Historical attire, British fashion reign supreme at King Charles III’s coronation as Arab royals shine

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla (far left), Princess of Wales Kate Middleton (center) and Queen Rania of Jordan showed off a mix of historic and modern attire at the coronation. (Getty Images/ composite)
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Updated 11 May 2023
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Historical attire, British fashion reign supreme at King Charles III’s coronation as Arab royals shine

  • Queen Camilla wore white, floor-length ensemble with gold embroidery by Bruce Oldfield
  • Jordan’s Queen Rania attended coronation in yellow pencil dress by Tamara Ralph
  • Qatar's Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al-Thani wore Dior

DUBAI: As the coronation of King Charles III got underway in the UK,  viewers around the world were firmly focused on the pageantry as well as the fashion.

As historic coronation attire — such as crimson robes, ermine capes, and fur-trimmed red-velvet cornets — filled Westminster Abbey in London, the UK’s royal family championed British designers while Arab royals also put on a show.

King Charles arrived at Westminster Abbey in royal ermine over George VI’s crimson Robe of State - conserved by royal restorers  Ede & Ravenscroft and the Royal School of Needlework - and changed into George VI’s purple Robe of Estate to leave the Abbey.




During the crowning ceremony, King Charles was given a shimmering gold-sleeved coat to wear called the Supertunica that was created for George V in 1911 and has been worn at coronations, including by the Queen Elizabeth II. (Getty Images)

During the crowning ceremony, he was given a shimmering gold-sleeved coat to wear called the Supertunica that was created for George V in 1911 and has been worn at coronations, including by the Queen Elizabeth II. The 2kg garment is made of cloth of gold — silk thread wrapped in thin pieces of gold or silver gilt metal — with Arabesque and floral motifs.

On top of the Supertunica, the king wore a floor-length cloak called the Imperial Mantle, which was made in 1821.

Made of cloth of gold, it is embellished with fleur-de-lis, imperial eagles, and national floral emblems of red-pink roses, blue thistles and green shamrocks. It is designed to symbolise the divine nature of kingship.

The king reused a sword belt from 1937 worn by his grandfather, also known as the Coronation Girdle. It is made of embroidered cloth of gold and boasts a gold buckle stamped with national emblems. The single coronation glove, also known as the Coronation Gauntlet, was placed on the king’s right hand in which he held the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross during the crowning.

The garments are usually kept in the Tower of London.

The historic St Edward’s Crown was then placed on King Charles III’s head — it was worn for less than one hour before being stored away again in the Tower of London.

Made of 22-carat gold, the 360-year-old crown is more than 30cm tall and weighs just over 2kg. The crown features a gold frame with double arches and is set with rubies, topaz, sapphires, and garnets.




The Imperial State Crown, made in 1937, was worn by the king after the ceremony as he made his way to Buckingham Palace. (Getty Images)

The Imperial State Crown, made in 1937, was worn by the king after the ceremony as he made his way to Buckingham Palace. It has gold framing instead of a fur trim and is mounted with three large stones, including the Cullinan II diamond, while the complementary stones include 2,868 diamonds that appear in silver mounts and colored stones that appear in gold mounts. In addition, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 269 pearls also feature on the crown.

For her part, Queen Consort Camilla was crowned with Queen Mary’s crown, which was worn by Queen Mary at the coronation of her husband, George V, in 1911 and consists of 2,200 diamonds and the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds.




Queen Consort Camilla is wearing the coronation necklace made by Garrard for Queen Victoria and given to her in 1858. (Getty Images)

She also wore the coronation necklace made by Garrard for Queen Victoria and given to her in 1858.

It features 25 graduated brilliant diamonds with a 22.48 carat diamond pendant, known as the Lahore Diamond. The necklace was worn by several queen consorts: Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, in 1937.




Queen Camilla is wearing a white, floor-length ensemble with gold embroidery designed by Bruce Oldfield, OBE, a British fashion designer best known for his couture occasionwear. (Getty Images)

The royal wore a white, floor-length ensemble with gold embroidery designed by Bruce Oldfield, OBE, a British fashion designer best known for his couture occasionwear. Not only has Oldfield maintained a close working relationship with Queen Camilla, but he also designed looks for the late Princess Diana while she was married to then-Prince Charles.




Princess of Wales Kate Middleton arrived at Westminster Abbey wearing a formal robe and mantel – reportedly at the request of King Charles and Queen Camilla – worn over an Alexander McQueen dress in ivory silk crepe with silver bullion and thread work embroidery, featuring rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs. (AFP)

Meanwhile, Princess of Wales Kate Middleton arrived at Westminster Abbey wearing a formal robe and mantel – reportedly at the request of King Charles and Queen Camilla – worn over an Alexander McQueen dress in ivory silk crepe with silver bullion and thread work embroidery, featuring rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs. The fashion label’s creative director Sarah Burton also designed her wedding gown in 2011. 

The Princess of Wales was also wearing a glittering floral headpiece, not a tiara. 

The head topper is a Jess Collet x Alexander McQueen creation and consisted of shimmering silver bullion, crystal, and silver thread leaf embroidery. 

Adding to the stunning jewellery were pearl and diamond earrings that belonged to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. She also wore the George VI Festoon Necklace, a piece made in 1950 at the request of King George VI for his daughter Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II).




Prince William, seen beside Princess Kate, wore formal robes and mantels over the ceremonial dress uniform of the Welsh Guards, again at the request of King Charles and Queen Camilla. (AFP)

Prince William, seen beside Princess Kate, wore formal robes and mantels over the ceremonial dress uniform of the Welsh Guards, again at the request of King Charles and Queen Camilla. 




Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, on the other hand, wore a black three-piece set of tails and military medals on his chest. (AFP)

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, on the other hand, wore a black three-piece set of tails and military medals on his chest, and had no formal role at the event. 




Queen Rania attended the coronation in a cream-colored pencil dress. (Getty Images)

Jordan’s Queen Rania attended the coronation in a custom-made pastel lemon yellow silk crepe pencil dress by Australian designer Tamara Ralph with a bow-like design around her shoulders and sheer sleeves. She wore a matching hat, in line with the day’s eschewing of tiaras, the Knot Intrecciato Leather Clutch by Italian luxury label Bottega Veneta and Jimmy Choo Romy Pumps in white. 




Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco arrived wearing a lilac-colored traditional dress with a white cape wrapped around her shoulders. (Getty Images)

Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco — the daughter of the late King Hassan II  — arrived wearing a lilac-colored traditional dress with a white cape wrapped around her shoulders. She accessorized her look with glitzy pear-shaped earrings. 




Qatari royal Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al-Thani wore a grey heavily embroidered long-sleeved gown. (Getty Images)

Qatari royal Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al-Thani, the wife and consort of the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, was also in attendance. She wore a grey heavily embroidered long-sleeved gown from Dior’s Fall/Winter 2022 Couture collection and an off-white floor-length cape.




US singer Katy Perry, who will perform at the coronation concert in Windsor on Sunday, was dressed in a fitted lilac short-sleeved skirt suit by British label Vivienne Westwood with matching opera gloves and statement hat. (AFP)

Among the celebrity guests were actress Emma Thompson in an Emilia Wickstead red coat adorned with rose designs and US singer Katy Perry, who will perform at the coronation concert in Windsor on Sunday, dressed in a fitted lilac short-sleeved skirt suit by British label Vivienne Westwood with matching opera gloves and statement hat.

Veteran actresses Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, who has portrayed both Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria on screen, chose different shades of blue, while US singer Lionel Richie opted for Esclot London attire.


Saudi handicrafts on show at London’s Selfridges

Updated 04 June 2025
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Saudi handicrafts on show at London’s Selfridges

RIYADH: The Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) is showcasing traditional handicrafts from the Kingdom at luxury department store Selfridges in London from June 3-22.

The initiative is taking place during Saudi Arabia’s Year of Handicrafts and is in collaboration with British charity organization Turquoise Mountain, which works to support the production of traditional crafts around the world.

The collection celebrates diverse Saudi artisans and features intricate palm crafts, delicate jewelry and accessories, and fine leatherwork, with an emphasis on showcasing the differences between various regional styles in Saudi Arabia.

Themed around Saudi Arabia’s natural and architectural heritage, the activation highlights work crafted from locally sourced, sustainable materials,  reimagined through a contemporary creative lens.

The showcase is being held alongside an exhibition of fashion designs, supported by the Saudi Fashion Commission. 

A key milestone in the CDF’s efforts to support the Kingdom’s cultural sector is the recent launch of the Nama’ Accelerators: Handicrafts Track — a dedicated solution that supports cultural businesses through specialized training, mentorship, and financial incentives.


Artist Massoud Hayoun’s London exhibition ‘Stateless’ explores identity, exile

Updated 04 June 2025
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Artist Massoud Hayoun’s London exhibition ‘Stateless’ explores identity, exile

DUBAI: Los Angeles-based artist and author Massoud Hayoun has spent his career exploring identity, exile and resistance. 

His latest exhibition, “Stateless,” running at London’s Larkin Durey art gallery until June 27, is an exploration of control, culture and community.

His paintings are imbued with the legacy of his Egyptian and Tunisian Jewish heritage. (Supplied)

Raised by his grandparents, Hayoun paints their stories of exile, love and resilience in shades of blue, blending personal narratives with icons of Arab cinema and song to highlight shared cultural memories. 

His paintings are imbued with the legacy of his Egyptian and Tunisian Jewish heritage, but they also reach beyond his own family’s history. His grandfather left Egypt, and his mother was born without citizenship — experiences that deeply inform his work. 

In “Stateless,” he extends this exploration of displacement and belonging to other communities, particularly Palestinians and undocumented Americans, he told Arab News. “In this show, you’ll find people suspended between homeland and refuge, suspended in mid-air, suspended between life and death and living out a sort of existentialist heroism, suspended in undying romance,” he said.

Hayoun’s journey to painting was shaped by his background in journalism. (Supplied)

Hayoun’s journey to painting was shaped by his background in journalism. A former journalist, he is also the author of “When We Were Arabs,” a book on Arab identity that won an Arab American Book Award and was named a National Public Radio best book of the year in 2019. 

His transition from writing to painting was a natural evolution. “I am a figurative painter — I paint people. My journalism was animated by a love of people and a desire to better understand, through interviews like this, people from walks of life drastically different to my own,” he said.

His use of blue is deliberate. Initially reserved for people who had died, the color now engulfs all his subjects, evoking the transient nature of identity and existence. “At first, I only painted my grandparents and other dead people in shades of blue, because to my mind, the glow of it seemed ghostly. I cast other people in different colors to signify other states of being. Eventually, after reflections on time, everyone became blue, even myself,” he said.

The artist's use of blue is deliberate. Initially reserved for people who had died, the color now engulfs all his subjects.  (Supplied)

Yet, at its core, Hayoun’s work is about more than politics — it is about love. “These works touch on sweeping political, philosophical and sociological issues, but they are fundamentally about love for people,” he said. 

“They are meant in the way my grandparents expressed anxiety as a kind of love—fear for my well-being, fervent hopes that I live well and in dignity. These paintings are explosions of love,” he added. 


Rami Al-Ali becomes first Syrian designer to join France’s Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode

Updated 04 June 2025
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Rami Al-Ali becomes first Syrian designer to join France’s Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode

DUBAI: Rami Al-Ali has become the first Syrian designer to join France’s prestigious Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode as a guest member, giving him the chance to showcase his Autumn/Winter 2025 collection on the official haute couture calendar.

The invitation signifies Al-Ali’s entry into fashion’s upper echelons — to qualify, fashion houses must meet rigorous “haute couture” or “high fashion” standards and the title is legally protected under French law.

Al-Ali joins the likes of Chanel, Dior, and Schiaparelli on the official calendar next month. His latest collection will be presented on July 10, according to the provisional calendar.

It is a “historical milestone, celebrating a lifelong devotion to craftsmanship, culture, and creative expression, rooted in heritage and elevated by vision,” the fashion house posted on Instagram.

Originally from Damascus, Al-Ali honed his fashion skills in Dubai and Beirut before founding his label, Rami Al-Ali Couture, in 2001.

His creations have been worn by a variety of celebrities, including Amal Clooney, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Chastain.

Al-Ali’s work has been praised for seamlessly blending his Middle Eastern heritage with Western sensibilities. He is known for designing flowing silhouettes adorned with intricate, playful embellishments—creations that are both timeless and runway-worthy.

Al-Ali is one of just a handful of Arab designers on the official haute couture calendar. The lineup also includes Lebanese designers Georges Hobeika, Elie Saab, and Zuhair Murad, as well as Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi.  

Ashi, founder of Paris-based label Ashi Studio, became the first designer from the Gulf region to join the exclusive group in 2023 as a guest member. His designs have also been worn by global celebrities such as Beyonce, Anna Kendrick, and Jennifer Hudson.

“This appointment is the highlight of my career,” Ashi said in a statement posted on Instagram when the announcement was made in 2023. “I will honor it in the memory of the great couturiers who came before me and whom I now join in the pursuit of this grand tradition of excellence in creativity and savoir-faire. 

 


Huda Kattan reclaims full ownership of Huda Beauty

Updated 03 June 2025
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Huda Kattan reclaims full ownership of Huda Beauty

DUBAI: Huda Kattan announced on Tuesday that she regained full ownership of Huda Beauty, the brand she founded in 2013, following the end of an eight-year partnership with private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners.

In 2017, TSG acquired a minority stake in Huda Beauty. As of 2025, Kattan has bought back that equity, making the brand fully independent once again and one of the few major beauty companies that is 100 percent founder-owned.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Huda (@huda)

“Taking back full ownership of Huda Beauty is a deeply very important moment for me,” said Kattan. “It says that while many of us dreamers have visions that we are told are too big or not possible to do alone, in actuality, you have all the power you need to change the world yourself! This brand was built on passion, creativity, and a desire to challenge the beauty industry. As we step into this new chapter, I’m more committed than ever to pushing boundaries, staying true to our roots, and showing up for our incredible community every step of the way.”

Kattan, who serves as founder and co-CEO, now leads the company alongside her husband Christopher Goncalo, also co-CEO, and her sister Alya Kattan, who oversees social strategy.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Huda (@huda)

Kattan is recognized as a Fortune 40 Under 40 honoree, one of Forbes’ Self-Made Women in the US, and one of Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen in the Middle East, as well as a TIME100 Impact Awards recipient and one of TIME’s 25 Most Influential People on the Internet. 

Her brand is known for a number of cult-favorite products, including the Easy Routine trio — Easy Primer, Easy Blur and Easy Bake Setting Powder.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HUDA BEAUTY (@hudabeauty)

The brand has also received industry recognition for its product quality and innovation, earning accolades such as the Allure Best of Beauty Award, Elle Beauty Award and Cosmopolitan Beauty Award.

Just last week, the brand was ranked the world’s most popular beauty brand in the latest Cosmetify Q1 2025 Beauty Index.

The Cosmetify Index ranks beauty brands each quarter based on factors such as search volume, social engagement and brand visibility.

The brand topped the global list ahead of industry names such as Dior, Fenty Beauty, Rhode and Rare Beauty.

The brand also topped Cosmetify’s list in 2019 and 2020. 

In 2018, the company was valued at more than $1 billion by Forbes.


Saudi Arabia makes bold debut at SXSW London

Updated 03 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia makes bold debut at SXSW London

DUBAI: SXSW has taken off this week in London, with the Saudi Film Commission hosting a series of exciting cultural events.

Originating in Austin, Texas, this is the South by Southwest festival’s first edition in London — and notably, the Kingdom’s debut at the renowned indie film showcase, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

The Saudi Film Commission, in collaboration with SXSW, will present a curated selection of short films as a part of the “Saudi Film Nights” initiative.

Under the umbrella of Vision 2030, this program supports the Kingdom’s broader effort to diversify its economy, with particular emphasis on growing its entertainment sector.

The Kingdom’s pavilion, known as The Sadu House, will also spotlight contributions from the Music Commission, Culinary Arts Commission, and Fashion Commission, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s rich and diverse cultural landscape to a global audience.

In addition, the commission will host a panel discussion titled “Empowering the Film Industry in Saudi Arabia: From Vision to Reality.” The session will delve into cinema’s role in shaping national identity, preserving heritage, and advancing Saudi content as a powerful cultural tool.

Each day of the festival will feature a showcase of emerging Saudi talent.

On June 3, for example, SXSW attendees will experience a taste of Saudi hip-hop with performances by AZIZ.wav, SHANCOTY, and JEED — artists known for their unique blend of hip-hop flair, Afrobeat influences, and slow R&B tones.

On June 4, the Kingdom will shift gears and present its underground heavy music scene with performances by death metal bands Wasted Land, Sijeel, and Gimmix, marking a bold introduction of Saudi rock to the SXSW stage.

In addition to performances, festivalgoers can attend cultural panels featuring industry professionals from across the Arab world. Topics include female leadership, entrepreneurial ambition, and the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s film industry.

The opening panel on June 3 is titled “Vision 2030: Cultural Opportunities for Social and Economic Transformation,” which will explore the potential of Saudi Arabia’s cultural power.

Day two will feature a session “Fashion Future Platform: How Data Informs Investment Decisions,” offering a deep dive into the intersection of fashion and data-driven innovation.

Another session on day two, “WWD Female Empowerment – Challenges Facing Women Creatives in a Male-Dominated World,” will spotlight the obstacles and breakthroughs for women in the creative sector.

Finally, day three will have a panel “Sustainability – Challenges of Creating Green Fashion and Beauty in a Throwaway World,” which will underscore the need for sustainability in the industry.