REVIEW: ‘Severance’ returns with more pleasurable mind bending 

Adam Scott and Britt Lower in ‘Severance.’ (Apple TV+)
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Updated 23 January 2025
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REVIEW: ‘Severance’ returns with more pleasurable mind bending 

  • Season two of Apple’s sci-fi thriller remains wonderfully weird

LONDON: Despite the fact it’s been nearly three years since viewers last got to see inside the world of “Severance,” Apple’s sort-of-sci-fi show picks up pretty much where it left off. We rejoin the story just a few moments after Mark S (Adam Scott) and his team of Lumon data refiners managed to break free of their ‘severed’ floor — where work and out-of-work memories and personalities are controlled and delineated by a chip embedded in their brains — and alert the outside world to the cruelties of their working conditions. Mark reawakens in the hellish officescape without his team of escapees — Helly (Britt Lower), Dylan (Zach Cherry) and Irving (John Turturro) — and immediately sets about trying to find out what happened to them. This means getting the best of returning supervisor Milchick (Tramell Tillman), his new teenage assistant Miss Huang (Sarah Bock), and a trio of new coworkers. 

Creator Dan Erickson and director Ben Stiller waste no time in rediscovering the subtle blend of tangible oddness and sinister dystopian creepiness that made the first season such an uncomfortable joy. And, perhaps emboldened by season one’s success, drop greater hints at just how weird the wider world of Lumen and its mysteriously enigmatic founder Kier Eagan might be. Mark and his team are told that their escape has led to sweeping reform across the company, but with Mark having learned that his wife on the outside may be trapped somewhere in the building — rather than being dead, as his ‘outie’ personality had been led to believe — the setup for more convoluted reveals is in place by the end of this season’s first episode. 

In all the best ways, “Severance” feels the same as it did. The surreal nightmare of its setting is as terrifying as ever, and the sharp juxtaposition of Mark and the others’ personalities remains joyfully jarring. The pace of plot revelation actually appears to have slowed even further — but while this is surface-level frustrating, it’s also a big part of why the show is so engaging. Is this new season likely to answer all your questions from three years ago? It is not. In fact, by the end of episode one, there’s more mystery, rather than less. But “Severance” remains the most captivating of headscratchers. 


Saudi label KML unveils new collection in Paris

Updated 21 January 2026
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Saudi label KML unveils new collection in Paris

DUBAI: Siblings Razan and Ahmed Hassan presented their Fall/Winter 2026–2027 collection at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, continuing the rapid rise of their KML label.

The duo has gained international recognition since launching the brand in 2022, most recently being named semifinalists for the LVMH Prize — a prestigious annual award for emerging designers.

Creative director Ahmed’s minimalist designs and sharp tailoring mean KML — owned by his sister, Razan — has built its identity around reimagining traditional Saudi garments through a contemporary lens. Jackets are paired with shawl-like elements, large leather belts recall those historically worn by Bedouin men, and skirts nod to silhouettes once worn by men in the Eastern Province, Jazan and the Hijaz.

The collection leans on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions. (Getty Images)

The approach is reflected in the new collection, which features a restrained palette of black, white and muted earth tones, leaning on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions.

Flowing skirts, structured wrap tops and robe-like coats dominate the lineup, with some looks referencing classical draping while others lean toward utilitarian dressing, defined by sharp shoulders, cinched waists and clean, architectural lines.

In a previous interview with Arab News, Ahmed said their grandmother was a huge influence on their lives as he and his sister grew up in Riyadh. He fondly recalled both her progressive nature and inimitable style. As a young boy, Ahmed would often accompany her to fabric shops so she could get her designs stitched by a local tailor. The experience left an impression, though fashion was not an obvious initial career path.

Ahmed studied architecture and became an intern at Zaha Hadid Architects, where he developed an appreciation for structure and form. Razan, meanwhile, pursued law at Prince Sultan University and she went on to practice full-time.

“One summer, we both realized we weren’t doing what we truly wanted to do, so I decided to go to the UK to study creative writing, and Ahmed went to Central Saint Martins (in London) for a few courses,” Razan explained.

That was the catalyst for KML. In August 2023, they launched their debut capsule collection and towards the end of that year they applied to the Saudi 100 Brands program. The Fashion Commission recognized their potential, helping KML launch collections at fashion weeks in Paris, Riyadh and Milan.