Ali and Walaa Hennaoui embrace 2025 after Ralph Lauren campaign

Ali and Walaa Hennaoui starred in a winter campaign for Ralph Lauren. (Instagram) 
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Updated 31 December 2024
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Ali and Walaa Hennaoui embrace 2025 after Ralph Lauren campaign

DUBAI: Dubai-based influencer couple Ali and Walaa Hennaoui are gearing up for the new year after closing out 2024 on a high note with a Ralph Lauren campaign.

The duo shared an inspiring message on their joint Instagram account, writing: “And to 2025, we say: no matter what you hold, we are ready for you — together. Sky’s the limit, always. Dream big, live boldly, and most importantly—believe in yourself.

“Here’s to a new year, stronger hearts, and endless possibilities. Happy New Year, everyone,” they added. 

The couple, who have two children, reflected on their achievements in 2024, including their latest milestone: Starring together in a campaign for US fashion label Ralph Lauren during the festive season.

In a clip shared on their Instagram profile, they are featured aboard a yacht showcasing the brand’s latest collection, which includes clothing, accessories and perfumes. The video shows the couple preparing together on the yacht as it sails through locations such as Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with the region’s landmarks featured prominently in the background.

“Getting ready together…but this time aboard @ralphlauren yacht. Sailing through Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai,” the post’s caption reads.

Ali was dressed in a crisp white shirt and black trousers, with a tailored maroon knit sweater layered over his shoulders. Meanwhile, Walaa donned an off-white, full-sleeved knit sweater with a high neckline, featuring intricate patterns. She paired it with a flowing, pleated off-white maxi skirt, cinched at the waist with a statement brown leather belt that had a bold buckle.

In another image shared on their profile, Ali wore a tailored navy double-breasted blazer paired with a striped shirt and cream linen trousers, while Walaa opted for a navy blazer adorned with an embroidered crest on the chest.

The couple also took the opportunity to share heartfelt reflections on the past year.

“This year, we learned to embrace the beauty of the small things and truly understood the meaning of family first. Through every challenge and every doubt, we found strength in each other, solidifying our love, our marriage, and our smallest, most sacred circle,” they said on Instagram.

The pair share daily updates on family life on their social media feeds, including Instagram and TikTok, and have worked with fashion and homeware brands in the past. They also frequently attend runway presentations by Lebanese couturier Elie Saab, including his recent shows in Paris and Riyadh.


Riyadh exhibition to trace the origins of Saudi modern art

Updated 07 January 2026
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Riyadh exhibition to trace the origins of Saudi modern art

  • Features painting, sculpture and archival documents
  • Open from Jan. 27-April 11 at Saudi national museum

DUBAI: A new exhibition in Riyadh is focusing on the origins of Saudi Arabia’s modern art scene, examining how a generation of artists helped shape the Kingdom’s visual culture during a period of rapid change.

The “Bedayat: Beginnings of Saudi Art Movement” show reportedly traces the emergence of creative practices in Saudi Arabia from the 1960s to the 1980s, an era that laid the groundwork for today’s art ecosystem.

On view from Jan. 27 until April 11 at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, it includes works and archival material that document the early years of modern and abstract art in the Kingdom, according to the organizers.

It will examine how artists responded to shifting social, cultural and economic realities, often working with limited infrastructure but a strong sense of purpose and experimentation.

The exhibition is the result of extensive research led by the Visual Arts Commission, which included dozens of site visits and interviews with artists and figures active during the period.

These firsthand accounts have helped to reconstruct a time when formal exhibition spaces were scarce, art education was still developing, and artists relied heavily on personal initiative to build communities and platforms for their work.

Curated by Qaswra Hafez, “Bedayat” will feature painting, sculpture, works on paper and archival documents, many of which will be shown publicly for the first time.

The works will reveal how Saudi artists engaged with international modernist movements while grounding their practice in local heritage, developing visual languages that spoke to both global influences and lived experience.

The exhibition will have three sections, beginning with the foundations of the modern art movement, and followed by a broader look at the artistic concerns of the time.

It will conclude with a focus on four key figures: Mohammed Al-Saleem, Safeya Binzagr, Mounirah Mosly and Abdulhalim Radwi.

A publication, documentary film and public program of talks and workshops will accompany the exhibition, offering further insight into a pivotal chapter of Saudi art history and the artists who helped define it.