DUBAI: Saudi-based Argentine model Georgina Rodriguez jetted to Paris this week to attend the Messika show at the city’s fashion week.
She wore an off-the-shoulder, form-fitting silver dress with a metallic finish and slight draping at the bust, complementing her look with silver pointed-toe heels, a glitzy diamond necklace and matching earrings.
Deema Al Asadi, Myriem Boukadida and Veronica Ferraro attended the Messika Paris Womenswear Spring-Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week. (Getty Images)
A host of other A-list celebrities attended the event, including Cardi B, Kelly Rutherford, Nina Dobrev, Cole Sprouse, Natalia Vodianova and Lucien Laviscount, alongside Arab luminaries including Emirati Yemeni singer Balqees Fathi, Egyptian actress Ghada Abdel Razik and Iraqi fashion influencer Deema Al-Asadi.
Emirati Yemeni singer Balqees Fathi was also in attendance. (Getty Images)
Also present was Tunisian model and actress Myriem Boukadida, who caught attention posing in a dark green oversized blazer featuring a plunging neckline, layered over a matching top and a flowy, sheer, calf-length skirt. Boukadida completed her ensemble with beige high-heeled shoes and subtle bracelets and earrings.
Moroccan Italian model Malika El-Maslouhi walked the runway. (Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Moroccan Italian model Malika El-Maslouhi walked the runway, donning a black outfit and accessorizing with a wide-brimmed hat, multiple layered necklaces featuring diamonds and turquoise, and matching statement earrings and rings.
Part-Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair stuns in bold Balmain showcase at Paris Fashion Week
Updated 1 min 56 sec ago
Arab News/AP
DUBAI: French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair is making waves at Paris Fashion Week, beginning with her appearance for Ganni and continuing with a striking presence at Balmain.
She showcased a structured gray blazer over a classic black T-shirt, complemented by vibrant red suede over-the-knee boots that added a bold pop of color. Her ensemble was completed with a neutral-toned shoulder bag and a striking gold pendant necklace.
Olivier Rousteing, the fashion designer and creative director of Balmain since 2011, delivered a collection that unapologetically fused boldness with a dose of camp.
Prints of half-painted women’s faces guided the eye down floor-length gowns, while disembodied eyes, lips, noses and nails formed the visual leitmotifs of the evening.
At its core, this collection’s identity hinged on the sculptural, almost scaffolded, shoulders — a signature of Balmain’s power dressing reimagined yet again. The effect extended to the hips in gold-striped chain mini-dresses, evoking an exaggerated 1980s glamor.
There were moments of pure fun and theatricality, such as a cream skirt with a 3D face peering out, a delightful nod to Rousteing’s penchant for surrealist humor. This playful audacity keeps the Balmain faithful coming back, even when some pieces falter under the weight of their own excess.
In many ways, this collection echoed themes in his archive: an obsession with exaggerated silhouettes, a love for sculptural shoulders, and a desire to embed his personal narrative into the fabric of his designs.
On Wednesday, Al-Zuhair walked the runway for Ganni in a dark grey, structured blazer styled with similarly colored tailored pants. Adding an artistic touch, the model also wore a large, ruffled pale blue scarf around her neck, which contrasted with the dark tones of the outfit.
Before her appearance in Paris, she had turned heads at Milan Fashion Week walking for Missoni.
There, she showcased a dynamic ensemble marked by bold, wavy stripes in black, white, and yellow. The look featured an asymmetrical top with exaggerated ruffled detailing cascading down one side, paired with a high-waisted bikini bottom. Vibrant yellow high-heeled sandals completed the outfit, adding an extra pop of color.
Palestinian-Chilean artist Elyanna will open for the band.
The 22-year-old has been a frequent collaborator of the group this year, joining the band on stage at their Glastonbury set. Last week, she released the Arabic edition of the band's new song “We Pray.” On Saturday, she performed with Coldplay in Las Vegas.
Promoters Live Nation Middle East confirmed Abu Dhabi will be the only stop in the region for the band.
Saudi artist Heba Ismail: ‘I see so much beauty in Arab culture in general’
The Saudi artist discusses ‘Hebaism,’ the term she has coined for her Picasso-influenced practice
Updated 27 September 2024
Rawaa Talass
DUBAI: Saudi artist Heba Ismail doesn’t lack ambition. “I want to be the second Picasso — the female Picasso,” she tells Arab News.
Born and raised in Jeddah in the Nineties, Ismail, who is also a qualified dentist, grew up in a household that valued art. Her father had lived in both Egypt and England and happily passed on his knowledge of art and history to his two children.
In their home, there was a copy of the famed Spanish artist Pablo Picasso’s 1937, black-and-white masterpiece “Guernica” — based on the devastating bombings of the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War. It left a strong impression on the young Ismail.
Heba Ismail, 'Alyah.' (Supplied)
“‘Guernica’ is so scary for a child,” she says. “We had a huge replica of it in our living room, taking over nearly half of the wall. I used to stare at it — and you can see and feel the fear in it. But, in a way, I also used to see beauty in it.”
Picasso’s radical cubist art has been a major influence on Ismail’s own practice, which she refers to as “Hebaism.” And despite the increasingly negative reports, and opinions, of the late Spanish artist as a person, Ismail is still inspired by his painting.
“I feel that all of us are full of flaws,” she says. “If you’re going to dig deep into any role model in history, you’re going to find a lot of bad stuff about them; I know Picasso was controversial (because of) how he treated women.
'Floral man.' (Supplied)
“I love being a pioneer — being the first one to do something. I love that Picasso made his cubism art movement. It was so out-of-the-box and that’s what I admire about him,” she continues. “He was creating something out of nothing. When realist artists made art, they drew something as they saw it — it already existed. Picasso drew something out of nothing. It was a form of creation.”
Ismail works mostly with painting, producing maximalist, thick-lined, angular portraits of people often dressed in traditional Saudi (and Arab) clothing or featuring local props and motifs, such as scarves and coffee cups.
“I am very proud of my Saudi heritage,” she says. “I see so much beauty in Arab culture in general. I want my work to speak to all Arabs, not just Saudis.”
On closer inspection, many of Ismail’s works can be read as psychological studies too, exuding tension and confusion.
'Shamikh.' (Supplied)
“When I’m painting, I try to create characters out of nothing. I want something that is not from reality, something from another realm. That’s why I respect Picasso’s art. He’s not painting something he is seeing; he’s painting something he is feeling,” she explains. “Art pieces shouldn’t tell you how to think, they should tell you how to feel. When people perceive my art, I want it to help them process their feelings. It’s kind of therapeutic in a way.
“I consider my art as my personal diary,” she continues. “Some of my paintings are close to my heart, telling a personal story of a traumatic experience or a feeling — either joy or sadness — that I had. A person’s life is not going to be all rainbows and butterflies.”
Ismail divides her time between art and medicine, two opposite fields that fascinate her. “I lose track of time and I’m always happy painting. Unlike dentistry, I don’t consider it work,” she says. “I always had a knack for art. I loved to draw in school books and I used to do graffiti in school. I’ve wanted to be an artist since I was a baby, but I had to have another career.
'Autumn leaves.' (Supplied)
“I loved medicine as well. There’s a weird connection between art and medicine: Leonardo da Vinci used to do anatomical drawings. I chose dentistry because it’s a skill that I can do with my hands. I love working with my hands. I felt there was something artistic about dentistry, which requires delicate and artistic hands. When I was studying dentistry, I put art to the side, but even my notebooks were full of sketches.”
As a youngster, Ismail attended art classes at Darat Safeya Binzagr, a multi-purpose and influential cultural center in Jeddah founded by Saudi artist Safeya Binzagr, who died this month. “May she rest in peace,” says Ismail. “She truly was the only one who was thinking about nurturing artistic talent for Saudis.”
Heba Ismail. (Supplied)
Ismail’s work will next be publicly shown in a group show, “Modernity Roots,” which runs at the Bilory ArtHaus in Jeddah from Sept. 29 to Nov. 15. She is making a name for herself in the Kingdom with her works (which she describes as “not for everyone, not everyone will understand them”), which have been purchased by Saudi clients and attracted the attention of brands keen to work with her, including major fashion retailer Shein and luxury manufacturing company Kohler. But her ambitions stretch far beyond the boundaries of her homeland.
“Honestly, I want to put my art on the map, worldwide. I want my paintings to be in the auction houses Christie’s, Philips and Sotheby’s,” she says. “I don’t consider it a dream, but a goal. I want to make history as a Saudi woman.”
Recipes for Success: Chef Saud Aljadhi offers advice and a recipe for mataziz
Updated 27 September 2024
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: From being a young boy helping his mother prepare Ramadan meals to becoming a sous chef at The Ritz-Carlton Riyadh Palace, Saud Aljadhi’s journey is one of perseverance, passion and overcoming the odds.
Aljadhi always had a passion for cooking, he says. He would help to prepare salads and soups in his family home near Riyadh.
In 2014, he launched a food truck business, serving burgers. Its success prompted him to quit his job at the Ministry of Education and pursue cooking full-time.
Saudi National Day cake. (Supplied)
“I honestly lost a lot — whether financially or socially — but it was all for my passion,” Aljadhi tells Arab News. “It was a one-man show. I was operating alone.”
Aljadhi’s ambitions led him abroad, first to Canada to study at George Brown College, then to Australia, where he was balancing his studies at Victoria University with working at restaurants while raising his child as a single father.
“I would drop my son off at kindergarten every morning before going to work. It was quite the challenge,” he recalls. “But I got help from my colleagues, many of whom were single parents as well.”
Despite challenges like the devastating fires in Australia in 2019, earthquakes, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Aljadhi’s determination never wavered. He returned to Saudi Arabia in 2022 and landed a position at The Ritz-Carlton Riyadh, fulfilling a long-held dream.
Chorisia Restaurant. (Supplied)
“I used to say I would come to The Ritz-Carlton and be a sous chef,” he says. “I even have a video from over 10 years ago where I made that promise to myself when I was at the hotel. And today, I’m where I dreamed to be.
“It’s nice to reach your dreams and goals in life. It makes me extremely happy,” he continues. “But I still have a lot of ambitions, and I’m working on a plan to achieve them.”
Breaking through societal stereotypes as a Saudi male chef, Aljadhi has earned respect and recognition for his accomplishments. “In our tribe, it wasn’t even allowed to work this job,” he shares. “But now, society accepts me after all that I’ve achieved. It has even become a trend now to be a chef.”
However, he points out, it’s not an easy job.
“People think chefs just cook, but that’s not true. A chef is like a physician, chemist, mathematician, and engineer all in one. For example, right now, I’m working on a cake that’s three by two meters for Saudi National Day. My team and I are measuring everything down to the millimeter. We’re even manufacturing custom molds that aren’t available in the market just to get this cake built. This job isn’t easy — it requires creativity and precision. Just like an engineer builds a building, we as chefs are building a plate and a dish.”
Here, Aljadhi discusses local cuisine, his favorite dish to cook, and his management style.
When you were starting out, what was the most common mistake you made?
My cutting technique was all wrong. How you hold a knife and cut is so important — it really affects the dish. For example, it can change the ratio of leachate in your ingredients. I used to cut my fingers a lot — I have plenty of scars to prove it. But once I learned the proper technique, everything changed. Now, the first thing I teach my Saudi trainees is how to handle a knife properly.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Specialize in what you love. That’s where you’ll really excel. Find your passion — it might be pastry or baking — and go after it. Focus on what you love and you’ll never get bored.
Moflaq Hasawi at AlOrjouan. (Supplied)
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
When it comes to local dishes, ghee is the magic ingredient. As soon as you add it, the dish instantly gets better. We use it in so many things — kabsa, jareesh, and many other dishes. Authentic, local ghee especially has such a unique flavor. And for spices, coriander is my go-to. It works with so many dishes — falafel, kabsa, molokhiya, you name it. It just adds that extra something.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
I’m really detail-oriented. For example, I love going to Italian restaurants, but I always notice the little things. If a fork or plate is missing from the table, especially in a fine-dining setting, it makes me feel like I’m not welcome. It might annoy the people I’m with, but I can’t help paying attention to those details. When you’re paying for a meal, you expect everything to be perfect. One thing that really stands out to me is how the flavors in the same dish can sometimes change. Maybe they switched the type of cheese or used a different supplier—whatever it is, I can tell right away. Consistency is key in the restaurant business. If the quality starts to vary, it can really hurt the restaurant. Customers expect the same great dish every time, and if that slips, it can cost the business in the long run.
What’s the most-common issue that you find in other restaurants?
Many don’t really understand how much revenue they’re actually bringing in. Not many people seem interested in learning how that financial flow works, even though there’s a lot of government support available to help with it.
When you go out to eat, what’s your favorite dish to order?
Neopolitan pizza. I’m actually opening my own pizza business, focused on making authentic pizza, just like in Italy. I learned from the best at a restaurant in Melbourne that’s been specializing in pizza for over 70 years. They taught me how to make pizza, pasta, and tiramisu the traditional way. It’s surprisingly simple, but it’s all about doing it the right way, starting with making the dough from scratch just like the Italians do.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
Something like what I had for dinner last night — steak with asparagus, broccoli and cherry tomatoes. It doesn’t even take five minutes. I just sear the steak for two minutes on each side to get it medium-rare, toss the veggies in the pan, and that’s it. Bon appétit!
What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?
I really love making pizza. I let the dough rest for three days to get it just right, and I take great care of it during that time. Everyone knows that when the weekend rolls around, it’s pizza time. I have pretty high standards for my pizza, so I always use the best quality ingredients. It makes all the difference.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?
I honestly think Saudi dishes are some of the hardest to make because they take so much time. For example, margoog can take two to three hours, and jareesh can take up to five hours. Sure, you could make them faster, but the flavor just wouldn’t be the same. Kabsa is probably the easiest local dish to make, but even that takes about an hour and a half before you’re ready to eat.
As a leader, what are you like?
I love working in a positive, happy environment, and I try to bring that energy to the team. I make sure everyone is happy and satisfied. Of course, when mistakes happen, there are times when I can get frustrated. The first time, I’ll address it kindly. But if the same issue keeps happening, especially when it comes to hygiene, I might get a little irritated. I have to be sharp sometimes because, at the end of the day, I’m the manager.
When things do get stressful, I do my best to motivate the team and lighten the mood. I want them to present food with joy, not just treat it like another task. They can all cook, but if the food isn’t made with love, it won’t taste as good. The flavor just won’t be there.
Chef Saud’s mataziz recipe
INGREDIENTS
For the lamb broth:
900g lamb (shoulder or leg, cut into pieces); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 3 carrots, cubed; 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1L meat or vegetable stock; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; salt and pepper to taste; fresh parsley or dill for garnish.
For the mataziz dough: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; 1 cup warm water (adjust as needed); 2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
For the lamb broth:
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb pieces and leave until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion until soft, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Return the browned lamb to the pan. Add the carrots, potatoes, and stock.
4. Stir in the cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until the lamb is tender.
For the mataziz dough:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Gradually add warm water and mix until a dough forms.
2. Knead on a floured surface for about 5-10 minutes until smooth. Add olive oil for extra flavor and softness, if desired.
3. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This helps to relax the gluten.
4. Divide the dough into small balls (about the size of a golf ball).
5. Roll each ball out on a floured surface until very thin (about 1/8 inch thick) and cut to size for the dish.
6. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Cook each rolled out dough for 4-8 minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through. They should be slightly puffed.
SERVING
Presentation is always an opportunity to show your creativity. My only advice is to reflect nature on the plate. Start with a circle of mataziz dough in the middle as a base for all the vegetables. Don’t forget to add black lemon as it gives a different flavor to the dish. Create a garden around it using meat broth. Add the lamb and add your touch of dill or coriander. The dish should be served hot.
Three highlights from Nabil Anani’s ‘The Land and I’ at Zawyeh Gallery
Updated 27 September 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Here are three highlights from Nabil Anani’s ‘The Land and I,’ which runs at Zawyeh Gallery in Dubai from Sept. 29 until Jan. 12.
‘The Herd’
The latest solo exhibition from the octogenarian Ramallah-based artist features a host of new works, the central focus of which is, as the name suggests, the land. But his colorful landscape paintings are not realistic portrayals of Ramallah and Palestine, rather they celebrate the country that Nabil dreams of — one in harmony with “nature, without checkpoints, cement barriers, or settlements,” as the gallery explains in the show brochure.
‘Kafr Qaddum’
For Anani, the brochure states, “the Palestinian land is not just a background, but an active participant in the narration of the story of Palestine that concludes with emancipation.” His paintings, it continues, “show an organic relationship between Palestinians and nature, one that has been disrupted by occupation.”
‘Zayta’
These portrayals of idyllic pastoral scenes serve, according to the brochure, “as a meditation and reimagination of Palestine as a living being, something that breathes and moves, reflecting a strong bond between the geography and the people. (Anani) erases the borders between the people and the landscape they live in, making them one unit with a shared history, present, and future. For him, the land is a witness to the Palestinian struggle.”
