Moroccan label Casablanca steps in to help Africans fleeing Ukraine
Updated 11 March 2022
Arab News
DUBAI: Moroccan-helmed label Casablanca has pledged to donate all proceeds from sales on its website this weekend to help Africans fleeing Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion.
In a statement on its Instagram account on Thursday, the Paris-based label said: “Throughout the growth of Casablanca, our ambition is to support as many people in need as we can, on every level. Globally, many countries and people are in need of critical help as a repercussion of countless unnecessary wars and conflicts.”
The post added: “We stand for love, compassion and acceptance. The people of Ukraine face an unbelievable battle, and this weekend we pledge to donate profits from CasablancaParis.com to ensure the safety of Africans leaving Ukraine.”
Casablanca, founded by Charaf Tajer, is known for its use of luxury silk and cashmere in clothing inspired by Tajer’s Moroccan roots.
Authors, screenwriters sign letter calling Gaza war a ‘genocide’
Updated 3 min 52 sec ago
Arab News
DUBAI: Members of the literary community including Zadie Smith, Ian McEwan, Russell T Davies, Hanif Kureishi, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and George Monbiot are among 380 writers and organizations who have signed an open letter condemning Israel’s war on Gaza, describing it as genocidal and calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The letter, also signed by William Dalrymple, Jeanette Winterson, Brian Eno, Kate Mosse, Irvine Welsh and Elif Shafak, states: “The use of the words ‘genocide’ or ‘acts of genocide’ to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organizations.”
The writers are urging the UN to ensure the free and immediate delivery of food and medical supplies to Gaza, alongside a ceasefire “which guarantees safety and justice for all Palestinians, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the release of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners arbitrarily held in Israeli jails.”
They add that if the Israeli government fails to comply with the demand for a ceasefire, sanctions should be enforced.
The letter, organized by writers Horatio Clare, Kapka Kassabova and Monique Roffey also says that Palestinians “are not the abstract victims of an abstract war. Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible. Too often, too, the right words – the ones that mattered – have been eradicated, along with those who might have written them.”
The term “genocide” “is not a slogan,” it adds. “It carries legal, political and moral responsibilities.”
DUBAI: French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair returned to the runway this week when she walked in Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry collection show, held at Bellver Castle on the island of Majorca, Spain.
Al-Zuhair reshared a video posted by Dubai-based Iraqi model and influencer Dima Al-Sheikhly, who shared her runway moment with the caption: “Wait for it… our beautiful Amira Al-Zuhair.”
The model wore a strapless white gown featuring a fitted bodice and a soft, flowing skirt. (Instagram)
It marks her return to the runway after she hit the catwalk at the amfAR gala in Cannes in May, before which she walked for Australian label Zimmermann at Paris Fashion Week in March.
For Louis Vuitton, the model wore a strapless white gown featuring a fitted bodice and a soft, flowing skirt. The dress was detailed with cascading ruffles outlined in dark trim, which ran down the front and sides.
Al-Zuhair wore bold, sculptural necklace composed of three gold bands arranged in a layered choker style. (Instagram)
For the jewelry, Al-Zuhair wore bold, sculptural necklace composed of three gold bands arranged in a layered choker style. One band was set with a row of vivid yellow diamonds, while the other two boasted a twisted, rope-like texture. At the center, a large round yellow diamond pendant was suspended beneath a striking white diamond.
Al-Zuhair also walked Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry show in Saint-Tropez last year.
She wore an intricate chunky choker that featured a wide, structured design with a lattice-like pattern in gold, adorned with numerous diamonds. The focal point of the necklace was a large yellow gemstone, which added contrast to the overall design.
This week, 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.
In one of the images, Al-Zuhair donned a strapless denim mini dress paired with two matching denim handbags and calf-high black boots.
In the second image, she wore a black sequined two-piece outfit, featuring a crop top and a high-waisted skirt. The design incorporates gold and silver embellishments, with the top featuring the word “L’aime.”
This is not Al-Zuhair’s first collaboration with Balmain. She previously walked for the brand during Paris Fashion Week in September.
Al-Zuhair, born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, has made her mark on the fashion world and has appeared on the runway for an array of renowned fashion houses such as Missoni, Maison Alaia, Brunello Cucinelli, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and more.
Paul Mescal spotlights Palestinian doc ‘No Other Land’
Updated 28 May 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: While promoting his latest film, “The History of Sound,” at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Irish actor Paul Mescal took a moment to spotlight the Palestinian documentary “No Other Land.”
In a heartfelt statement, Mescal shared his experience watching the film in a packed Brooklyn theater, expressing profound upset over its limited distribution. He emphasized the importance of amplifying Palestinian voices and stories, highlighting the film's portrayal of the destruction of Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank.
“I remember sitting there in a packed-out theater in Brooklyn and just being so profoundly upset that the film hadn’t, at that point, I still don’t know if it has received distribution there. Having a cultural moment like that with a film like that, which is so wildly upsetting to see in a room. The story that I feel like needed to be told the most was being censored, it felt like almost. And the feeling in the room was one of great fear and sadness and it felt like the film was bigger than the four walls in which we were watching it,” he said.
“No Other Land,” the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military, won the Oscar for best documentary earlier this year.
The film’s co-directors, Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham used their speeches to call for an end to the “ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”
The film follows activist Adra as he risks arrest to document the destruction of his hometown, which Israeli soldiers are tearing down to use as a military training zone.
Nikki Glaser wears Yara Shoemaker at American Music Awards
Updated 27 May 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: US actress and comedian Nikki Glaser attended the American Music Awards this week wearing a black midi dress by US label Yara Shoemaker, founded by Syrian-born designer Yara.
Nikki Glaser completed the look with classic black patent leather pointed-toe stilettos. (Getty Images)
The form-fitting dress featured a lace-up corset detail at the front, with thick straps, a deep sweetheart neckline and metal eyelets that cinched the waist. She completed the look with classic black patent leather pointed-toe stilettos.
The designer also featured at the Cannes Film Festival last week, with part-Saudi model Shanina Shaik and US German model and TV personality Heidi Klum both wearing her creations.
Shaik opted for a two-texture gown featuring a sculpted, strapless corset-style bodice in ivory ribbed fabric. The silhouette flared slightly at the hips and flowed into a floor-length skirt of sheer embroidered lace adorned with beadwork and sequins.
Meanwhile, Klum wore a black strapless gown with a corset-style bodice embellished with black sequins and intricate beadwork. The dress flowed into a sheer floor-length skirt decorated with delicate black appliqué motifs. She completed the look with a voluminous black feathered cape draped over her arms.
The American Music Awards saw “Birds of a Feather” singer Billie Eilish named Artist of the Year, beating Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and others nominees for the top honor. Eilish won all seven categories in which she was nominated, including Album of the Year and Favorite Touring Artist.
“This is so crazy. I feel speechless,” she said in a video message from Europe, where she is currently on tour. “I wish I could be there tonight.”
Gracie Abrams was named New Artist of the Year, while SZA earned awards for Favorite Female R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Song for “Saturn.” Becky G won Favorite Female Latin Artist.
Many of the big names nominated for awards did not attend. One such absentee was Beyonce, who claimed Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album for “Cowboy Carter,” her first AMA wins in country categories.
Post Malone was named Favorite Male Country Artist.
Saudi Pavilion at Osaka Expo wins New York Architectural Design Awards
Updated 27 May 2025
Arab News Japan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai was awarded the Gold Prize in the Cultural Architecture in the Interactive and Experiential Spaces category by the New York Architectural Design Awards.
The prize recognizes the pavilion’s design and architecture, which offers visitors an immersive experience and insight into Saudi Arabia’s heritage.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the pavilion was spearheaded by the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission and was led by CEO Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman and Project Manager Fatima Al-Doukhi. It was also designed by the renowned global firm Foster + Partners.
The design highlights the cultural similarities between the kingdom and Japan, while focusing on sustainability, employing passive cooling strategies enhanced by the strategic placement of structural blocks to facilitate wind movement.
The pavilion features low-carbon materials, energy-efficient lighting and solar energy technologies, SPA reported. It also features Braille signage and pathways for visitors with disabilities, making the building accessible and inclusive.
Saudi Arabia’s pavilion has already attracted over half a million visitors since its launch on April 13.
It has also hosted over 175 events, including cultural performances, business events, media and over 400 VIP delegations.
