LONDON: When BIBISARA founder Asem Altynbekova was preparing for her show at Arab Fashion Week in Riyadh, she spent some time considering what her home country of Kazakhstan and the host country have in common. First, she reflected, they are Muslim countries, and secondly they have magnificent, inspirational landscapes — the boundless steppes of Kazakhstan and the immense deserts of Saudi Arabia.
As a designer who takes great pride in her culture and heritage, she was keen to bring a sense of this to Riyadh. She succeeded. Her wonderful collection is steeped in tradition.
BIBISARA is named after her maternal grandmother, and Altynbekova recalls a childhood steeped in music, dancing and creativity. Her mother, she said, could turn her hand to sewing anything, including the latest fashions, and her rich collection of fabrics were always strewn around the room.
“The sounds of the sewing machine were the sweetest notes of my childhood,” she told Arab News.
Even so, her career path wasn’t straightforward. Altynbekova started out studying international relations before shifting to interior design. She followed that up with a spell working for the family construction business. It wasn’t until she was 27 that she finally followed her heart and launched BIBISARA.
“There is something inside me that helps me go boldly forward without the fear of doing something wrong,” she said.
Her exclusive AFW collection, she said, “tells us about the Muslim woman’s multifaceted nature. It highlights the ability of women to create and protect the family hearth. The ancient ornaments on the outfits, reflecting the sense of abundance and family well-being, represent this aspect. The black pearls and beads are like stars, twinkling in the sky over the desert. The long, light, chiffon plume, waving in the breeze, creates a mirage, an oasis of femininity and elegance.
“The BIBISARA brand, like a fresh stream from the steppes of the Eurasian continent, has organically evolved into the aura of mysterious Saudi Arabia,” she continued. “Only the nomad will understand the Bedouin. Only the steppe is comparable to the desert .We feel the unity of our states in our understanding of the spirit of freedom and the winds of change, and our new BIBISARA brand collection reflects it.”
Altynbekova, who has previously participated in Kazakhstan Fashion Week, sees her participation in Arab Fashion Week as a great opportunity to move into the international market while staying true to her cultural heritage.
“It’s a huge honor for me,” she said. I am happy that I am one of the witnesses and a participant,” she said.
Today, since we are a young brand, our main sales market is our native country Kazakhstan, and we only recently started to come out on the market, but as you see we do not stand still.”
BIBISARA brings magic of the steppes to sands of Arabia
BIBISARA brings magic of the steppes to sands of Arabia
Chopard unveils new images featuring Bella Hadid
- Wears jewelry, clothes from Happy Hearts collection
- Model also reveals images celebrating the New Year
DUBAI: US Dutch Palestinian model Bella Hadid has become a key face for Chopard, fronting several of the maison’s campaigns and reinforcing her close ties with the brand.
She was featured in Chopard’s latest Instagram posts, pairing an off-duty outfit with pieces from the brand’s jewelry collections.
In one image, Hadid embraced understated dressing in classic blue jeans and a crisp white T-shirt, elevating the minimalist look with statement pieces from Chopard’s Happy Hearts collection.
She layered five delicate gold bracelets along her wrist, each punctuated with the collection’s signature heart motif, creating a refined stacked effect.
The look was completed with a matching gold heart necklace resting softly at the neckline, coordinating ring, and gold watch, all echoing the same heart design that defines the collection.
In another post, she wore a black halter-neck top, accessorized with rose-gold rings and a stacked bracelet set from the same collection, featuring heart-shaped motifs.
The model’s collaboration with Chopard began in 2017 when she became one of the faces of the brand’s high jewelry collections.
Since then, she has appeared in several campaigns and worn Chopard pieces at major international events, including the Cannes Film Festival, Met Gala, and Paris Fashion Week.
In August, Hadid starred in the latest campaign spotlighting Chopard’s L’Heure du Diamant collection. The brand shared a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot, showing her in a white halter-neck dress as she posed in the sparkling jewelry pieces.
Hadid marked the start of the new year by sharing a carousel of images this week, offering a glimpse into how she celebrated the occasion. She rang in the New Year in Aspen.
She spent the final moments of 2025 wearing a look by Lebanese designer Georges Chakra.
The sheer-black lace dress was intricately embroidered with black crystals, featuring sculpted lace appliques framing the neckline and bodice, with satin bands finishing the hem.
Hadid and her friends appeared to celebrate in a mountain lodge, where the group gathered around a wooden fire pit to stay warm, enjoyed a fine dining experience, and continued the celebrations into the night.
