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
Shanina Shaik hits the slopes with Net-A-Porter
DUBAI: Part-Arab model Shanina Shaik traded city streets for snowy peaks last weekend as shopping giant Net-A-Porter brought its destination style fest to One&Only’s newest ultraluxury property in Big Sky, Montana. The event attracted a glittering crowd of fashion insiders and Hollywood names — including Emma Roberts and Louisa Jacobson — all embracing alpine chic between runs on the slopes.
Shaik, an Australia-born model of Saudi, Pakistani and Lithuanian descent, who took to Instagram to share snapshots from the trip, was spotted among the well-dressed guests turning the mountain resort into a style set. “A few days in the Montana mountains is good for the soul,” she captioned her post on Instagram.
Roberts made one of the weekend’s standout sartorial statements with a slouched, fur-accented jacket layered over sleek black separates, merging apres-ski warmth with polished glamour.
Meanwhile, Jacobson, known for her breakout role on “The Gilded Age,” embraced casual luxury in elevated winter staples that complemented the event’s laid-back yet luxurious vibe. Aurora James added fur-trapper energy with her double-layered fur look, offering playful inspiration for winter layering.
Shaik ended 2025 sharing festive content with her followers. In one Instagram post captioned “Holiday party season,” she wore a sparkly maroon halter-neck dress with a plunging neckline.
The post took the form of a “get-ready-with-me” carousel, offering a glimpse of the beauty products she used ahead of a holiday event.
She also turned heads in Paris last year when she appeared in new images shared by Victoria Beckham Beauty. The model was featured in photos from a collaboration post on Instagram between her and the beauty brand, seen applying products such as the satin kajal liner and eye wear palette to create a soft, bronzed makeup look.
Shaik also attended the Victoria Beckham show during Paris Fashion Week, where the British designer presented her Spring/Summer 2026 collection at 17th-century Val-de-Grace Abbey. For the occasion, Shaik wore a chocolate-brown satin halter-neck gown with a high neckline and open back, styled with minimal accessories and glossy waves for a sleek finish.
Before the show, Shaik shared a behind-the-scenes video of her getting ready for the event.
“I am so excited for this show. I am obviously a huge fan,” she said in the video before breaking down the products she uses on her hair before styling.
