Lou Gala stuns in Elie Saab at ‘The Decameron’ premiere

Lou Gala stuns in Elie Saab at ‘The Decameron’ premiere
French actress Lou Gala glittered in an ensemble from Lebanese couturier Elie Saab when she appeared on the red carpet for the New York premiere of her new Netflix show, “The Decameron.” (AFP)
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Updated 29 July 2024
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Lou Gala stuns in Elie Saab at ‘The Decameron’ premiere

Lou Gala stuns in Elie Saab at ‘The Decameron’ premiere

DUBAI: French actress Lou Gala glittered in an ensemble from Lebanese couturier Elie Saab when she appeared on the red carpet for the New York premiere of her new Netflix show, “The Decameron.”

The “Clips & Conversations” debut event saw the 29-year-old wear pieces from the label’s Spring-Summer 2024 ready-to-wear collection. The gold and pastel outfit included a sequined crop top and matching midi skirt, decked in shimmering beads and macrame trims.

Last month, the actress was spotted wearing Elie Saab at the label’s show during Paris Fashion Week, when she opted for all black.

“The Decameron,” which is loosely inspired by the eponymous short story collection, is streaming now on Netflix.

The series, from creator and showrunner Kathleen Jordan (of “Teenage Bounty Hunters” and “American Princess” fame,) examines the familiar theme of class struggles in the midst of a pandemic, as a cast of misfits tries to survive an outbreak of bubonic plague in Florence in 1348.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Lou Gala (@lou_gala)

Alongside Gala, the series stars Amar Chadha-Patel, Karan Gill, Tony Hale, Zosia Mamet, Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Tanya Reynolds.

First published in Italy in the mid-14th century, Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” tells the story of a group of nobles and their servants who shelter in the grand Villa Santa outside Florence as the Black Death rages. To pass the time, they take turns telling each other stories that range from witty to debauched.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Lou Gala (@lou_gala)

In the show, as time goes on and social rules wear thin, the group quickly sinks into a struggle for survival.

Gala plays the timid and pious Neifile. As inspiration for the role, Jordan suggested that Gala watch Goldie Hawn’s performance in “Private Benjamin.”

“She has an otherworldly quality in the way that Goldie Hawn does, where it’s almost like she’s not aware of the kind of power she holds,” Jordan wrote in show notes on Tudum. “The doe eyes, that sort of naivete, but also the really high-minded physical comedy.”

Hale — who plays Sirisco — said particularly appreciated how “The Decameron” explored the existence of light and dark in all of us.

“Life is about that tension,” he told Tudum. “When things get really dark, we can see the light even more.”


Dubai Fashion Week set to return this autumn

Dubai Fashion Week set to return this autumn
Updated 1 min 30 sec ago
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Dubai Fashion Week set to return this autumn

Dubai Fashion Week set to return this autumn

DUBAI: Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) is set to make its return this autumn with its series of Spring/Summer 2026 shows, running from Sept. 1 to 6 at its longtime home in Dubai Design District (d3).

As the first event on the international fashion calendar — ahead of New York, London, Milan, and Paris —DFW’s upcoming edition builds on the momentum of February’s Autumn/Winter 2025/26 showcase, which drew widespread attention with headline-grabbing appearances by international models and a grand finale by iconic Indian designer Manish Malhotra.

The season also spotlighted emerging regional voices, such as Les Benjamins, a correspondent member of the Arab Fashion Council, alongside global names like Paolo Sebastian.


Post Malone headed to Abu Dhabi F1

Post Malone headed to Abu Dhabi F1
Updated 22 min 22 sec ago
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Post Malone headed to Abu Dhabi F1

Post Malone headed to Abu Dhabi F1

DUBAI: US rapper Post Malone – known for tracks like “Rockstar,” “I Had Some Help” and “Sunflower” – will perform at the 2025 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday Dec. 5, organizers have announced.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Yasalam (@yasalamae)

“Beautiful Things” singer Benson Boone was previously announced as the opening act of the series on Thursday Dec. 4. Heavy metal band Metallica are set to perform on Saturday Dec. 6. And finally, US singer-songwriter Katy Perry will perform on Sunday Dec. 7.

Malone previously performed at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He then returned in 2022, taking to the stage at Etihad Park.


Key reflections as Jeddah’s Islamic Arts Biennale comes to a close

Key reflections as Jeddah’s Islamic Arts Biennale comes to a close
Updated 20 May 2025
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Key reflections as Jeddah’s Islamic Arts Biennale comes to a close

Key reflections as Jeddah’s Islamic Arts Biennale comes to a close

JEDDAH: As the second Islamic Arts Biennale prepares for its finale on May 25, Donya Abdulhadi, the executive director of marketing and communications at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation says its true achievement lies not only in visitor numbers, but in the cultural and educational legacy it continues to build.

“The Islamic Arts Biennale was ranked as one of the most highly visited biennales in 2023, but it is the cultural impact, influence and legacy of our work that matters the most to us,” she told Arab News
 The foundation — which oversees the Islamic Arts Biennale, the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, and JAX District — alternates annually between its two flagship biennales: the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, held in Riyadh’s JAX District, and the Islamic Arts Biennale, staged at the Western Hajj Terminal in Jeddah.
 
Launched in 2023, the Islamic Arts Biennale is the first biennale in the world dedicated to Islamic arts.
 
The debut Islamic Arts Biennale welcomed over 600,000 visitors, while the second edition of the Contemporary Art Biennale saw more than double the attendance of its first iteration and a 600 percent increase in digital engagement, according to organizers. 
 
Abdulhadi explained that the foundation measures success through cultural impact. “We assess our impact through several factors, including our success in nurturing creative expression and lifelong learning,” she said.
 
The foundation has seen a significant rise in institutional collaboration, too. Since the launch of its biennales, the number of partner institutions lending cultural and historical works has tripled. In turn, the number of total loans to exhibitions has nearly doubled.
 
Among the highlights of this iteration was the unprecedented display of rare objects such as items from the Vatican Apostolic Libraries shown alongside the Kiswah, the covering that adorns the Kaaba in Makkah. 
 
Between editions, the foundation remains active through initiatives such as “PlayBack,” a digital audio archive of past programming, and “PaperBack,” Saudi Arabia’s first art book fair, which welcomed more than 10,000 visitors last year. 
 
“Supporting generations of artists and creatives remains one of the most important ways in which we deliver cultural impact as a foundation,” she continued. “Our Biennales and the JAX District act as springboards for Saudi and international artists to be invited to the world’s most prestigious stages, but also as platforms for artists to evolve their own roles as creatives,” she concluded.


Saudi Fashion Awards set for May 22 in Riyadh

Saudi Fashion Awards set for May 22 in Riyadh
Updated 19 May 2025
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Saudi Fashion Awards set for May 22 in Riyadh

Saudi Fashion Awards set for May 22 in Riyadh

DUBAI: The Saudi Fashion Commission is set to host the second edition of the Saudi Fashion Awards on May 22 in Riyadh.

The ceremony will celebrate the “visionaries, creatives, and entrepreneurs shaping Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing influence in the international fashion and beauty industries,” according to a released statement. 

Key awards this year include the Fashion Stylist of the Year  prize; the Fashion Photographer of the Year prize, presented in collaboration with Hia Magazine; the Menswear Brand of the Year trophy; the Womenswear Brand of the Year prize; the Jewelry Brand of the Year award; and the Elite Model Honorary Award for Model of the Year.

The judging panel includes Hollywood stylist Law Roach; Amanda Smith, CEO of Fairchild Media Group and WWD; Burak Çakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission; Xavier Romatet, Dean of Institut Français de la Mode ; Mohammed Aldabbageh, KSA Managing Director of Chalhoub Group; and Mai Badr, Editor-in-Chief of Hia Magazine. 

“Riyadh is proudly emerging as the capital of fashion, beauty, and the future of the creative industries in the region. Its transformation from promise to global presence on red carpets, runways, and retail spaces reflects the ingenuity and dedication of a new generation of trailblazers redefining regional and international fashion standards,” Çakmak said in a released statement.


Angelina Jolie remembers Fatima Hassouna at Cannes

Angelina Jolie remembers Fatima Hassouna at Cannes
Updated 19 May 2025
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Angelina Jolie remembers Fatima Hassouna at Cannes

Angelina Jolie remembers Fatima Hassouna at Cannes

DUBAI: US actress and Oscar winner Angelina Jolie made a special appearance at the Cannes Film Festival to present the Trophee Chopard to rising stars Marie Colomb and Finn Bennett.

During the dinner ceremony, Jolie reflected on the power of international cinema to make an impact in times of global turmoil.

“I love international cinema,” Jolie told the star-studded assembly of guests. “We are brought to other lands, into private moments, even on the battlefield, we connect and we empathize … anything that is possible to make international cinema more accessible is necessary and welcome.”

“And none of us are naive,” Jolie continued. “We know that many artists around the world lack the freedom and security to tell their stories, and many have lost their lives like Fatima Hassouna, killed in Gaza, Shaden Gardood killed in Sudan, and Victoria Amelina killed in Ukraine, and so many other extraordinary artists who should be with us now. We owe all of those risking their lives and sharing their stories and experiences a debt of gratitude, because they have helped us to learn and to evolve.”