DUBAI: US gymnast Simone Biles took home the Sportswoman of the Year award at the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards this week, wearing a black gown by Saudi Arabia designer Eman Al-Ajlan.
The athlete opted for a strapless dress with a structured corset bodice featuring nude and black embroidered detailing. It included a voluminous peplum-style layer at the waist and a floor-length, sheer black skirt.
Simone Biles opted for a strapless dress with a structured corset bodice. (Getty Images)
She paired the look with simple diamond accessories and a black Tyler Ellis bag.
The American gymnast won three gold and a silver at the Paris Olympics.
Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis was named Sportsman of the Year. He had won a second Olympic gold medal and twice raised his own world record.
Al-Ajlan shared a photo on Instagram of Biles wearing her design, writing: “Congratulations @simonebiles on winning the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award.”
This is not the first time Al-Ajlan’s designs have appeared on major red carpets.
Earlier this year, at the 96th Academy Awards, US social media personality Kristy Sarah wore a gown by Al-Ajlan.
The dress was a strapless, form-fitting gown in a soft nude tone. It featured a structured, ruched bodice that extended into a mermaid-style silhouette.
The skirt and train were embellished with three-dimensional floral appliques in shades of lavender and lilac.
In 2023, she dressed US actress, dancer, and social media star Tessa Brooks in an all-black ensemble for the MusiCares Persons of the Year event in Los Angeles.
The following year, British model and TV presenter Leomie Anderson wore a structured look by Al-Ajlan at the 2024 amfAR Gala in Cannes, featuring a mini dress layered with a net-like skirt.
Al-Ajlan, who launched her label in 2007, is based in Riyadh and specializes in couture, bridal and pret-a-porter designs.
She has dressed several regional celebrities for international events, including Saudi Arabia actresses Mila Alzahrani and Dae Al-Hilali at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.
In 2024, Riyadh-based TV host Ajwa Aljoudi wore a mustard gown by the designer to the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in Hollywood.
