The Six: Arab beauty queens show off national costumes at the Miss Universe show

Miss Egypt, Nariman Khaled, on stage at the 2018 Miss Universe contest. (AFP)
Updated 13 December 2018
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The Six: Arab beauty queens show off national costumes at the Miss Universe show

DUBAI: On Monday night, the only two Miss Universe contestants from the Middle East took to the stage in Thailand to take part in the national costume show, where contestants pay sartorial tribute to their homeland. We take a look at six beauty queens from Lebanon and Egypt who have represented their country throughout the years.

Nariman Khaled
Miss Egypt walked the stage at the 2018 Miss Universe national costume presentation in Thailand’s Chonburi province wearing a stunning gold-and-turquoise ensemble.

Maya Reaidy
Miss Lebanon 2018 chose to represent her homeland by paying tribute to the cedar tree — traditionally associated with the Levantine country.

Lara Debbane
Miss Egypt took part in the national costume show wearing an elaborate turquoise-and-silver headpiece at the 63rd Miss Universe pageant in Miami in 2015.

Saly Greige
In 2015, Miss Lebanon wowed crowds in Miami wearing a hot pink kaftan with embroidery on the neckline.

Donia Hamed
Miss Egypt 2010 posed with a scepter in hand at that year’s Miss Universe competition in Las Vegas.

Nadine Njeim
Miss Lebanon 2005 also paid tribute to the cedar tree at that year’s competition in Bangkok. She took to the stage in a floaty gold bodysuit with sequin embellishments and a tree-shaped headpiece.

 


Rhea Seehorn opts for Elie Saab look in Los Angeles

Updated 11 January 2026
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Rhea Seehorn opts for Elie Saab look in Los Angeles

DUBAI/ LOS ANGELES: US actress Rhea Seehorn attended this weekend’s American Film Institute Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles in a monochrome look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab.

The “Pluribus” and “Better Call Saul” actress opted for an ankle-length daytime dress from Saab’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection that featured a sharp collar, cap sleeves and two pockets placed on the bodice.

She was dressed by celebrity stylist Jessica Paster, who regularly works with the liked of Emily Blunt and Quinta Brunson.

US actress Rhea Seehorn attended this weekend’s American Film Institute Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles in a monochrome look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. (Getty Images)

Other attendees at the luncheon event included Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Coogler, Timothee Chalamet and George Clooney.

According to The Associated Press’s Jonathan Landrum Jr., the institute celebrated the collaborative nature of film and television by honoring creative teams — in front of and behind the camera.

Inside the ballroom on Friday there were no acceptance speeches in the traditional sense and no suspense over envelopes. Instead, the AP reported, AFI’s ceremony unfolded as a series of thoughtfully written tributes: eloquent rationales for each honored film and television program, followed by brief clips designed to place the year’s work within a broader cultural and artistic context.

Films honored include “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Bugonia,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Jay Kelly,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Train Dreams” and “Wicked: For Good.”

Television shows recognized were “Adolescence,” “Andor,” “Death by Lightning,” “The Diplomat,” “The Lowdown,” “The Pitt,” “Severance,” “The Studio” and “Task.”

Closing the ceremony was US comedian and actress Carol Burnett, who delivered AFI’s annual benediction, celebrating the honorees’ achievements while reflecting on her own lifelong love of cinema and television.

“I’ve never lost the deep respect and love that I have for all the stories we tell through cinema and television and by all of those behind and in front of the camera,” Burnett said. “Creative collaboration has always remained at the heart of our work, and AFI brings us all together. The world is a better place for having heard your voices.”

The luncheon also featured AFI’s signature March of Time video montage, a sweeping look at cinematic and television milestones from decades past, situating this year’s honorees within the evolving history of the medium.