DUBAI: “The Color Purple” star Fantasia Barrino attended the Astra Film Awards in Los Angeles over the weekend in a mandarin orange gown by Saudi designer Yousef Akbar.  

Barrino stars as protagonist Celie in “The Color Purple,” a musical period drama film directed by Blitz Bazawule. The film’s screenplay is based on the stage musical of the same name, which in turn is based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker. It is the second film adaptation of the novel, following the 1985 film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Spielberg and Quincy Jones.  

The movie tells the story of Celie, who is torn apart from her sister and her children and faces many hardships in life, including an abusive husband. With support from a sultry singer named Shug Avery, as well as her stand-her-ground stepdaughter, Celie ultimately finds strength. 

Barrino showed off Akbar’s gown at an event in Los Angeles and paired it with chunky gold jewelry and slicked back hair.  

Since the launch of his brand in 2016, Akbar’s avant-garde creations have been championed by other A-listers, including American supermodel Chrissy Teigen and former Destiny’s Child star and Beyoncé bandmate Kelly Rowland.   

Being a fashion designer was never a childhood dream for Akbar, he previously told Arab News.  

“Being an artist or a designer was so unthinkable that it wasn’t even worth dreaming about — it was completely out of the question,” he said.   

But while studying logistics and supply-chain management at the University of Sydney, he signed up for a fashion design degree at Ultimo, a technical and further education college in the city.  

After launching his brand, he suffered a series of setbacks until he entered and won Qatar’s Fashion Trust Arabia competition.  

“I was so surprised to be a finalist and even more surprised to win it,” says Akbar. Winning the 2020 prize in the evening wear category turned things around almost instantly for him. Aside from the significant prize money, Akbar also received mentorship from some of the biggest names in the fashion industry.   

He also partnered with an LA-based PR agency specializing in celebrity placements, leading to Stone and Alicia Keys wearing pieces from his Spring/Summer 2023 collection.   

“It’s incredible seeing all these different women wearing my dresses, and Sharon Stone is exactly the kind of woman I want to dress,” he previously told Arab News. 

 Meanwhile,  Hollywood star Eva Longoria stepped out in a head-turning lace gown from Saudi label Ashi Studio at the star-studded Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards in California late last week in yet another high-profile moment for Saudi fashion.