NEW York: Rap superstar turned designer Kanye West broke boundaries by putting a hijab-wearing Somali-American model on the New York catwalk Wednesday, unveiling a new, more adult Yeezy Season 5 collection.
Halima Aden, 19, made her runway debut on day seven of New York fashion week at one of the hottest and most exclusive tickets in town — West’s at times experimental collaboration with Adidas.
She walked in front of West’s reality star wife Kim Kardashian and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour not long after West was slammed by fans for meeting then president-elect Donald Trump in December.
Born in a Kenyan refugee camp and now a US citizen, her appearance in such a high-profile show will propel her into a much bigger league than did the headlines she first made last year — when she became the first woman to compete in a Miss Minnesota beauty pageant in a hijab.
Style bible Vogue said her appearance made her the show’s “most talked-about new face” and credited her with starting a “meaningful conversation” by proudly representing Muslim women at fashion week.
While finding looks that meet her required modesty can be challenging, Aden told Vogue that so far her experiences had been positive.
“My goal is to send a message to Muslim women and young women everywhere that it’s okay to break stereotypes and be yourself,” the magazine’s website quoted her as saying.
“I haven’t received any pressure to be anything other than myself,” she told Vogue, “and for that, I am so grateful.”
The Season 5 show saw West apparently bounce back from a reported mental breakdown as his family was still recuperating after Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris in October.
And after a fiasco last season, which saw one model collapse due to extreme heat, West bucked the trend and refused to broadcast it live.
It was a radical departure for the 39-year-old whose shows have been over the top — presenting at locales from Madison Square Garden to New York’s Roosevelt Island — since he started his fashion line two years ago.
But on Wednesday his latest collaboration with Adidas was shown in a more traditional, stripped-down industrial space in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, in an area along the Hudson River used by other designers.
Guests were warned not to use phones, take pictures or videos, and not to post anything on social media — but of course, those warnings appeared on social media anyway, as did a few photos.
The clothes departed a bit from his usual sportswear, though that influence was still present.
Denim hit the Yeezy catwalk for the first time, in the form of high-waisted jeans, shirts and jackets.
Coats in leather or fur put the label into another sphere, as did an anthracite gray blouse with a decidedly feminine cut.
Kanye West puts hijab-wearing model on catwalk
Kanye West puts hijab-wearing model on catwalk
Avantika shows off Geyanna Youness gown in Los Angeles
DUBAI: US actress Avantika Vandanapu, known mononymously as Avantika, hit the red carpet at Gold House’s 2024 Gold Gala in Los Angeles in a gown by Lebanese designer Geyanna Youness.
The event honored leaders in the Asian-Pacific community and saw Hollywood star Lucy Liu honored with the Legend award.
Liu — whose credits include “Ally McBeal,” “Elementary,” “Kill Bill Vol. 1,” “Charlie’s Angels” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence” — spoke on stage about having to make casting decisions “because of limitations,” according to Variety magazine. She added: “I love that we are all here tonight because there is no ceiling, and I’ve never seen that for myself. I want us to all collectively understand how special this moment is that we are together as a community. I share this award with you because you have lifted me up, you have given me strength, you have made me so proud. I feel like it’s been very lonely.”
For her part, Avantika kicked off her career by being cast in several films in India’s Telugu film industry and went on to score her first Hollywood lead role in the Disney Channel original movie “Spin” before starring in Netflix’s “Senior Year.” Avantika also nabbed a lead role in the 2024 “Mean Girls” reboot.
The actress showed off a peach-and-blue gown by fashion label Geyanna Youness, complete with structured detailing at the waist and a floral ruffle on one shoulder.
The beaded gown was created by Youness, a Beirut-born-and-raised designer who launched her own brand in 2017 with a focus on bridal, couture, and accessories collections.
Avantika has garnered attention for building a career in both Hollywood and India — she continues to promote her Indian show “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and her horror film “Tarot” while also developing an adaptation of “A Crown of Wishes,” author Roshani Chokshi’s Young Adult fantasy, for Disney+.
“The Western fantasy genre is dominated by a Western mythology, or Nordic mythology. It just feels repetitive and redundant. And Indian mythology is so rich and so fascinating. After ‘Black Panther’ came out, I thought we needed to find a way to showcase Indian mythology on a bigger, grander, commercial scale,” she told Cosmopolitan magazine in May of the adaptation project.
She also spoke to the magazine about the challenges of being an actress of South Asian heritage, saying: “The pressure is so high because in a room full of a hundred people, Hollywood is now offering spots to maybe three women of South Asian descent.”
Pearls of Farasan offer a deep dive into the past
- The lucrative pearl trade in the past centuries contributed to the formation of a wealthy class in Farasan, whose trade led them to market pearls abroad
- Little was known that the search for pearls were associated with hardship, fatigue, and risk for fishermen who spent long months diving, away from home
RIYADH: Farasan Islands’ Hareed festival, which concluded recently, marked the start of annual pearl fishing trips, an ancient skill and a major source of the islanders’ prosperity.
Ships once carried 30 to 40 islanders in search of pearls, a lucrative source of income in previous centuries.
Sheikh of the Farasan Islands, Mohammed bin Hadi Al-Rajhi, described the stages of preparation for pearl fishing trips, which began with the shipowner inspecting and preparing his vessel, and providing sailors’ homes with supplies and foodstuffs that will suffice their families for the duration of their absence at sea.
He also prepared food for the trip, including red corn or whole wheat, and drinking water stored in clay vessels.
FASTFACTS
• A pearl merchant, Suleiman Balaous, classified pearls according to size and weight.
• One variety, ‘Al-Dana,’ meaning round, is distinguished by its large weight, bright luster, and absence of flaws.
• Smaller varieties such as ‘Al-Mazouri,’ ‘Al-Ansar,’ and ‘Al- Badla,’ have irregular shapes.
Al-Rajhi, an expert on pearl fishing, added: “The beginning of the month of May witnessed the start of these trips that last for three or four months, which are the summer months when it is easy to obtain pearls, so the fishermen set sail to Al-Maaden (mineral) areas, which abound with oysters containing pearls.”
Once the deep dives begin, diving activities were divided over five days, with the first four days’ harvest going to the divers and the fifth day’s harvest going to the shipowner, he said.
Divers used a weight tied to one foot to help them descend to depths of 12 meters and more to extract pearls. The diver communicated with an assistant on the deck of the ship using a rope, which was also used to pull him back to the surface.
In return for this assistance, the diver allocated a portion of his harvest — known as “dangeel,” a net in which the oysters were collected — to the assistant as payment.
Diving would start following the fajr prayer, with work continuing until noon. Afterward, the crew would rest before beginning the “fulq” process, which involved opening the oysters, allowing each diver to inspect their daily harvest.
Referring to pearl sorting tools owned by pearl merchants at that time, Al-Rajhi said that merchants had copper sieves of various sizes, to sort large pearls from small varieties.
A pearl merchant, Suleiman Balaous, classified pearls according to size and weight. One variety, “Al-Dana,” meaning round, is distinguished by its large weight, bright luster, and absence of flaws.
Smaller varieties such as “Al-Mazouri,” “Al-Ansar,” and “Al-Badla,” have irregular shapes, while pearls harvested from the Farasan Islands are distinct from those in most pearl diving areas in terms of color and clarity, Al-Rajhi said.
The long months of pearl diving were associated with hardship, fatigue, and risk, and fishermen invented the folk songs of Al-Dana for entertainment. It has emerged as one of the oldest folk arts in Farasan, expressing the sailors’ longing during long absences searching for pearls.
The lucrative pearl trade in former centuries contributed to the formation of a wealthy class whose trade led them to market pearls in Gulf Arab countries, Europe, and particularly in India, which was a major pearl market.
Traders saw Eastern arts and inscriptions on buildings, which influenced their cultural and architectural ideas. They introduced these motifs to the Farasan Islands, where they were reflected in several wealthy individuals’ homes, particularly the two houses of Al-Rifai, one of which belongs to Ahmed Al-Munawar Al-Rifai and was completed in 1922, and the other belongs to Hussein bin Yahya Al-Rifai.
This also influenced the construction of the Najdi Mosque, which was completed in 1928 by Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Tamimi, popularly known as “Al-Najdi,” who worked in the pearl trade and was impressed by Eastern civilization due to his numerous travels to India.
Pearls played a major role in Farasan’s commercial and economic activity until the trade faded with the rise of agricultural and industrial pearls, becoming part of the islands’ heritage and ancient culture.
Simi, Haze Khadra on why the Middle East is ‘a huge goal’ for their beauty brand
- The US-Palestinian entrepreneur twins toured Saudi Arabia and the UAE
DUBAI: US-Palestinian beauty entrepreneurs Simi and Haze Khadra went on tour in the Middle East last week for the regional launch of SimiHaze Beauty. Their travels included stops in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
While in the region, the 31-year-old identical twins — who were raised by Palestinian parents between Riyadh, London and Dubai — shared insights about their brand with Arab News.
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The pair, who are also DJs, explained that they initially launched the brand out of “pure functionality,” creating products they wanted and needed to fit their own makeup routines.
Every product they develop undergoes the same rigorous process of ensuring functionality, they stressed.
“We are constantly thinking of new ideas and ways to make makeup easy and fun to apply,” Simi told Arab News.
The pair launched their US-based cosmetics brand in 2021 with a range of stick-on makeup designs that can be placed on the face for a bold beauty look achievable within seconds.
The sticker book features an array of edgy designs inspired by their favorite DJ looks from the past, including chrome wings, neon negative space eyeliner and holographic cat eyes.
SimiHaze Beauty has since expanded to include lipsticks, bronzing powders, a lifting mascara, and more.
Simi and Haze believe they were “actually late bloomers to the beauty world.”
“We only started becoming interested in it when we were around 18,” Haze said. “We started SHB from just a single product we wanted but couldn’t find in the market, which is our Velvet Blur lipstick.
“We loved a matte lip for every day at the time but couldn’t find one that wasn’t drying, so we created it.”
The twins developed an interest in eye makeup when they began DJ-ing.
“We weren’t the best at applying eyeliner, so, again, we just created our perfect solution which became the eye stickers,” Haze said.
To the sisters, launching the brand in the Middle East “felt so surreal.”
“This market has been such a huge goal of ours since we started, because we grew up here,” Simi said. “We’re so happy that our products are finally accessible to our amazing followers here, because they have been such huge supporters since the beginning.
“Now people are finally able to really see and touch and feel the products, which is so important to us, because you will never get the experience and vision of SHB unless you actually hold the product and feel the texture, curves, and ergonomics of it. The online experience doesn’t do it any justice.”
The sisters said that they personally oversee the development of every product. They visit their lab in Italy for a few days at least twice a year to test and create new formulas.
“It takes a while and a lot of back and forth because, after we create something, it gets tested on our whole family from my grandma to my mom to my little sister and also all my friends with different skin tones,” Simi said.
“My friends are used to me calling them and saying: ‘Can I come over and try some blush colors on you?’ So, by the end of it, we know what formulas and shades work best on the widest range of people.”
While visiting the Middle East, the sisters observed a prevailing trend in the region: skincare.
“I’ve seen so much good skin here and I can tell people really care about skincare here,” Haze said. “We’ve also been increasingly obsessed with it. Our products are all infused with skin-loving ingredients, because we’re personally super-paranoid about anything that’s clogging or could cause irritation.”
Shanina Shaik takes part in Australian Mother’s Day campaign
DUBAI: Part-Arab model Shanina Shaik took part in her first-ever Mother’s Day campaign with fashion platform Witchery to mark the Australian iteration of the globally celebrated occasion, which lands on May 12.
The Australia-born model — who is of Saudi, Pakistani and Lithuanian descent — shares a son with her partner, Matthew Adesuyan.
Born in September 2022, their toddler Zai Adesuyan Matthew is also part of the campaign video and he can be seen laughing on his mother’s lap in a studio setting.
“Motherhood has changed me in so many ways… it’s definitely created more patience,” Shaik joked in the video campaign that she shared with her 3.4 million followers on Instagram.
“Now that I’m a mother, I would like to say to my mother, ‘I understand.’ I understand the worry, the concern, because you just want to protect your child every day at all costs,” she added.
The 33-year-old model also said: “If I could describe motherhood in one word, it would be ‘powerful,’” before concluding “the purest form of love is the bond between a mother and a child.”
Shaik announced the birth of her first child in September 2022 by sharing a picture of the couple’s bundle of joy on Instagram. “Welcome to the world baby Zai Adesuyan Matthew. @bausmatthew and I are so in love,” she captioned the post.
“I have taken this time to adjust to my baby’s schedule and to understand the role of being a mother. Bringing life into this world is a beautiful challenge. I would be happy to share my experience soon,” she wrote at the time.
Zai was born on Sept. 16 in Los Angeles, according to Shaik’s mother, Kim Shaik.
The grandmother wrote on Facebook: “My gorgeous grandson was born last night at 12:50 on the 16th September 2022.”
The catwalk star announced her pregnancy in May 2022 with a letter to her then-unborn child.
“To the new love of my life, thank you for choosing me to be your mum. I have always wanted you for as long as I can remember, and at times my patience was tested. The timing had to be right, and I can say with confidence that I am ready to be your guide, your protector and your best friend,” the former Victoria’s Secret model wrote.
“As each month goes by during this precious journey of pregnancy, I am learning what the role of being a mother entails. I worry a lot, especially about your wellbeing and development. It’s a feeling that I’ve never experienced before, not even about myself. I would do anything for you, be anything for you and sacrifice anything for you,” she continued.
She then praised her own mother, mentioning that she was raised by an “amazing woman” who taught her a lot about motherhood. “She has set the bar high and I don’t want to disappoint you. I want to raise you as she raised me.”
Gigi Hadid, Imaan Hammam turn heads at the Met Gala
NEW YORK: A-listers at Monday’s Met Gala in New York included US Dutch Palestinian catwalk star Gigi Hadid, Dutch Moroccan Egyptian model Imaan Hammam, Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others dressed in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Hadid brought the drama in a look by the drama king himself, Thom Browne. Her white gown was adorned with 2.8 million microbeads with yellow flowers and green thorns. She was high glam in a wavy bob and crimson lips.
Hammam donned a two-piece ensemble — her outfit featured a cape, drawing inspiration from Swarovski's Gema collection, and a satin column skirt adorned with gold crystals.
Crafting the cape was an intricate process spanning 14 days. The cape incorporated over 3,000 crystals in six cuts and five vibrant hues while the skirt boasted over 100,000 crystals.
Meanwhile, Lopez went for silver leaves in a second-skin gown by Schiaparelli and Zendaya was all vamp and fantasy in a rare double appearance on the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Lopez went with Tiffany & Co. diamonds, including a stunning bird motif necklace with a diamond of over 20 carats at its center.
Zendaya put on her fashion face in peacock hues of blue and green, with a head piece to match and leaf accents. The look was Maison Margiela by John Gallliano. She walked again to close the carpet in black Givenchy Haute Couture gown also by Galliano with a head piece stuffed with flowers by Alexander McQueen.
Mindy Kaling is sure to make the best-dressed lists in sand-colored swirls that towered over her head at the back. Her look was by Indian couturier Gaurav Gupta.
Penelope Cruz, meanwhile, went goth in black by Chanel. It had a bustier top and a Sleeping Beauty-like off-shoulder silhouette. There was another Sleeping Beauty-ish guest: Kendall Jenner in a Givenchy look done by Alexander McQueen in 1999.
Kendall’s sister, Kylie Jenner, was in an Oscar de la Renta low-cut strapless look, a white bloom in her clicked-back updo and a train behind. Older sister Kim Kardashian tightly covered up her silver corset look with a leaf motif by Maison Margiela with a gray sweater.
