The Six: Ones to watch in 2019

Ones to watch in 2019. (Shutterstock)
Updated 31 December 2018
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The Six: Ones to watch in 2019

DUBAI: Here are just a few of the change-making talents you should keep an eye on in 2019.

Taleedah Tamer
Teenage Saudi model Taleedah Tamer caused a stir when she made her debut at Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris in July, walking the runway for Italian designer Antonio Grimaldi.

Arwa Al-Banawi
The Saudi fashion designer kickstarted endless headlines when, at the end of 2018, Will Smith visited her store in Dubai and she starred in an E! TV reality show.

Rawsan Hallak
You can catch the Jordanian comedian on Netflix’s new show, “Comedians of the World.” She previously told Arab News she is proud to represent hijab-wearing women in comedy.

Marwan Kenzari
He may be the bad guy, but the Tunisian-Dutch actor who plays Jafar in 2019’s live-action “Aladdin” has sparked an international flurry of memes and tweets about his good looks.

Nur Alf
The up-and-coming Jordanian singer-songwriter released a handful of tracks on SoundCloud and is garnering attention with her soulful, raspy-edged, sound.

Maya Reaidy
The Lebanese beauty queen was one of just two Arabs to compete at the 2018 Miss Universe pageant in December. The 22-year-old pharmacy student already has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram and could translate her pageant fame into further success.

 


Mona Tougaard stars in playful JW Anderson campaign

Updated 19 January 2026
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Mona Tougaard stars in playful JW Anderson campaign

DUBAI: Model Mona Tougaard is kicking off 2026 strong, appearing in the latest campaign for British label JW Anderson, starring alongside some of fashion’s most recognizable figures. The campaign showcases JW Anderson’s Autumn-Winter 2026 ready-to-wear collection, captured in a star-studded lookbook rather than a traditional runway presentation. It reflects Irish Creative Director Jonathan Anderson’s focus on community, craft and the relationship between people and objects, a concept he has been developing as part of the brand’s evolving identity.

In this project, Tougaard — who has Danish, Turkish, Somali and Ethiopian ancestry — shares the frame with Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue, fashion journalist Tim Blanks, designer Margherita Missoni and actress Ruth Wilson, among others — all friends, collaborators, or longstanding figures in Anderson’s creative circle.

The visuals mix portraits of the cast with still lifes and artisan objects, emphasizing the brand’s interest in curated, crafted pieces rather than seasonal trends. Tougaard models pieces from the collection and contributes to the campaign’s narrative of inclusivity and personal connection, embodying Anderson’s intent to weave together “things — and people — I like and I would like to have around me.”

Tougaard started her modeling career in 2017 after winning the Elite Model Look Denmark competition at the age of 15.

Since then, she has become a well-known figure in the fashion industry, working with top designers and luxury brands including Prada, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Chanel and Valentino.

The model had a busy year in 2025. In January, she was a part of the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025 show at Paris Fashion Week, where she wore a halter-neck dress with a sheer, form-fitting bodice that transitioned into a voluminous skirt with meticulously folded fabric.

In February, she starred in a Versace campaign and was seen on video reclining on a deep orange sofa, her hair styled in a sleek, straight look with blunt bangs.

In August, she posed for Marc Jacobs’ Fall 2025 campaign, showing the brand’s new Cristina Satchel bag. In photos shared on Instagram, Tougaard wore a sleek, black halter-neck dress with tall black boots, accessorized with the statement bag.

In September, she starred in a campaign for H&M’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection.

Tougaard ended 2025 with a campaign for Balenciaga. In the campaign visuals, she was photographed in a hotel-style interior, seated and reclining on white bedding.