosplaying and has founded “Project Hero,” with plans to visit children in special needs schools and hospitals.
Maryam Naji
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A former player in the Bahrain National Fencing team, the 25-year-old is a published writer and a well-known author of horror novels. Having revealed her struggle with depression, she strives to advocate for discussing mental health issues more openly.
Evlin Khalifa
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The 24-year-old is trained in music, dance and taekwondo and is passionate about education. A graduate in finance and banking, she is currently pursuing online classes to master her Arabic and English skills, as well psychology.
Shereen Ahmed
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The half Filipino, half Bahraini 27-year-old is a presenter for a weekly show called “Emirates Draw.” She has been writing for digital publications and local brands, as well as modeling since she was 15 years old.
Maria Malalla
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The 20-year-old is a professional fashion model and a local social media influencer. She strives to be a role model to young girls in her community by encouraging kindness and modesty.
Ghadeer Alshayeb
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A fitness coach, paddle board instructor, model and martial arts trainer, the 23-year-old is also studying web media. One of her main advocacies is to educate people about leading healthy lifestyles.
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