Syrian Rami Al-Ali makes Paris haute couture history with debut collection
Syrian Rami Al-Ali makes Paris haute couture history with debut collection/node/2607748/lifestyle
Syrian Rami Al-Ali makes Paris haute couture history with debut collection
Working within a palette of soft neutrals, icy pastels and muted metallics, the designer explored volume, texture and structure with a distinct architectural approach. (Getty Images)
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Arab News
Syrian Rami Al-Ali makes Paris haute couture history with debut collection
Updated 16 sec ago
Arab News
DUBAI: Syrian designer Rami Al-Ali made history this week as the first couturier from his country to take part in the official Paris calendar, choking back tears at the end of his show of exquisitely tailored pieces.
Working within a palette of soft neutrals, icy pastels and muted metallics, the designer explored volume, texture and structure with a distinct architectural approach.
There were structured silhouettes featuring sharp tailoring and asymmetric cuts, softened by draped elements or delicate embellishments.Ěý
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Floor-grazing gowns crafted from layers of organza and chiffon created a sense of fluidity, with subtle transparency lending an ethereal quality. Hand embroidery, pleated tulle and intricate smocking added depth and visual interest across the collection.
Several looks featured woven or lattice-like details, both in full panels and as accents, emphasizing artisanal technique.Ěý
Other standout designs played with sculptural forms; one gown unfurled into fan-like pleats, while another used cascading layers.
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Al-Aliâs inclusion in the Paris calendar marks a major milestone, signaling his entry into fashionâs most elite circle. To qualify for the official haute couture, or âhigh fashion,â designation, fashion houses meet rigorous standards, and the title is legally protected under French law.
It is a âhistorical milestone, celebrating a lifelong devotion to craftsmanship, culture, and creative expression, rooted in heritage and elevated by vision,â the fashion house posted on Instagram when it was first announced that Al-Ali would join the calendar.
Originally from Damascus, Al-Ali honed his fashion skills in Dubai and Beirut before founding his label, Rami Al-Ali Couture, in 2001.
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His creations have been worn by a variety of celebrities, including Amal Clooney, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Chastain.
Al-Aliâs 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 â creations that are both timeless and runway-worthy.
Al-Ali was one of a handful of Arab designers on the official haute couture calendar. The lineup also included Lebanese designers Georges Hobeika, Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad, as well as Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi. Ěý
An anthem for unspoken love: Zeyne discusses her latest release, âHilwaâĚý
The Palestinian-Jordanian artist on her new single, released by MDLBEAST RecordsĚý
Updated 11 July 2025
Jasmine Bager
DHAHRAN: Palestinian-Jordanian artist Zeyne is here for her close-up â and sheâs bringing the inspirational women in her family along.
Zeyneâs latest single âHilwaâ dropped this week and the artwork â shot by Zaid Allozi â shows three women interlocked by their braided hair.
âThe image shows three generations â me, my mother, and my grandmother â all connected by one continuous braid. Itâs a symbol of inheritance; the quiet strength and love passed from one woman to the next,â Zeyne tells Arab News.âŻâThe braid holds the kind of love that isnât always spoken, but is deeply felt and remembered.â
The 27-year-old is using her music to reclaim narrative, identity and joy â singing of Arab womanhood in its most defiant, soulful and cinematic form.
âWe shot (the artwork) in a handmade mudbrick house in the Jordan Valley, built using traditional Levantine methods. These homes â found across Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon â arenât just sustainable, they carry memory. They connect us to land, to lineage, and to something deeper,â Zeyne says.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
âHilwaâ is an uplifting anthem released via Saudi-based MDLBEAST Records, in partnership with Zeyneâs own label, Scarab Records.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Zeyne performing at Offlimits Festival in Abu Dhabi in April. (Omar Rezgani)
âWhen we saw the vision Zeyne and her team had, it was a no brainer, we were ready to jump right in and help amplify what was already there and build together towards a sustainable, long-running, global project stemming from the heart of the MENA region,â Talal Albahiti, COO and head of talent at MDLBEAST, tells Arab News. âMDLBEAST Records always champions the upcoming hard workers and visionaries, and Zeyne exemplifies these qualities perfectly.ââŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Following Zeyneâs 2024 hit âAsli Ana,â which reimagined Arab rhythmic traditions through a futuristic lens, âHilwaâ pays homage to her mother and grandmother, whose love and wisdom deeply shaped her sense of identity. âWhile âAsli Anaâ was about resistance, âHilwaâ is softer,â she says.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Through Zeyneâs reflective lyrics and emotional vocal delivery, âHilwaâ explores how beauty and self-worth are inherited â not just genetically, but through stories, memories, and values passed down by generations of Arab women. âYouâre so beautiful and no one can say otherwise,â she sings at one point.
Zeyne in the studio during the recording sessions for 'Hilwa.' (Zaid Allozi)
Born Zein Sajdi in Amman in 1997, Zeyne was raised in a household where music and culture were key. Her father was a record collector, her mother led a dabke troupe, and her sister trained as a classical pianist. Zeyne began performing aged five and was already writing her own lyrics in her teens.
She studied sociology and media communications at the University of Sussex in the UK, but the COVID-19 pandemic redirected her path. Returning to Amman in 2020, she turned her full attention to music â writing, recording and developing her distinct sound.
Since the release of her 2021 debut single, âMinni Ana,â Zeyne has carved a singular lane in Arab pop â merging traditional Arabic sounds with modern, genre-defying production. Since then, she has released several acclaimed singles, collaborated with artists including Palestinian singer-songwriter Saint Levant, and written for fellow Jordanian-Palestinian musician Issam Alnajjar, Lebanese-Canadian singer-songwriter Massari, and the acclaimed Chilean-Palestinian star Elyanna.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Zeyne performing at Offlimits Festival in Abu Dhabi in April. (Marwan Abouzeid and Zahra Hasby)
With more than 46 million streams across various platforms, Zeyneâs music has become a touchstone for Arab youth globally, offering a sound that is intimate, cinematic and emotionally resonant. Her boundary-pushing sound and evocative vocals have established her as one of the regionâs most important cultural voices.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Earlier this year, she launched a three-stop regional mini tour, âThe Golden-Hour Run,â that included a landmark performance at the OffLimits Festival in the UAE and stadium appearances as a special guest on Ed Sheeranâs Mathematics Tour in Qatar and Bahrain, where she performed to over 65,000 people.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
She became the first female artist from the Levant to appear on the globally renowned music platform COLORS with her song âMa Bansak,â and a viral performance in collaboration with Bottega Veneta blurred the lines between fashion, music, and Palestinian resistance.
But Zeyneâs influence stretches far beyond music.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
As an EQUAL Arabia ambassador, she lit up Times Square in New York City, solidifying her status as an emerging symbol of contemporary Arab identity and woman empowerment. Her inclusion in the DAZED Global 100 further cemented her status as a fearless voice reshaping representation and storytelling in and beyond the region.
âHilwaâ captures all of thatâvulnerability, defiance, and a deep sense of generational continuity. On Instagram, she wrote that the song stems from an assembly line of greatness, and is âa love letter to all the women in my life â my mother, my grandmother and even my younger self â you are beautiful, and no words can say otherwise.â
This summer, Zeyne brings that message to the stage. She will perform in London on July 19 and 20, Paris on July 22, and Jerash on July 28, before heading to şÚÁĎÉçÇř for back-to-back concerts in Riyadh on Aug. 7 and Jeddah on Aug. 8.
REVIEW: James Gunnâs âSupermanâ â a fun, heartfelt take on the Man of Steel
Updated 11 July 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: James Gunnâs âSupermanâ marks a confident debut for the newly rebooted DC Universe, now firmly under the helm of the âGuardians of the Galaxyâ director. Rather than chase the shadow of past gloom-ridden DC iterations, Gunn leans into sincerity, fun, and a touch of chaos to deliver a film that feels refreshingly light and cheerful. Itâs heartfelt â though heavy-handed at times â and also makes room for some timely social commentary. In short, itâs a comic book movie that remembers itâs based on a comic book.
Set in a world where Superman is already known but still finding his place, the film follows Clark Kent as he juggles his day job at the Daily Planet newspaper with his not-so-secret life saving the world. Things take a turn when Lex Luthor â now a tech mogul with an envy problem â makes a move to privatize security and put Superman out of commission. Meanwhile, Superman is caught between being a symbol of hope and a political lightning rod, as he personally stops a country from invading its neighbor.
David Corenswet takes on the red cape with a straight-edged wonder and charm that feels closer to Christopher Reeve than Henry Cavill. Rachel Brosnahanâs Lois Lane, meanwhile, is the sharpest person in the room and knows it. Their chemistry is palpable, with an early interview scene between the two setting the tone for the rest of the film. For a film that boasts some high-octane action scenes, the tension this pair create in a tiny living room is unrivalled.
Gunnâs signature mix of sentiment and snark is all over the place, even if pared back compared to his Marvel days. And thereâs a constant undercurrent of real-world commentary: Nicholas Houltâs Lex Luthor is a psychopathic tech tycoon with a god complex (guess who?). And while it never turns preachy, the film doesnât shy away from allusions to Gaza, Ukraine, or the refugee crisis.
Superman, after all, is an immigrant. And while Gunn doesnât waste the metaphor, itâs impossible not to feel uneasy when the real-world suffering beamed straight into our social media feeds every day is portrayed alongside cartoon-ish fight scenes.
Ultimately, Gunnâs âSupermanâ is an entertaining two hours at the cinema. Is it âGuardians of the Galaxyâ-level good? No. Does it need to be? No. Instead, itâs a slightly messy, surprisingly political, and undeniably fun return to a hero who believes in doing the right thing, no matter the cost. And after years of emo DC, that might be just what the doctor ordered.
Recipes for success: Chef Federico ErroiâŻĚýoffers advice, a tasty crème brĂťlĂŠe recipeĚý
Updated 11 July 2025
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: Federico Erroiâs culinary story begins in Florence, Italy, guided by his grandmotherâs steady hands.âŻShe taught young Federico how to make pastry cream, sparking his lifelong fascination with desserts and the discipline behind them.
âI was never the best at theoretical subjects in school,â Erroi tells Arab News. âBut when it came to getting my hands dirty in the kitchen, I always found success and great satisfaction.â
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By the age of 21, Erroi was already working professionally in Florence. After nearly a decade honing his craft in Italy, he moved to Dubai in 2017. Since then, he has led pastry programs at top-tier restaurants including Rue Royale and Cipriani.âŻToday, he heads the pastry team at CĂ LA VI Dubai, a restaurant featured in the cityâs Michelin Guide for three consecutive years.
Erroi was recently shortlisted for Pastry Chef of the Year by the Hotel and Catering Awards.âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
If thereâs one thing Iâve always struggled with â not just in the kitchen, but in life â itâs patience. I always wanted to finish everything as quickly as possible, but still perfectly. This has been one of my biggest challenges, because pastry â especially baking â requires time. Long resting periods, fermentation and proofing are what give flavor, texture and structure to the best products. A mousse that hasnât rested long enough will be too runny, and dough that hasnât been rested long enough will lack flavor. Thatâs how Iâve come to master the ancient art of patience.
CĂ LA VI Dubai. (Supplied)
Whatâs your top tip for amateurs?âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
When it comes to pastry, the most common mistake is always the same: precision. Pastry is a perfect balance, an alchemy based on carefully selected and precisely measured ingredients. Many amateurs get the measurements wrong out of haste or distraction, or they replace ingredients or alter quantities as they please, which inevitably leads to disappointing results.
My mother, for example, has the bad habit of reducing the amounts of butter or cream in my recipes. Sheâs very health-conscious and always afraid of overdoing it. But without fail, the result never satisfies her, and she always asks the same questions: âFederico, why are these cookies so hard?â or âWhy is this cream flavorless?â or âWhy is this mousse so runny?â And my response is always the same: âMom, are you sure you followed the recipe?â
Desserts arenât always healthy. They are indulgences and guilty pleasures. We can absolutely enjoy them, as long as itâs in moderation.
CĂ LA VI Dubai. (Supplied)
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Any dish, if made with care, passion and ââŻabove all â love, will never disappoint. And maybe itâs the love we put into cooking that gets passed on to the ingredients we touch and makes our meal a moment of pure pleasure. Thatâs probably why your momâs or grandmaâs food always tastes the best. Then again, maybe a good quality vanilla or a pinch of salt â a contrast to the sweetness in pastry â is the real secret ingredient.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Iâm simply grateful to share that moment with the people around the table. What scares my friends and family most when they cook for me is the fear of being judged, but I always tell them this: âFor those of us who work in kitchens, just sitting at a table with loved ones is already a wonderful meal, because weâre used to eating in a rush, standing up or sitting on a cardboard box in a kitchen corner, alone, at odd hours, or while working.â
Whatâs your favorite cuisine or dish to order?
I always like to try something new â something beyond my culinary culture or dishes that require complex preparation that I canât replicate at home. Sometimes, I just enjoy a perfectly executed croissant or a pizza baked in a wood-fired oven. As for desserts, I prefer to stick with the classics â a good tiramisu or quality gelato.
Whatâs your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
Probably pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil and parmesan. If I need a quick dessert, Iâll make a tiramisu, a passion fruit panna cotta or a chocolate soufflĂŠ. What do these recipes have in common? Simplicity. Just a few ingredients, each carefully selected and blended or cooked in a way that creates a dish with a unique flavor.
What customer request or behavior most annoys you?
Cooking in a restaurant also means learning to accept criticism, to really listen to what customers say, and to understand their preferences. Itâs not always easy to accept certain comments like âThis chocolate mousse is too airyâ or âThis dessert is too sweet or too bitter,â because everyone has their own palette. But sometimes, feedback, if listened to and understood, can genuinely help us improve. Thatâs why I always stay open to customer opinions, whether positive or negative. In fact, Iâm often more interested in the negative feedback, because itâs from that input that Iâve been able to create new ideas or improve dishes I thought were already perfect. The truth is, in this profession, you never truly âarrive.â Thereâs always something more to learn.
Whatâs your favorite dish to make?
Panettone. Itâs one of those desserts made with just a few ingredients: sourdough starter, water, flour, butter, eggs and sugar, along with raisins and candied orange. But making it is a true magic act that starts with the sourdough itself, a simple mixture of water and flour thatâs fermented and refreshed daily for at least three months. This creates a colony of bacteria that will make the panettone rise and give it a unique, unrepeatable flavor, as the bacteriaâs development depends on the surrounding temperature, the water used, and good microbes in the working environment. Only when the sourdough is ready can we proceed with the first dough, mixing the starter with water, flour, sugar, butter and eggs.
This rests for 12 hours, followed by the final dough with the remaining ingredients. Then, after another six-hour rest, we reach the magical moment of baking, the moment of truth, where, based on the final volume, we truly understand whether all the previous steps were done perfectly, or if we made mistakes in temperature, fermentation or even the pH of our precious star ingredient, the sourdough starter.
As a head chef, what are you like?
I believe Iâve changed a lot over the years. I love teaching and sharing everything Iâve learned. I have no secrets â there truly are none, even if some professionals still claim otherwise. I always try to motivate my team and keep morale high, especially when the work hours get longer and more stressful. Today, I consider myself a very patient person â maybe thanks to this beautiful profession. Iâve never raised my voice in the kitchen, never insulted or scolded anyone. I firmly believe that kindness and good manners are the foundation of any relationship, and they can truly make a difference in the workplace.
Chef Federicoâs pineapple creme brĂťlĂŠe
Ingredients for the coconut pastry cream:âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Coconut milk 350 g
Coconut cream 50 g
Sugar 1 38 g
Lime zest 1/2 pcâŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Sugar 2 38 gâŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Salt 0.6 gâŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Flour 32 gâŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Corn starch 12 gâŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Egg yolk 80 gâŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Method:âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Mix coconut milk, coconut cream, sugar 1, lime zest in a pot and bring to a boil.
In a separate bowl mix sugar 2, salt, flour, starch, egg yolk till powder is completely absorbed avoiding the lumps formations.
Pour hot liquid onto the egg mix and bring back on fire stirring continuously till first bubble appear.
Pour in a terrine and let it set covered with cling film on touching the cream (to avoid skin formation).
When is completely cold mix till creamy texture and pour it onto the pineapple compote into the pineapple cup.
Coat the surface with sugar and brulee till golden dark brown.
Ingredients for the pineapple compote:âŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Pineapple juice 100 g
Sugar agar agar 10 gâŻ&˛Ô˛ú˛őąč;
Finely chopped pineapple 100 g
Method: (One portion 70 g of compote)
Take a whole pineapple, cut off the leaf and slice it into three thick slices horizontally.
With a spoon or a scooper scoop off the pulp creating a cup.
In The AI-Centered Enterprise: Reshaping Organizations with Context-Aware AI, authors Ram Bala, Natarajan Balasubramanian and Amit Joshi argue that the next leap in artificial intelligence is not about flashy prompts, but rather perception, reasoning, and organizational transformation.
The book, published earlier this year, introduces the concept of âcontext-aware AI,â systems that do not just process information but understand it in real-time business scenarios.
These are tools that adjust to their environment, collaborate across teams, and make decisions with nuance; a significant step forward from todayâs mostly predictive systems.
The authors, all professors and practitioners in the AI and analytics space, offer a clear roadmap for businesses to prepare.
Their proposed model, the â3Csâ â âCalibrate, Clarify, Channelizeâ â breaks down how leaders can align AI tools with company values, ensure teams understand how to use them, and direct efforts where they will have the most impact.
For readers in şÚÁĎÉçÇř, where AI is central to Vision 2030 initiative, this book can serve as a strategic lens.
While it does not focus on the region, its practical insights are useful for decision-makers looking to scale AI responsibly across sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and government services.
More guidebook than manifesto, âThe AI-Centered Enterpriseâ avoids jargon and balances case studies with actionable ideas.
It will not dazzle readers chasing science-fiction futures, but it is a timely read for professionals who want to lead, not just react, in the age of intelligent systems.
WOOHOO, a restaurant operated by an AI chef, to open in Dubai soon
AI âChef Aimanâ to create data-driven flavour combinations
The restaurant that bills itself as âdining in the futureâ is set to open in September
Updated 10 July 2025
Reuters
DUBAI: In Dubai, your dinner might soon come with a side of source code.
WOOHOO, a restaurant that bills itself as âdining in the future,â is set to open in September in central Dubai, a stoneâs throw from the worldâs tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
Food at WOOHOO will be assembled by humans, for now, but everything else â from the menu to ambience to service â will be designed by a culinary large-language-model called âChef Aiman.â
Aiman â a portmanteau of âAIâ and âmanâ â is trained on decades of food science research, molecular composition data and over a thousand recipes from cooking traditions around the world, said Ahmet Oytun Cakir, one of WOOHOOâs founders.
Food prepared using the recipe from "Aiman", the AI Chef is served on a plate, at the Trove Restaurant in Dubai on July 8, 2025. (REUTERS)
While Chef Aiman canât taste, smell or interact with his dishes like a chef normally would, the model works by breaking cuisine down to its component parts like texture, acidity and umami, and reassembling them into unusual flavour and ingredient combinations, according to Aimanâs developers.
These prototypes are then refined by human cooks who taste the combinations and provide direction, in an effort led by renowned Dubai-based chef Reif Othman.
âTheir responses to my suggestions help refine my understanding of what works beyond pure data,â Aiman explained, in an interview with the interactive AI model.
The goal, Aimanâs creators say, is not to supplant the human element of cooking but to complement it.
âHuman cooking will not be replaced, but we believe (Aiman) will elevate the ideas, creativity,â said Oytun Cakir, who is also chief executive of hospitality company Gastronaut.
Aiman is designed to develop recipes that re-use ingredients often discarded by restaurants, like meat trimmings or fat, he said.
Longer term, WOOHOOâs founders believe Aiman could be licensed to restaurants across the globe, reducing kitchen waste and improving sustainability. (Reporting by Luke Tyson Editing by Ros Russell)