Flormar seeks to expand Saudi footprint to meet growing demand in beauty market
Updated 22 sec ago
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: Skincare and makeup brand Flormar is planning to triple the number of its stores in Saudi Arabia over the next four to five years to meet the demand of a burgeoning and increasingly competitive market.
Established in Milan, Italy, in the late 1950s, the company is now headquartered in Turkiye. Arab News spoke to CEO Matthieu Gomart about why he is so keen to increase the brand’s presence — currently 25 outlets — in the Kingdom.
“The beauty market in the Middle East — and specifically in Saudi Arabia — is quite dynamic,” he explained. “They have double-digit growth, making it one of our most exciting markets.”
Flormar has undergone something of a transformation in recent years, refining its product lines and formulations to appeal to a broader, more discerning audience.
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Gomart said the brand’s approach has evolved to focus “on high-quality makeup at affordable prices” that aligned with skincare and ethical beauty trends.
The company’s clean and vegan products, designed to enhance skin health, have been particularly well-received among Saudi consumers, he added, noting an increasing appetite for natural ingredients and skin-friendly formulations.
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It is a trend highlighted by panelists at Riyadh’s Hia Hub beauty conference in October. Industry insiders, such as Chalhoub Group president Patrick Chalhoub, told Arab News the under-30 demographic “use skincare products more frequently and are willing to experiment with innovative products, even with brands that are not necessarily very popular.”
With an entire conference dedicated to growing the Kingdom’s skincare market, it is no wonder Flormar has identified it as a target segment.
Lindsay Lohan stuns in New York wearing Zuhair Murad
Updated 1 min 14 sec ago
Arab News
DUBAI: Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan has been in New York City this week showing off pieces by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.
The actress appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in an outfit from the designer’s Resort 2025 ready-to-wear collection which included a black, long-sleeved top with structured shoulders and silver jeweled detailing down one side. The ensemble was completed with a matching black skirt, paired with black heels.
Lohan also attended the premiere of the romantic comedy “Our Little Secret” alongside her husband, Kuwaiti financier Bader Shammas, choosing a black gown from Murad’s Spring/Summer 2025 ready-to-wear collection. The sleeveless dress featured a plunging neckline with two statement crystal-embellished motifs at the midriff.
The flowing skirt incorporated sheer panels and she topped off the look with open-toe black heels and subtle jewelry, with her hair in soft waves.
Lohan also attended the premiere of the romantic comedy “Our Little Secret” alongside her husband, Kuwaiti financier Bader Shammas. (Getty Images)
“Our Little Secret,” due for release on Netflix on Nov. 27, tells the story of Avery (Lohan) who is planning to spend Christmas with her boyfriend’s family. Things take an unexpected turn when she discovers that ex-boyfriend Logan (played by Ian Harding) is also joining the festivities, as it transpires their current partners are siblings. Avery and Logan must navigate the holiday while ensuring their former relationship remains a secret.
Meanwhile, Murad has made headlines elsewhere this week, dressing various other Hollywood celebrities.
Jennifer Lopez, a longtime admirer of his work, attended the 2024 Governors Awards on Sunday in a black and silver dress featuring a sheer bodice, intricate beadwork and a high neckline with layered embellishments as she. The waist was accented with crystal-embellished motifs, and the outfit included a black velvet train.
Last week, over to the premiere of “Wicked” in Los Angeles, Lopez walked the red carpet in a halter gown with gemstone embellishments and side cut-outs from Murad’s Spring/Summer 2024 couture line.
This week, Argentine model and actress Eva De Dominici also opted for a Murad gown at the Los Angeles premiere of her comedy-drama, “The Uninvited.” She wore a silk and suede gown featuring lace cut-outs from the designer’s Fall 2024 ready-to-wear collection.
Arabs cheer on newly crowned Miss Universe Victoria Kjaer Theilvig
Updated 18 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Arabs around the world congratulated Victoria Kjaer Theilvig who was crowned Miss Universe 2024 on Sunday, becoming the first contestant from Denmark to achieve the honor.
The dancer, entrepreneur, and animal rights activist beat out more than 120 contestants in the pageant's 73rd edition held in Mexico City, two years after she visited the UAE and posed for snaps in Dubai’s desert surroundings on holiday.
X user Asia Alwasity echoed several other commentors who praised Theilvig’s apparent lack of cosmetic surgery. “She deserves it, she is a natural beauty with no cosmetic surgeries done,” she wrote in Arabic.
Another X commentor, @goodluck11974, wrote in Arabic, “Her beauty is wow, her face reminds us of the old natural beauty with no fillers or surgeries.”
Many social media users commented on Theilvig’s “exceptional beauty,” inside and out.
“Beauty is not just about looks, but about a strong, confident personality, and this beauty embodies these in every detail,” wrote X user @alzhrany60092.
Dressed in a pink glittering gown, the 21-year-old from Soborg was crowned by Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua, in Mexico City on Sunday.
Crafted by Jewelmer, the crown features golden South Sea pearls, the national gem of the Philippines. Named the “Lumiere de l’Infini) tiara, the crown displays a radiant sunburst motif at its heart.
First runner-up was Chidimma Adetshina, a law student representing Nigeria, followed by Maria Fernanda Beltran of Mexico, Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand, and Ileana Marquez of Venezuela.
An avid traveller, Thielvig seems to enjoy visiting cities across the world — including Dubai in the UAE. In January 2023, she took to Instagram to post a picture of herself posing on a dune buggy in the vast deserts of Dubai. “
Adventure in the desert,” she captioned the post, along with a camel emoji.
‘Fictional Landscapes’ exhibition brings together 28 women artists in Dubai
Updated 18 November 2024
Saffiya Ansari
DUBAI: Set to run until Dec. 15, art exhibition “Fictional Landscapes” features the work of 28 women artists from across the world at Foundry Downtown Dubai in the UAE.
The show brings together creatives from the UAE, Russia, Iran, Armenia, India, Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Iceland, the US and beyond in a bid to explore the commonalities between women’s experiences.
Led by a three-person curatorial team — Nadine Khalil, Alisa Bagdonaite, and Serafima Kostrova — organizers made a point of working with women-led galleries.
The show “offers a platform for voices that have historically been underrepresented, particularly women artists interpreting landscapes through their own cultural lens,” Bagdonaite told Arab News, adding that the project aims to “(amplify) 28 women’s voices in a way that is recognized on a global scale.”
The exhibition features both established and emerging artists, including Anna Afonina, Maryam Ashkanian, Mary Badalian, Anna Fobia, Anna Komarova, Liudmila Konstantinova, Taisia Korotkova, Olya Kroytor, Lilia Li-Mi-Yan and Katherina Sadovsky, Katerina Lukina, Oksana Mas, Almagul Menlibayeva, Irina Nakhova, Lisa Olshanskaya, Alexandra Paperno, Vasilisa Palianina, Lidia Russkova-Hasaya, Diana Shliman, Sofya Skidan, Olga Tatarintsev, Irina Zatulovskaya, and Asia Zaslavskaya well as UAE-based artists Richi Bhatia, Olia Breva, Sophiya Khwaja, Sara Masinaei, and Fatima Uzdenova.
“Despite the varied geographical and socio-political backgrounds of the artists showcased in ‘Fictional Landscapes,’ a shared resonance emerges, creating a cohesive narrative that transcends individual origins,” Bagdonaite said.
Through a range of media, including textile, video, painting, and performance, “Fictional Landscapes” explores how environments extend beyond physical terrains to embody mental and emotional spaces shaped by memory, identity, and migration.
“(We) prioritized diversity in artistic medium and perspective, selecting artists from various regions who engage in both traditional and innovative forms … the artists were not only chosen for their aesthetic contributions but also for their commitment to examining challenging topics like migration, identity, changing landscapes and gender dynamics, all through the lens of womanhood and resilience,” Bagdonaite explained.
“What is so pertinent in ‘Fictional Landscapes’ is that the artists’ works collectively evokes a conversation around mutual discovery and understanding, enabling a richer, more intriguing experience,” she added.
When asked to share a particular piece that resonated with her, Bagdonaite pointed to Alexandra Paperno’s “Canceled Constellations.”
“(It) represents constellations that were once recognized and named but later ‘canceled’ by the International Astronomical Union in 1922. This project speaks to the human tendency to draw boundaries — even in the stars — while also reminding us of what remains beyond our control and unites us all.”
DOHA: A three-month art and architecture exhibition in Doha featuring the works of renowned Pakistanis from the 1940s to the present highlights the South Asian country’s diverse art scene and brings the evolution of art and architecture in the region to a global audience.
Titled “Manzar,” which can be translated from Urdu to mean scene, view, landscape or perspective, the exhibition includes more than 200 paintings, drawings, photographs, videos, sculptures, installations, tapestries and miniatures from celebrated Pakistani artists. It has been organized by an Art Mill Museum team and will run at the National Museum of Qatar until Jan. 31, 2025.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and his sister, Sheikha Al Mayassa Al-Thani, inaugurated the exhibition in Doha last week.
“Pakistan’s art scene is less well known in the world compared to other art scenes and for us art historians it is absolutely fascinating to be able to share it with the world,” Caroline Hancock, senior curator of modern and contemporary art at the Art Mill Museum, told Arab News.
“We wanted to recount an expansive notion of this place, not limited by drawn and imposed borders, but true to the porosity and transnational interconnections of cultural expressions (in Pakistan).”
‘Flowers: Gardens of Paradise’ (2021) by Hamra Abbas at the ‘Manzar’ exhibition at Qatar Museums in Doha, Qatar. (Courtesy of Kuzey Kaya Buzlu)
Zarmeene Shah, director of graduate studies at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in Karachi, the co-curator for Manzar, described the exhibition as “exceptionally significant.”
“Because we never see such a body of noteworthy work come together in a single space, as most of these artworks live in private collections, inaccessible to the public, which is why Manzar offers an incomparable opportunity for audiences to engage with these masterpieces, and to explore how art and architecture have responded to, and reshaped, the nation’s social and political narratives,” Shah told Arab News.
“Our aim is to start a conversation and not provide a definitive showcase.”
The exhibition, designed by eminent Pakistani architect Raza Ali Dada, integrates architecture and art to chart the thought processes, resistance struggles and achievements of the artistic and architectural community of the South Asian country.
The exhibition runs thematically and opens with works by pioneering artists such as Abdur Rahman Chughtai and Zainul Abedin, who produced stellar works of art during British colonial rule from 1858-1947 and continued after Pakistan was born as a separate nation out of united India.
A video installation titled ‘Disruption as Rapture’ by Shahzia Sikander (2016), displayed at the ‘Manzar’ exhibition at the National Museum of Qatar in Doha. (Kuzey Kaya Buzlu)
Indeed, the partition of 1947 is a significant theme for many Pakistani artists at the exhibition, including Anna Molka Ahmed, Zarina and Bani Abidi. The exhibition also features the aesthetic experiments of artists such as Shakir Ali, Zubeida Agha, Murtaja Baseer and Sadequain, whose deeply personal modes of expression are rooted in the vibrant urban centers of Karachi, Lahore, Dhaka, and the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, which embody diverse artistic responses to historical and cultural shifts in the region.
Zahoor Ul-Akhlaq, Imran Mir and Rasheed Araeen — known for their multidisciplinary approaches, involvement in educational initiatives, and theoretical writings challenging Western art history and traditions at home and internationally — are also featured, as are influential figures of different generations such as Salima Hashmi, Quddus Mirza, Lala Rukh, Aisha Khalid and Durriya Kazi.
Important diaspora artists whose work is part of the exhibition include Naiza Khan in London, Ruby Chishti, Huma Bhabha, Iftikhar and Elizabeth Dadi and Salman Toor in New York, Bani Abidi in Berlin, Basir Mahmood in Amsterdam, Seher Shah in Barcelona and Khadim Ali in Sydney.
The exhibition also sheds light on contributions by foreign architects who reshaped Pakistan’s landscape and articulated the ambitions of its institutions through landmark projects. These include French artist Michel Ecochard, who designed the first university in the southern city of Karachi, and Greek artist Konstantínos Doxiadis, the lead architect who planned Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.
Manzar also explores Pakistan’s engagement with the debate on regionalism in architecture through the works of influential architects such as Nayyar Ali Dada and Kamil Khan Mumtaz from Lahore, alongside Yasmeen Lari, Habib Fida Ali, and Arif Hasan from Karachi.
The exhibition extends to the courtyard of the Palace of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani with a range of outdoor and indoor installations, as well as a film and video program. Renowned architect Yasmeen Lari, who works in the intersection of architecture and social justice, has exhibited bamboo shelters designed as emergency open-source housing for flood victims, in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan.
Additionally, the art collective Karachi LaJamia is exhibiting a project addressing the environmental crisis in the province of Sindh. Many of these contemporary projects emphasize the themes of sustainability and ecology, reflecting a growing urgency to address environmental issues through art and architecture.
“Manzar is an exhibition that truly reflects how everyone from the discourse of art and architecture seem in constant conversation, in dialogue about the environment, either the political environment or the ecological environment,” Karachi-based architect Marvi Mazhar said during a panel discussion, saying Manzar had brought into the spotlight the political and ecological changes the region has undergone through the decades.
“We have always faced heartbreaks, be it the partition, or the formation of East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh) or other movements such as the politics of land and water. Yet historically we collectively ride the tide, through forging diverse practices and sensitivity to their connection to the wider history of modern and contemporary art.”
Egypt’s Logina Salah makes history at Miss Universe pageant
Updated 18 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Miss Universe Egypt Logina Salah made history when she broke into the top 30 at the grand finale of the Miss Universe 2024 beauty pageant, held in Mexico City on Sunday, making it the first time her country has made a placement in the event's 73 year history.
The glittering night came to a close with Miss Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig taking home the crown — a first for a Dane. The 21-year-old, a competitive dancer, entrepreneur, and aspiring lawyer, beat more than 120 other contestants to win the annual beauty pageant.
Miss Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina was named first runner-up, and Miss Mexico Maria Fernanda Beltran was named the second runner-up. Contestants from Thailand, Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Russia, Chile, Canada and Peru also made it to the top 12.
This year’s finale featured a performance by singer Robin Thicke and was hosted by “Saved by the Bell” star Mario Lopez and former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo.
Other contestants from the Middle East and North Africa region included the UAE’s Emilia Dobreva, Bahrain’s Shereen Ahmed, Lebanon’s Nada Koussa, and Iran’s Ava Vahneshan.
The pageant, in its 73rd year, also now sees married women and mothers compete.
“I feel like the world is getting closer to including everybody. It wasn’t allowed for moms to participate, or any woman above 30, and I didn’t like participating in ‘moms pageantry’; I do not like labeling,” Salah, who is based in Dubai, said in an earlier interview with Arab News of the rules that changed in 2023.
She added: “When those restrictions were lifted, I saw it as the perfect opportunity. Pageantry was always on my mind, but I always said, ‘Let me keep it for my daughter, maybe she would be interested.’ I used to dream about it, but now the dream came back to life. I applied, and, thank God, I made it to Miss Universe!”
Reflecting on her journey with vitiligo, Salah highlighted the power of living as an example. “I do not come every day and talk about vitiligo on my platform, but living my life fearlessly and unapologetically is a message to people,” she said.
“When someone comes across my profile and they see me living fearlessly, this is an inspiration. So, I do both. I like to go out and inspire, not only for people with vitiligo, but for all young girls and women.”
