Lebanese model Nour Arida scoops Arab Women of The Year Award in London 

Arida wore a custom-made green figure-hugging velvet dress. (Instagram)
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Updated 17 March 2023
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Lebanese model Nour Arida scoops Arab Women of The Year Award in London 

DUBAI: Lebanese model and influencer Nour Arida on Thursday received the Arab Women of The Year award at an event that took place in London. 

The event, hosted by London Arabia Organization, recognizes the achievements of Arab women across the globe.

“So Grateful! Just been awarded the Arab Women of The Year Award in London,” Arida wrote to her 11 million followers on Instagram, sharing a series of images from the event. 
“This award for me is yet another promise that I will continue to lend my voice to every woman undergoing any sort of violence and to do the best I can to help fight for their rights.” 

Arida, who is signed with Elite Models Paris agency, wore a custom-made green figure-hugging velvet dress with a plunging neckline by Lebanese designer Karoline Lang. 

For her accessories, she wore jewelry from Parisian luxury label Chaumet. 

Her celebrity friends quickly took to Instagram to congratulate the star including Lebanese actress Cynthia Samuel, Danish stylish and influencer Pernille Teisbaek, Saudi social media star Alanoud Badr, Iraqi content creator Noor Stars and more. 

The 33-year-old Paris-based model and social media influencer has years of fashion experience under her belt. 

She worked with international brands including French fine jewelry label Boucheron, LVMH-owned French cosmetics brand Makeup Forever, British beauty label Rimmel and much more. 

The blogger was appointed Boucheron’s global brand spokesperson in 2020. She joined other international stars who have lent their faces to the high-end jewelry maison, such as US actress Kate Winslet and French model Laetitia Cast, to front key campaigns and act as a muse for future collections.

Arida, who fronted a number of magazine covers, attended multiple fashion weeks in New York, Milan, Paris and more. She also made head-turning appearances at film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. 

Before becoming a successful fashion blogger and designer, Arida worked as a buyer and brand manager for a number of prestigious fashion labels, including Rag & Bone, Zimmermann, Theory, Vince, J-Brand and Frame Denim, among others.


At Jazan festival, Suad Al-Asiri paints memory, land and leadership

Updated 13 January 2026
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At Jazan festival, Suad Al-Asiri paints memory, land and leadership

  • Local artist channels personal hardship into works that reflect Jazan’s identity, heritage
  • Jazan: A Nation and a Prince, places region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi

RIYADH: At the Ahad Al-Masarihah pavilion at Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s paintings blend memory, place and personal history, offering visual narratives shaped by beauty and hardship. 

A novelist and visual artist, Al-Asiri has long used art as a storytelling tool. After a near-fatal car accident in March 2024, her work took on a new urgency. Bedridden for 11 months, cut off from the public world for more than a year, she describes that period as one of the most painful in her life — yet also transformative. 

“First of all, praise be to God for granting me life, as the accident was extremely severe,” she said. “By God’s grace, I was given a new life. All my thinking after the accident was about becoming an inspiration to others — about enduring pain and obstacles, and still leaving an impact.” 

Her return to public life came in 2025, when she participated in National Day celebrations with the ministry of interior. By the time she arrived at Jazan Festival, she was ready to channel that experience into her art. 

The centerpiece of her display, “Jazan: A Nation and a Prince,” places the region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, governor and deputy governor of Jazan respectively. 

Visitors linger over the details: the painting incorporates coffee beans, sesame and khudair — materials drawn from local products.

“I wanted people to recognize these products immediately,” she said. “They are part of Jazan’s daily life, and using them makes the work more tangible, more connected to everyday experience.” 

The painting sparks conversation. Visitors discuss leadership, identity, and the intimate relationship between people and their environment. 

Beyond the central piece, Al-Asiri presents individual portraits of the two princes, expanding the dialogue into a broader exploration of heritage and memory.  

Her journey into art is tied to her life as a storyteller. Early experiments with charcoal and pencil evolved into abstract art, drawn by its expressive freedom. 

From there, she explored realism, surrealism, and eventually modern art, particularly pop art, which has earned her wide recognition in artistic circles. Her novels and media work complement her visual practice, earning her the title “the comprehensive artist” from the governor.

Yet what stands out most in this exhibition is how Al-Asiri’s personal resilience flows through each piece. Her experience of surviving a devastating accident, enduring months of immobility, and returning to the public eye informs every brushstroke. 

Visitors sense not just her artistic skill, but her determination to turn life’s hardships into inspiration for others. 

Walking through the pavilion, one can see it in the way she blends heritage symbols, southern landscapes, and scenes of daily life. 

Each painting becomes both a document and a dialogue — a celebration of Jazan’s culture, a reflection on identity, and a testament to the power of human perseverance. 

At Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s art is a quiet, persistent inspiration for anyone who pauses long enough to listen.