KAMPALA: Nasasi Belinda, a Ugandan businesswoman, has won the east African country’s first-ever “Miss Curvy” beauty pageant, vowing to act as a role model for other women with “plus-size” figures.
“I am going to be an inspiration,” an overjoyed Belinda said after winning the title in Kampala late Friday, beating 24 other finalists for the grand prize.
“Being plus-size is not a problem,” she continued. “So be happy about yourself and make sure you don’t quit. Just keep going.”
The pageant was part of a government campaign to attract tourists to the east African nation.
But the campaign caused controversy in February when tourism minister Godfrey Kiwanda suggested Ugandan women’s curvaceous beauty was “a product to be marketed along with what we already have as a country ranging from Nature, the language and food, to make it a tourist attraction.”
Women’s rights activists were outraged by the comments and called for the minister to resign.
“This is perversion. To think women can be used as sex objects in this age and time is an absurdity and we condemn it,” Rita Aciro, executive director of the Uganda Women’s Network, told AFP at the time.
Ugandan entrepreneur and activist Primrose Nyonyozi Murungi launched an online petition to stop the campaign, which she said was “totally unacceptable and demeaning to us.”
“Women in Uganda have been attacked while on the streets. What happens now is that the government is confirming a stereotype that women are sexual objects and can be touched regardless and more so made a product of tourism,” she told AFP.
Former opposition leader in parliament, Winnie Kiiza, told AFP the move came “at a time (when) women face fear and stigma in a male-dominated society.”
Minister Kiwanda sought to play down the controversy on Friday.
“I also believe that there is a new wave that is going to come to Uganda, a new confidence that is going to be built among plus-size ladies,” he said.
Businesswoman wins Uganda’s first ‘Miss Curvy’ beauty contest
Businesswoman wins Uganda’s first ‘Miss Curvy’ beauty contest

- Former opposition leader in parliament, Winnie Kiiza, told AFP the move came “at a time (when) women face fear and stigma in a male-dominated society”
Saudi Fashion Awards set for May 22 in Riyadh

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.
Rawdah Mohamed walks the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival

DUBAI: Somali Norwegian model Rawdah Mohamed walked the red carpet at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France on Saturday night.
The model showed off a blush pink-toned look, complete with a drop waist, on the red carpet ahead of the premiere of “Die, My Love.”

The film is an adaptation of the 2017 novel of the same name by Ariana Harwicz about a new mother who develops postpartum depression and enters psychosis. “Die, My Love,” starring Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, earned a six-minute standing ovation from the audience at Cannes.
Directed by acclaimed Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, the film has been hailed by critics, with Deadline calling it a “brutal but beautiful portrait of a woman on the edge.”
Visibly teary eyed during the standing ovation, Ramsay addressed the crowd, saying: “Wow. I’m so overwhelmed. Thanks to these amazing actors. I’ve got to get it together — I’ll see you in a minute.”
Joining Lawrence and Pattinson in the cast are LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek, and Nick Nolte.
Mohamed watched the film one day after appearing on the red carpet for the “Eddington” on Friday.
On Friday, she wore a look by Chinese couture label Cheney Chan. The gown hailed from the label’s Fall/ Winter 2024 collection.
A self-taught fashion designer, Chan was born and raised in the Jiangsu province.
“Growing up, my parents always wanted me to be a pilot,” he previously shared with Vogue Singapore. “I had cleared all the flying tests effortlessly back in high school, but it was unfortunately not where my heart lay.” Eventually, he gained a fashion media degree at Peking University before starting his eponymous label in 2012.
The label has previously been flaunted by the likes if US singer Kelly Roland and actress Anya Taylor-Joy.
Mohamed finished off her look with a matching hijab and bejeweled brooch.
The rising star has attended the Cannes Film Festival before, in 2023 and 2024, and is fast making a name for herself as one to watch in the fashion industry.
She has worked with brands like Boss and H&M and walked the runway during Roberto Cavalli’s show in Dubai in 2024.
Amal Clooney stuns in black at Cannes Film Festival

DUBAI: Lebanese British human rights lawyer Amal Clooney made a head-turning appearance at the 78th Cannes Film Festival this week, wearing a black gown by British designer John Galliano.
Clooney attended the premiere of “Bono: Stories of Surrender” in a sleek, off-the-shoulder dress featuring a fitted bodice with subtle draping and a floor-length skirt with a gentle train. She completed the look with a black clutch and Cartier statement earrings, styling her hair in soft, voluminous waves.
On the red carpet, Clooney was joined by U2 guitarist the Edge and frontman Bono, the subject of “Bono: Stories of Surrender.”

The black-and-white film, directed by Andrew Dominik, adapts Bono’s 2022 memoir “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story” and his one-man stage show of the same name.
Set to some of U2’s most iconic tracks, Bono opens up about the tragedy that marked his childhood, with his mother Iris collapsing and dying at her own father’s funeral when the singer was 14.
His father, Brendan “Bob” Hewson, already a man of few words, retreated into shock, anger and depression.

The film is also a love letter to the singer’s wife, Ali Hewson, who he met when they were both 15, the same fateful day U2 was formed in a Dublin school. The film streams on Apple TV+ from May 30.
Bono, who has spent decades fighting for more aid to Africa and to lift the debt burden from poor countries, told the audience at the premiere that the world is again being threatened by fascism as it was when the festival was set up in 1939.
“Mussolini and the little man with a moustache, and his mate Goebbels had taken over the Venice Film Festival, so this festival was set up to fight fascism,” the singer said.
“It took it until 1946 (for the festival to get going) but it stands for that freedom now.”
He said that Hollywood star Sean Penn — a vocal advocate for Ukraine — had “brought us some friends from the actual trenches, from the front line in Ukraine, and they’re here tonight.
“I just want to thank you because you’re keeping us free,” Bono added to loud cheers.
Princess Reema chooses Honayda design for Trump’s departure from Riyadh

DUBAI: As US President Donald Trump concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia and departed for Qatar, Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, again wore a creation by Saudi designer Honayda Serafi.
For the occasion, Princess Reema chose a light pink ensemble consisting of a long, flowing dress paired with a structured overcoat. The overcoat featured a soft floral pattern, with delicate embroidery scattered across its surface. The look was completed with a matching light pink headscarf.
The outfit followed her look from the day before, when she wore a bespoke royal blue abaya by Serafi during Trump’s official welcome in Riyadh.
The floor-length abaya featured detailed gold embroidery. The symmetrical patterns extended across the bodice and sleeves, while smaller gold motifs were scattered throughout the lower part of the garment. The look was completed with a matching blue headscarf.
Honayda Serafi, founder of Honayda, posted a statement about Princess Reema’s appearance on Instagram, saying: “I am so pleased and deeply proud to see HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar, our remarkable Saudi Ambassador to the United States, standing as a symbol of strength, progress and leadership, as one of the first women to break barriers and champion women’s empowerment.
“It is a special moment to see her shine as she welcomes President Trump on his historic visit to Riyadh, wearing a bespoke piece by Honayda for this significant occasion. I look forward to sharing more about the inspiration behind this design,” she added.
Serafi is known for dressing prominent figures in the Middle East and the rest of the world. Celebrities who have worn her designs include Priyanka Chopra, Lupita Nyong’o and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein of Jordan.
She is a favorite of Saudi-born Princess Rajwa and dressed the royal for her henna night festivities in 2023 and for Jordanian King Abdullah II’s silver jubilee celebrations in Amman in 2024.
After leaving Riyadh, Trump is visiting Doha, Qatar, for meetings with Qatari leadership. After this stop, he is scheduled to travel to the UAE, where discussions will continue on economic cooperation, defense partnerships and regional security.
Arab stars, designers shine at the Cannes Film Fest

- Bella Hadid, Shanina Shaik among top models
- Dresses by designers Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab
DUBAI: Arab stars and designers made a strong appearance at the 78th Cannes Film Festival this week, with supermodels Bella Hadid and Shanina Shaik in black gowns and Heidi Klum wearing a voluminous dress by Elie Saab.
Guests arrived at the festival’s opening in a variety of statement designs.

Hadid, who is American, Dutch and Palestinian, appeared with a new blonde hair color. She wore a black floor-length gown with a draped asymmetrical neckline, fitted silhouette, high slit and low back.
She accessorized with statement earrings from Chopard, set with green gemstones, along with a matching ring.

Shaik, the Australia-born model of Saudi, Pakistani and Lithuanian descent, wore a black strapless gown featuring a structured bodice made of smooth, matte fabric.
The dress included a wide, embellished peplum detail at the hips, covered in crystals and beads. The skirt was made of sheer, glittering fabric decorated with teardrop-shaped embellishments and extended into a small train.
Klum chose a pink gown from Saab’s collection “The 1001 Season of Elie Saab,” that was presented in Riyadh.
The strapless dress was designed with layered pink fabric shaped like large petals. It featured a high front slit and a long train, with the petal-like layers covering the entire gown from bodice to floor.
Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad also had a presence on the red carpet.
Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio wore a strapless gown in metallic green fabric by Murad. The dress had a sweetheart neckline, draped detailing gathered at the waist and a thigh-high slit. She paired it with matching green textured sleeves.
Arab stars attending the event included Egyptian actress Amina Khalil, Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim, Lebanese reality TV personality Alice Abdel Aziz and presenter Raya Abirached.
Khalil wore a light pink gown by Lebanese designer Rami Kadi, featuring a fitted bodice with a halter-style neckline. The dress included a tiered skirt decorated with multiple layers of feathered trims.

Njeim also opted for a light pink gown by Tamara Ralph. The strapless dress featured a draped neckline and a fitted, corset-style bodice. The waist was accented with a decorative embellishment shaped like a flower.
She completed the look with jewelry from MARLI New York’s high jewelry collection, specifically the CLEO Sculpt pieces.