What We Are Buying Today: Dracaena Cinnabari - Saudi brand clothing in Jeddah

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Updated 20 June 2023
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What We Are Buying Today: Dracaena Cinnabari - Saudi brand clothing in Jeddah

  • Abdullah Obaid and Ahmed Salem founded Dracaena Cinnabari in 2019 after recognizing a significant gap in the Saudi and Arab fashion market

Dracaena Cinnabari is a Saudi brand based in Jeddah and Riyadh that specializes in unisex clothing, catering to young men and women who enjoy expressing their personalities through their style.

The brand offers a wide selection of monochromatic looks, including men’s boxers and briefs featuring funky prints.

Quality material and design are at the core of Dracaena Cinnabari’s philosophy. They provide bright and minimalist looks with simple, yet distinct, graffiti prints on some T-shirts and trousers, and ensure that the materials are airy and light for the summer and can be matched with other items.

Abdullah Obaid and Ahmed Salem founded Dracaena Cinnabari in 2019 after recognizing a significant gap in the Saudi and Arab fashion market.

They decided to create a brand that would cater to the needs of young people by offering the latest fashion trends.

The company derives its name from a rare tree native to the island of Socotra, off Yemen, known as the dragon tree or dragon’s blood tree. Scottish botanist Isaac Bayley Balfour first described these trees in the 1880s, naming them for their blood-like red sap.

The tree stands out due to its unique appearance and growth. Inspired by this, the brand aims to establish its distinctiveness in the world of fashion.

According to the brand, the ultimate meaning of life lies in planting trees even in unexpected places, symbolizing love’s growth and the establishment of strong roots throughout our life.

Dracaena Cinnabari is committed to tree-planting initiatives and raising awareness about their environmental benefits.

The products include graffiti art T-shirts, children’s clothing, caps, underwear and socks. Prices range from SR90 ($24) to SR400.

Customers can visit the stores in Riyadh and Jeddah or shop on their website dracaenacinnabari.com.

For more information visit their Instagram @dracaenacinnabari.sa.

 


Amira Al-Zuhair highlights summer campaigns

Updated 23 July 2025
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Amira Al-Zuhair highlights summer campaigns

DUBAI: Saudi French model Amira Al-Zuhair is having a whirlwind summer, having recently walked the runway at Paris Men’s Fashion Week, and taking to Instagram this week to share behind-the-scenes photos from a social media campaign for Oscar de la Renta.

In one image, she puts on jewelry while wearing a look from the luxury brand’s Fall 2025 collection. The black velvet gown featured elegantly placed clusters of crystals on the bodice.

Days before sharing the photo, she took part in Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda show in Rome, wearing a golden bustier.

In June, Al-Zuhair hit the runway at the AWGE show as a part of Paris Men’s Fashion Week.

The model showed off an ensemble featuring a trench coat  layered over a white vest and tartan-style miniskirt by A$AP Rocky’s label.

Earlier last month, birthday tributes poured in for the model as she celebrated her 24th birthday.

From producer Kawther Alrimawi to lifestyle publication Hia Magazine, fashion and entertainment industry insiders took to social media to wish the star a happy birthday.

The model wrapped up shooting a campaign for an unnamed brand in Milan when the clock struck midnight. She marked the beginning of her birthday with a candle-topped dessert at a restaurant in the Italian city.

Al-Zuhair, born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, has made her mark on the fashion world and appeared on the runway for an array of renowned fashion houses.

She has walked for Missoni, Maison Alaia, Brunello Cucinelli, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and many more.

In addition to her runway appearances, Al-Zuhair has featured in campaigns for high-profile brands including Prada, Chanel and Carolina Herrera.

Al-Zuhair also made a runway appearance in May when she walked in Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry collection show, held at Bellver Castle on the island of Majorca, Spain.

In late May, Al-Zuhair also reflected on her recent campaign with Balmain, sharing photos from the Resort 2025 collection shoot. “Had so much fun shooting inside the Eiffel Tower herself!” she wrote in the caption.

It was not Al-Zuhair’s first collaboration with Balmain. She previously walked for the brand during Paris Fashion Week in September.


Saudi streetwear brand 1886 lands in Paris

Updated 23 July 2025
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Saudi streetwear brand 1886 lands in Paris

DUBAI: Saudi streetwear brand 1886 has landed in Paris with a pop-up outpost at luxury department store Galeries Lafayette.

Set to run until Sept. 1, the temporary store is showcasing a limited capsule collection at the department store on Boulevard Haussmann.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by 1886 (@my_1886)

After international streetwear experienced a boom in 2016 with brands like Supreme and Off-White taking the market by storm, Saudi entrepreneurs Fahad Al-Jomiah and Khalid Al-Jammaz took advantage and launched the Kingdom’s “first streetwear brand.”

The label, 1886, was launched in the duo’s dorm rooms in London and is now one of the trendiest in the Saudi market, with runway collections presented at Riyadh Fashion Week.

“For two students living in London at that time, that was such an inspiring and creative moment,” Al-Jomiah and Al-Jammaz told Arab News in a previous interview. “Even though our background is not in fashion, we felt it was the right time to bring together our passion for music, art, urban trends and street movements into a brand that could translate our own vision as Saudis.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by 1886 (@my_1886)

1886 is “focused on originality, individuality, and culturally infused style, 1886 pieces are designed to challenge conventions and spark conversation,” according to a released statement. The duo work at incorporating technology and progressive design to offer products such as joggers, hoodies, T-shirts, dresses and accessories that are contemporary and durable.

The label is one of a handful of Saudi brands making waves at international luxury department stories, with Honayda Serafi becoming the first designer from the Kingdom to be displayed at luxury London department store Harrods in 2022. In June of this year, the Saudi Fashion Commission teamed up with the Cultural Development Fund and London’s high-end department store Selfridges to showcase crafts and fashion items from the Kingdom.


Zuhair Murad continues Hollywood premiere streak

Updated 22 July 2025
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Zuhair Murad continues Hollywood premiere streak

DUBAI: Lebanese designer-to-the-stars Zuhair Murad continues to dress Hollywood’s TV and silver screen actors, with the likes of Krysten Ritter and Maria Gabriela De Faria donning his designs on the red carpet as of late.

For her part, US actress Ritter hit the red carpet at the premiere of TV series “Dexter Resurrection” in New York in a black high neck gown with silver star detailing from Murad’s ready-to-wear pre-fall 2025 collection.

US actress Krysten Ritter hit the red carpet at the premiere of TV series “Dexter Resurrection” in New York in a black high neck gown with silver star detailing from Zuhair Murad’s ready-to-wear pre-fall 2025 collection. (Getty Images)

Earlier this month, Venezuelan star De Faria attended the Los Angeles premiere of “Superman” in a black sequined gown with a high neckline and chiffon cape from the label’s fall 2025 collection.

“What a dream of a dress you guys gave me,” De Faria commented on the fashion house’s Instagram post about the gown this week.

Murad seems to have been heavily involved in the “Superman” press tour, dressing lead star Rachel Brosnahan for the Rio de Janeiro premiere in late June.

She wore a floor-length dress crafted from sheer navy blue fabric, adorned with geometric beadwork and sequins. The design featured a structured, plunging neckline with wide shoulder straps. The fitted bodice extended into a subtly flared mermaid-style skirt. 

Brosnahan takes on the role of Lois Lane in the upcoming film, directed by James Gunn. 

Since founding his brand in 1997, Murad has gained international attention. His creations have been worn by celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Sofia Vergara, Kristen Stewart and Scarlett Johansson on major red carpets.

He is one of a handful of Arab designers on the official Paris Fashion Week and Paris Haute Couture Week calendars.

Murad was recently championed by British Lebanese actress Razane Jammal, who wore a black gown featuring a plunging neckline and tie detail at the waist from the designer’s ready-to-wear Pre-Fall 2025 collection to the launch of the Panthere de Cartier collection in Istanbul in June.

In April, American actress Blake Lively and singer songwriter Nicole Scherzinger both wore Zuhair Murad designs to the 2025 Time 100 Gala.

Lively opted for a pink taffeta off-the-shoulder gown with a corseted bodice and train detail from Murad’s Spring 2025 ready-to-wear collection. Scherzinger chose a black off-the-shoulder sequined gown from the designer’s Pre-Fall 2025 ready-to-wear collection.


Elie Saab’s son ties the knot in star-studded Lebanon wedding

Updated 19 July 2025
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Elie Saab’s son ties the knot in star-studded Lebanon wedding

DUBAI: Lebanese designer Elie Saab’s son, Celio Saab, tied the knot this week with Zein Qutami in a lavish, star-studded ceremony in Lebanon.

The Jordanian bride, who is based in Abu Dhabi, wore two custom-made gowns designed by her father-in-law.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ELIE SAAB (@eliesaabworld)

Her first look was a floor-length, long-sleeved gown featuring a fitted bodice, a full skirt and an extended train. The dress was adorned with intricate silver embroidery and embellishments, paired with a cathedral-length veil and a matching headpiece that echoed the gown’s ornate detailing.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ELIE SAAB (@eliesaabworld)

For her second look, she donned a champagne-toned gown with a deep V-neckline and vertical metallic embroidery. The design featured a dramatic overskirt and a long, matching veil.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ELIE SAAB (@eliesaabworld)

The wedding drew a high-profile guest list, with attendees including Nancy Ajram, Nadine Nassib Njeim, Jessica Azar, Karen Wazen, Assi El-Hallani, Balqees Fathi and Hande Ercel.


May Calamawy promotes Palestinian film’s North American run

Updated 13 July 2025
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May Calamawy promotes Palestinian film’s North American run

DUBAI: Egyptian Palestinian actress May Calamawy took to social media on Saturday to promote Palestinian film “To A Land Unknown.”

Distributed by Watermelon Pictures, the film is directed by Mahdi Fleifel and stars Angeliki Papoulia, Mahmoud Bakri, Manal Awad and Aram Sabbah.

Watermelon Pictures was co-founded by Alana Hadid. (File/Getty Images)

May Calamawy took to Instagram Stories to share news that “To A Land Unknown” is on a 40-screen cinema run in North America this month, including showings in New York, Houston and Vancouver.

“Reda and Chatila are two Palestinian cousins hustling their way through the underbelly of Athens pursuing their dream of making it to Germany. But as their hardship grows, so too does their desperation. When Chatila hatches a reckless all-or-nothing plan, it strains their bond and pushes the limits of what they will do for freedom,” the film’s logline reads.

The film was awarded the Silver Yusr Award December’s Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia.

Watermelon Pictures was co-founded by Alana Hadid, the sister of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid. Hadid — along with brothers Badie Ali and Hamza Ali — co-founded Watermelon Pictures, a production company with a mission to create compelling, impactful stories that resonate with global audiences.

“I was honored to be asked to be the creative director of Watermelon Pictures. I think it’s not only a passion project for Hamza and Badie, but it is an opportunity for Palestinians to have a place to go to tell their stories … I get emotional about it. I think it’s just one of the most beautiful things that people have a place where they can put their stories. And we know that we have a safe place for that,” Hadid previously told Arab News.

For her part, Calamawy is known for her roles in US Netflix series “Ramy” and “Moon Knight” (2022), where she plays dual characters Layla El-Faouly  and the Scarlet Scarab.

She made headlines in late 2024 when almost all her scenes were cut from Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” with fans taking to social media to complain.

Her casting in the film was first announced in May 2023.

At the time, Deadline reported that Scott had cast Calamawy after a lengthy search, writing: “While many of the leading roles were straight offers, Scott wanted to do a similar search he did for the (Paul) Mescal part for the role that Calamawy ultimately landed.”

However, fans noticed that in the final cut, which hit cinemas in November, Calamawy is only seen in passing and she has no dialogue.