Imaan Hammam celebrates ‘beauty that is Moroccan culture’
Imaan Hammam celebrates ‘beauty that is Moroccan culture’/node/2546936/lifestyle
Imaan Hammam celebrates ‘beauty that is Moroccan culture’
Moroccan Egyptian Dutch model Imaan Hammam took part in a photoshoot helmed by Hamza Lafrouji and Marwane Jinane. Instagram/ @psycho.moustache and @directed_by_miru
Imaan Hammam celebrates ‘beauty that is Moroccan culture’
Updated 10 July 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Moroccan Egyptian Dutch model Imaan Hammam took to social media to share her latest fashion shoot, in which she celebrates Moroccan culture.
“I will always be proud when I get to show off the beauty that is Moroccan culture and collaborate with so many amazing artists and creatives,” Hammam captioned a carousel of snaps on Instagram.
The model collaborated with auteur Marwane Jinane, photographer Hamza Lafrouji and a fellow model and creative who goes by the name Cheb Pablo on the shoot, which sees the pair posing in various locations in Casablanca.
“Hood fashion shoot. Fancy threads meet street grit. Models flexin’ in the ‘hood. Iman and Pablo killin’ it. High fashion clashing with rough backdrop. Raw, edgy vibes. Flipping the script on glam. Style popping in unlikely spots. It’s fire,” Lafrouji posted on Instagram.
Hammam is known for working with and promoting artists and creatives from the MENA region with her 1.7 million Instagram followers. The runway star — who is a fashion week staple and is currently the brand ambassador of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder — is known for dropping personally curated playlists of regional music for her social media fans and she has also promoted regional artists in the past.
The model has had a busy summer so far, most recently hitting the runway at the Vogue World event in Paris in June alongside Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadidi, French Algerian icon Farida Khelfa and Venus and Serena Williams.
On International Olympic Day, Vogue World took over the last day of Paris Fashion Week’s menswear collections with a show-cum-spectacle themed around the Olympics.
The rare event blended athleticism, French fashion, and pure, unadulterated razzmatazz from the past century — marking 100 years since the last Games in Paris in 1924. The event also referred back to June 23, 1894, the day on which the founder of the modern Olympics, French nobleman Pierre de Coubertin, launched the International Olympic Committee.
Palestinian Jordanian designer overcomes hurdles to gain Fashion Trust Arabia nomination
Sylwia Nazzal in running for Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award, to be announced on Oct. 24
‘I had huge backlash from my university for choosing to do a political thesis collection,’ she says
Updated 49 min 7 sec ago
Saffiya Ansari
DUBAI: Qatar’s Fashion Trust Arabia Awards have become something of a powering force in the regional fashion scene, with winning designers often looking back on the grant as the catalyst that shifted their careers up a gear. That is something that this year’s finalists are hoping for, including Palestinian Jordanian designer Sylwia Nazzal, whose story so far is one of overcoming hurdles.
The 23-year-old Parsons Paris graduate is a finalist for the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award, alongside Iraqi Mahmood Al-Safi and Lebanese Mira Maktabi.
Look 1. (Supplied)
She may be a fashion scene fledgling, but Nazzal has the sort of confident resilience that would impress even the most steely industry mogul, having faced heavy pushback from peers and professors over her politically inspired final collection, “What Should Have Been Home.”
The collection is a statement on Palestinian strength, according to the designer, who was inspired by archival images of the harsh treatment of children and adults by Israeli armed forces.
Look 2. (Supplied)
“When I was coming up with the name, it came to me because I was sitting with a group of people and they were talking to me about how they want to do their thesis about their home … I’m like, ‘mine is what should have been,’” she said.
“I had huge backlash from my university for choosing to do a political thesis collection and also doing a collection that’s political in a way that is not approved … If I was talking about feminism or if I was talking about the war in Ukraine and Russia, I think those would be more positive political statements.”
The challenges did not end there. Nazzal said she had faced a lack of interest from potential job prospects as well as European fashion awards due to the collection.
Sylwia Nazzal. (Supplied)
“When you open my portfolio, the first thing is my thesis collection, which is called ‘What Should Be Home’ about Palestinian resistance against oppression and then you see the imagery of children being arrested by soldiers. I think immediately people closed the portfolio and sent it back,” she said.
But then she chanced upon Fashion Trust Arabia and its yearly award, the next edition of which will be held in Marrakesh, Morocco in October.
Look 3. (Supplied)
The FTA 2024 Advisory Board selected 18 finalists from applications submitted by emerging talent from across the MENA region, who are competing for six awards: The Ready-to-Wear Award, the Eveningwear Award, the Jewelry Award, the Accessories Award, the Fashion Tech Award and the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award.
The board included the likes of British celebrity-loved designer Erdem Moralıoglu, jewelry designer Gaia Repossi and US designer Kelly Wearstler.
The winners will receive a financial grant of $100,000 to $200,000, depending on the size of their business, with $50,000 for the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award. Various mentoring and retail opportunities are also available, dependent on the award category.
Sylwia Nazzal's design process. (Supplied)
Nazzal is under consideration for a collection that plays heavily on form and fabric, with textiles chosen for the largely monochromatic collection reflecting the concepts of endurance and resilience, with heavy use of nylon across the pieces.
Meanwhile, silhouettes echo the traditional khimar dress, to recall Islamic attire and traditions. The shapes and materials offer a sense of “otherworldliness,” according to the designer, because: “I’m Palestinian, I’ve only been to Palestine once … I have friends who’ve never been to Palestine but are super-connected to Palestine … some might say it doesn’t exist or it partially exists or it’s no longer Palestine, and yet we all still claim it and so it kind of creates this other world, other universe of where Palestine exists, as it does in the physical, but also in a spiritual sense.”
Sylwia Nazzal's design process. (Supplied)
When it comes to choosing one piece that sums up her collection, Nazzal deliberated before opting for a dress made from 10,000 Palestinian coins.
“I worked with Palestinian refugee women here in Jordan to hand stitch it and it was a lot of effort. That is actually what embodies the collection … (because) there’s this weight, this reflectiveness, this sense of armor, as a spiritual armor … protecting the entity of Palestine.”
Justin Bieber spotted wearing keffiyeh in Los Angeles
Updated 08 October 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber was photographed leaving the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles this weekend, wearing what appeared to be a keffiyeh.
The 30-year-old was photographed with the keffiyeh wrapped around his head while driving his car, sparking a debate online about whether he was inadvertently commenting on the ongoing war in Gaza.
The 30-year-old was photographed with the keffiyeh wrapped around his head while driving his car. (X, previously Twitter)
The pop star has been mostly silent on social media regarding the ongoing conflict, after briefly sharing and deleting a post in support of Israel following the attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.
Across the world, the chequered head scarf has become an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, as Israel continues to bombard Gaza, and now Lebanon.
Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion
Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1
Trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma
Updated 07 October 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series “Future’s Folktales.”
Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, “Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales” will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1 in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as TV Tokyo in Japan, starting Nov. 1.
It will also be available in North America, Europe and Latin America, with platforms to be announced later this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma, which blend traditional tales with futuristic visions.
Fifteen Saudi artists and producers from Manga Productions contributed to character design and creative direction, showcasing a diverse array of traditional environments and costumes that reflect the rich cultures of the Arabian Peninsula.
Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary said: “The growing global interest in the distribution of Asateer2 Future’s Folktales across various international platforms is clear evidence of the success of our young talents in creating content that meets international standards and can compete on the global stage.”
He added: “At Manga Productions, we remain committed to producing innovative works that inspire the new generation and enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as a beacon of creativity, while ensuring we maintain the highest standards of quality and excellence in everything we do.”
Creative Director at Manga Productions Sara Oulddaddah said that during the production of Asateer 2, “We focused on enhancing our internal production capabilities and providing opportunities for Saudi talents who worked diligently with our partners across all stages of production.”
She added that “through Asateer2, we aim to continue sharing our inspiring Saudi culture, history and fantasy with the world, while contributing to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s creative content industry.”
The new season, which combines Saudi creativity with Japanese expertise, continues the remarkable success of the first season, which exceeded 100 million views worldwide, SPA reported.
Elyanna shares backstage footage after ‘SNL’ debut
Updated 07 October 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna made her “Saturday Night Live” debut over the weekend, teaming up with frequent collaborators Coldplay on stage to perform their new song, “We Pray.” The singer took to Instagram to celebrate the milestone after the show by re-posting footage of backstage rehearsals recorded minutes before she hit the stage.
Elyanna and the British band were joined on stage by Argentine singer and actress Tini, also a featured artist on the track. Elyanna also released her own Arabic-language version of the song on Sept. 20.
Coldplay also performed their new track “All My Love” from their new album “Moon Music,” which was released on Friday.
Elyanna is set to perform live with Coldplay again when the band heads to Abu Dhabi for four shows in the UAE capital in January 2025. The band will perform as part of the “Music of the Spheres World Tour” on Jan. 9, 11, 12 and 14 at Zayed Sports City Stadium.
The “SNL” performance comes just days after the 22-year-old also appeared at iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas to perform the same song.
In August, she took to the stage in Dublin to perform “We Pray” in Arabic. She performed alongside rapper Little Simz, Nigerian singer Burna Boy and Tini.
“I’m still in awe of last night! Sharing this moment with all these amazing artists on @coldplay’s stage felt so wholesome,” she wrote to her 1.7 million followers on Instagram. “I sang ‘We Pray’ in Arabic, I sang for hope and most importantly for my hometown Palestine.”
Bahraini artist Salman Alnajem seeks to ‘learn from the wisdom of the past’
Updated 07 October 2024
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
RIYADH: Using heavy industrial materials as a canvas may be unconventional to some, but to Bahraini painter Salman Alnajem, it is the perfect backdrop for his exploration of ancient civilizations, technology, religion, and mythology.
The artist has exhibited his works in solo and group exhibitions in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UK, France and Italy and holds a master’s in fine art from London’s Royal College of Art.
In his most recent project, “Cosmic Perspectives,” Alnajem painted a series of small and mid-scale artworks bursting with color.
“I'm making these paintings on steel that have a lot of these religious references … I aim to find remnants and clues of ancient-advanced-civilisations that seemingly were capable of building the most magnificent monolithic monuments to learn from the wisdom of the past, to bring it into the present, to create a better future.”
Alnajem’s artwork explores “a vast amount of knowledge that is encrypted in ancient symbols.”
“Trying to find answers to how and why the Pyramids, Stonehenge and countless other monolithic sites were built. How did the ancients have such a comprehensive understanding of architecture, astronomy and astrology? In doing so I keep finding connections, and similarities between disparate ancient cultures that are hundreds of years and kilometres apart. Almost as if they are telling the same story, in different languages,” the artist said.
Alnajem’s painting process begins with compiling images from his research which he turns into a collage-like digital sketch.
“These images are then arranged in a process that is similar to abstract painting. Usually an abstract painter’s first mark abstractly informs the next. In my process the placement of a symbol informs, indicates, and inspires the next.”
Coining his own artistic style called “abstract symbolism,” Al-Najem said he disentangles and assembles complex societal, mythological, and spiritual matters to present them in a simple-compositionally-harmonic way.
“I do so by creating complex paintings using simple-common symbols from popular culture, contemporary life and antiquity.”
For Alnajem, painting isn’t about making aesthetically pleasing pictures, but a way to create energy.
“My art is not something the viewer should ‘get.’ The artwork’s role is to ‘get’ the viewer ... when we look at a piece of art, we agree to open our minds to receive it. Art makes us more sensitive, when an artist is able to create small details that draw us in, to lean into the painting, that's us being a little more sensitive. Art, in its truest form, is an expression of the soul.”
