Gigi Hadid’s latest cashmere launch inspired by New York
Updated 21 June 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: US Palestinian Dutch supermodel and brand founder Gigi Hadid has released her latest collection — and a new summer campaign — under her cashmere label Guest in Residence.
The new line was inspired by New York, according to Hadid, who founded her brand in 2022.
“I’m endlessly inspired by New York City — a place I’ve called home for many years — and the notion that we’re all guests here. For our collection, we embrace the great duality every New Yorker faces in Summer: the thrill of a busy day in the city, paired with the urge to hop in a car with friends and escape to somewhere quiet and laid-back. No matter where you find yourself, our cashmere pieces embrace a spirit of timelessness that always works,” Hadid is quoted as saying on the Guest in Residence Instagram page.
The launch was complemented by a video campaign shared on social media, in which Hadid is joined by fellow models as they explore New York in the summer.
Paolo Santosuosso acted as the campaign’s art director, while the looks were styled by Elizabeth Fraser-Bell.
Hadid launched her clothing label, which features soft, colorful knitwear, in September 2022.
“Over the last handful of years, I didn’t want to be backed into starting my own line just because there was an offer on the table or a deal to be made,” she wrote to her followers on Instagram at the time.
“The earliest days of Guest in Residence came about when I started to question the cashmere market, and those answers gave me a path,” she added.
“I believe that because of its sustainable qualities — natural and made to cherish and to pass down — cashmere is a luxury that should be more accessible.”
Celebrities including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Swift and Bradley Cooper have been spotted wearing the label’s designs.
In June, Hadid also unveiled a new campaign with Brazilian footwear brand Havaianas.
The model, who launched a line with the flip flop label, starred in a vintage-inspired series of photographs. In the shots, she shows off slippers from her collection with the brand and is seen wearing retro outfits on a beach.
An anthem for unspoken love: Zeyne discusses her latest release, ‘Hilwa’
The Palestinian-Jordanian artist on her new single, released by MDLBEAST Records
Updated 11 July 2025
Jasmine Bager
DHAHRAN: Palestinian-Jordanian artist Zeyne is here for her close-up — and she’s bringing the inspirational women in her family along.
Zeyne’s latest single “Hilwa” dropped this week and the artwork — shot by Zaid Allozi — shows three women interlocked by their braided hair.
“The image shows three generations — me, my mother, and my grandmother — all connected by one continuous braid. It’s a symbol of inheritance; the quiet strength and love passed from one woman to the next,” Zeyne tells Arab News. “The braid holds the kind of love that isn’t always spoken, but is deeply felt and remembered.”
The 27-year-old is using her music to reclaim narrative, identity and joy — singing of Arab womanhood in its most defiant, soulful and cinematic form.
“We shot (the artwork) in a handmade mudbrick house in the Jordan Valley, built using traditional Levantine methods. These homes — found across Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon — aren’t just sustainable, they carry memory. They connect us to land, to lineage, and to something deeper,” Zeyne says.
“Hilwa” is an uplifting anthem released via Saudi-based MDLBEAST Records, in partnership with Zeyne’s own label, Scarab Records.
Zeyne performing at Offlimits Festival in Abu Dhabi in April. (Omar Rezgani)
“When we saw the vision Zeyne and her team had, it was a no brainer, we were ready to jump right in and help amplify what was already there and build together towards a sustainable, long-running, global project stemming from the heart of the MENA region,” Talal Albahiti, COO and head of talent at MDLBEAST, tells Arab News. “MDLBEAST Records always champions the upcoming hard workers and visionaries, and Zeyne exemplifies these qualities perfectly.”
Following Zeyne’s 2024 hit “Asli Ana,” which reimagined Arab rhythmic traditions through a futuristic lens, “Hilwa” pays homage to her mother and grandmother, whose love and wisdom deeply shaped her sense of identity. “While ‘Asli Ana’ was about resistance, ‘Hilwa’ is softer,” she says.
Through Zeyne’s reflective lyrics and emotional vocal delivery, “Hilwa” explores how beauty and self-worth are inherited — not just genetically, but through stories, memories, and values passed down by generations of Arab women. “You’re so beautiful and no one can say otherwise,” she sings at one point.
Zeyne in the studio during the recording sessions for 'Hilwa.' (Zaid Allozi)
Born Zein Sajdi in Amman in 1997, Zeyne was raised in a household where music and culture were key. Her father was a record collector, her mother led a dabke troupe, and her sister trained as a classical pianist. Zeyne began performing aged five and was already writing her own lyrics in her teens.
She studied sociology and media communications at the University of Sussex in the UK, but the COVID-19 pandemic redirected her path. Returning to Amman in 2020, she turned her full attention to music — writing, recording and developing her distinct sound.
Since the release of her 2021 debut single, “Minni Ana,” Zeyne has carved a singular lane in Arab pop — merging traditional Arabic sounds with modern, genre-defying production. Since then, she has released several acclaimed singles, collaborated with artists including Palestinian singer-songwriter Saint Levant, and written for fellow Jordanian-Palestinian musician Issam Alnajjar, Lebanese-Canadian singer-songwriter Massari, and the acclaimed Chilean-Palestinian star Elyanna.
Zeyne performing at Offlimits Festival in Abu Dhabi in April. (Marwan Abouzeid and Zahra Hasby)
With more than 46 million streams across various platforms, Zeyne’s music has become a touchstone for Arab youth globally, offering a sound that is intimate, cinematic and emotionally resonant. Her boundary-pushing sound and evocative vocals have established her as one of the region’s most important cultural voices.
Earlier this year, she launched a three-stop regional mini tour, “The Golden-Hour Run,” that included a landmark performance at the OffLimits Festival in the UAE and stadium appearances as a special guest on Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour in Qatar and Bahrain, where she performed to over 65,000 people.
She became the first female artist from the Levant to appear on the globally renowned music platform COLORS with her song “Ma Bansak,” and a viral performance in collaboration with Bottega Veneta blurred the lines between fashion, music, and Palestinian resistance.
As an EQUAL Arabia ambassador, she lit up Times Square in New York City, solidifying her status as an emerging symbol of contemporary Arab identity and woman empowerment. Her inclusion in the DAZED Global 100 further cemented her status as a fearless voice reshaping representation and storytelling in and beyond the region.
“Hilwa” captures all of that—vulnerability, defiance, and a deep sense of generational continuity. On Instagram, she wrote that the song stems from an assembly line of greatness, and is “a love letter to all the women in my life — my mother, my grandmother and even my younger self — you are beautiful, and no words can say otherwise.”
This summer, Zeyne brings that message to the stage. She will perform in London on July 19 and 20, Paris on July 22, and Jerash on July 28, before heading to Saudi Arabia for back-to-back concerts in Riyadh on Aug. 7 and Jeddah on Aug. 8.
REVIEW: James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ — a fun, heartfelt take on the Man of Steel
Updated 11 July 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: James Gunn’s “Superman” marks a confident debut for the newly rebooted DC Universe, now firmly under the helm of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” director. Rather than chase the shadow of past gloom-ridden DC iterations, Gunn leans into sincerity, fun, and a touch of chaos to deliver a film that feels refreshingly light and cheerful. It’s heartfelt — though heavy-handed at times — and also makes room for some timely social commentary. In short, it’s a comic book movie that remembers it’s based on a comic book.
Set in a world where Superman is already known but still finding his place, the film follows Clark Kent as he juggles his day job at the Daily Planet newspaper with his not-so-secret life saving the world. Things take a turn when Lex Luthor — now a tech mogul with an envy problem — makes a move to privatize security and put Superman out of commission. Meanwhile, Superman is caught between being a symbol of hope and a political lightning rod, as he personally stops a country from invading its neighbor.
David Corenswet takes on the red cape with a straight-edged wonder and charm that feels closer to Christopher Reeve than Henry Cavill. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, meanwhile, is the sharpest person in the room and knows it. Their chemistry is palpable, with an early interview scene between the two setting the tone for the rest of the film. For a film that boasts some high-octane action scenes, the tension this pair create in a tiny living room is unrivalled.
Gunn’s signature mix of sentiment and snark is all over the place, even if pared back compared to his Marvel days. And there’s a constant undercurrent of real-world commentary: Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is a psychopathic tech tycoon with a god complex (guess who?). And while it never turns preachy, the film doesn’t shy away from allusions to Gaza, Ukraine, or the refugee crisis.
Superman, after all, is an immigrant. And while Gunn doesn’t waste the metaphor, it’s impossible not to feel uneasy when the real-world suffering beamed straight into our social media feeds every day is portrayed alongside cartoon-ish fight scenes.
Ultimately, Gunn’s “Superman” is an entertaining two hours at the cinema. Is it “Guardians of the Galaxy”-level good? No. Does it need to be? No. Instead, it’s a slightly messy, surprisingly political, and undeniably fun return to a hero who believes in doing the right thing, no matter the cost. And after years of emo DC, that might be just what the doctor ordered.
Recipes for success: Chef Federico Erroi offers advice, a tasty crème brûlée recipe
Updated 11 July 2025
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: Federico Erroi’s culinary story begins in Florence, Italy, guided by his grandmother’s steady hands. She taught young Federico how to make pastry cream, sparking his lifelong fascination with desserts and the discipline behind them.
“I was never the best at theoretical subjects in school,” Erroi tells Arab News. “But when it came to getting my hands dirty in the kitchen, I always found success and great satisfaction.”
Caption
By the age of 21, Erroi was already working professionally in Florence. After nearly a decade honing his craft in Italy, he moved to Dubai in 2017. Since then, he has led pastry programs at top-tier restaurants including Rue Royale and Cipriani. Today, he heads the pastry team at CÉ LA VI Dubai, a restaurant featured in the city’s Michelin Guide for three consecutive years.
Erroi was recently shortlisted for Pastry Chef of the Year by the Hotel and Catering Awards.
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
If there’s one thing I’ve always struggled with — not just in the kitchen, but in life — it’s patience. I always wanted to finish everything as quickly as possible, but still perfectly. This has been one of my biggest challenges, because pastry — especially baking — requires time. Long resting periods, fermentation and proofing are what give flavor, texture and structure to the best products. A mousse that hasn’t rested long enough will be too runny, and dough that hasn’t been rested long enough will lack flavor. That’s how I’ve come to master the ancient art of patience.
CÉ LA VI Dubai. (Supplied)
What’s your top tip for amateurs?
When it comes to pastry, the most common mistake is always the same: precision. Pastry is a perfect balance, an alchemy based on carefully selected and precisely measured ingredients. Many amateurs get the measurements wrong out of haste or distraction, or they replace ingredients or alter quantities as they please, which inevitably leads to disappointing results.
My mother, for example, has the bad habit of reducing the amounts of butter or cream in my recipes. She’s very health-conscious and always afraid of overdoing it. But without fail, the result never satisfies her, and she always asks the same questions: “Federico, why are these cookies so hard?” or “Why is this cream flavorless?” or “Why is this mousse so runny?” And my response is always the same: “Mom, are you sure you followed the recipe?”
Desserts aren’t always healthy. They are indulgences and guilty pleasures. We can absolutely enjoy them, as long as it’s in moderation.
CÉ LA VI Dubai. (Supplied)
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Any dish, if made with care, passion and — above all — love, will never disappoint. And maybe it’s the love we put into cooking that gets passed on to the ingredients we touch and makes our meal a moment of pure pleasure. That’s probably why your mom’s or grandma’s food always tastes the best. Then again, maybe a good quality vanilla or a pinch of salt — a contrast to the sweetness in pastry — is the real secret ingredient.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
I’m simply grateful to share that moment with the people around the table. What scares my friends and family most when they cook for me is the fear of being judged, but I always tell them this: “For those of us who work in kitchens, just sitting at a table with loved ones is already a wonderful meal, because we’re used to eating in a rush, standing up or sitting on a cardboard box in a kitchen corner, alone, at odd hours, or while working.”
What’s your favorite cuisine or dish to order?
I always like to try something new — something beyond my culinary culture or dishes that require complex preparation that I can’t replicate at home. Sometimes, I just enjoy a perfectly executed croissant or a pizza baked in a wood-fired oven. As for desserts, I prefer to stick with the classics — a good tiramisu or quality gelato.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
Probably pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil and parmesan. If I need a quick dessert, I’ll make a tiramisu, a passion fruit panna cotta or a chocolate soufflé. What do these recipes have in common? Simplicity. Just a few ingredients, each carefully selected and blended or cooked in a way that creates a dish with a unique flavor.
What customer request or behavior most annoys you?
Cooking in a restaurant also means learning to accept criticism, to really listen to what customers say, and to understand their preferences. It’s not always easy to accept certain comments like “This chocolate mousse is too airy” or “This dessert is too sweet or too bitter,” because everyone has their own palette. But sometimes, feedback, if listened to and understood, can genuinely help us improve. That’s why I always stay open to customer opinions, whether positive or negative. In fact, I’m often more interested in the negative feedback, because it’s from that input that I’ve been able to create new ideas or improve dishes I thought were already perfect. The truth is, in this profession, you never truly “arrive.” There’s always something more to learn.
What’s your favorite dish to make?
Panettone. It’s one of those desserts made with just a few ingredients: sourdough starter, water, flour, butter, eggs and sugar, along with raisins and candied orange. But making it is a true magic act that starts with the sourdough itself, a simple mixture of water and flour that’s fermented and refreshed daily for at least three months. This creates a colony of bacteria that will make the panettone rise and give it a unique, unrepeatable flavor, as the bacteria’s development depends on the surrounding temperature, the water used, and good microbes in the working environment. Only when the sourdough is ready can we proceed with the first dough, mixing the starter with water, flour, sugar, butter and eggs.
This rests for 12 hours, followed by the final dough with the remaining ingredients. Then, after another six-hour rest, we reach the magical moment of baking, the moment of truth, where, based on the final volume, we truly understand whether all the previous steps were done perfectly, or if we made mistakes in temperature, fermentation or even the pH of our precious star ingredient, the sourdough starter.
As a head chef, what are you like?
I believe I’ve changed a lot over the years. I love teaching and sharing everything I’ve learned. I have no secrets — there truly are none, even if some professionals still claim otherwise. I always try to motivate my team and keep morale high, especially when the work hours get longer and more stressful. Today, I consider myself a very patient person — maybe thanks to this beautiful profession. I’ve never raised my voice in the kitchen, never insulted or scolded anyone. I firmly believe that kindness and good manners are the foundation of any relationship, and they can truly make a difference in the workplace.
Chef Federico’s pineapple creme brûlée
Ingredients for the coconut pastry cream:
Coconut milk 350 g
Coconut cream 50 g
Sugar 1 38 g
Lime zest 1/2 pc
Sugar 2 38 g
Salt 0.6 g
Flour 32 g
Corn starch 12 g
Egg yolk 80 g
Method:
Mix coconut milk, coconut cream, sugar 1, lime zest in a pot and bring to a boil.
In a separate bowl mix sugar 2, salt, flour, starch, egg yolk till powder is completely absorbed avoiding the lumps formations.
Pour hot liquid onto the egg mix and bring back on fire stirring continuously till first bubble appear.
Pour in a terrine and let it set covered with cling film on touching the cream (to avoid skin formation).
When is completely cold mix till creamy texture and pour it onto the pineapple compote into the pineapple cup.
Coat the surface with sugar and brulee till golden dark brown.
Ingredients for the pineapple compote:
Pineapple juice 100 g
Sugar agar agar 10 g
Finely chopped pineapple 100 g
Method: (One portion 70 g of compote)
Take a whole pineapple, cut off the leaf and slice it into three thick slices horizontally.
With a spoon or a scooper scoop off the pulp creating a cup.
In The AI-Centered Enterprise: Reshaping Organizations with Context-Aware AI, authors Ram Bala, Natarajan Balasubramanian and Amit Joshi argue that the next leap in artificial intelligence is not about flashy prompts, but rather perception, reasoning, and organizational transformation.
The book, published earlier this year, introduces the concept of “context-aware AI,” systems that do not just process information but understand it in real-time business scenarios.
These are tools that adjust to their environment, collaborate across teams, and make decisions with nuance; a significant step forward from today’s mostly predictive systems.
The authors, all professors and practitioners in the AI and analytics space, offer a clear roadmap for businesses to prepare.
Their proposed model, the “3Cs” — “Calibrate, Clarify, Channelize” — breaks down how leaders can align AI tools with company values, ensure teams understand how to use them, and direct efforts where they will have the most impact.
For readers in Saudi Arabia, where AI is central to Vision 2030 initiative, this book can serve as a strategic lens.
While it does not focus on the region, its practical insights are useful for decision-makers looking to scale AI responsibly across sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and government services.
More guidebook than manifesto, “The AI-Centered Enterprise” avoids jargon and balances case studies with actionable ideas.
It will not dazzle readers chasing science-fiction futures, but it is a timely read for professionals who want to lead, not just react, in the age of intelligent systems.
WOOHOO, a restaurant operated by an AI chef, to open in Dubai soon
AI ‘Chef Aiman’ to create data-driven flavour combinations
The restaurant that bills itself as “dining in the future” is set to open in September
Updated 10 July 2025
Reuters
DUBAI: In Dubai, your dinner might soon come with a side of source code.
WOOHOO, a restaurant that bills itself as “dining in the future,” is set to open in September in central Dubai, a stone’s throw from the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
Food at WOOHOO will be assembled by humans, for now, but everything else — from the menu to ambience to service — will be designed by a culinary large-language-model called “Chef Aiman.”
Aiman — a portmanteau of “AI” and “man” — is trained on decades of food science research, molecular composition data and over a thousand recipes from cooking traditions around the world, said Ahmet Oytun Cakir, one of WOOHOO’s founders.
Food prepared using the recipe from "Aiman", the AI Chef is served on a plate, at the Trove Restaurant in Dubai on July 8, 2025. (REUTERS)
While Chef Aiman can’t taste, smell or interact with his dishes like a chef normally would, the model works by breaking cuisine down to its component parts like texture, acidity and umami, and reassembling them into unusual flavour and ingredient combinations, according to Aiman’s developers.
These prototypes are then refined by human cooks who taste the combinations and provide direction, in an effort led by renowned Dubai-based chef Reif Othman.
“Their responses to my suggestions help refine my understanding of what works beyond pure data,” Aiman explained, in an interview with the interactive AI model.
The goal, Aiman’s creators say, is not to supplant the human element of cooking but to complement it.
“Human cooking will not be replaced, but we believe (Aiman) will elevate the ideas, creativity,” said Oytun Cakir, who is also chief executive of hospitality company Gastronaut.
Aiman is designed to develop recipes that re-use ingredients often discarded by restaurants, like meat trimmings or fat, he said.
Longer term, WOOHOO’s founders believe Aiman could be licensed to restaurants across the globe, reducing kitchen waste and improving sustainability. (Reporting by Luke Tyson Editing by Ros Russell)
