Saudi fashion designers showcased their latest collections at an exhibition at the Hilton Hotel Jeddah on Saturday.
The three-day exhibition and fashion show, which ended yesterday, enabled Saudi fashion designers to show their designs on models strutting the catwalk.
Almost 30 reputed companies and fashion designers of national and international level participated in the exhibition with different collections, ranging from abayas, wedding dresses, bags, clothes, jewelry and other accessories. “
Saudi fashion designers need a boost to overcome obstacles they suffer from, especially since the fashion design field is based on creativity and innovation. It is our duty to embrace talents and praise them. As someone once said ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’,” said Afaf Al-Atafi, exhibition director at the organizer Alkhayal.
Alkhayal will conduct this exhibition on an annual basis. We will also launch a website to support Saudi designers, and give them a platform, she added.
The exhibition and the upcoming website are to provide a base for local and international fashion designers to be noticed by investors. They could help these talents on their way to success, said Al-Atafi.
Rawda Salami, an abaya fashion designer and entrepreneur, started her business two years ago. She loves to wear different styles of abayas. “I started to design my own abayas, to show more of the personality of the lady wearing it. As we wear our abaya on top of our clothes, it doesn’t matter how expensive your clothes are when the abaya always covers them,” said Salami.
It is very hard to develop a business, but it is fun, said Salami. “Participating in an exhibition like this gives us a chance to meet other women who are working in this sector and it gives us a chance to grow.” Aziza Mohammadi, a wedding fashion designer from Riyadh prepares all her dresses at home. She studied fashion design and material decoration.
“I started my business a year ago. I make all my dresses by hand. I design them and also work on them with beads and different materials. One piece takes me almost two months or more, depending on the design and work requirements,” she explained.
The fashion designers who participated in the show were Asma Bagader, Qwayma Azoz, Samhar Edris , Awayma Azoz, Liyla Wazna, Karen Millen and Demetrios.
Alkhayal organized the exhibition with the cooperation of the Women Welfare charitable organization under the patronage of Princess Latifa Thunayan. The exhibition and fashion show was attended by a number of entrepreneurs, royal family members, businesswomen, designers, female private university students and various government and training centers.
Saudi fashion designers converge on the runway in Jeddah
Saudi fashion designers converge on the runway in Jeddah
Adele wears Elie Saab gown at Las Vegas concert
DUBAI: British singer Adele showed off a gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab during her Las Vegas residency over the weekend.
The Grammy-winning singer performed her 42nd “Weekends with Adele” concert in a sleek black, off-shoulder gown with a deep V-neck.
“Captivating elegance, @adele graces the stage in Vegas in (a) … custom made Haute Couture gown,” read a post on the official Instagram page of Elie Saab.
Adele has previously chosen other designers from the region to wear during her residency, including Zuhair Murad and Georges Hobeika.
The residency is set to conclude in November this year.
Georgina Rodriguez collaborates with Faces Middle East beauty store
DUBAI: Argentine model Georgina Rodriguez took to social media to share images from her recent visit to beauty store Faces in Riyadh Park Mall.
The social media sensation – partner to football legend Cristiano Ronaldo – posted a reel on Instagram featuring moments from her trip to the store, captioning the post, “Beauty time with @facesmiddleeast,” along with a pink heart emoji.
Rodriguez can be seen getting an analysis with Faces’ skincare diagnosis machine and trying on several of the store’s products.
Rodriguez also took a moment to congratulate Ronaldo on Instagram Stories as the Portuguese footballer – who plays for Saudi football club Al-Nassr – set a new record for goals scored in a Saudi Pro League season.
The 39-year-old took his tally of goals scored to 35 after he netted two goals against Al-Ittihad on Monday night.
Sofia Carson shows off Elie Saab gown on the red carpet
DUBAI: US actress Sofia Carson showed off a gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab at the closing ceremony of the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival.
The star, who has showed off Lebanese labels on multiple red carpets in the past, opted for an olive-toned ensemble from the designer’s Spring/ Summer 2024 couture collection.
Styled by Erin Walsh, Carson posed for photos on the red carpet in the look that featured a draped skirt and embellishments on the neckline.
The latest red carpet appearance proves Carson is something of a fan of Lebanon’s couturiers — In 2022 the “Purple Hearts” actress was spotted in New York wearing an ensemble by Zuhair Murad. Carson attended the Global Citizen Festival in a coordinating look from Murad’s Resort 2023 collection. The outfit featured an embellished crop top and mini skirt set with matching thigh-high leather boots.
In late 2023, the actress cut an elegant figure in a Zuhair Murad gown at the second annual Cam for a Cause event in memory of her former co-star Cameron Boyce, who died at the age of 20 due to an epileptic seizure.
Fast forward to 2024 and the now-concluded Cannes Film Festival has played host to a number of Arab-created looks.
Saudi designer Eman Al-Ajlan dressed British model and TV presenter Leomie Anderson in a structured look featuring a mini dress with a net-like skirt fitted underneath at the 2024 amfAR Gala in Cannes.
A few celebrities opted for gowns by Murad at the same event, including German model Toni Garrn, sports commentator Alex Scott and Brazilian model Thayna Soares.
Meanwhile, German model Kim Dammer dazzled on the red carpet in a glamorous halter-neck black gown, intricately embroidered with geometric shapes by Lebanese couturier Rami Kadi. Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran was championed by Turkish actress Hande Ercel, who wore a black gown adorned with red and blue beads.
Egyptian actress Yasmine Sabri was also in attendance, wearing a sparkling silver dress by Lebanese designer Jean Pierre Khoury. The dress featured thousands of mirrored tube beads hand-sewn onto a corseted silhouette, according to the fashion house.
Saudi’s ‘Norah’ receives the Special Mention accolade at Cannes
DUBAI: Saudi film “Norah,” starring actress Maria Bahrawi, this week received the Special Mention accolade, which recognizes films for outstanding achievements, at the 77th Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard awards.
The cast and crew, accompanied by director Tawfik Al-Zaidi, stepped onto the stage to accept the accolade in front of a full house.
The film, shot entirely in AlUla, is set in 1990s Saudi Arabia when conservatism ruled and the professional pursuit of all art, including painting, was frowned upon. Besides Bahrawi, the movie also stars Yaqoub Al-Farhan and Abdullah Al-Satian. It follows the story of Norah and failed artist Nader as they encourage each other to realize their artistic potential in rural Saudi Arabia.
“Norah” had its official screening at the festival on Thursday, becoming the first film from the Kingdom to screen as part of the official calendar at the event.
The movie was backed by the Red Sea Fund — one of the Red Sea Film Foundation’s programs — and was filmed entirely in AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia with an all-Saudi cast and a 40 percent Saudi crew.
Un Certain Regard’s mission is to highlight new trends in cinema and encourage innovative cinematic works.
Chaired by Canadian actor, director, screenwriter and producer Xavier Dolan, the jury included French Senegalese screenwriter and director Maimouna Doucoure, Moroccan director, screenwriter and producer Asmae El Moudir, German-Luxembourg actress Vicky Krieps, and American film critic, director and writer Todd McCarthy.
Chinese director Guan Hu’s “Black Dog” won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section.
Marking Guan’s debut at Cannes, the film follows a former convict who forms an unexpected bond with the titular animal while clearing stray dogs in his remote hometown on the edge of the Gobi Desert.
The jury prize was awarded to “The Story of Souleymane,” directed by Boris Lojkine, marking his return to the festival after a decade since his 2014 feature “Hope.”
The film portrays the journey of a Guinean food delivery man who must create a compelling narrative for his asylum application interview in Lyon within a two-day timeframe.
World celebrities hit red carpet at Saudi-backed amfAR gala
- Red Sea International Film Festival sponsors for fourth year
- Demi Moore was host, which Elizabeth Taylor held in 1993
DUBAI: Some of the world’s biggest stars, in the French Riviera for the Cannes Film Festival, made appearances on Thursday at the 30th annual amfAR gala as Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival took on the role of presenting sponsor for the fourth consecutive year.
Among those in attendance were Demi Moore, Michelle Yeoh, Heidi Klum, Kelly Rowland, Andie MacDowell, Diane Kruger, Colman Domingo, Michelle Rodriguez, Winnie Harlow, Robin Thicke, Diplo, Paris Jackson, Petra Nemcova, Karolina Kurkova, Natasha Poly, and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.
The RSIFF’s CEO Mohammed Al-Turki and chairwoman Jomana Al-Rashid were also present.
The American Foundation for AIDS Research, or AmfAR, is dedicated to the support of AIDS research, prevention, education and advocacy. It has raised nearly $900 million since 1985.
Demi Moore, whose film “The Substance” caused a stir at Cannes, hosted this year’s gala, a role launched by Elizabeth Taylor in 1993.
The red carpet at the Hotel du Cap, Eden Roc, was awash with models, actors, singers and fashion designers as well as plenty of festival movers and shakers.
A few celebrities opted for gowns by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad including German model Toni Garrn, sports commentator Alex Scott and Brazilian model Thayna Soares.
Garrn wore a purple beaded strapless gown with scalloped edges and spider web-like details, while Scott was adorned with a rose gold off-the-shoulder sheer tulle beaded gown, and Soares opted for a hooded gold beaded short dress with a plunging neckline and embroidered tassels.
German model Kim Dammer dazzled on the red carpet in a glamorous halter-neck black gown, intricately embroidered with geometric shapes by Lebanese couturier Rami Kadi.
Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran was championed by Turkish actress Hande Ercel, who wore a black gown adorned with red and blue beads and featuring a plunging neckline.
Egyptian actress Yasmine Sabri was also in attendance, wearing a sparkly silver dress by Lebanese designer Jean Pierre Khoury. The dress featured thousands of mirrored tube beads hand-sewn onto a corseted silhouette, according to the designer.
