DUBAI: With celebrities and models jetting in and out of the city on a dizzyingly-frequent basis, Dubai is no stranger to beauty. However, pageant fans are in for a treat as a segment of the Miss Europe Continental competition is set to be hosted in the city on Oct. 11, organizers announced at a press conference on Thursday.
Since its inception in 2013, the pageant, the finale of which is to be held in Italy, has been dedicated to promoting European culture and heritage.
During the competition in Dubai, 30 contestants will be whittled down to three finalists who will then go on to compete against 30 other applicants from all over Europe in Spoleto, Italy. The glittering finale will be held on Nov. 25.
In November, one contestant will win the title of Miss Europe Continental and 10 contestants will get the chance to win titles sponsored by various international firms.
The thinking behind the event was explained during a press conference at Dubai’s Palazzo Versace hotel, where the Oct. 11 competition is set to be held. The panel included Dr. Maria Rubatti, a specialist plastic surgeon at CosmeSurge in Dubai, Hayssam Al-Amine, CEO of the RPM Group and Mona Al-Amine, managing director of entertainment company Ready Talents.
Alberto Cerqua, owner and creator of the pageant, joined the press conference via Skype to explain why he had chosen Dubai as the first non- European city to host the event.
“Our main goal is to create a strong bond between Italian fashion and UAE fashion,” he said via a translator.
“We love women who love fashion, who specifically love ‘Made in Italy’ fashion… Our goal is to scout beauties who can bridge the cultural gap and to scout people who love fashion.”
The organizers say the pageant is a platform to allow European women to display their artistic skills, intelligence, confidence, cultural pride and leadership skills in order to further advance themselves in the European fashion, movie and beauty industries.
“Miss Europe Continental is one of the largest and most influential fashion and talent shows in Europe and is now in Dubai for the first time outside of Europe... this is one way we can participate in what Dubai has become ... a hub of international culture and fashion and the movie industry,” Hayssam Al-Amine said.
The Dubai competition will have four segments, including an introduction, an evening gown competition, a talent section, and a question and answer segment.
Judges include high-end Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran, beauty entrepreneur Joelle Mardinian and last year’s lucky winner, Russian contestant Anna Semenkova.
The 26-year-old will fly into Dubai fresh off a whirlwind modeling tour of Europe, which she began soon after her win.
The pageant hopefuls will compete for the chance to earn the Miss Europe Continental crown, which this year is a tiara ringed with gem-encrusted hearts, in a finale that will be broadcast around the world on Fashion TV.
Miss Europe Continental to be held in Dubai
Miss Europe Continental to be held in Dubai
Sarah Taibah features in Cole Haan’s campaign shot in Jeddah
- Taibah wears several of brand’s designs in images on streets, rooftops
DUBAI: Saudi actor Sarah Taibah this week shared a campaign she fronted with US footwear brand Cole Haan, photographed across the streets and rooftops of Jeddah.
Taibah wore several of the brand’s designs in the images, including pointed-toe heels finished with oversized bow detailing, sleek slingback pumps with a low heel, and classic closed-toe styles for everyday wear.
Her outfits leaned into understated tailoring and clean lines, featuring structured denim sets, fitted jackets paired with midi skirts, and coordinated two-piece looks in dark and earthy tones.
“My intention for this Ramadan is calmness and lightness,” she captioned her post. “To move through the day at my own pace, follow my intuition and less noise in general.”
Taibah — an artist, writer, filmmaker and actor — is known for her roles in the psychological thriller “Hoba” and “A Matter of Life and Death.”
“Hoba” screened at the BFI London Film Festival last year. Taibah previously told Arab News about her performance in the Emirati horror film, directed by Majid Al-Ansari, who is known for the critically acclaimed 2015 film “Zinzana.”
She said: “I got so excited about ‘Hoba’ for two reasons: First, I like the director. I remember seeing his first film, and I thought that he does things differently. Second, I really appreciated him not typecasting me. I’m always cast by directors in certain roles that are really similar to my character, as Sarah, but with Majid, he saw something else. The character couldn’t be more different than me. I’ve never been this challenged, not only because she’s the villain of the movie, but also because it allowed me to experience different techniques, to tap into something a bit supernatural, something I have zero clue how to relate to.”
“Hoba” tells the story of a devoted wife and mother — Amani, played by Bdoor Mohammed — whose life begins to unravel when her husband returns home with a second wife, Zahra (Taibah), and an unseen dark force infiltrates her home.
Meanwhile, “A Matter of Life and Death” premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December.
Billed as a quirky love story, the film is set in Jeddah. It follows superstitious Hayat, played by Taibah, who is “convinced a generational curse will kill her on her 30th birthday.”
