Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan made his Met Gala debut on Monday, making history as the first Bollywood actor to attend the annual fundraiser, one of the biggest nights in fashion.
The suggested dress code this year was Tailored for You, inspired by black dandyism and the Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.
Khan arrived with acclaimed designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who dressed him in an all-black ensemble. Khan's look featured a single-breasted, floor-length, elongated coat with wide lapels. He accessorised with jewellery, including one piece with a giant bejewelled "K", and a walking cane.
“Shah Rukh Khan is one of the greatest superstars in the world. A cinematic hero, his blockbuster performances and leading-man charisma have created a legendary international fan following. My interpretation of the black dandy is demonstrating his superstardom on a global stage," Sabyasachi said on Instagram.
Bollywood actress Kiara Advani also made her Met Gala debut, showing off her baby bump in a black gown embellished with a golden breastplate, designed by Gaurav Gupta. The breastplate, in the shape of two hearts linked by a chain, represented mother and child, connected by an abstract umbilical cord.
Advani, who is expecting her first child with actor Siddharth Malhotra, finished her look with a long train, an homage to the late Andre Leon Talley, the fashion icon who made history as the first black creative director of Vogue.
Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh also made his Met Gala debut, and honoured his Punjabi culture and Indian royalty. He was dressed like a king in an all-white ensemble by Nepali-American designer Prabal Gurung, a look that featured a sherwani and elaborate cape, as well as chunky jewellery and a turban.
Met Gala veterans Isha Ambani, Natasha Poonawalla and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also returned.
Ambani chose Indian designer Anamika Khanna to put together her look this year. The heavily embroidered ensemble, which included a white geometric corset, black tailored pants and a white cape, took more than two years to put together, Khanna told Vogue India.
“We used a little bit of semi-precious stones, some traditional pearl work, and drew inspiration from black dandy style – the small elements they incorporated, the reasons behind their choices,” Khanna said.
Entrepreneur Poonawalla, who grabs headlines with her show-stopping Met Gala looks every year, turned to Indian designer Manish Malhotra.
Inspired by dandyism, but in an Indian context, Poonawalla's sculpted look featured a dramatic collar and an exaggerated peplum waist, with the train and jacket covered with Parsi Gara embroidery – a nod to Poonawalla's heritage.
Meanwhile, Chopra Jonas, who co-ordinated her look with husband Nick Jonas, channelled retro Hollywood glam in a polka dot gown by Olivier Rousteing at Balmain.
But the highlight of her look was a necklace featuring a giant 241.06 carat rare emerald, a piece by Bulgari High Jewellery, for which she is a brand ambassador. The Magnus Emerald necklace is a part of a collection the Italian house has yet to unveil. Chopra Jonas also wore an emerald and diamond ring, as well as diamond and platinum earrings, also from Bulgari.
Indian-American entrepreneur Mona Patel also returned to the Met Gala this year, in a custom all-black look by American designer Thom Browne.
The suit featured a beaded, corseted bodice embroidered by Indian craftsmen, and a cape.
Also walking the red carpet were designers Mukherjee and Malhotra, who made appearances in their own creations.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
