Saudi designer Honayda Serafi talks symbolism in Rajwa Al-Saif’s henna gown ahead of Jordan’s royal wedding

Saudi designer Honayda Serafi talks symbolism in Rajwa Al-Saif’s henna gown ahead of Jordan’s royal wedding
Queen Rania and Saudi Arabia's Rajwa Al-Saif at the latter's henna party in Jordan on Monday night. (Instagram)
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Updated 23 May 2023
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Saudi designer Honayda Serafi talks symbolism in Rajwa Al-Saif’s henna gown ahead of Jordan’s royal wedding

Saudi designer Honayda Serafi talks symbolism in Rajwa Al-Saif’s henna gown ahead of Jordan’s royal wedding
  • Jordan’s Queen Rania hosted the pre-wedding henna night celebrations for the soon-to-be Princess Rajwa Al-Saif
  • Saudi citizen Rajwa Al-Saif looked radiant in an ethereal white creation by celebrity-loved Saudi designer Honayda Serafi

DUBAI: On Monday night, Jordan’s Queen Rania hosted the pre-wedding henna night celebrations for Saudi Arabia’s Rajwa Al-Saif, who will marry Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II on June 1.

Al-Saif looked radiant in an ethereal white creation by celebrity-loved Saudi designer Honayda Serafi, who spoke to Arab News about the meaning behind the fashion statement.

“When I first got the call, I was extremely happy and proud to be part of this exceptional and historical moment. What I am especially proud of is communicating the love story between the crown prince and Rajwa in the design itself,” Serafi told Arab News, adding that she was first briefed about the design at the end of February 2023.

“The brief was that she wanted to wear something very modest and something from Saudi Arabian culture, but with a modern twist. She wanted the piece to be very elegant, and she also wanted it to be white,” added Serafi, whose label Honayda became the first Saudi fashion brand to be showcased at luxury London department store Harrods in 2022.




For the gown, designer Honayda Serafi took inspiration from the Al-Shaby thobe of the Najd region in Saudi Arabia, where Al-Saif’s family is from. (Courtesy of Honayda) 

For the gown, Serafi took inspiration from the Al-Shaby thobe of the Najd region in Saudi Arabia, where Al-Saif’s family is from.  

“The thobe is known for its long sleeves. They’re so long, the sleeves become the veil of the bride’s dress,” said Serafi.  




Rajwa Al-Saif wanted to wear white at the henna party, signifying a modern take on the traditional dress. (Courtesy of Honayda)

“The white color usually symbolizes purity and elegance. And there is a beautiful meaning to a bride wearing white. However, the henna dress is not really known to be white. So, this is a modern and new take,” added Serafi, talking about Al-Saif’s desire to wear white on the occasion. 

Another bride who wore white to celebrate her henna party recently was Al-Saif’s future sister-in-law, Princess Iman bint Abdullah II, ahead of her marriage with Jameel Alexander Thermiotis, which took place on March 12.  

 

 

Serafi wanted the henna party gown to reflect a new era of Saudi fashion, one that is modern yet rooted in tradition and history.  

Apart from the references to Al-Saif’s Saudi heritage, the dress also has nods to Jordanian culture in honor of the bride’s future family.  




Serafi included the seven-pointed white star that is present on the Jordanian national flag, which symbolizes the seven verses of Surat Al-Fatiha in the Qur’an. (Courtesy of Honayda)

Serafi included the seven-pointed white star that is present on the Jordanian national flag, which symbolizes the seven verses of Surat Al-Fatiha in the Qur’an, as well as the “seven hills Amman was built on,” the designer explained.  

“The symbol is a protection for the couple’s eternal love,” she added.

Other details in the dress include Saudi Arabia’s palm trees, which symbolize life and vitality, as well as a verse by famous Tunisian poet Aboul Qacem Echebbi, which translates to, “When my eyes see you, life becomes right,” etched into the dress in Arabic lettering.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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“My intention behind designing this dress was to document the eternal love and the history of the royal wedding. And, of course, I have used traditional threads and it is all hand embroidered,” said Serafi.

“This is a big moment for the brand to be part of such a historical (event). It is such an honor and I feel that I’m very, very proud to represent Saudi designers, as well as to communicate to the new generation how to not only honor Saudi Arabia’s historical identity and heritage, but to express it in a modern way,” she added.  


Actresses Halle Berry, Katrina Kaif to speak at Red Sea International Film Festival

Actresses Halle Berry, Katrina Kaif to speak at Red Sea International Film Festival
Updated 29 November 2023
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Actresses Halle Berry, Katrina Kaif to speak at Red Sea International Film Festival

Actresses Halle Berry, Katrina Kaif to speak at Red Sea International Film Festival

DUBAI: Red Sea International Film Festival organizers revealed on Wednesday that actresses Halle Berry and Katrina Kaif had been lined up to speak at the event’s third edition.

Dates for the stars’ talks are yet to be announced.

The festival, running from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9, will also host discussion panels with Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, Australian costume designer Catherine Martin, Tunisian actor Dhafer L’Abidine, Indian director and TV personality Karan Johar, Egyptian actress Yasmine Sabri, Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, and Saudi filmmaking brothers Faris and Sohayb Godus.

 

 

American actress Berry kicked off her career as a model and took part in several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and coming sixth in Miss World 1986.

The 57-year-old gained widespread recognition and acclaim for her performance in 2001’s “Monster’s Ball,” a role that earned her the Academy Award for best actress, making her the first African American woman to win in the category.

Her portrayal of Storm in the “X-Men” film series, and her iconic turn as Jinx Johnson in the 2002 James Bond film “Die Another Day,” are among her most well-known movie roles. She has received several accolades, including at the Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

 

 

British actress Kaif is one of the leading stars in the Indian film industry.

The 40-year-old has received widespread acclaim for her roles in various Bollywood flicks with one of her most popular performances coming in the action thriller “Ek Tha Tiger” in 2012, where she starred alongside Salman Khan. Her character Zoya, an intelligence agent, showcased both her acting prowess and on-screen charisma.

Another notable film in her career was “Jab Tak Hai Jaan,” directed by the legendary Yash Chopra.

 

 

The festival opens on Thursday with a screening of Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s fantasy “HWJN.”

German actress Diane Kruger, Singh, and Saudi actor-writer Abdullah Al-Sadhan will receive career honors at the event.

Australian film director Baz Luhrmann will preside over the festival’s jury and will be joined by Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (“The Suicide Squad”), Indian actress Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”), Egyptian actress Amina Khalil (“Grand Hotel”), and Spaniard Paz Vega (“Sex and Lucia,” and “The OA”).


Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival to take place in December 

Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival to take place in December 
Updated 29 November 2023
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Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival to take place in December 

Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival to take place in December 

DUBAI: Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival is set to take place from Dec. 14-21 after being postponed twice due to the “distressing circumstances” in Gaza, organizers announced this week. 

The sixth edition, in collaboration with the Palestinian Film Institute, will be dedicated to Palestinian cinema. 

 

 

Organizers said in a statement on Instagram that this year’s edition aims “to shed light on the current situation and inhumane conditions in Gaza.

“Additionally, a fundraising dinner is planned to gather donations for humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza in coordination with the Egyptian Red Crescent during the festival.”

The event will be held without any celebrations to reaffirm its solidarity with the Palestinian people.


Review: ‘The House of the Coptic Woman’ is intelligent, complex and rich 

Review: ‘The House of the Coptic Woman’ is intelligent, complex and rich 
Updated 29 November 2023
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Review: ‘The House of the Coptic Woman’ is intelligent, complex and rich 

Review: ‘The House of the Coptic Woman’ is intelligent, complex and rich 

CHICAGO: In rural Upper Egypt, public prosecutor Nader Fayez Kamal arrives in the village of Tayea, where tension is high between Coptic and Muslim communities in award-winning novelist and legal scholar Ashraf El-Ashmawi’s novel, “The House of the Coptic Woman.” Beginning a new job as a deputy public prosecutor on the outskirts of town, Nader must navigate a tricky post with complicated relationships between people and the land they live on. Translated into English by Peter Daniel, Nader finds life away from Cairo more complex than he had hoped for, but faces it with a strong legal mind and a penchant for solving mysteries. 

On the night Nader arrives at the rest house to begin his new job, he meets a caretaker named Ramses who tells him that the lodge was originally built by a British irrigation engineer who was in charge of northern Upper Egypt before he was murdered in the 1940s. From that event, history changed the face of the village which by 1952, after the Egyptian revolution, changes its name to Tayea after the mayor. With a history of religious tension, Nader isn’t prepared for what’s about to happen. Coinciding with his arrival is the appearance of a young woman named Hoda who appears in the middle of the night with a secret that will change her life and that of those around her.  

With an atmosphere that is foreboding, El-Ashmawi’s incredible storytelling sets the mood as the novel shifts between Nader and Hoda. Between the divisive village life, arson attacks, murders that are never solved, and mysterious land acquisitions and sales, Nader and Hoda are thrown into a world where they are forced to tread carefully. Nader has a knack for stepping on toes but has to learn the hard way that the path to justice and peace can be messy.   

Setting a tone that is intelligent, complex, deceptive, and rich, El-Ashmawi’s novel encompasses sectarian strife and a debate about justice. There are laws that penalize for small offences and others in which the punishment is far less than the offense. In a place where justice is more concerned with politics, the protagonists will find themselves facing decisions that could alter their lives forever. 


Cynthia Nixon starts hunger strike to demand ceasefire in Gaza

Cynthia Nixon starts hunger strike to demand ceasefire in Gaza
Updated 29 November 2023
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Cynthia Nixon starts hunger strike to demand ceasefire in Gaza

Cynthia Nixon starts hunger strike to demand ceasefire in Gaza

DUBAI: US actress Cynthia Nixon on Monday began a hunger strike outside the White House to demand that US president Joe Biden call for a ceasefire in Gaza. 

According to Sky News, the “Sex And The City” actress said: “I am sick and tired of people explaining away by saying that civilian casualties are a routine toll of war. There is nothing routine about these figures. There is noting routine about these deaths.

“I would like to make a personal plea to a president who has, himself, experienced such devastating personal loss, to connect with that empathy for which he is so well known and to look at the children of Gaza and imagine that they were his children,” she said. 

Nixon will end her strike on Tuesday to return to New York for work commitments.

The star is joined by five politicians in the US: Delaware state representative Madinah Wilson-Anton, New York representative Zohran Mamdani, Oklahoma representative Mauree Turner, Virginia representative Sam Rasoul and Michigan representative Abraham Aiyash.
 


Metallica to perform in Riyadh in December

Metallica to perform in Riyadh in December
Updated 28 November 2023
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Metallica to perform in Riyadh in December

Metallica to perform in Riyadh in December

DUBAI: US metal band Metallica is set to perform in Saudi Arabia for the first time in December at the Kingdom’s much-anticipated music festival Soundstorm by MDLBeast.

The group’s gig will be in Riyadh on Dec. 14, the first night of the three-day event.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Metallica (@metallica)

The festival is also hosting international stars including Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams, Her, Tiesto, David Guetta, Black Eyed Peas, J Balvin and Anne-Marie.

Some of the Arab stars who will hit the stage include Elissa, Mahmoud El-Esseily, Hakeem, Majid Al-Mohandis, Mohamed Ramadan, Omaima Taleb, Rabeh Saqr, Dalia Mubarak, Ruby, Nancy Ajram, Ramy Sabry, Ahmed Saad, Hamid El-Shari and more.

The festival is yet to announce more international and regional artists taking part in this year’s edition.

Metallica’s Saudi show is part of the group’s M72 World Tour.