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Riyadh Fashion Week opens doors to international brands for 2025 edition

Riyadh Fashion Week opens doors to international brands for 2025 edition
Returning for its third edition from Oct. 16-21, 聽the six-day showcase will feature more than 25 runway shows, 10 designer presentations, a curated showroom and citywide activations. (Supplied)
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Riyadh Fashion Week opens doors to international brands for 2025 edition

Riyadh Fashion Week opens doors to international brands for 2025 edition

DUBAI: Riyadh Fashion Week鈥檚 2025 edition will, for the first time, open its calendar to international brands.

Returning for its third edition from Oct. 16-21, 聽the six-day showcase will feature more than 25 runway shows, 10 designer presentations, a curated showroom and citywide activations.

The list of designers is yet to be revealed.

Organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission, one of 11 cultural sector commissions under 黑料社区鈥檚 Ministry of Culture, the event will also spotlight homegrown designers.聽

The program will feature couture, eveningwear, womenswear, menswear and streetwear.

鈥淩iyadh Fashion Week has become a gateway for those looking to understand and participate in the future of 黑料社区鈥檚 fashion industry,鈥 said Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, in a released statement.聽
鈥淏y welcoming the world to Riyadh, we create a unique platform where international leaders can build meaningful connections with local buyers, media, and consumers.鈥

鈥淎t the same time, the event shines a global spotlight on Saudi talent, whose creativity spans from heritage rooted craftsmanship to contemporary design, reinforcing the Kingdom鈥檚 growing influence on the international fashion landscape,鈥 he added.


Dubai Design Week announces 2025 program highlights

Dubai Design Week announces 2025 program highlights
Updated 8 sec ago

Dubai Design Week announces 2025 program highlights

Dubai Design Week announces 2025 program highlights
  • Schedule of pop-up concepts, talks and design solutions
  • 鈥楧esigned in Saudi鈥 exhibition also at Dubai Design Week

DUBAI: Dubai Design Week returns for its 11th edition from Nov. 4 to 9, with several highlights recently announced by the organizers.

Downtown Design, the anchor event of the week, will showcase innovative products and design solutions, alongside a schedule of pop-up concepts, talks and panel discussions.

This year鈥檚 showcase of furniture, lighting, materials, lifestyle objects and accessories will feature several highlights, the organizers stated in a release.

This includes BEIT Collective鈥檚 objects crafted in Lebanon, the debut of 鈥淪trata鈥 by Pakistani designer Yousef Shabaz, the 鈥淒esigned in Saudi鈥 exhibition by the Design & Architecture Commission of 黑料社区鈥檚 Ministry of Culture.

In addition, Editions will showcase limited-edition art and design from regional and international creators, spanning prints, photography, works on paper, ceramics, contemporary design, and artist multiples.

Meanwhile, Urban Commissions, the event鈥檚 design competition, this year challenged participants to explore the concept of a courtyard.

Designers and architects were invited to reimagine it as communal urban infrastructure, with UAE-based design studio Some Kind of Practice, founded by Omar Darwish and Abdulla Abbas, winning the competition for their work, 鈥淲hen Does a Threshold Become a Courtyard?鈥

Abwab, meaning doors, is a yearly program that supports designers from across west, south and east Asia, as well as the African continent, by commissioning installations.

This year, practitioners were invited to respond to the theme 鈥淚n the Details,鈥 exploring 鈥渕aterial intelligence, precision and cultural nuance through the lens of ornamentalism,鈥 according to Dubai Design Week.

Natasha Carella, director for Dubai Design Week, stated: 鈥淭his year, our direction takes a more reflective approach, exploring design not only as a practice of innovation but also as a social connector, a civic and cultural force that shapes how we live together, communicate and build systems of care.鈥


Mona Tougaard fronts new fashion campaign

Mona Tougaard fronts new fashion campaign
Updated 10 September 2025

Mona Tougaard fronts new fashion campaign

Mona Tougaard fronts new fashion campaign
  • Runway star represents retailer for autumn, winter collection
  • Tougaard has been busy this year in Paris and New York shows

DUBAI: Model Mona Tougaard has added another major collaboration to her portfolio with a new campaign for H&M鈥檚 Fall/Winter 2025 collection.

The runway star, who has Danish, Turkish, Somali and Ethiopian ancestry, shared images from the shoot on Instagram this week.

In one look, she wore a flowing white pleated dress with voluminous sleeves and a high neckline, styled with a large brown fur stole, statement earrings and chunky ring.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

In another image, Tougaard appeared in a sleeveless argyle-patterned knit top in black, grey and white, paired with dark brown leather pants and a crocodile-embossed clutch in matching tone.

Tougaard stars in the campaign alongside US model and influencer Alex Consani and South Korean model Sora Choi.

According to H&M鈥檚 Instagram caption, the collection 鈥渢ranslates British sartorial codes, retro references and the creative vitality of 1990s London into an assertive, future-facing wardrobe finessed for this moment.鈥

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tougaard started her modeling career in 2017 after winning the Elite Model Look Denmark competition at the age of 15.

Since then, she has become a well-known figure in the fashion industry, working with top designers and luxury brands including Prada, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Chanel and Valentino.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The model has had a busy year this year. She starred in a Versace campaign in February and was seen on video reclining on a deep orange sofa, her hair styled in a sleek, straight look with blunt bangs. 

She wore a two-piece ensemble: a lilac-toned sequined crop-top featured delicate yellow floral embroidery, thin straps and a plunging neckline, with a skirt, in rich brown satin, that had an intricate overlay of cream floral lace.

During New York Fashion Week, also in February, she graced the runway for Tory Burch鈥檚 Fall/Winter 2025 show.

In January, she was a part of the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025 show at Paris Fashion Week, when she wore a halter-neck dress with a sheer, form-fitting bodice that transitioned into a voluminous skirt with meticulously folded fabric.

Last month, she posed for Marc Jacobs鈥 Fall 2025 campaign, showcasing the brand鈥檚 new Cristina Satchel bag.

In the photos shared on Instagram, Tougaard was seen wearing a sleek black halter-neck dress with tall black boots, accessorizing with the statement bag.


Noon By Noor to unveil new collection at London Fashion Week

Noon By Noor to unveil new collection at London Fashion Week
Updated 09 September 2025

Noon By Noor to unveil new collection at London Fashion Week

Noon By Noor to unveil new collection at London Fashion Week

DUBAI: Designers Shaikha Noor Al-Khalifa and Shaikha Haya Al-Khalifa of Bahraini label Noon By Noor are set to present their Spring/Summer 2026 collection during London Fashion Week.

The event runs from Sept. 18-22, with the duo unveiling their new pieces on Sept. 19.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Founded in 2008, the brand is known for its blend of relaxed tailoring and refined detailing. The designers, who are cousins, both studied fashion in the US and returned to Bahrain to launch their label, which combines masculine tailoring with subtle feminine details.

Their collections often feature oversized shirts, tailored blazers, wide-leg trousers and fine knits, with the pair drawing inspiration from art, architecture and nature to produce pieces designed to be wearable, versatile and subtly expressive.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Production remains largely based in Bahrain, with the brand committed to preserving craftsmanship and creative control locally. In 2024, Noon By Noor opened a boutique at The Ritz-Carlton in Manama, further cementing its presence in the region.

The brand has also shown collections at both New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week. In February, the Fall Winter 2025 collection was presented in London with a salon-style display at Somerset House.

The designs were inspired by Bahrain鈥檚 architectural landscape, specifically the work of Swiss architect Christian Kerez, whose multi-story car parks in Muharraq have become a cultural hub.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The four car parks were commissioned by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities as part of a wider preservation and development project in the city, which served as the Bahraini capital until 1932.

鈥淲e are fortunate to have been nurtured in art and architecture, both in our home and in our surroundings in Bahrain 鈥 a place rich in both, from which we can draw constant inspiration,鈥 Shaikha Noor Al-Khalifa said at the time.

The line featured sculptured jackets, draped bodices and sliced silhouettes. As per the brand鈥檚 design ethos, embellishments were minimal, and textures and fabrics played a key role.

The designers employed a technique of stripping and fraying wool tweeds and reapplying them onto tulle to create their own lightweight fabric.


Actors and directors to boycott Israeli film institutions 鈥榠mplicated in genocide鈥 of Palestinian people

Actors and directors to boycott Israeli film institutions 鈥榠mplicated in genocide鈥 of Palestinian people
Updated 08 September 2025

Actors and directors to boycott Israeli film institutions 鈥榠mplicated in genocide鈥 of Palestinian people

Actors and directors to boycott Israeli film institutions 鈥榠mplicated in genocide鈥 of Palestinian people
  • Signatories include actors Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem
  • The campaign, inspired by the cultural boycott of apartheid South Africa, does not explicitly reference BDS

LONDON: Hundreds of actors, directors and other film professionals have signed a pledge vowing not to work with Israeli film institutions they say are 鈥渋mplicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,鈥 it was announced on Monday.

鈥淎s film-makers, actors, film industry workers, and institutions, we recognise the power of cinema to shape perceptions,鈥 .

鈥淚n this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments are enabling the carnage in Gaza, we must do everything we can to address complicity in that unrelenting horror,鈥 it added.

Signatories include actors Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Ayo Edebiri, Riz Ahmed, Josh O鈥機onnor, Cynthia Nixon, Julie Christie, Ilana Glazer, Rebecca Hall, Aimee Lou Wood and Debra Winger.

Film-makers Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Asif Kapadia, Boots Riley and Joshua Oppenheimer also joined more than 1,200 signatories as of Sunday night.

The statement, published by Film Workers for Palestine, commits signatories not to collaborate with institutions deemed complicit 鈥 including festivals, broadcasters and production companies 鈥 citing examples such as 鈥渨hitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government committing them.鈥

It continued: 鈥淲e answer the call of Palestinian film-makers, who have urged the international film industry to refuse silence, racism, and dehumanization, as well as to 鈥榙o everything humanly possible鈥 to end complicity in their oppression.鈥

Screenwriter David Farr, one of the signatories, said: 鈥淎s the descendant of Holocaust survivors, I am distressed and enraged by the actions of the Israeli state, which has for decades enforced an apartheid system on the Palestinian people whose land they have taken, and which is now perpetuating genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. In this context I cannot support my work being published or performed in Israel. The cultural boycott was significant in South Africa. It will be significant this time and in my view should be supported by all artists of conscience.鈥

Commenting on her decision to sign, Absolutely Fabulous actress Julia Sawalha said: 鈥淲itnessing the annihilation of the Palestinians in Gaza by Israel over the past two years has splintered the depths of me, and the unrelenting silence to their suffering is unconscionable. As an actress and artist, I carry both the right and the duty to use my voice鈥攖o shatter the silence by taking action. This pledge is my way of joining a global community that refuses to be intimidated, that refuses to surrender to hopelessness, and that insists on saying loud and clear: the lives of Palestinians matter.鈥

An FAQ accompanying the pledge said: 鈥淚srael鈥檚 major film festivals (including but not limited to Jerusalem film festival, Haifa international film festival, Docaviv and TLVFest) continue to partner with the Israeli government while it carries out what leading experts have defined as genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.鈥

It stressed that 鈥渢he call is for film workers to refuse to work with Israeli institutions that are complicit in Israel鈥檚 human rights abuses against the Palestinian people. This refusal takes aim at institutional complicity, not identity.鈥

The campaign, inspired by the cultural boycott of apartheid South Africa, does not explicitly reference the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement but is among the most prominent cultural boycott efforts announced since Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza began, The Guardian reported.

The pledge comes just days after 鈥淭he Voice of Hind Rajab,鈥 a film about a 5-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, received a 23-minute standing ovation at its Venice film festival premiere, with Brad Pitt, Jonathan Glazer, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara and Alfonso Cuaron among its executive producers.


Ithra鈥檚 flagship design event Tanween to return in November

Ithra鈥檚 flagship design event Tanween to return in November
Updated 08 September 2025

Ithra鈥檚 flagship design event Tanween to return in November

Ithra鈥檚 flagship design event Tanween to return in November

DUBAI: 黑料社区鈥檚 King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra, has announced the return of its flagship design event Tanween from Nov. 17-22.

Tanween鈥檚 eighth edition returns under the theme 鈥淒esign the Unspoken,鈥 with the aim of encouraging designers to anticipate hidden needs and respond with bold, forward-looking design. 

As of Monday, the Tanween Challenge has begun its open call, seeking designers worldwide to participate in this year鈥檚 competition. 

Designers can register to take part in one of the six-day Tanween Challenge design sprints that will be held during the event. Applications close on Oct. 26.

This year鈥檚 challenges are united by the theme 鈥淒esign for the 90 percent,鈥 inviting participants to shift attention away from the top 10 percent of consumers toward the wider 90 percent, who form the majority yet remain underserved in the design market. 

The various challenges include 鈥淕lobal Impact Challenge, Elevating the Learning Journey,鈥 which seeks to reimagine learning in rural areas with limited resources, infrastructure and access; 鈥淧roduct Design Challenge, Farmer Gadget,鈥 which asks applicants to develop a multifunctional product that supports the daily needs of farmers working in extreme climates; 鈥淯rban Spaces Challenge, Communal Pavilion,鈥 which calls on applicants to reimagine inclusive micro-environments that encourage human connection in an individuality-driven world; and 鈥淰isual Communication Challenge, Awareness Campaign for Diverse Communities,鈥 which calls on applicants to create inclusive visual materials that cross language barriers and build cultural bridges.

Last year鈥檚 edition of Tanween attracted more than 2,000 attendees who participated in a range of workshops, talk sessions and hands-on courses.