The seductive new Ghost — a Rolls-Royce for the pandemic era
The seductive new Ghost — a Rolls-Royce for the pandemic era/node/1739571/lifestyle
The seductive new Ghost — a Rolls-Royce for the pandemic era
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A Rolls-Royce for the COVID-19 era might be an incongruous idea, but that is what the luxury car maker has made with its new Ghost, writes Frank Kane. (Supplied)
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A Rolls-Royce for the COVID-19 era might be an incongruous idea, but that is what the luxury car maker has made with its new Ghost, writes Frank Kane. (Supplied)
The seductive new Ghost — a Rolls-Royce for the pandemic era
The revamped model was officially launched in the Middle East at a glitzy ceremony in Caesars Palace hotel in Dubai this week
Updated 24 September 2020
Frank Kane
DUBAI: A Rolls-Royce for the COVID-19 era might be an incongruous idea, but that is what the luxury car maker has made with its new Ghost.
Not that the elite motor marque has gone anywhere near austerity in the new car, which was officially launched in the Middle East at a glitzy ceremony in Caesars Palace hotel in Dubai this week.
All the features that have made Rolls-Royce a by-word for iconic luxury are still there, and more: Deep pile carpet made from finest British wool; enough technology — much of it from the hi-tech heartland of Rolls’ German owner BMW — to launch a Mars mission; and a price tag of around 1.8 million Emirati dirhams ($490,000) that will buy you the bare minimum of customization.
But, in the words of Rolls-Royce global CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos, this version of the Ghost is in tune with the era of “post opulence.”
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Apparently, Rolls’ owners wanted something that “didn’t shout, but rather whisper.”
The car that was unveiled at Caesars Palace did not so much whisper, as entice. “Come and drive me,” it seemed to be saying, in a seductive voice.
As ever with Rolls, the car looks a knockout, and you could spend a long time admiring its minimalist lines, but any red-blooded driver simply wants to get behind that wheel on an open road.
What a thrill that will be when the Rolls cognoscenti get their pre-ordered deliveries in the next couple of months. The 6.7-liter twin-turbo V-12 engine has so much power that drivers will appreciate the close control of four-wheel-drive and steering that comes as standard, as well as improved suspension. The “magic carpet” ride promises to be even smoother.
The whole car has been re-engineered from the previous Ghost, which was one of the best-selling cars in Rolls’ illustrious 120-year history, and it has some eye-catching refinements. Doors open from the inside at the touch of a button, and the “spirit of ecstasy” now slips back into the bonnet when you want, rather than into the radiator grill.
The “pantheon” grill itself can be backlit for those occasions when you might want to let other rear-view motorists know you are driving the best car on the road.
Cesar Habib, the head of the Rolls business in the Middle East, quoted founder Henry Rolls: “Small things make perfection, but perfection is not a small thing.”
The launch of a new Rolls-Royce is no small thing either. The huge number of enthusiasts in Saudi Arabia will get their chance to sample the new Ghost next month.
DUBAI: The Michelin Guide is set to launch in Saudi Arabia, marking a major milestone in the Kingdom’s evolving culinary landscape.
Organized in partnership with the Culinary Arts Commission, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the “new selection will focus on the bustling cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, while also beginning to explore the diverse regions of the Kingdom, including Khobar, AlUla, and many more,” according to the Michelin Guide.
The announcement confirmed that Michelin inspectors are “are already in the field” and will begin evaluating restaurants.
Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said in a statement: "These past few years, our Michelin inspectors have been keeping a watchful eye on The Kingdom’s culinary progression and continue to relish the wonderful spectrum that this fast-developing country has to offer.”
Mayada Badr, the CEO of the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission, said: “Our collaboration with the Michelin Guide marks an important milestone in celebrating the unique and diverse culinary scene of Saudi Arabia. It shines a light on the creativity and excellence of our chefs and restaurants, and invites the world to discover the distinct flavors and experiences the Kingdom has to offer.”
The restaurant selection for the inaugural edition will be unveiled towards the end of the year 2025.
The guide currently operates in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
Theater and film experts Fatima Al-Banawi, Lana Komsany lend expertise to Saudi summer camp
Updated 23 June 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Saudi filmmaker Fatima Al-Banawi is set to take part in a two week summer program for children in Jeddah hosted by Alf Wad Productions.
The two programs aimed at children are titled “Little Theater Stars Camp” and “Camp Journey to the World of Cinema.” The programs run for two weeks.
The schedule focuses on teaching theatrical experiences by allowing children to write a play inspired by their ideas. In addition to writing a script, the participants will design the costumes and help in building the set for the production.
From lighting to sound and storytelling, the program will offer a holistic understanding of what it takes to bring a theater production to life.
Led by instructor Lana Komsany and supervised by Al-Banawi, the programs will conclude with a performance in front of a live audience.
Al-Banawi is recognized for her roles in “Barakah Meets Barakah” and the Saudi thriller “Route 10.”
She made her directorial debut with “Basma,” in which she also plays the titular role of a young Saudi woman who returns to her hometown of Jeddah after studying in the US. Back home, she is confronted with her father’s mental illness, strained family ties, and the challenge of reconnecting with a past life that no longer feels familiar.
“I really went into cinema — in 2015 with my first feature as an actress — with one intention: to bridge the gap between the arts and social impact and psychology,” she previously told Arab News. “And I was able to come closer to this union when I positioned myself as a writer-director, more so than as an actor.”
The film debuted on Netflix in 2024.
Meanwhile, Qamsani specializes in film and theater, with extensive experience in directing, acting, and writing, and is known for her work in creative training.
Alfwad Productions is a Saudi Arabia-based creative arts organization focused on nurturing young talent through performance, storytelling, and cultural education. The organization runs year-round programs that blend theater, music, and visual arts.
DUBAI: American Dutch Palestinian supermodel Bella Hadid is expanding her beauty brand, Orebella, into the world of accessories — and she’s doing it with a little help from her close friends.
Hadid has teamed up with Wildflower Cases co-founders Sydney and Devon Lee Carlson to launch a limited-edition collaboration featuring two dreamy new products: an iPhone case and a “Scentable Wristlet.”
Bella Hadid has teamed up with Wildflower Cases co-founders Sydney and Devon Lee Carlson to launch a limited-edition collaboration featuring two dreamy new products: an iPhone case and a “Scentable Wristlet.” (Instagram)
Hadid took to Instagram to announce the launch, writing, “Feeling like the luckiest girl in the world to be able to be creative with my beauty boss sisters. Life is beautiful when we have the opportunity to watch our friends winning. So proud of you two. So proud of our teams. So proud of us. Love you all — thank you for bringing this vision to life.
“Cases ANDDDD our most special scented wristlets to keep the orebella scent of your choice on you at all times! Been wanting to make this accessory for a while, had the idea for scented bracelets and wristlets, and my sisters pulled it all together for us. Love you guys so much,” she added.
Teased earlier on Instagram through behind-the-scenes campaign shots, the collaboration blends Orebella’s fragrance-forward ethos with Wildflower’s unique phone accessory style.
The iPhone case is designed with a celestial sky motif and a delicate crescent moon, channeling Hadid’s signature mystical aesthetic — part of what the trio call a “girl gang collection,” celebrating the friendship between Bella, Devon, and Sydney.
Meanwhile, the Scentable Wristlet introduces a functional — and fragrant — twist. Designed to hold a small vial of Orebella’s signature scent, the wristlet allows users to carry their favorite fragrance with them wherever they go, seamlessly merging style with sensory self-expression.
Orebella, which launched in May last year with a sell-out line of clean fragrance mists, is rooted in Hadid’s love of scent layering, spirituality, and beauty rituals.
Hadid wrote on her website at the time: “For me, fragrance has always been at the center of my life — helping me feel in charge of who I am and my surroundings. From my home to nostalgic memories, to my own energy and connection with others, scent has been an outlet for me. It made me feel safe in my own world.”
Co-founder of digital platform The Open Crate shares Art Basel top picks
Updated 21 June 2025
Arab News
BASEL: Tunisian art expert Amina Debbiche, who co-founded digital art platform The Open Crate alongside Nora Mansour, shares her top artworks from Switzerland’s Art Basel contemporary art fair, which wraps up on Sunday.
Amina Debbiche. (Supplied)
The Open Crate allows clients to digitalize their entire collection, whether it be artwork, design objects or luxury items.
Yto Barrada at Sfeir-Semler Gallery
“I first discovered Yto Barrada’s work at the Arsenale during the 2011 Venice Biennale and was instantly captivated by her poetic and political approach. Since then, I’ve followed her brilliant trajectory across film, photography, textiles, and installation. Born in Paris and raised in Tangier, her practice explores themes of memory, displacement, and resistance. We’ve now come full circle - she will represent France at the upcoming Venice Biennale, curated by Myriam Ben Salah.”
Yto Barrada’s work at Art Basel. (Supplied)
Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ at Art Basel Unlimited
Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ at Art Basel Unlimited. (Supplied)
“Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ deeply moved me with its layered storytelling and political tenderness. The work maps Arab and South Asian migration to Latin America and the Caribbean through handwoven rugs made with Iraqi weavers. It documents hybrid identities, memory, and solidarity across geographies. I’ve long admired how Alia reclaims overlooked narratives with such poetic clarity. Her voice feels both urgent and timeless.”
Eunnam Hong’s ‘Safeway’ at Mendes Wood DM booth
“Eunnam Hong’s painting … stopped me in my tracks — cinematic, hyper-stylized, and effortlessly cool. With nods to Cindy Sherman and K-drama aesthetics, the Korean artist explores identity and performance through staged, uncanny tableaus. Her figures- drenched in soft light, wrapped in curlers and headscarves, clutching vitamin D and Safeway bags - feel both retro and unmistakably now. It’s suburban surrealism meets generational moodboard, complete with Converse and quiet rebellion. Hong is one of the most compelling contemporary voices out there - sharp, relatable, and iconic in the making.
Eunnam Hong’s ‘Safeway’ at Mendes Wood DM booth. (Supplied)
Simone Fattal’s ‘Music On My Mind’ (2024)
“Simone Fattal is a Syrian Lebanese artist whose sculptural practice draws from archaeology, poetry, and mythology to explore themes of memory, exile, and resilience. Born in Damascus and raised in Beirut, she has created only a few large-scale sculptures, making each one rare and significant. Her works are held in major collections including MoMA, Centre Pompidou, and the Sharjah Art Foundation … I was drawn to “Music On My Mind” for its quiet power — the naive, totemic form and subtle reference to sound felt deeply poetic.”
Simone Fattal’s ‘Music On My Mind’ (2024). (Supplied)
M'barek Bouhchichi’s ‘Terr
M'barek Bouhchichi’s ‘Terra’ series (2024)
Noah Davis’s ‘The Goat from Grayson’ (2008) at David Zwirner
“I love this work for its quiet intensity and material poetry and Selma Feriani, who presents it, is one of the few truly independent voices from the region to make it to Art Basel with a consistently bold program. M’barek Bouhchichi, born in southeastern Morocco, lives and works in Tahanaout, Morocco. The artist collaborates with women artisans to create henna-dyed wool works that evoke both landscape and memory. His ‘Terra’ series explores cultural links between Morocco and Mali through ancestral weaving techniques. These minimal, earthy compositions blur the line between textile and painting. A major solo show in Tunis is coming this September.”
Noah Davis’s ‘The Goat from Grayson’ (2008) at David Zwirner
“I’ve always been drawn to Noah Davis’s ability to create scenes that feel both dreamlike and grounded in Black lived experience. “The Goat from Grayson” (2008), shown here at David Zwirner, captures his signature blend of poetic realism, rich symbolism and painterly tenderness. The glowing tree, the quiet tension, and the spiritual undertone pull you in. Davis, who passed away tragically young at 32, was not only a brilliant painter but also the founder of The Underground Museum in Los Angeles, a vital space for Black art and community. His work was the subject of a major retrospective at the Hammer Museum in 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential artists of his generation.”
Eric Fischl’s ‘After the Funeral’ (2017)
“Eric Fischl’s paintings often feel like paused movie scenes, loaded with tension, memory, and unspoken drama. I was instantly drawn to these two women, something about the cigarette, the ice cube, the gaze, it felt like I’d stumbled into a Woody Allen film mid-conversation. Fischl captures that strange mix of intimacy and detachment with uncanny precision. A key figure of American figurative painting since the 1980s, his work explores suburban psychology and social dynamics. He is represented by Skarstedt, a gallery known for championing major contemporary artists like David Salle, Cindy Sherman, and George Condo.”
Eric Fischl’s ‘After the Funeral’ (2017)
Sheila Hicks’s ‘Lianes Etoiles’ (2020)
“Sheila Hicks’s ‘Lianes Etoiles’ is pure visual rhythm. Its vibrant threads, soft textures, and sculptural layering instantly drew me in. There is something meditative and sensual about the way the colors pulse across the surface. Hicks, a pioneer of textile art, has redefined fiber as a sculptural and painterly medium for over six decades. This piece feels both contemporary and ancestral, like a coded language of color and craft. It is shown by Alison Jacques, a gallery that consistently champions strong, visionary practices.”
Wael Shawky’s ‘I Am Hymns of The New Temples: Pompeii glass amphora (#06)’ (2023) at the booth of Lia Rumma
“Wael Shawky’s amphora sculptures are a masterclass in historical layering and contemporary wit. Representing the Egyptian Pavilion at the last Venice Biennale, his work was among the most celebrated and nearly won the Golden Lion. The video “Drama 1882” retelling of the ’Urabi revolution that was co‑funded through support from Mai Eldib, who organised key patronage, was later acquired by a major institution in the Middle East. These Murano glass forms, draped in ornate textiles, are as subtle as they are rich in reference. Shawky continues to expand the visual language of Arab myth, ritual, and storytelling with quiet force.”
Wael Shawky’s ‘I Am Hymns of The New Temples: Pompeii glass amphora (#06)’ (2023) at the booth of Lia Rumma
Amoako Boafo’s ‘Floral One Piece’ (2025) at Gagosian Gallery’s booth
“This striking portrait by Amoako Boafo was exhibited at the Gagosian booth, where the brilliant Rola Wazni, director of Gagosian Paris, walked me through a presentation curated by Francesco Bonami. Boafo, originally from Ghana and based in Vienna, is known for his lush finger-painted figures and bold exploration of Black identity and presence. His textured brushwork and floral detailing here are both tender and defiant. The composition radiates quiet power, dignity, and individuality. Rolla’s sharp eye and grace made the experience even more memorable.”
Amoako Boafo’s ‘Floral One Piece’ (2025) at Gagosian Gallery’s booth
Maurizio Cattelan and Rudofl Stingel at Gagosian Gallery’s booth
“Gagosian’s booth at Art Basel 2025, curated by Francesco Bonami, offered a brilliantly irreverent pairing of Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘No’ (2021) and Rudolf Stingel’s ‘Untitled’ (2012). Cattelan’s kneeling figure in a suit, head covered by a paper bag, delivers a biting satire of modern-day capitalism and mental health collapse — a man caught between denial and trauma, refusing to face symbolic castration or mortality. Stingel’s silvery abstraction provided a haunting, meditative counterpoint, echoing themes of absence and ego. Together, the works reflected on visibility, repression, and the absurd rituals of the art world. The result was a sharp, minimalist statement that lingered long after.”
Gigi Hadid’s latest cashmere launch inspired by New York
Updated 21 June 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: US Palestinian Dutch supermodel and brand founder Gigi Hadid has released her latest collection — and a new summer campaign — under her cashmere label Guest in Residence.
The new line was inspired by New York, according to Hadid, who founded her brand in 2022.
“I’m endlessly inspired by New York City — a place I’ve called home for many years — and the notion that we’re all guests here. For our collection, we embrace the great duality every New Yorker faces in Summer: the thrill of a busy day in the city, paired with the urge to hop in a car with friends and escape to somewhere quiet and laid-back. No matter where you find yourself, our cashmere pieces embrace a spirit of timelessness that always works,” Hadid is quoted as saying on the Guest in Residence Instagram page.
The launch was complemented by a video campaign shared on social media, in which Hadid is joined by fellow models as they explore New York in the summer.
Paolo Santosuosso acted as the campaign’s art director, while the looks were styled by Elizabeth Fraser-Bell.
Hadid launched her clothing label, which features soft, colorful knitwear, in September 2022.
“Over the last handful of years, I didn’t want to be backed into starting my own line just because there was an offer on the table or a deal to be made,” she wrote to her followers on Instagram at the time.
“The earliest days of Guest in Residence came about when I started to question the cashmere market, and those answers gave me a path,” she added.
“I believe that because of its sustainable qualities — natural and made to cherish and to pass down — cashmere is a luxury that should be more accessible.”
Celebrities including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Swift and Bradley Cooper have been spotted wearing the label’s designs.
In June, Hadid also unveiled a new campaign with Brazilian footwear brand Havaianas.
The model, who launched a line with the flip flop label, starred in a vintage-inspired series of photographs. In the shots, she shows off slippers from her collection with the brand and is seen wearing retro outfits on a beach.