DUBAI: Nike is investigating the “misuse” of its logo seen on fake products branded with a racist slur against the Romany Gypsy community in Europe.
Products have been taken down on eBay and Amazon and included baby clothes, hoodies, bags and fridge magnets.
They were all branded with a race hate slur and the tagline “Just Nick It” instead of Nike’s “Just Do It.”
BBC Newsbeat spoke to Dr. Hazel Marsh, a Romany Gypsy and a lecturer at the University of East Anglia in the UK, who said she had reported the offensive products to Nike and received a letter from a representative in return.
“I just want to say thank you for letting us know about this misuse of our logo,” the letter read.
“We here at Nike respect and appreciate every one of our consumers no matter what their race, age or gender is,” it added.
The products are printed with the slur “Pikey,” thought to originate from the phrase “turnpike dweller” that was used in the 1800s.
“That word is a disgusting word. It’s exactly the same as the n-word,” Sherrie Smith, who runs a website where racism against the Gypsy and traveling community can be reported, told BBC Newsbeat.
Amazon told the news site that they had removed two product listings while eBay said it was in the process to doing so.
Nike reacts to ‘misuse’ of logo in racist knock-off merchandise
Nike reacts to ‘misuse’ of logo in racist knock-off merchandise
Saudi fashion startups award reaches final stage
- Fashion Commission CEO Burak Cakmak said that sustainability was central to the commission’s vision for the future of the industry
RIYADH: The Fashion Commission and luxury group Kering have launched the selection process for the winners of the Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia.
The initiative aims to support innovative startups making a significant impact on the fashion industry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The application process began in November 2024, inviting startups to submit applications and promote sustainability. More than 100 startups applied, with 20 selected to participate in a three-day training camp in Riyadh.
The program featured workshops focused on key performance indicators, goal setting and pitching skills, SPA reported.
On Jan. 14, the shortlist of 20 startups gathered in Riyadh for the final presentation, where each applicant was evaluated on customer engagement, circular economy and water protection.
Following the presentations, the evaluation process began to select the top 10 proposals, which will be assessed by the jury based on innovation, relevance, fashion connection, and potential impact on nature and society.
The awards ceremony will take place on Jan. 27 in Riyadh, where the top three winning startups will be announced.
Winners will have the opportunity to travel to Paris for exclusive mentoring with Kering’s sustainability teams and present their innovations at the ChangeNOW 2025 summit.
Fashion Commission CEO Burak Cakmak said that sustainability was central to the commission’s vision for the future of the industry.
He added that the award aimed to showcase and support startups driving innovation in circular fashion and environmental stewardship.
Cakmak emphasized the commission’s commitment to advancing solutions that address current challenges and pave the way for a sustainable future in fashion.
Simi and Haze Khadra donate SimiHaze Beauty sales to LA fire victims
DUBAI: US Palestinian beauty entrepreneurs Simi and Haze Khadra, the twin founders of SimiHaze Beauty, are stepping up to support those in need in their Los Angeles community.
This week, the duo announced that 100 percent of all sales generated through their beauty brand will be donated to aid displaced Black and Latino families affected by the recent LA fires.
The contributions will be directed to individual GoFundMe campaigns for families who have lost their homes or been displaced.
In a heartfelt message shared on Instagram, Simi and Haze highlighted the significance of their connection to Los Angeles, a city they have called “home for the past 14 years.” “Our community means everything to us,” they expressed, emphasizing their commitment to giving back during challenging times.
Their efforts mirror the actions of other public figures, such as The Weeknd, who recently pledged $1 million to support firefighters and residents affected by the wildfires.
In light of the disaster, the singer, born Abel Tesfaye, also postponed a concert at the Rose Bowl as well as the release of his upcoming album.
“Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles County, I am canceling the Rose Bowl concert originally scheduled for January 25th,” he wrote on social media. “My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild.”
For Simi and Haze, this initiative reflects the values their beauty brand has embodied since its launch in 2021. Known for their bold and innovative stick-on makeup designs — such as chrome wings and holographic cat-eyes — SimiHaze Beauty quickly gained attention for making statement looks effortless.
The brand later expanded its offerings to include a wider range of products, from lipsticks and bronzing powders to mascaras.
In 2024, they expanded their brand to the Middle East, describing the experience to Arab News as “so surreal.”
“The market has been such a huge goal of ours since we started because we grew up here,” Simi said in a previous interview. “We’re so happy that our products are finally accessible to our amazing followers here.”
How AI is transforming the fashion retail experience in the Middle East
- AI innovations in fashion promise smarter inventory management, sustainability, virtual try-ons, and enhanced sales
- Billed as a virtual personal stylist, Amira by Taffi Inc. offers search assistance, outfit pairing, and conversational commerce
RIYADH: Once the preserve of the rich and famous, personal styling services are now accessible to everyone thanks to strides in generative artificial intelligence, helping shoppers find the look best suited to their body or special occasion.
With its latest creation, Amira, Riyadh-based AI-powered fashion marketplace Taffi is revolutionizing the shopping experience across the Middle East and North Africa, while showcasing how AI is redefining consumer engagement.
A personal stylist powered by generative AI and machine learning, Amira’s advanced algorithms, trained on a comprehensive dataset inspired by the Middle East’s latest fashion trends, delivers personalized and trend-driven styling recommendations.
Launched in September, Amira has been trained by a network of more than 180 expert fashion stylists from across the region. These professionals have contributed tens of thousands of recommendations, reflecting local tastes and cultural preferences.
Taffi co-founder and CEO Shahad Geoffrey described Amira as “the best friend who knows your style better than you do, eliminating all the guesswork in shopping.”
The AI stylist “engages users at every relevant touchpoint along their shopping journey to help them make better and faster decisions,” she added.
Amira’s search assistant allows users to find complete styles directly from the store’s search box, eliminating the need to sift through irrelevant items. The AI stylist’s discovery assistant recommends relevant new products, while the product stylist pairs items with complementary upsell suggestions.
Geoffrey said that Taffi’s AI stylist “is available through a floating chat widget for conversational commerce,” providing “real-time expert advice and tailored shoppable style recommendations based on individual profiles and preferences to help customers quickly find their best styles via their natural language.”
The AI technology customizes the shopping experience to each customer’s individual needs and preferences, turning it into an assisted commerce journey.
This innovation is revolutionizing how shoppers discover new products, find purpose-driven outfits and complete tasks more efficiently — saving time, offering trusted recommendations and providing access to great deals.
“AI delivers real-time, hyper-personalized suggestions based on style preferences, lifestyle, size, physical attributes, budgets and existing wardrobe,” Geoffrey said. “It also inspires shoppers by offering ideas for mixing and matching outfits and exploring new trends.
“By reducing choice overload and creating customized product bundles based on user queries, AI ensures a more enjoyable, efficient and seamless shopping journey.”
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Saudi Arabia’s fashion industry is expected to see cumulative annual growth of 48 percent from 2021 to 2025 as the Kingdom diversifies its economy, according to a 2024 report by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority.
The report also highlighted that the total value of the fashion sector in Saudi Arabia, including international brands, was $24.6 billion in 2022.
Taffi’s Amira was born from Geoffrey’s own frustration with the endless sea of fashion choices and the “static, impersonal shopping experiences.
“I always dreamed of having a virtual fashion assistant that truly understood my needs and preferences, finding personalized clothing effortlessly,” she said.
“Taffi was born to bring that vision to life, empowering shoppers with an AI fashion assistant that simplifies the shopping journey, making it seamless to discover and find outfits and tailor experiences to their unique preferences.”
Founded in 2021 by Geoffrey and Pradeep Bisht, the AI-powered fashion-focused shopping platform uses machine-learning, ChatGPT-4 and generative AI to provide users with styling recommendations based on their preferences, occasion and budget.
According to the company’s figures, users who engaged with Taffi had a 15 percent sales conversion rate — compared to just 0.67 percent for those who did not. This resulted in a 22-fold increase in sales conversions.
Additionally, Geoffrey highlighted that the average order value for purchases made through Taffi was 55 percent higher than those made without the platform
This success underscores the challenges in today’s e-commerce landscape. Originally designed decades ago to sell books, e-commerce has become an outdated experience.
Fashion e-commerce, in particular, has struggled to evolve beyond a generic shopping journey filled with impersonal choices, causing 75 percent of shoppers to leave sites without making a purchase. In fact, just 1-2 percent of visitors ever convert into buyers.
Frustrated customers often receive no response from overwhelmed customer support teams and return items at alarming rates. This creates a cycle of dissatisfaction for consumers while putting businesses under strain.
Amira, however, has received positive feedback from brands that have integrated the widget into their platforms.
Geoffrey said customers have described Amira as an innovative and highly useful feature for e-commerce, noting that it has significantly uplifted their brand image and dramatically enhanced the customer experience.
She predicts that AI will reshape the fashion industry by designing garments, streamlining manufacturing processes, enabling smarter inventory management and driving greater sustainability in fashion.
“AI will also transform the shopping experience — from discovery to checkout — empowering brands to cater to diverse markets, optimize supply chains, and elevate the retail experience with innovations like virtual try-ons and real-time fashion assistants,” she said.
Moreover, “AI enables brands to drive higher revenue, significantly reduce costs and enhance key business performance metrics, paving the way for a more prosperous, inclusive and efficient fashion industry.
“AI has immense potential to shape and revolutionize the fashion industry, spanning from retail to supply chain and manufacturing. What we see in AI today is just the beginning — a mere drop in the ocean.”
The Harrods Hive networking hub returns to Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: The Harrods Hive Riyadh returned for its second edition on Saturday, this time hosted at the Diriyah Sales Center in Al-Diriyah. In partnership with the Saudi Youth Society, this edition focused on the evolution of luxury experiences and the engagement of audiences with culture and creativity.
The event featured afternoon tea and three insightful panels. The first panel, titled “Growing a Creative Community in the Spotlight,” discussed the importance of connection amid rapid evolution and growth in the Kingdom. The second panel, “Stories That Matter,” centered on owning one’s passion and pioneering change. The final panel, “Sparking Innovation Locally through Global Influencers,” explored the intersection of local and global creativity. Attendees had the opportunity to network with panelists and members of the Harrods senior leadership team.
The first panel included Saudi artist Lulwah Al-Homoud, bespoke tailor Yousef Tammar, chef Mona Mosly, and cultural advisor Yasmine Rasool. An artist known for blending traditional Islamic art with modern abstraction — Al-Homoud emphasized the significance of connection in art.
“Art is a bridge that connects us all … when someone resonates with my work, it feels like a validation of my journey.”
Tammar, an emerging Saudi tailor studying in Rome, described his transformative journey as “like a fairy tale.” He reflected on the cultural shifts he experienced and expressed a desire to integrate his skills into Saudi culture, focusing on elevating the quality of traditional clothing. “I want to bring a new perspective to traditional designs,” he shared. “It’s about honoring our heritage while embracing innovation.”
Mosly shared her culinary inspirations rooted in her family's love for food, noting that “behind every chef is their mother.” She highlighted the importance of family in nurturing culinary passion, adding, “Food is not just about sustenance; it’s about connection and love. When I cook, I’m sharing a piece of my heart.” She also spoke on the challenges of her career, stating, “Every chef faces moments of doubt, but those are the moments that shape us. It’s crucial to remember why we began this journey.”
For her part, Rasool discussed the myriad opportunities available in Saudi Arabia for creatives. She expressed excitement about the potential for collaboration among diverse talents, stating, “This is the best time to be in Saudi … we're on the brink of a cultural renaissance, with so many voices ready to be heard. Together, we can create something truly magical.”
This year's theme of the networking hub aiming to connect industry experts with emerging talent was “The Connector,” The theme serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of nurturing meaningful bonds, both locally and globally — as Al-Humoud concluded, “In a world that often feels divided, art and creativity are what unite us.”
Bella Hadid’s childhood home destroyed in LA fires
DUBAI: US Dutch Palestinian model Bella Hadid took to Instagram this week to share a devastating moment as her childhood home in Los Angeles caught fire.
The model posted a photo on her Instagram Story showing flames and smoke engulfing the house, accompanied by the caption: “Childhood bedroom,” with a sad face emoji.
In a following Story, Hadid shared an aerial view of the house after the fire had been extinguished, revealing the extent of the damage. The once-familiar home was visibly charred, with remnants of the fire still evident.
While Bella did not provide further details, her posts offered a glimpse into the heartbreaking loss of a place filled with cherished childhood memories.
The Malibu property, where her mother Yolanda Hadid once lived and raised Bella and her sister Gigi, frequently appeared on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
Hadid is not the first celebrity to experience such a loss. Billy Crystal lost his Pacific Palisades home, where he had lived since 1979. Paris Hilton watched her Malibu beach mansion burn live on television.
Perennial Oscars host Crystal and his wife Janice said they were heartbroken to lose the Pacific Palisades house where they had raised their children and grandchildren.
Media personality Hilton said she was “heartbroken beyond words” to lose her beachfront mansion.
“Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,” she wrote on X.
The list of celebrities impacted by the worst fires in Los Angeles history reads like a Hollywood who’s who: Jamie Lee Curtis, James Woods, Mandy Moore, Mark Hamill, and Maria Shriver all publicly shared their experiences of being forced to evacuate as flames tore through some of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods.
The Palisades Fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city’s western flank and the Eaton Fire in the east near Pasadena rank as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, consuming more than 35,000 acres (14,164 hectares) — or some 54 square miles — and turning entire neighborhoods to ash.
