DANDONG, China: Seated beneath tall windows and dressed simply in singlets and trousers, North Korean painters are hard at work. The artists staple canvases to frames or copy idyllic landscapes from laptop computers. One wears headphones as he brushes a group of running horses onto his canvas.
The nine men have come to the Chinese border town of Dandong from Mansudae Art Studio, North Korea’s largest producer of art. There are many outlets like this along the border; they house some of the thousands of North Korean artists who cater to burgeoning demand for their work. “Chinese have begun collecting art, and North Korean art is much easier and cheaper for them to obtain,” says Park Young-jeong, a research fellow at the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, a Seoul-based organization.
In recent years as countries have responded to North Korea’s weapons tests with sanctions, Mansudae and other art studios have increasingly played a more controversial role – helping Pyongyang raise cash abroad. North Korea has long been punished for alleged underhand dealings in minerals, finance and arms; art was seen more as a channel for mutual understanding. That is changing.
Mansudae is run by the North Korean state. Its output ranges from statues of global leaders to propaganda posters, embroidery and more. It has built monuments and statues in at least 15 African countries, according to independent United Nations sanctions experts.
In a report in February, they said that a part of Mansudae called Mansudae Overseas Projects was a front for the North Korean state to cash in on military deals. As well as monumental statues, they found it built military installations such as a munitions factory and bases in Namibia.
The North Korean UN mission did not respond to a request for comment and no one from Mansudae could be reached.
The UN Security Council banned Mansudae’s statue business in 2016. On Aug. 5, after Pyongyang conducted more weapons tests, the Security Council blacklisted Mansudae Art Studio, subjecting it to a global asset freeze and travel ban. Diplomats say this will prevent Mansudae from conducting business.
“With this listing, anything Mansudae produces — including paintings, other artwork, monuments, buildings, and other construction — cannot be bought and should be frozen per the asset freeze,” said a UN Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
In a further resolution on Sept. 11, the Security Council decided that all joint ventures with North Korean entities or individuals must be shut down within 120 days, or by mid-January.
Exactly what the measures mean for existing Mansudae art has yet to become clear. In Beijing’s art district, a gallery called the Mansudae Art Gallery says it is the studio’s official overseas gallery. Its head insists the sanctions do not apply to it and says they have had no impact on his business.
“Now more than ever we need avenues like art to create understanding between North Korea and the rest of the world,” said Ji Zhengtai.
It is not possible to estimate the total value of Mansudae’s dealings, but the Security Council diplomat said the business had earned tens of millions of dollars globally.
“WE DON’T DO POLITICS“
Mansudaeartsudio.com, a website in Italy which calls itself Mansudae’s “official website abroad,” says the studio is “probably the largest art production center in the world.”
Mansudae’s Pyongyang studio covers 120,000 sq m (nearly 30 acres), employs about 4,000 people including around 1,000 artists, and is divided into 13 creative groups, seven manufacturing plants and more than 50 supply departments, the website says.
The website is run by Pier Luigi Cecioni, who sells Mansudae works online and at fairs through what he calls an exclusive agreement with Mansudae Art Studio. He declined to say how much he sells, but in August after the sanctions on Mansudae Art Studio were announced, he told Reuters that the revenues go direct to the studio to pay for paints and equipment.
Cecioni said he sells works from his personal collection, most of them bought several years ago — before sanctions on Mansudae were announced. His website makes clear that any online purchase is made with his Italian company, not Mansudae. UN sanctions are not retroactive.
A panel of independent experts is charged with monitoring UN sanctions on North Korea. It reports violations and recommendations to the Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee. Its reports are confidential, but the committee traditionally publishes annual reports.
Hugh Griffiths, who heads the panel, declined to comment, saying “the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation.”
Cecioni said, “the last thing I want is to have trouble with Italian or American authorities. I have strong contacts, especially with the Italian ones, and they help me to respect all the rules.” An Italian foreign ministry source said it is customary to keep contact with everyone who has ties to countries under sanctions, to ensure they respect Italy’s international commitments.
In September, Cecioni said that he had no plans to shut down his operation. “I consider it very important to let people know that ... North Koreans do not make only bombs but also art and are common people,” he said. He postponed an exhibition of propaganda posters he had planned for September in Treviso, but said this was because Mansudae’s representatives told him they thought it unwise to showcase their anti-US tone in the current climate.
Word of the sanctions has been slower to reach China. A circular from its Commerce Ministry announcing the start date of the measures which included Mansudae Art Studio does not name Mansudae. Asked why not, the ministry did not respond.
The Dandong center works in partnership with Mansudae, said its manager, Gai Longji. Asked on the day the sanctions took effect if they were affecting business, he did not answer directly.
“We don’t do politics,” he said. “We do art.” Liaoning Sanyi, the firm behind the center, did not respond to a request for comment.
WHITE TIGER
Reuters spoke to at least 30 experts — collectors, art historians, academics and people who have sold North Korean art globally. Many said the market for paintings is niche and amounts to little in terms of revenue compared with the billion-plus dollars North Korea has raised every year selling coal and other minerals abroad.
Even so, they say North Korean diplomats in Europe have been enthusiastic to promote art exhibitions with the simple aim of bringing in hard currency.
In China, demand has really taken off. Dandong is a popular attraction for tourists who come to peep at North Koreans over the Yalu River border. Busloads of tourists show up every morning. Visitors sample a North Korean speciality of noodles in cold soup, watch North Korean women sing and dance, and buy North Korean paintings.
Besides Mansudae, just about every ministry and almost all the local authorities in North Korea have an art studio, said Koen De Ceuster, a lecturer in Korean studies at Leiden University who has been studying North Korean art for over a decade. “There’s studios all across the country,” he said.
Other prominent studio names include Paekho and the Central Arts Studio. Paekho, which means “white tiger” in Korean, is the biggest seller of popular paintings in Dandong, traders there said. Collectors who have dealt with Paekho say it is run by North Korea’s military — Reuters could not independently establish this. Paekho’s varied output includes propaganda posters calling for a nuclear-free world.
The Dandong center that Reuters visited has hosted around 500 North Korean artists since 2014, manager Gai said. They stay for between six months and three years.
Many Dandong galleries house North Korean painters. Staff there said they have sold North Korean paintings for as much as $100,000 to buyers around the world. Art experts agree the pieces can very occasionally fetch six-figure sums.
Not all the proceeds go to Pyongyang. Mark-ups can reach four or five times the dealer’s purchase price, according to one Dandong dealer.
LONG GAME
While the Security Council’s Aug. 5 sanctions targeted only Mansudae, its September resolution on joint ventures also included restrictions on North Korean labor: This combination could hurt everyone in the art business, Dandong traders say.
But there are ways around the measures, they add. For instance, paintings from Mansudae could be sold under the name of an art studio that hasn’t been sanctioned. Artists come to China under cultural exchange visas, not as workers. And two businessmen said paintings have long been accepted instead of cash in the barter deals that fuel the region’s economy.
At the other end of the border from Dandong in the city of Yanji, Chinese antiques dealer Zhao Xiangchen said people usually roll up a couple of paintings and carry them quietly across the border to him.
His antiques stall was thick with dust as he camped in a vacant slot next door, selling the paintings online.
Since the sanctions were announced, Zhao said, Chinese customs have become more vigilant.
“But I’m playing the long game,” he said. “I still think there’s huge latent demand for North Korean art in the Chinese market, that’s only set to grow.”
White tiger, dark horse: North Korean art market heats up
White tiger, dark horse: North Korean art market heats up
Ayman Al-Zubaidi: Bringing authentic Saudi flavors to London’s culinary scene
- The founder of London’s Hijazi Corner was hopeless in the kitchen, but his move abroad sparked a desire to recreate the cuisine of his homeland
LONDON: Ayman Al-Zubaidi — the acclaimed chef behind Hijazi Corner, London’s first Saudi Arabian restaurant — has cooked for dignitaries, diplomats, celebrities and even the Kingdom’s royal family. But his most discerning critics were waiting for him much closer to home.
In 2021, after several years living in London, Al-Zubaidi came home to Jeddah. But instead of the football shirt his family had pictured him wearing after his UK studies in sports science, he returned in chef whites. It was a transformation that no one saw coming — least of all him.
Growing up in Jeddah’s Al-Sabeel district with his sister and three brothers, Al-Zubaidi could barely boil his own water. The kitchen was strictly his mother’s territory, and his late-night culinary ventures didn’t go far beyond packets of instant noodles. But now, the tables had turned, and his mother was seated as his guest.
“When I first moved to the UK, I was clueless in the kitchen, so I called her for help,” Al-Zubaidi tells Arab News from his restaurant in London’s de facto Arab district of Edgware Road. It was her loving mentorship that laid the foundations for his culinary journey, shaping his path to becoming one of London’s most distinctive chefs.
“When any chef starts to speak about food, they talk about their mum. Her chicken kabsa is a bit oily, a bit shiny and looks amazing — even just talking about it now I become hungry,” Al-Zubaidi says. “But even if I had the same ingredients and made it the same way, hers would always taste better.”
Building on family recipes honed over decades by his ancestors in Yemen, Al Zubaidi’s Hijazi Corner is the only place in the UK capital where Saudis can find a true taste of home.
Lined with thick carpets and ornate window paneling evoking the buildings of Jeddah’s Al-Balad historical district, its menu is full of comforting favorites drawn from across the Kingdom’s western coastal region — chicken seelag, slow-roasted lamb haneeth and delicate, flaky samboosek.
“From the richest person to the poorest person in Saudi Arabia, we eat the same food,” he says. “When we celebrate, when we grieve, when we are happy or sad, we get masoub (banana pudding) or motabbaq (thin layers of pastry stuffed with meat).”
Al-Zubaidi’s path to the kitchen was anything but conventional. As a teenager eager to learn English, he set his sights on the UK, drawn by what he called “a love for the accent,” and made the leap in 2017. After completing his language course, he switched tracks to study sports. But somewhere between lectures and life abroad, homesickness hit in the form of a craving for the familiar flavors of Arabia.
“In London, you can find plenty of Turkish, Kurdish, Indian, even Malaysian options — but nothing from Saudi,” he explains. “So I decided to make it myself.” He began recreating the comforting dishes of home in his small Clapham flat, selling them cash-in-hand to fellow Saudis in search of an authentic taste of the Kingdom.
But the secret didn’t stay a secret for long. Soon, his passion found a new platform — Snapchat.
Al-Zubaidi shared short videos of his cooking process, garnishing each clip with personal moments and mouth-watering close-ups of Saudi dishes. His humble videos quickly gained a loyal fanbase, and orders poured in from every corner of the city — particularly as COVID took hold in the early months of 2020.
“People from the Saudi embassy added me, people from Aramco working in London added me. Saudis living here, working here, growing up here — plus lots of foreign people who had been to my country and tried this food before.”
What started as a side hustle quickly evolved into a pop-up, and by 2023, into a brick-and-mortar restaurant where Londoners could finally experience the authentic flavors of Saudi Arabia.
During the pop-up stage, Al-Zubaidi’s Snapchat followers became more than fans; they became enablers of his culinary vision, bringing a piece of Saudi Arabia to his London kitchen. Whenever one of his followers planned a trip from Saudi to the UK, they’d reach out, asking if he needed any hard-to-find ingredients.
Al-Zubaidi’s requests were simple but essential — fragrant spices, fresh dill, and most importantly, the special pastry sheets that he just couldn’t source in London.
“I’d say ‘I need the real pastry for samosa.’ And they’d bring it for me,” he says.
The enthusiasm was mutual. His followers were just as eager to bring these reminders of home, knowing he’d transform them into the dishes they missed.
Yet not everyone was as supportive. As he juggled his studies and the pop-up, criticism began to surface, especially from former friends back home.
“They mocked me,” he recalls. “They’d say things like, ‘You went to the UK to study, and now you’re just selling food?’”
Influencers he approached for social-media support brushed him off with dismissive remarks. But Al-Zubaidi was undeterred, finding new friends and switching his studies from sport to cooking. With a network of loyal clients and the backing of a few new investors he had met along the way, he began seriously considering a restaurant.
One wealthy friend, who had seen the young chef’s determination, urged him to take the plunge. After months of hard work studying knife skills, mastering Saudi dishes, and learning the restaurant business inside out, Al-Zubaidi took the leap.
Two years after opening its doors, Hijazi Corner is a definite success, becoming one of London’s top-rated Middle Eastern eateries. It’s perpetually packed with diners, and has become a go-to spot for celebrities, diplomats, and dignitaries from the Arab world and beyond, all seeking an authentic taste of Saudi Arabia.
After showcasing Saudi cuisine at several festivals and events, on National Day this September, Al-Zubaidi received a special honor — an invitation to the Kingdom’s embassy in London.
The recognition came after HRH Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UK, visited Hijazi Corner and was so impressed that he mentioned it by name in his National Day speech. Al-Zubaidi, overcome with pride, shed tears of joy.
“I am proud of what I’ve achieved, but I haven’t finished yet,” he says. “This is just the beginning—there’s so much more of Saudi culture I want to share with the world.”
Highlights from the winning entries in the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award
DUBAI: Here are three highlights from the winning entries in this year’s Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award.
Youmn Mohammed Almanla
The Saudi photographer claimed second place in the ‘Color’ category of this year’s HIPA awards for this stunning image of horse riders firing rifles against a twilight sky — an example of the ancient Moroccan equestrian art known as ‘tbourida,’ which is included on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is, Almanla said in his statement, “a breathtaking display of skill, bravery, and the untamed spirit of the desert.”
Liping Cao
The Chinese photographer picked up the Grand Prize at this year’s awards (staged under the theme ‘Sustainability’) for this dramatic black-and-white shot he named “Quiet Power.” It shows an Australian wind farm. “The dry riverbed below the turbines adds depth, while serving as a reminder of the importance of sustainable practices,” a statement from HIPA reads.
Fatma Alzahra Shbair
The Palestinian photographer won first prize in the “Portfolio” category for a collection of scenes from the Gaza Strip taken over the months since Israel launched its assault on the enclave in October 2023. “Through telling the stories of others, the storyteller realized they were also sharing their own — an intertwined account of survival and collective suffering,” a HIPA statement reads.
Saudi digital artist Khaled Makshoush: ‘I chase an atmosphere’
- Makshoush is one of the participants in the newly launched Diriyah Arts Futures
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah is now nurturing the Kingdom’s creative future. The UNESCO World Heritage site recently launched Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), an initiative aimed at empowering the next generation of Saudi digital artists.
Among the select few to join DAF’s Emerging New Media Artists program is Saudi pixel artist Khaled Makshoush, who is now part of a project designed to establish Riyadh as a global capital of new media art.
The program, designed in collaboration with France’s Le Fresnoy Studio National des Arts Contemporains, provides artists like Makshoush with access to advanced equipment, production budgets, and mentorship from international digital art experts.
Reflecting on this opportunity, Makshoush told Arab News how meaningful it feels to exhibit and evolve his pixel art within his homeland.
“When I started creating digital art, especially pixel art, I never thought I would get an opportunity like this, with such a program and in my own city,” he said. “I am really grateful for that and to get the chance to actually put my pixel art out there.”
Makshoush’s journey into pixel art began in 2015, when he and a friend explored the idea of creating video games. While his friend handled the programming, Makshoush took on the artistic side, initially choosing pixel art for its perceived simplicity.
Over time, that initial foray transformed into a deeper passion. By 2016, he was dedicating himself fully to the medium, honing his skills through a disciplined daily painting practice, which pushed him to continually explore new ideas and techniques.
“This forced me to ask myself, ‘What do I want to draw? What do I want to paint? And that, I think, was a big question. It kind of led me into a journey of discovering myself,” he said.
Today, Makshoush’s art often centers around the landscapes and cityscapes of Riyadh.
“I focus on feeling the space. Like, how and why does it make me feel a certain way? When I’m outside and I see something interesting, I try to explore it,” he said.
For Makshoush, the power of pixel art lies in its ability to capture and convey a distinct impression — a quality that he strives to evoke in each piece he creates.
“I chase an atmosphere,” he explained. “My work represents my state of mind during the time that I create (an artwork).”
His personal connection to, and love for, Riyadh is evident in his work, which manages to be both contemporary, but somehow nostalgic at the same time, perhaps because of his retro graphics style.
Through the DAF program, Makshoush hopes to push his skills further by experimenting with larger scales as well as with new technologies.
The mentorship component of the program, he said, is particularly exciting for him, as it offers a chance to explore intersections between pixel art and other digital forms. He would love to explore techniques like programming or ways to exhibit his work interactively. He envisions his art evolving into installations that blend the virtual and physical, bridging the gap between the online world, where digital art typically lives, and tangible exhibitions.
“The idea of moving pixel art from the screen to the physical space is intriguing — finding a balance where it retains its digital essence while existing outside the internet,” he said.
Pixel art, so heavily linked to vintage video games from “Space Invaders” and “Pac-Man” to “Super Mario Bros,” has evolved significantly in recent years, Makshoush believes. He noted that, especially since the early 2010s, social media has helped push pixel art into new realms, with artists worldwide reimagining it and taking it beyond its nostalgic associations. He described a movement primarily driven by Japanese and Western artists, characterized by serene, almost cinematic scenes that evoke a quiet beauty.
“It’s about creating an atmosphere rather than reliving the nostalgia of video games,” he said.
With his newfound access to resources and mentors, Makshoush is eager to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning digital art scene, which he sees as increasingly dynamic and influential.
“We have a lot of digital artists now in Saudi Arabia and it is only becoming bigger and bigger,” he said. “I hope my work can inspire others as I was once inspired.”
Recipes for Success: Chef Ranveer Brar offers advice and a delicious saag meat recipe
DUBAI: Celebrity chef, painter and actor Ranveer Brar was born in Lucknow, northern India, and fell in love with cooking at a very young age. While accompanying his grandfather to the local gurudwara (Sikh place of worship), he remembers sneaking into the community kitchen — known as a langar — excited by all the activity there.
“A few years later, when I was a pre-teen, the priest called me aside and asked me to prepare the rice dish, as his wife was unwell that day. I had no list of ingredients, nor the recipe, but, recalling what I’d observed, I prepared the dish and it turned out quite well. That was my first experience of instant gratification with food,” Brar tells Arab News. “After my debut at the gurudwara, my next attempt at cooking was when my mother fell ill and I made rajma — again, without any recipe, I just made it from my memory of watching my mother make it. I overheard my dad complimenting the attempt and, at that moment, I realized that food was my calling.”
Brar opened his first restaurant in the Gulf in Dubai late last year.
“Kashkan means ‘From Kashmir to Kanyakumari,’” he says. “The UAE, and Dubai in particular, seemed like the perfect venue because it is a melting pot of both cultures and cuisines, so what better place to celebrate Kashkan’s melange of flavours?”
Here, Brar discusses his favorite ingredient, the toughest dish to perfect, and advice for amateurs.
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
Trying to do too much and over-express myself. As a result, I was losing myself — the idea I was trying to express was getting lost. With age I understood that not everything one knows needs to be expressed in a single dish. Wisdom lies in choosing the right moment for the right expression.
What’s your top tip for amateurs?
Stick to the basics. If you get the fundamentals right, you can rarely go wrong with cooking. They can then become the basis for innovation as one evolves.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
That would be coriander for me, adding a lot of freshness. From the stalks to the leaves, every element of the herb is fascinating. Also olive oil, which adds richness.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
I don’t really. I view food as food. The reason I am who I am is because food has always made me happy, so I don’t want to take that role away from food in my life. When eating out, I try to feel, understand and appreciate the intent of the person who’s cooking. But when it’s my cooking, I tend to be quite harsh and critical of myself, because every time you cook, it’s an opportunity to improve yourself.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
It’s usually the local food of the place I am travelling to. Also, the simpler the restaurant, the more likely I am to end up there. I believe the essence of good food is its simplicity. What better than street food and age-old places to understand the true culture and cuisine of any place?
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
Has to be khichdi. It’s the perfect one-pot meal that has everything your appetite needs. Add in vegetables and you get a good proportion of all nutrients on your plate. And don’t forget the ghee!
What customer request most annoys you?
Strangely, it’s when they ask for salt! Salt is such an important element of any dish. A little too much salt can subdue other flavors and too little can fail to elevate them. I feel it’s the chef’s judgment of the amount of salt that allows us to experience the dish as intended. So when customers ask for salt it disappoints me, because the true nature of the dish might get spoiled.
What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?
My special chicken curry. Be it family or friends, I always get asked for that. It’s now a signature dish at Kashkan too.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?
Biryani is something I would love to keep perfecting. You have to cook many layers of rice at the same time, giving it minimum water, minimum heat over a long period of time, with every grain of rice being the same, every layer of flavor equally coating the rice. I think biryani is the perfect test for anyone who is a student of Salt-Fat-Acid-Heat.
As a head chef, what are you like? Are you a disciplinarian? Or are you more laid back?
I used to be a disciplinarian believing that cooking was all about control; the heat, environment, ingredients and cooking itself. Now I’m more relaxed; it’s more collaborative, it’s more about letting the team express themselves and my role is to guide them through that expression.
RECIPE: SAAG MEAT
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS:
For the marination:
4 medium Onions, sliced
¼ cup fresh Fenugreek leaves
¾ cup Curd, beaten
Salt to taste
½ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Degi red chili powder
½ tsp Coriander powder
1 kg Mutton (with bones)
½ tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
For the mutton:
3-4 tbsp Oil
3 Bay leaf
2 Black cardamom
2 Cloves
¼ tsp Cumin seeds
Marinated Mutton
Salt to taste
few fresh Fenugreek leaves
Little water
For the saag meat:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Ghee
1 inch Ginger (peeled & chopped)
4-5 Garlic cloves, chopped
2 medium Onions, chopped
2-3 Green chillies
2 Dry red chillies
2-3 medium bunch fresh Spinach leaves, chopped
¼ cup Amaranth (Bathua)
Salt to taste
Little water
1 tbsp Butter, cubed
Pressure Cooked Mutton
½ tbsp unsalted Butter or white butter, cubed (optional)
½ tsp Mustard oil
For garnish:
Coriander sprig
INSTRUCTIONS
For marination:
In a bowl, add onions, fresh fenugreek leaves, curd, salt to taste, turmeric powder, deg red chili powder, coriander powder, mutton, ginger garlic paste and mix it well.
Keep it aside for further use.
For the mutton:
In a pressure cooker, add oil, once it's hot, add bay leaf, black cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds and let it splutter.
Add marinated mutton and saute it for 6-7 minutes. Add salt to taste and cook for a while.
Add a few fenugreek leaves and mix well. Add water, close the lid and cook it for 5-6 whistles or until the mutton is tender.
Keep it aside for further use.
For the saag meat:
In a kadai (Indian wok), add oil, ghee, once it's hot, ginger, garlic, onion, green chillies and saute for a minute.
Add dry red chillies and saute well. Add spinach, amaranth leaves, salt to taste, water and saute well.
Add butter, close the lid and cook it for 3-4 minutes.
Add cooked mutton and let it simmer for a while.
To finish, add unsalted butter or white butter, mustard oil and stir it well.
Transfer it to a serving dish and garnish it with coriander sprig.
Serve hot with roti.
Best and worst: Nour Hassan discusses memorable style moments, her take on trends
DUBAI: The Saudi-Egyptian podcast host and influencer shares memorable style moments, her take on trends, and the best and worst advice she ever received.
Best TV show or film you’ve ever seen?
“Gossip Girl” remains an iconic show for both fashion and pop culture. One of my favorite movies is “Pride and Prejudice” starring Keira Knightley, possibly since this is also one of my favorite books. And I have to watch “Love, Actually” at least once a year around December.
Worst TV show/film you’ve ever seen?
I don’t like anything dark or dreary. I prefer shows and movies that inspire and uplift because I think there is enough darkness in the world.
Best personal style moment so far?
I would definitely have to say my custom couture Jean Pierre Khoury wedding dress. It was a timeless piece. Another style moment I cherish is wearing Marmar Halim to El Gouna Film Festival.
Worst personal style moment?
Overall my style has been quite consistent and identifiable. I wouldn’t say I have a worst, necessarily, but any time I opt for a trend, it does not age well. This might be too soon, but I cannot stand those flower hair clips anymore. I also rarely wear yellow or pink. But I change my mind often, as a Libra, so you might catch me in a full yellow look after saying this.
Best accessory for a little black dress?
Pearls. They’re such an underrated accessory. They can really help achieve a timeless look — something from the 1920s and ’30s when fashion was more feminine and definitely more demure.
Worst accessory for a little black dress?
Too much color. Own the black cat moment, make it bold. The black dress is a statement. It exudes confidence and power, so keep it simple and classic.
Best fashion trend of 2024?
The Fall/ Winter color palette is everything. Chocolate brown, deep burgundy, taupes and nudes. These are the colors I've always loved the most. As an Arab woman with Egyptian Pharaonic features, I always find the warmth brings out all the best aspects of my complexion. Cool tones like navy are not my go-to, but thankfully I think we’re over that age-old rule of not pairing navy with black. Fashion is becoming more free and I am here for it.
Worst fashion trend of 2024?
Ballerinas — ballet shoes — are something I cannot get myself to return to. I used to love them — I lived in them in the early 2000s — but something about them makes the entire outfit look naïve, and I don’t like that. It’s not a look I’d go back to, although Miu Miu has tempted me many times.
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
Never compare yourself to anyone. I think that’s almost impossible in the age of social media, but if you start the game of comparison it will never end. Focus on yourself and your work. That’s the only way to stay unique and authentic in the contemporary landscape.
Worst advice you’ve ever been given?
Asking for too much advice is usually a problem. Ultimately, you need to be able to make calls for yourself.
Best book you’ve ever read?
“The Untethered Soul” by Michael Singer is a book that can change your life — but only if you’re ready to grasp the sobering message that you are, in fact, in control of your life and your circumstances. It’s a scary thought and you have to be ready to take accountability for your life. For non-fiction it is, and always will be, the “Harry Potter” books.
Worst book you’ve ever read?
A mentor once told me that a book finds you when you’re ready for it. I don’t think you can go wrong with reading. There is always something to learn. Even if you hated the book then that’s a lesson on what you do not enjoy.
Best thing to do when you’re feeling low?
Pilates or a good long walk will elevate just about any aspect of your day, especially the latter. Sometimes, if you do not have the energy for an intense workout, it’s best to listen and not force it. Just go for 15 mins — do something to move the body and it will help free your mind.
Worst thing to do when you’re feeling good?
Be anywhere but in the now.
Best holiday destination?
Rome. Always. It’s a city that allows you to dream big — it kind of reminds me of certain parts of Cairo. It shows you what human beings are capable of and how vast and expansive civilization really is.
Worst holiday destination?
I’m not a camping girl, so anything like that, or somewhere with an arid climate, is not for me.
Best subject at school?
English. I got an award for the highest score in the Middle East during my IB Diploma. I’m a writer first and foremost, so I loved reading prose, analyzing poems and writing short stories. Art was equally a favorite. Both encompass the majority of my interests and passions.
Worst subject at school?
I was a major nerd so I didn’t really have a worst subject. I aced them all, like it or not. If I had to pick one perhaps it would be physics. I had a love-hate relationship with this subject.
Best thing to do to ensure you have a productive day?
Wake up before the sun. The days I wake up early are completely different to the days when I do not. I think deep down inside we all know this is the ultimate life hack, but potentially the most difficult one to implement because it requires uprooting your entire routine. I wake up at 5 a.m. at least once a week to reset and prepare for the week.
Worst thing to do when you’re trying to have a productive day?
Open social media. You’ll be in the vortex for hours.
