Picking home decorations and accessories can be hard for households as it requires a theme and an aesthetic sense. However, a frame in the living room with one good saying or a Qur’anic verse is a must-have in every Arab-Muslim home to reflect its religious affiliation. With a skillful touch, Hafeth by Gardenia can introduce you to a collection of handmade canvas concept embroideries. Hafeth by Gardenia is a line produced by Saudi fashion designer Gardenia Hafiz. She has selected verses from the Qur’an that are full of life wisdom and turned them into a beautiful visual narration by mixing words and colors. Beads, sequins and silk threads are key elements in all pieces. One typically inspiring piece is “Kindness,” a perfect combination of color, pattern and texture inspired by Surat Ibrahim, verse 24: “Do you not see how God makes comparisons? A good word is like a good tree whose root is firm and whose branches are high in the sky.” The handmade work features a tree made with different shades of green and brown. The background is made of light beige Italian linen, with the words of the verse embroidered to the side. Islamic art is usually made of complex shapes and such pieces liven up the spaces they are hung in. The size of the pieces varies from 30 cm to 1 meter long; customized designs and larger sizes are also available. Large pieces take up to two months to make, while smaller pieces can take around 16 hours, depending on the amount of hand embroidery included. A significant percentage of the proceeds goes to local charities to help those in need. You can find these pieces in bazaars, as well as on the website: https://gardeniahafiz.shop/

JEDDAH: It’s not every day a fashion designer sees a member of Britain’s royal family wearing one of their designs in front of a global television audience. So Yahya Al-Bishri said he was “shocked” to learn that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall chose a daqlah he created as her outfit of choice for the queen’s platinum jubilee concert last weekend.

“It is just a great feeling to see the whole world is talking about my outfit,” Al-Bishri told Arab News from his home in Jeddah. Yet the game-changing moment came as a complete surprise to him.

“Actually, I was engaged with friends in a small gathering when my wife called me and told me, “Are you watching the Platinum Party (at the Palace)?’ She told me that Camilla was wearing my daqlah.

“As a Saudi fashion designer, I am so proud and happy that international media focused on my design, talked about the outfit and appreciated what the Duchess of Cornwall was wearing.”

The daqlah, a long robe that is open at the front and is traditionally worn over a thobe, was gifted to Camilla’s husband, Prince Charles, during a visit to the Kingdom in 1998, Al-Bishri revealed.

“When Prince Charles came to Saudi Arabia, he visited a village in the Asir region and he wore the daqlah that time for the first time,” he said. “And now, after two and a half decades, the piece appeared again during the platinum (jubilee) celebrations for the queen of Britain.”

It is testament to the quality and longevity of the design that the duchess decided to repurpose the robe as her outfit for the Platinum Party at the Palace concert. The traditional robe is navy in color, with intricate Saudi inscriptions embroidered in silver reed threads on the Kashmiri woolen fabric.

Asked whether the garment can be worn by women as well as men, Al-Bishri said: “A daqlah can be worn open or closed by men. Camilla wore it buttoned up, keeping the focus on the beautiful embroidery on the fabric. She really looked beautiful in it.”

The daqlah is not his first fashion connection with the British royal family; in the mid-1980s he was commissioned to design a gown for Princess Diana.

Al-Bishri was born in 1962 in Abha, where he attended primary school before moving to Jeddah to complete his education. He developed a love of literature and poetry which led him to a career in journalism before, in 1986, he discovered fashion and set out to build a career in the industry. After initially studying in Italy, he went on to graduate from the Paris American Academy in France.

In 1990 he opened his fashion house, Yahya Couture, in Jeddah, which featured bridal and evening wear. Soon after, he added a menswear department and subsequently also expanded to include children’s clothing.

During a storied career his creations have appeared on runways at fashion shows around the world, including France, Russia, Jordan, Egypt, the US, Oman, Morocco, Lebanon, and, of course, his native Saudi Arabia.

The guests at these high-profile shows have included heads of states and royalty — and if Camilla’s choice of outfit last weekend is any indication, it seems the royal seal of approval for Al-Bishri’s designs is set continue.

Writing in a beautiful notebook can be one of the most amazing feelings in the world. Paperblanks has the perfect products for this activity regardless of how picky you are. The company has been creating writing material with the help of the world’s most recognizable art and literature since it was founded 30 years ago. The products can certainly be regarded as contemporary masterpieces. The cover designs are so intricate and detailed that you will find something you have missed years after your purchase. The company’s designers work with museums and art galleries around the globe to recreate some of the most popular artworks on their covers. One of their recent designs feature Van Gogh’s “Irises” on the cover. Another of their most popular products is the embellished manuscripts collection that has quotations from some of the most popular works in English literature. From how the journals are sewn to the clasp that helps secure them, each part of the design makes them look like they belong in a museum. The cream-colored paper exude a warmth that makes it a pleasure to write on. The journals come in different sizes, in hard and soft covers, and cater for those needing either planners or notebooks for general use. The handiest size is the “mini” because it fits into almost all bags. The elastic clasp, despite not being the most beautiful, is quite functional. The company’s website is user-friendly and allows one to choose a design with the click of a mouse, and also access detailed information on the inspiration behind the creation. In Saudi Arabia, Paperblanks journals are sold at Virgin Megastores.

DUBAI: Shortly after opening Chanel’s Grand Prix-inspired resort 2023 show in Monte Carlo, Monaco, last month, French Algerian model Loli Bahia has landed her first-ever campaign for the storied luxury maison.

The 19-year-old rising star features in Chanel’s Metiers d’Art spring 2022 campaign, shot by fashion photographer Mikael Jansson.

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Initiated by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel herself, Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show is an annual celebration of creatives — such as embroiderers, feather workers, goldsmiths and milliners — offering a platform for the design talents to showcase their unique craftsmanship and the breadth of their work.

In the campaign, Bahia displays the exceptional savoir faire of artisans via tailored jackets, logo-emblazoned leather gloves, wide-brimmed hats, embellished mini-dresses and ornate bangles, necklaces and earrings.

For the 2022 show, which took place in December, Artistic Director Virginie Viard chose to show the collection at the Le19M building in the 19th arrondissement in Paris.

The new campaign was unveiled just before the fashion house’s repeat showcase of the Metiers d’Art spring 2022 collection in Florence, Italy, on June 7.

At just 19, the half-Algerian catwalker is quickly shaping up to be one of the most in-demand models in the industry, becoming a runway fixture in just a couple of months after a breakthrough spring 2022 fashion month, where she walked in 65 shows.

Bahia, who is signed to Women Management Paris and Modern Paris, made her runway debut in 2020 at Louis Vuitton’s fall 2021 show.

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She has gone on to strut down the catwalks of a host of prestigious labels that most models can only dream of, including Chanel, Schiaparelli, Fendi, Givenchy, Versace, Lanvin and Valentino, to name but a few.

She has also featured in campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Courreges and Max Mara in addition to starring on the cover of Vogue Italia.

The model opened Chanel’s resort 2023 show wearing a red-and-white tweed blazer and trousers paired with a metallic silver shirt and embroidered tweed dad cap – the look, sans cap, was later spotted on Hollywood star Kristen Stewart on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet.

“Such an honor to have opened this show,” wrote Bahia on Instagram after the runway presentation.

DUBAI: Congratulations are in order for Nora Attal. The British-Moroccan model got married to her longtime partner, Victor Bastidas, this week. The newlyweds tied the knot against the backdrop of orange and palm trees in a stunning outdoor ceremony in the presence of their loved ones in Ibiza, Spain.

The nuptials were attended by Attal’s family and close friends, including her parents Charlie and Bouchra, her siblings, Bastidas’s family and fellow models Vittoria Ceretti, Blesnya Minher and Mona Tougaard.

While Attal has not publicly announced her marriage to the cinematographer, she shared snippets from the wedding ceremony by way of Instagram Story reposts of videos and photos taken by the guests in attendance, who flew in from all over the world to attend the ceremony.

The 22-year-old model offered followers a quick glimpse of her nuptials, sharing a sneak peek of her elegant wedding dress, her walking down the aisle with her father and the fun-filled reception party to celebrate the newlyweds.

Attal said “I do” wearing a creamy white slip dress with thin straps, lace details and a ruffled hemline from Lanvin. She accessorized the elegant look with a long, lace-embroidered veil.

As for her hair and makeup, the new bride chose to keep it simple, opting for center-parted loose waves and a clean makeup look in the form of well-groomed eyebrows, rose lips and peachy eyeshadow.

After tying the knot, she changed into a short beaded mini dress as she danced the night away with her family and friends.

Attal announced her engagement to Bastidas in 2020.

Captioning a series of images of the proposal on Instagram, the 22-year-old model told her 45,000 followers: “Forever my life partner... @sictor.”

The proposal took place on a beach in Formentera, an island in Spain. Among the pictures the bride-to-be shared, Attal showed off her engagement ring — a round-cut solitaire.

It is unclear when exactly the couple started dating, but Attal has worked with the UK-based cinematographer on multiple shoots, from magazine covers to brand deals.

They also recently appeared together in US label Ralph Lauren’s fashion campaign for Eid Al-Fitr, alongside Attal’s parents and two siblings.

DUBAI: Balenciaga has enlisted Bella Hadid for its fall 2022 campaign lensed by British artist Nadia Lee Cohen.

The part-Palestinian model stars in the first entry in the multi-part campaign series alongside a diverse cast including French musician Aya Nakamura and models Kit Butler, Zuo Chen, Abdou Diop, Inti Wang and Lina Zhang.

The brand’s Nineties-inspired fall 2022 campaign is a continuation of the short film, “The Lost Tape,” released in December 2021 just ahead of fashion week.

The stylish ensemble appear against a minimal grey backdrop wearing nearly all of the most-talked about pieces from the Balenciaga creative director Demna’s (formerly known as Demna Gvasalia) new offering — such as the Excavator rainboot and the Le Cagole bag.

Three-piece jeans that are simultaneously a miniskirt, pants and boots are also on display, as is a Crocs collab handbag that came out earlier this year.  

The Palestinian-Dutch catwalker took to Instagram to share a few behind-the-scenes images from her new modeling campaign.

Her backstage images showed her having her hair touched up by Gary Gill between posing for the flashing cameras.

Hadid made a runway appearance for the French house at its emotional fall 2022 show back in March.

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The show addressed Russia’s attacks on Ukraine and Demna’s own personal experience as a refugee from his native country of Georgia.

“The war in Ukraine has triggered the pain of a past trauma I have carried in me since 1993, when the same thing happened in my home country and I became a forever refugee,” he wrote in the show notes. “This show needs no explanation, it is a dedication to fearlessness, to resistance, and to the victory of love and peace.”

Hadid, 25, traipsed through the snow wearing a monochrome ensemble and Y2K-inspired shield-like glasses.

Balenciaga is among a wide spectrum of fashion brands to ask Hadid to front one of its campaigns.

The California-raised model has a number of high-profile advertorials under her belt, including for Swarovski, Burberry, Michael Kors and Versace.