Bella Hadid nominated for fashion industry award in London
Updated 24 October 2018
Arab News
DUBAI: US-Palestinian model Bella Hadid is up for an esteemed title at The Fashion Awards 2018, an annual event by the British Fashion Council to acknowledge the industry’s brightest talents across business, modeling, and design.
The event, which was previously known as the British Fashion Awards, has partnered with Swarovski this year.
Hadid has been nominated in the International Model Category for the event, alongside Kaia Gerber, Adwoa Aboah, Adut Akech and Winnie Harlow.
It isn’t the first time the model has been nominated, she was given a nod of appreciation in 2017 and 2016, but has yet to receive the award as they went to her older sister Gigi Hadid and Adwoa Aboah.
The winners of the awards, which will be voted for by more than 2000 industry participants from 32 different countries, will be honored on Dec. 10 at a gala ceremony in London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Maison Safqa’s private-sale model brings insider access, curated drops to Saudi Arabia’s luxury e-commerce scene
Updated 25 May 2025
Hanadi Merchant-Habib
DUBAI: The e-commerce space in Saudi is thriving — every so often, the market sees a new entrant, whether in fashion, beauty or lifestyle.
Its newest player is Maison Safqa, a private-sale platform offering premium-to-luxury brands at special prices — but only for a limited time. Co-founded by Lea Mehweg, who serves as CEO, her sister Georgia, and former colleague Estelle Nasr, the concept draws inspiration from France, where private sales have long offered brands a discreet way to offload past-season inventory without diluting their image.
“It’s a private-sale platform where we offer premium to luxury brands at discounted prices,” said Mehweg. “The whole concept is to support the brand, take their collections — even from previous seasons — and put them in a very elevated and premium shopping environment.”
Maison Safqa’s approach differs from traditional outlet platforms. Rather than overwhelming users with thousands of items, the site hosts limited-time “drops” that spotlight specific categories or designers — from accessories and ready-to-wear, to upcoming plans in homeware, beauty, and lifestyle services like staycations and wellness. “It’s not like a year-round outlet with hundreds of items spread across endless pages where you eventually get lost,” Mehweg said. “On Maison Safqa, we drop new brands every week — or even every few days — and each one stays on the platform for a limited time.”
Access to these exclusive drops is available to registered members only, reinforcing the platform’s sense of community and curated exclusivity. While membership is currently free, a premium tier with added benefits, such as early access and free shipping, is in the works.
Saudi Arabia was a natural choice for the full launch of the new platform. “The fashion and luxury industry is booming here. More brands are entering the market, which naturally leads to excess stock, and that’s where we come in. We want to be the first to offer a structured private-sale platform that supports brands while delivering real value to customers,” Mehweg said. Unlike the saturated off-price market in Dubai, Mehweg sees untapped potential in Saudi Arabia, especially in the premium and luxury segment.
Having grown up in France, Mehweg recalls rarely buying items at full price, knowing they would soon appear on curated private-sale platforms. That same smart, style-savvy mindset is what Maison Safqa aims to tap into.
Another key USP is local relevance. It is rare to see regional designers featured on off-price platforms, but Maison Safqa is committed to championing homegrown talent. Alongside global names like Coach and Victoria Beckham, the platform also features Saudi and regional designers. “Most off-price players are based outside the GCC and rarely include local talent,” said Mehweg. “For us, cultural resonance matters.”
Though first tested in Dubai, Maison Safqa is now fully operational in Saudi Arabia, with plans to expand across the GCC in the coming months. As the platform grows, its goal is clear: To redefine the off-price experience in the region by blending premium access, local relevance and a curated lens for the modern Middle Eastern shopper.
DUBAI: British actress and model Cara Delevingne wore a black gown by Saudi label Ashi Studio to the premiere of “La Venue de L’avenir” (“Colours of Time”) at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
The strapless gown featured a sleek, satin-like finish with a sculpted bodice that flowed into a straight, floor-length skirt, subtly draped at the hips. She paired the look with sheer black opera gloves for added drama.
Delevingne, her hair styled in soft waves, completed the ensemble with an emerald and diamond necklace and a matching ring from Hassanzadeh Jewellery.
Delevingne’s gown was originally presented during Paris Haute Couture Week as part of the brand’s Spring/Summer 2025 couture collection. The version shown on the runway was in blue.
Delevingne was not the only star dressed in designs by Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi, founder of Ashi Studio.
Hong Kong-Taiwanese actress and model Shu Qi also championed the designer at the premiere of “Resurrection,” wearing a deep burgundy velvet gown from his Spring/Summer 2025 collection.
The strapless dress featured a sleek, form-fitting silhouette. Its standout element was the train at the back, adorned with intricate gold-thread embroidery depicting trees, birds, houses, rivers and other landscape details.
Ashi and his atelier have been based in Paris since 2018. In 2023, he became the first designer from the Gulf region to be invited as a guest member of the Federation de la Haute Couture in Paris, which allowed him to present on the official couture calendar.
In 2024, Ashi was commissioned to design the official cabin crew uniforms for Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national airline.
His designs have also been worn by a number of international public figures and performers, including Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue, Penelope Cruz, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, and Queen Rania of Jordan.
He most recently dressed US actress Ali Ahn, star of Netflix’s “The Diplomat,” in a cream sculptural ensemble for the Screen Actors Guild Awards held in Los Angeles in February.
That same month, “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo also wore one of his creations to the 2025 Grammy Awards. Her look was from Ashi Studio’s Fall/Winter 2024-25 collection, titled “Sculpted Clouds.”
Saudi Fashion Awards spotlight innovators and local talent
Women’s Wear Daily collaborates to honor Saudi creatives
Updated 25 May 2025
Rahaf Jambi
RIYADH: Women’s Wear Daily, in collaboration with the Saudi Fashion Commission, honored several creatives at an awards ceremony in Riyadh on Thursday.
(AN: Huda Bashatah)
Alessandro Sartori, artistic director of Zegna, was named International Designer of the Year, while Matteo Tamburini, creative director of Tod’s, received the International Brand of the Year award.
Patrick Ta, founder of Patrick Ta Beauty, was named International Beauty Innovator of the Year, and Glow Recipe was awarded International Beauty Brand of the Year.
(AN: Huda Bashatah)
Additional awards presented by the Saudi Fashion Commission celebrated the achievements of several Saudi Arabia brands and individuals.
Rawan Kattoa was named Fashion Stylist of the Year, Rayyan Nawawi received the Fashion Photographer of the Year award, and KML was recognized as Menswear Brand of the Year.
(AN: Huda Bashatah)
In addition, Abadia was named Womenswear Brand of the Year, Charmaleena as Jewelry Brand of the Year, and the Elite Model Honorary Award for Model of the Year went to Taleedah Tamer.
The judging panel included industry leaders Law Roach, Amanda Smith, Burak Cakmak, Xavier Romatet, Mohammed Aldabbageh, and Mai Badr.
(AN: Huda Bashatah)
In her acceptance speech, Kattoa said: “This award means so much to me. It represents a journey that started as a freelancer ... I want to thank my husband for his support, my parents for their inspiration, and all the creatives who made this possible.”
Ahmad Hassan, co-founder of KML, said: “This is such an award for the first time ... It means the world to us. Being recognized in our home country makes this achievement even more special.”
(AN: Huda Bashatah)
“We were born and raised here, and to have our work celebrated in Riyadh is a dream come true. This award inspires us to push boundaries and innovate in our designs,” he added.
Reflecting on the evolving fashion scene, Hassan said: “Events like this showcase the incredible talent we have in Saudi Arabia. It encourages us to keep creating and to elevate our craft.”
“We are committed to telling our story through fashion and contributing to this vibrant industry,” he added.
DUBAI: Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) is set to make its return this autumn with its series of Spring/Summer 2026 shows, running from Sept. 1 to 6 at its longtime home in Dubai Design District (d3).
As the first event on the international fashion calendar — ahead of New York, London, Milan, and Paris —DFW’s upcoming edition builds on the momentum of February’s Autumn/Winter 2025/26 showcase, which drew widespread attention with headline-grabbing appearances by international models and a grand finale by iconic Indian designer Manish Malhotra.
The season also spotlighted emerging regional voices, such as Les Benjamins, a correspondent member of the Arab Fashion Council, alongside global names like Paolo Sebastian.
DUBAI: The Saudi Fashion Commission is set to host the second edition of the Saudi Fashion Awards on May 22 in Riyadh.
The ceremony will celebrate the “visionaries, creatives, and entrepreneurs shaping Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing influence in the international fashion and beauty industries,” according to a released statement.
Key awards this year include the Fashion Stylist of the Year prize; the Fashion Photographer of the Year prize, presented in collaboration with Hia Magazine; the Menswear Brand of the Year trophy; the Womenswear Brand of the Year prize; the Jewelry Brand of the Year award; and the Elite Model Honorary Award for Model of the Year.
The judging panel includes Hollywood stylist Law Roach; Amanda Smith, CEO of Fairchild Media Group and WWD; Burak Çakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission; Xavier Romatet, Dean of Institut Français de la Mode ; Mohammed Aldabbageh, KSA Managing Director of Chalhoub Group; and Mai Badr, Editor-in-Chief of Hia Magazine.
“Riyadh is proudly emerging as the capital of fashion, beauty, and the future of the creative industries in the region. Its transformation from promise to global presence on red carpets, runways, and retail spaces reflects the ingenuity and dedication of a new generation of trailblazers redefining regional and international fashion standards,” Çakmak said in a released statement.
