Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi dresses stars at the Golden Globes

Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi dresses stars at the Golden Globes
Kristen Bell wore a gown by Ashi Studio at the Golden Globes. (Getty Images)
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Updated 06 January 2025
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Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi dresses stars at the Golden Globes

Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi dresses stars at the Golden Globes

DUBAI: Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi dressed three stars at Sunday night’s Golden Globes in Hollywood, with Mindy Kaling, Kristen Bell and Ari Graynor showing off looks by the Paris-based designer.

Kaling showed off a gold column gown from Ashi Studio, hailing from the label’s Spring/Summer 2024 couture collection.




Mindy Kaling showed off a gold column gown from Ashi Studio, hailing from the label’s Spring/Summer 2024 couture collection. (Getty Images)

The first designer from the Gulf to take part in Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, Ashi also dressed Graynor in a risque look complete with cutouts across the bodice. The all-black gown was plucked from his label’s Fall/Winter 2023 couture collection.

For her part, nominee Bell shimmered in a gold, beaded Ashi Studio gown that boasted a peplum and rounded neckline.




Kristen Bell on the red carpet at the Golden Globes. (Getty Images)

With some of Hollywood's most fashion-forward stars up for awards this year, it's going to be an eventful season. The Golden Globes gets it all started, with stars — and their stylists — marking their territory at one of Hollywood's splashiest events, the Associated Press reported.

“Wicked” star Ariana Grande showed off a pale yellow Givenchy haute couture look. The gown was in crafted in silk with a hand-beaded bodice — a vintage 1966 gown from what the designer calls the Audrey Hepburn era of Givenchy.




Ariana Grande showed off a pale yellow Givenchy haute couture look. (Getty Images)

Cate Blanchett looked like an awards statue come to life in a glistening gold gown with a ruched top by Louis Vuitton — one that she also wore at the Cannes Film Festival. New gold stones were added to the gown, designed by Nicholas Ghesquière, to freshen the look.




Cate Blanchett and Ari Graynor on the red carpet. (Getty Images)

Where Blanchett glistened in gold, Nicole Kidman sparkled in silver, in a daring, one-shoulder backless Balenciaga gown. The “Babygirl” star polished off the look with a chic, voluminous half-ponytail.




Nicole Kidman sparkled in silver, in a daring, one-shoulder backless Balenciaga gown. (Getty Images)

Globes host Nikki Glaser zeroed right in on Timothee Chalamet, one of the hottest stars in Hollywood, in her monologue, telling him: “You have the most gorgeous eyelashes on your upper lip.” As for the clothes on his body, Chalamet went more traditional than other recent trips to the carpet, wearing a sleek Tom Ford black suit with embellished jacket, a white shirt and a blue scarf tossed around his neck (or was it a tie?).




Zendaya in a custom Louis Vuitton ballgown paired with Bulgari jewelry. (Getty Images)

Always a winner on the red carpet, actress Zendaya provided yet another high fashion moment at the Golden Globes in a custom Louis Vuitton ballgown paired with Bulgari jewelry.


Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface

Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface
Updated 2 min 26 sec ago
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Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface

Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface
  • Rubble of cities, Palestinian refugee camps, and construction sites was rearranged into images and transparent capsules
  • Artists, guided by archaeologists, present the city’s entangled history through sculptural forms echoing both the soil and red sand used to cover the land

BEIRUT: Art lovers may embark on an astonishing exploration with Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige into the depths of the waters and soil of Lebanon in search of the hidden secrets of its unseen subterranean worlds.

At the Sursock Museum on Beirut’s historic Sursock Street, Hadjithomas and Joreige have unveiled the results of a decade of research and experimentation in an exhibition titled “Remembering the Light.”

This exhibition serves as a transcendent experience that explores various expressive forms, delving into reflections on time, memory, and the profound transformations of cities, bodies, and history.

The outcome of this research has taken the form of artistic installations, photographs, and sculptures that narrate the intricacies of archaeology, infused with imaginative elements and references to fragility and permanence.

These works evoke perspectives on materiality, memory, and undiscovered narratives, delving into what is buried, forgotten or obscured, at depths reaching 45 meters in a remarkable journey through time.

The exhibition derives its title from a video produced in 2016, in which the two artists explored the spectrum of light underwater and the glow emanating from its depths, addressing the present by collaborating with geologists, archaeologists, poets, divers, and scientists.

The artists said that through the exhibition’s paintings is shown how “unexpected phenomena occur underwater. Sensory perception changes as one descends deeper into the water. The light spectrum diminishes and colors fade, with red disappearing first, followed by orange, yellow, green, and blue, until everything is engulfed in darkness. However, when the dark seabed is illuminated, the obstacles recall the memory of light and reflect it.”

Hadjithomas and Joreige state that the experience undertaken by the divers they enlisted mirrors the dangers faced by migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. They accompanied this with a scene of a scarf cascading downward, symbolizing memories of a war submerged over time.

The exhibition features a pile of earth layers bearing the material traces of archaeological and geological times in the cities of Beirut, Nahr Al-Bared in northern Lebanon, and Tripoli, completed over the past decade.

The rubble of cities, Palestinian refugee camps, and construction sites was rearranged into images and transparent capsules, revealing shattered scenes of people’s lives over time. The land has therefore turned into a notebook on which Hadjithomas and Joreige recorded the erased stories.

One unfolds in Nahr Al-Bared (Cold River Bed) camp, which was established in 1948 and destroyed after the 100-day conflict in 2007 between Fateh Al-Islam and the Lebanese Army. As reconstruction efforts began and rubble was cleared, layers of archaeological ruins unexpectedly surfaced: the remains of the mythical Roman city of Orthosia, believed to have been destroyed by a tsunami in 551 AD.

At the exhibition, the artists, guided by archaeologists, present the city’s entangled history through sculptural forms echoing both the soil and red sand used to cover the land.

A slideshow of images or testimonies narrates a story that vertiginously weaves together human displacement, military conflict, and archaeological discovery.

Matter extracted from core samples — soil, rocks, clay, and limestone — is carefully stored for analysis by engineers, prior to any construction.

Guided by those archeologists and geologists, the artists collected and re-sculpted these remains of buried worlds to make visible the imprints of successive human occupations, ecological upheavals, and lost civilizations.

History does not unfold as a coherent succession of chronological layers, but rather as a dynamic entanglement of epochs, marked by ruptures, where traces and civilizations intermingle.

Joreige dedicated part of the exhibition to his uncle, who was abducted in 1985 during the Lebanese civil war, piecing together some of his memories.

He gathered whatever undeveloped films he could from his abandoned home, each lasting 180 seconds, and before they faded, he printed them on blank sheets, producing faint impressions that could only be deciphered by looking closely.

Joreige describes them as “an attempt to resist disappearance.”

He said: “It’s a form of mourning that has yet to find closure, memories that have faded but won’t disappear.”


Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia

Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia
Updated 13 May 2025
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Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia

Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia

DUBAI: Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, wore a bespoke creation by Saudi designer Honayda Serafi during President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh.

The ensemble consisted of a royal blue floor-length abaya with detailed gold embroidery. The symmetrical patterns extended across the bodice and sleeves, while smaller gold motifs were scattered throughout the lower part of the garment. The dignitary’s look was completed with a matching blue headscarf.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HONAYDA (@honaydaofficial)

 

Honayda Serafi, founder of Honayda, shared a statement on Princess Reema’s appearance on Instagram, saying: “I am so pleased and deeply proud to see HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar, our remarkable Saudi Ambassador to the United States, standing as a symbol of strength, progress and leadership, as one of the first women to break barriers and champion women’s empowerment. 

“It is a special moment to see her shine as she welcomes President Trump on his historic visit to Riyadh, wearing a bespoke piece by Honayda for this significant occasion. I look forward to sharing more about the inspiration behind this design,” she added. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Reema B Al-Saud (@rbsalsaud)

Serafi is known for dressing prominent figures across the Middle East and the rest of the world. Celebrities who have worn her designs include Priyanka Chopra, Lupita Nyong’o and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein of Jordan.  

 

She is a favorite of Saudi-born Princess Rajwa and dressed the royal for her henna night festivities in in 2023 and for Jordanian King Abdullah II’s silver jubilee celebrations in Amman in 2024.

The ensemble consisted of a royal blue floor-length abaya with detailed gold embroidery. (Instagram)

Meanwhile, Princess Reema’s participation in Trump’s visit highlighted the long-standing partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US. Writing in The Washington Times this week, she described the visit as “a moment pivotal for global peace, security and prosperity.

“Today, as the world navigates new challenges and conflicts, that partnership is more critical than ever,” she said.

Princess Reema, who presented her credentials to Trump in 2019 when assuming her role as ambassador, said the two nations’ alliance was “not just history; it is a reimagined future.”


The inside scoop on Trump’s hearty lunch in Riyadh

The inside scoop on Trump’s hearty lunch in Riyadh
Updated 13 May 2025
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The inside scoop on Trump’s hearty lunch in Riyadh

The inside scoop on Trump’s hearty lunch in Riyadh

RIYADH: US President Donald Trump, along with top US delegates and business executives, were extended a warm welcome in Riyadh at Al-Yamamah Palace, where dignitaries were treated to a hearty lunch on Tuesday.

The US president, who touched down in Saudi Arabia to start the first major international trip of his second term, enjoyed lunch in the presence of senior Saudi royals, members of the cabinet, leading business executives and editors-in-chief.

The lunch menu included a health conscious three-course meal, with international flair. (Supplied)

US business magnate Elon Musk was also in attendance.

The lunch menu included a health-conscious three-course meal, with international flair.

For the delicate starters, miso beef was plated up along with fermented vegetables.

For the delicate starters, miso beef was plated up along with fermented vegetables and bacon crumble. (Supplied)

For the main course, visiting dignitaries were served grilled black Angus steak alongside “silky potatoes” and a fresh herb salad.

The meal ended on a sweet note with an extra virgin olive oil parfait and a sweet and tart strawberry salad.

Prior to the lunch, President Trump departed Air Force One and was promptly treated to Saudi hospitality in the form of Saudi coffee served by attendants wearing ceremonial gun-belts.


Hollywood stars condemn Gaza ‘genocide’ as Cannes Festival opens

Hollywood stars condemn Gaza ‘genocide’ as Cannes Festival opens
Updated 13 May 2025
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Hollywood stars condemn Gaza ‘genocide’ as Cannes Festival opens

Hollywood stars condemn Gaza ‘genocide’ as Cannes Festival opens

CANNES: More than 380 figures from the cinema world including "Schindler's List" actor Ralph Fiennes condemned "genocide" in Gaza in an open letter published on Tuesday ahead of the Cannes Festival opening.
"We cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza," read the letter initiated by several pro-Palestinian activist groups and published in French newspaper Liberation and US magazine Variety.
The signatories -- which include Hollywood stars Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon, as well as acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar and former Cannes winner Ruben Ostlund -- decried the death of Gazan photojournalist Fatima Hassouna.
Hassouna, 25, is the subject of a documentary which will premiere in Cannes on Thursday by Iranian director Sepideh Farsi, titled "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk".
Hassouna was killed along with 10 relatives in an Israeli air strike on her family home in northern Gaza last month, the day after the documentary was announced as part of the ACID Cannes selection.
Farsi welcomed the impact of her film but called on Cannes Festival organisers to denounce Israel's ongoing bombardment of the devastated Palestinian territory.
"There needs to be a real statement," she told AFP. "Saying 'the festival isn't political' makes no sense."
This year's Cannes jury president Juliette Binoche was initially said by organisers to have signed the petition, but her spokeswoman told AFP that she had not endorsed it and her name was not published by Liberation.
Other signatories include Jonathan Glazer, the British director of Jewish origin who won an Oscar for his 2023 Auschwitz drama "The Zone of Interest", as well as US star Mark Ruffalo and Spanish actor Javier Bardem.


The Cannes Festival kicks off on Tuesday on the French Riviera, with an opening ceremony headlined by Robert De Niro and three films showing the devastation of Russia's war on Ukraine.
Two documentaries featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a third film shot on the brutal frontlines of Europe's biggest war in 80 years are to be screened on a "Ukraine Day" of programming.
It is "a reminder of the commitment of artists, authors and journalists to tell the story of this conflict in the heart of Europe", the festival said.
Nothing similar has been planned for the war in Gaza, but the film on Hassouna is set to "honour" her memory, organisers said previously.
Gazan filmmakers Arab and Tarzan Nasser are also set to showcase their fiction feature set in 2007 in the Palestinian territory in one of the secondary sections of the festival.
The opening film on Tuesday evening is "Leave One Day" by French director Amelie Bonnin, a newcomer, before Hollywood heavyweight De Niro receives an honorary Palme d'Or.


De Niro is one of the most outspoken critics of US President Donald Trump in the American cinema world, with the "Taxi Driver" star often struggling to find words harsh enough for the US president.
Trump has made himself one of the main talking points in Cannes after announcing on May 5 that he wanted 100-percent tariffs on movies "produced in foreign lands".
The idea sent shockwaves through the film world, although few insiders or experts understand how such a policy could be implemented.
Cannes director Thierry Fremaux talked up the festival's "rich" American film programme on Monday, with movies from Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, Ari Aster and Kelly Reichardt in the main competition.
"American cinema remains great cinema. The United States remains a great country of cinema," he said.
Off-screen news in France is also likely to overshadow the red-carpet action in Cannes on Tuesday, with French film icon Gerard Depardieu facing a verdict in a sexual harassment case in Paris.
Depardieu, who has acted in more than 200 films and television series, is the highest-profile figure caught up in France's response to the #MeToo movement against sexual violence.


While independent cinema forms the core of the Cannes festival, organisers also hand over part of the programme to major Hollywood studios to promote their blockbusters.
Tom Cruise is set to return to the Riviera for the premiere of the latest instalment of his "Mission: Impossible" franchise on Thursday, three years after he lit up the festival while promoting "Top Gun: Maverick".
The festival will also see a series of high-profile debut films from actors-turned-directors, including "Eleanor the Great" from Scarlett Johansson and "The Chronology of Water" by Kristen Stewart.
Organisers on Monday denied reports that they had banned provocative near-nude dresses from the red carpet.
However, "full nudity on the red carpet" has been formally outlawed, "in keeping with French law".
 


Saudi producer Faisal Baltyuor appointed new CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation

Saudi producer Faisal Baltyuor appointed new CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation
Updated 13 May 2025
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Saudi producer Faisal Baltyuor appointed new CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation

Saudi producer Faisal Baltyuor appointed new CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation
  • New CEO has helmed several top local and Arab productions
  • ‘Visionary’ leader, says Red Sea foundation’s Jomana Al-Rashid

DUBAI: Saudi Arabian film producer Faisal Baltyuor has been appointed CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, it was announced on Tuesday.

The foundation oversees the Jeddah-based Red Sea Film Festival, the Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Labs. Baltyuor will replace acting CEO Mohammed Asseri from June 1.

Baltyuor was previously the first head of Ithra Cinema, and founded the Saudi Arabia distributor CineWaves Films, which has the biggest library of Saudi films.

He was previously CEO at Muvi Studios, the production arm of the Kingdom’s biggest cinema chain. Last year, Baltyuor opened Cinehouse in Riyadh, the first arthouse cinema in the Kingdom.

“We wanted to create a place that feels like home, while showcasing the best of Saudi talent in both cinema and dining,” Baltyuor said in an earlier interview with Arab News.

A producer for almost 20 years, Baltyuor executive-produced Saudi Arabia director Haifaa Al-Mansour’s groundbreaking “The Perfect Candidate,” which was launched in Venice in 2019, and comedy “Sattar,” a local megahit.

He is also a producer on the Saudi Netflix Original “From the Ashes” which ranked among the top-10 most-watched films on the streamer across 40 countries.

Baltyuor also co-produced Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s “Goodbye Julia” which won the Prix de la Liberte at Cannes in 2023.

The Red Sea Film Foundation’s chairwoman Jomana Al-Rashid has praised Baltyuor.

“His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to unlocking the boundless potential of emerging talent will fuel not only artistic excellence but also the sustainable growth of our industry.”

Baltyuor said he was “committed to building on the success” of the foundation.

“Through our diverse programs, we will continue to support a thriving film industry both locally and internationally, in line with the ambitions of Vision 2030, which places the creative sector at the heart of national development.”

The next edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival runs from Dec. 4 to 13 in Jeddah.