Jourdan Dunn photographed by Cüneyt Akeroğlu for the July/August issue of Vogue Arabia. Shot on location in Istanbul, Turkey
Last week the noise level elevated from East to West as Arabian designers continued to stamp their sartorial mark on the global fashion scene. With numerous A-listers reaching for the statement threads of Middle Eastern maisons, the world’s celebrity style wardrobe sees an increasing diversification. From Céline Dion en route to dinner from the Royal Monceau hotel in the French capital wearing Reem Acra to Gigi Hadid sporting SemSem on the streets of LA, we give you the official download on who is wearing what. Plus, the latest collection launches and news wires from Dubai, Bahrain, and beyond.
Dior ignited its Women@Dior initiative at Vogue Café in The Dubai Mall for the Middle Eastern leg of this year-long mentorship programme. Coupling students with the in-house team, the project focuses on empowering women in the creative industries, bringing with it the strong spirit of the storied fashion house. Watch this space.
Zaha Hadid. Photographed by Leon Chew
Another institution of education made the headlines last week. Saudi students at the University of Ha’il in Baqaa celebrated the legacy of the late Zaha Hadid, naming a street on campus after the artist and architect. A sign bearing Dame Hadid’s name on it, along with a text that reads “One of the most important architects in the world” was positioned on the road near the engineering faculty. If this proves to be a trek too far, you can pledge your allegiance to the studio of Zaha Hadid Designs by clutching one of the new limited edition Perrin Paris X Zaha Hadid clutches that are available in a color pop of rainbow brights, featuring a handle design by Hadid. No less, if you missed Google Doodles homage to the architect, you can read all about it here.
@cyrineanour | Instagram
Yesterday evening, Lebanese actress Cyrine Abdelnour showcased to her 4 million Instagram followers a statement new haircut, which posed the question to the beauty team; time for a major hair transformation? The star is not the only A-lister to brave the scissors at the hair salon, here we review the boldest new looks from stars East and West.
Over on the news desk, Bahrain-based designer Lulwa Al Amin spoke to Vogue.me about how Arabian designer can increase their exposure using social media and build up their global clientele. “Most industry professionals and customers focused on international designers rather than supporting regional ones. However with social media, this has all changed. It exposed Middle Eastern designers and [regional] styles to a worldwide audience.” Read about Al Amin’s collaborative digital platform that celebrates the talent of the designer’s social network, and showcasing her Lulu Al Amin brands in clever, clicky ways.
Lulu Al Amin high summer collection and video collaboration launched on Vogue.me last week. Courtesy of Lulwa Al Amin
Rewind to this week in Hollywood, Jennifer Lopez blew out the candles on her 48th birthday cake and launched her new Giuseppe for Jennifer Lopez collection–the second collaboration with the Italian designer. As a key supportive of Arab designers on the red carpet, we traced through her most show-stopping looks sporting Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, and Charbel Zoe. Click through the gallery below to get the quick-fire turns of Jenny from the Block.
For a mid-week check-in, Alena Akhmadullina spoke to Vogue Arabia about how to dress like you are starring in your very own fashion fairytale each day. With the new Resort 2018 collection unveiled on Vogue.me, the Russian womenswear designer shared her plans for a tour of the Middle East and reflected on her Arab clientele, “The [Middle Eastern woman] has always appreciated the intricate detailing like the beading and embroidery as well as the richness of the prints and patterns.” See the Vogue review on the new-season offering here.
Alena Akhmadullina Resort 2018. Courtesy of Alena Akhmadullina
With the fashion’s fickle eye dials down from summer mode–despite the rising heat–attention has turned to Fall 2017. What to wear for winter? Your answer is delivered by model Alanna Arrington in the July/August issue of Vogue Arabia and now online here. In a sequence of key looks–featuring Manolo Blahnik, Dior, and Sonia Rykiel–the fashion team remix the Pre-Fall and Fall looks and make them work for high society events and soirées inbound and outbound of the GCC.
Alanna Arrington wearing Sonia Rykiel and Manolo Blahnik in the July/August issue of Vogue Arabia. Photographed by Michael Schwartz and styled by Emily Barnes
Egyptian designer Abeer Al Otaiba of SemSem unveiled the Resort 2018 collection on Vogue.me and reflected on the unlikely muse for the brand’s latest offering. “There’s this image of [Marella] Agnelli that has captivated me for years,” says the brand’s creative designer of a mid-century portrait of the noblewoman arm-in-arm with her husband, Gianni Agnelli. “It’s a black and white photo of Marella and her husband walking into what I imagine to be a fabulous masquerade ball. She is wearing an ethereal white kaftan with incredible yet subtle details.” Read the full review here and see the collection in full. Meanwhile, Ingie Chalhoub of Ingie Paris turned to the classic age of Hollywood for her Spring 2018 collection: expect sequins, and lots of them.
The Outnet Fall 2017 campaign. Photographed by Riccardo Vimercati
Supermodel and Vogue cover girl–with an archive of shoots that go back over two decades–Amber Valletta revealed her new campaign for TheOutnet.com on Vogue.me and shared the destinations in the Middle East she would most like to visit. Read the full interview to find out what the model adores in her wardrobe the most and get some red carpet style tips first-hand. The Fall 2017 TheOutnet.com collection is available across the Middle East, delivering to destinations including, and not limited to, Morocco, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
Bella Hadid wears Off-White X Levi’s jeans, a Dior bag, and Nike Cortez sneakers in the Meat Packing District on July 18, 2017 in New York City.
To round-off another whirlwind week of interviews, darting seasonal line-ups, and celebrity style revamps, Vogue.me decoded Bella Hadid’s wardrobe (making five must-know notes on the model’s favorite trends) and we uncovered 9 lesser-known facts about Huda Kattan of Huda Beauty. Did you know that her beauty muse is actually a Disney princess? Do your homework on the social media sensation here.
Backstage at Gucci Spring 2017. Indigital
As Tuesday marks the opening of the month-long Gucci takeover at Harrods in London, Vogue Arabia shares the skinny on what to expect at the leading London department store. From exclusive looks, DIY customization services, and Alessandro Michele for Gucci’s first fragrance, take your virtual tour here and see our Arabian styling remix of the Gucci eyewear collection.
