NEW YORK: Two of fashion’s most flamboyant headline grabbers went head to head Saturday, as king of cool Alexander Wang bussed some of the world’s most famous models to an open-air Brooklyn runway and king of bling Philipp Plein laid on a striptease and invited Nicki Minaj.
New York Fashion Week, which kicks off the spring/summer 2018 season before the global bandwagon decamps to London, Paris and Milan, comes with designers desperately looking to create the biggest buzz.
Wang, the US wunderkid and ex-creative director of Balenciaga known as a party animal, opted for Bushwick, the traditionally working-class, Latino neighborhood now known among urban millennials for boho affordability in a financially exorbitant New York.
Cindy Crawford’s 16-year-old daughter Kaia Gerber, making her fashion week debut this season, opened the show, treading effortlessly off a luxury #WangFest bus in stilettos and a little white dress.
She was joined by the most headline grabbing models of the moment: Kendall Jenner, half sister of Kim Kardashian and this week honored as fashion icon of the decade at the tender age of 21, and Bella Hadid.
Die-hard fans stood behind metal barriers shrieking when they saw their idols or Wang running along, hair flying. Some looked bemused.
His website broadcast footage from inside the buses of the models riding around New York, before finally reaching Bushwick.
Wang, the superstar who defines downtown cool, stuck to his playbook of black, beige and white. It was his second consecutive show off the beaten track, last season dragging fashionistas to gentrifying Harlem.
A hundred wristbands for the show were distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis at his boutique in SoHo on Saturday morning.
It came as he launched a Swarovski crystal clutch, fashioned to look like a roll of $100 bills with an elastic band down the middle, designed in collaboration with bag designer Judith Leiber.
Across town, within sight of the Empire State Building and down the road from homeless people, Philipp Plein threw the most extravagant of parties, laying on an orgasmic display of flesh and titillation.
Burlesque artist Dita Von Teese opened the night with a striptease, shedding her stilettos, sequined evening dress and corset down to just a thong, nipple clamps and sequined garters.
She then writhed and splashed inside a giant martini glass, sponging herself down, sloshing water everywhere, kicking her long, lean legs into the air before winking with a little toss of the head.
The clothes, overshadowed by a live performance from rapper Future, cloaked in a giant gold puffa coat, seemed an afterthought. The first model appeared only at 10:30 p.m. — 90 minutes behind schedule.
Entitled “Good Gone Bad” they wore oversized Heidi-style plaits, which they switched and flicked like whips, striding out in bondage-style harness dresses, leather dog collars and flashing bare buttocks.
Actress Teyana Taylor, modeling the skimpiest of black lace body suits, writhing on the floor. Other women wore daisy-style pacifiers.
Male models went topless. In the middle of the stage back-up dancers writhed and prostrated themselves on giant scaffolding.
Before the show hundreds of guests endured scenes of chaos outside, pushing and shoving their way to the front of slow-moving queues in a haze of expensive perfume, cigarette smoke and simmering frustration.
“I have to apologize,” Plein told those who made it through.
“It became a monster, hard to control,” he said of his ultra-expensive, international luxe take on hip-hop wear and street clothes, much of it monogrammed with his name.
The German-born, Swiss-based designer then invited everyone at the Hammerstein ballroom, a former opera house to the after party, where Minaj — seated in the front row — was expected to perform.
“We like just the right amount of wrong,” he told the New York Post. “Just because fashion is a big business doesn’t mean that it has to be stiff and serious.”
NY Fashion Week: king of cool vs. king of bling
NY Fashion Week: king of cool vs. king of bling
Lucy Liu shines in Zuhair Murad on Berlin red carpet
DUBAI: Actress Lucy Liu cut a striking figure at the Berlin premiere of her film “Red One,” wearing a head-turning gown by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.
Liu dazzled in a black velvet dress from Murad’s fall/winter couture collection, which featured a crystal-encrusted bodice adorned with looped net detailing.
She completed the look with Tamara Mellon heels and Roxanne Assoulin jewelry. Her hair was styled in a sleek chignon with delicate floral details.
Liu walked the red carpet alongside her fellow cast members, including Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, J.K. Simmons, and director Jake Kasdan.
“Red One” is an action-comedy film which sees Santa Claus (Simmons) go missing in mysterious circumstances. Tasked with saving Christmas, the North Pole’s head of security (Johnson) teams up with the world’s most notorious bounty hunter (Evans). Together, they embark on a globe-trotting adventure to locate and rescue Santa.
The film is set to premiere in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 7.
The unveiling of Murad’s fall/winter collection at Paris Fashion Week in June drew notable guests including Avril Lavigne and Ellie Goulding.
The designs emphasize his signature craftsmanship with luxurious fabrics like velvet, silk and lace, with pieces featuring intricate beadwork, sequins and embroidery.
With a color palette of bold blacks, deep reds, and metallic tones, accented by warm shades of bronze and copper, they exude a sense of sophistication and drama.
Silhouettes range from voluminous, sweeping gowns to sleek, form-fitting dresses, incorporating daring cutouts and striking necklines. One highlight on the runway was a shoulder-baring gown in powder red, with sequins on the bodice transforming into cascading feathers on the skirt.
Murad has dressed an impressive roster of A-list celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Zendaya and Katy Perry.
Earlier this week, at the premiere of Netflix’s “Time Cut,” US actress and singer Madison Bailey wore a black off-the-shoulder sequined long-sleeved midi dress with cut-out detail from the designer’s ready-to-wear Fall 2024 collection.
Bruna Biancardi, Yara Al-Namlah spotted at Hia Hub closing day in Riyadh
RIYADH: Brazilian model Bruna Biancardi and Saudi influencer Yara Al-Namlah brought the fourth edition of lifestyle conference Hia Hub to a close late on Sunday night in Riyadh.
Biancardi, who is the partner of footballer icon Neymar, made a guest appearance at the event in JAX district and posed for photos with attendees in a fitted dark blue dress.
attendees in a fitted dark blue dress. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Diving into the world of wellness, Al-Namlah, an influencer and the founder of Saudi skincare brand Treat, engaged in a discussion titled “Generational Beauty: Inheriting Skincare Wisdom.”
The entrepreneur took to the stage with her mother, Amani Al-Ayed, and during the talk the mother-daughter duo engaged in a heartfelt discussion about the importance of self-love and self-care.
"You must love yourself in all the ways. Perfection is being with your own flaws. If you get a pimple, don't feel that it is the worst thing in the world, It is completely okay. Just take care of how you treat your skin by removing your makeup, sleeping with clean well-prepped skin, and waking up using your routine,” Al-Namlah said.
Al-Ayed highlighted the benefits of a simple skincare routine, saying: “I used to apply many products, that consisted of a lot of steps. What I learned from Yara, especially after Treat, is that she reduced the routine to three products.”
The birth of Treat in June 2023 came years after Al-Namlah’s rise to stardom — she was a makeup artist before becoming an influencer and business owner.
Al-Namlah’s skincare line includes a brightening rice powder cleanser, a product whose development was inspired by her and her mother’s ritual of using rice powder to create a mask.
“The cleanser has natural rice powder, which exfoliates and cleans the skin, and it’s one of the products that was inspired by our routine,” she explained on stage.
The session came after five days of beauty and skincare-related panels, workshops and masterclasses at Hia Hub, with industry leaders discussing the evolving skincare market in the Middle East.
Panellists and speakers at the event included the likes of Patrick Chalhoub, group president of the Chalhoub Group; Franck Marilly, chairman of Shiseido EMEA; Hasmik Panossian, regional general manager of Sephora Middle East; Laurent Duffier, managing director of L’Oreal Middle East; and Henk van der Mark, vice president of retail, commercial and business development at Estee Lauder Companies EMEA.
‘I always compete with myself’: Yasmine Sabri shares insights at Hia Hub in Riyadh
RIYADH: In a session at lifestyle conference Hia Hub, Egyptian actress Yasmine Sabri opened up about her life beyond the glitz and glamour of her career. Known for her on screen talent, Sabri took the opportunity to share lesser-known insights about her personal journey, her inspirations, and her views on self-improvement.
Hia Hub is taking place in Riyadh’s JAX district and featured discussions, masterclasses, workshops, interactive exhibitions and live performances. The event wraps up on Nov. 3.
During her talk, Sabri, who has a series of blockbuster Arabic films under her belt and is also a global brand ambassador for French label Cartier, expressed her admiration for Saudi women.
“They embody a spirit of determination that inspires me,” the 36-year-old remarked, before reflecting on her formative years.
Sabri recounted her dedication to swimming, a passion she pursued until the age of 18. “Swimming taught me discipline,” she said. “I used to swim before school and after at night, and we didn’t have the option to say, ‘I don’t want to.’” This commitment not only shaped her physical abilities but also instilled a strong work ethic that she carries into her acting career, she said.
Mental fortitude also emerged as a key topic during the discussion. Sabri emphasized the importance of competing with oneself, stating, “I’m grateful and I always compete with myself on a daily basis. One should always stay hungry and be competitive with oneself.”
The actress kicked off her career in 2013 and went on to star in such films as “Abo Nasab” and “El Diesel.”
Often spotted on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet, as well as at film festivals across the Middle East, the actress is known for her style and her makeup. The actress told the crowd at Hia Hub she is preparing to segway into entrepreneurship with the launch of her own beauty brand, Pose Beauty.
Although details about the brand are being kept under wraps, Sabri would join the likes of Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim who launched her eponymous beauty brand in May.
Hia Hub session highlights vital role of pharmacies in Saudi Arabia’s growing skincare market
RIYADH: Industry leaders discussed the evolving role of pharmacies in skincare during a session at Hia Hub, Saudi Arabia’s fashion, beauty and lifestyle conference, held in Riyadh’s JAX District from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.
The session, titled “Re-Defining the Pharmacy Channels in Skincare,” brought together prominent figures, including Charlotte Devaux, general manager of wellness and masstige, Pierre Juhen, group president of Patyka, Mahmoud Mamdouh, CEO of Whites Pharmacy, and Cynthia Kattar, editorial director of Hia Magazine.
Mamdouh emphasized the pivotal role of trust in pharmacy skincare. He said: “When discussing pharmacies and skincare, the main concept is trust.”
Over the past 15 years, pharmacies have cultivated strong relationships with customers, who often turn to pharmacists for personalized skincare consultations, he said.
Devaux added to the discussion by highlighting social media’s impact on consumer behavior.
She said that while platforms such as TikTok and Instagram offered abundant information, consumers still preferred advice from trusted pharmacists. “Wellness has become a priority for consumers, driving the growth of skincare,” she said. “This reliance on pharmacies as credible sources of information and products is crucial in a marketplace filled with conflicting messages.”
Juhen elaborated on the expansive reach of pharmacies. In Saudi Arabia, there are about 6,000 pharmacy locations, compared to 20,000 in France, he said.
He said that this dynamic retail channel had shown resilience, even during challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where the pharmacy segment in France experienced growth of 4 percent.
Juhen highlighted the universal appeal of pharmacies and said: “Everyone visits pharmacies, regardless of age or socioeconomic status,” making them essential points of contact in the community.
The session concluded with a consensus among the speakers on the importance of pharmacies in the skincare sector. As trusted providers of personalized advice and quality products, pharmacies were well-positioned to lead the growth of skincare, they said.
Saudi Fashion Commission charts new course with elite training programs
- Partnership features “innovative educational programs combining cutting-edge knowledge with practical experience, creating a platform for designers, brand owners, and investors to thrive in the fashion world"
RIYADH: The Saudi Fashion Commission has partnered with the Institut Français de la Mode and Misk Foundation to launch a new educational initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The partnership features “innovative educational programs combining cutting-edge knowledge with practical experience, creating a platform for designers, brand owners, and investors to thrive in the fashion world,” according to the SPA.
The initiative consists of five training courses, including the Executive Business Management Qualification in Fashion, which has three phases: virtual training, in-person training in Riyadh and Paris, and project development. It includes preliminary sessions in Riyadh covering planning, marketing, sales, brand identity, business strategy, and visual merchandising, while the Paris sessions focus on digital marketing, financial management, product development, and production.
The Advanced Sustainability Practices course will be delivered through virtual training and in-person sessions in Riyadh. It covers fashion sustainability fundamentals, the circular fashion economy, sustainable fashion innovation and technology, and the implementation of sustainability measures and social responsibility through practical business models.
The Design Research course “bridges global trends with local heritage.” The six-day program establishes core project guidelines essential for fashion collection development, while “exploring creative intersections between contemporary global fashion, traditional materials, local textiles, and architectural influences,” the SPA reported. The two-phase course combines virtual learning with hands-on training in Paris.
The seven-day Visual Merchandising and Commerce course in Riyadh covers brand-building fundamentals, marketing essentials, visual display techniques, trend analysis and forecasting, business insights, and distribution strategies.
The Fashion Photography course offers six days of intensive training in Riyadh, providing “a comprehensive exploration of fashion photography with a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application, focusing on visual storytelling in the industry,” the SPA stated.
Through its collaboration with IFM and Misk Foundation, the Fashion Commission “aims to elevate fashion education standards and provide individuals with fundamental tools for excellence in the competitive fashion world,” the SPA concluded.
