In case we needed further proof of the creative draw of the region, the American brand Calvin Klein has just enlisted five innovators from the GCC to front its first regional advertising campaign.
Photographed in Dubai by British photographer Sarah Blais, the photos are not your standard advertising shots, abandoning traditional fashion photography to focus more on the individuality of each of the campaign's stars.
The campaign will run across the GCC region and feature five people — three women and two men — each of whom was picked for their creativity and individuality.
Here is what you need to know about them:
Sonia
The Bahraini-Saudi singer Sonia, who lives in Dubai, creates music that takes listeners through her own experiences and how she overcame each situation.
Speaking of how her work reflects her life, she explained: “My attitude towards shapes, colours and textures reflects best through my art; I feel like my true authentic self when I’m able to express whatever I’m feeling through it.”
In 2021, she was part of the Puma-sponsored FemFest21, and in June of the same year, was chosen for the Tommy Hilfiger X Mille New Faces in Music event.
Now Calvin Klein has secured the self-confessed “spontaneous” musician for its campaign.
Lana Al Beik
Lana Al Beik is a Palestinian-Syrian model and filmmaker living in Dubai.
Having grown up in a environment of shared storytelling and filmmaking, now Al Beik is mixing this heritage with her studies in Middle Eastern history to help narrate the region as it is today.
“I love parallels in the shapes of my surroundings, like overlapping shapes and silhouettes that feel like two different bodies intertwining and meeting in the middle to create a new story,” she explained.
With her dark curls and huge eyes, Al Beik has modelled extensively within the UAE, including for Bloomingdales, Kenzo and Hindash make-up, but is also known as an influencer. In interviews, she has admitted to not liking the term, and instead prefers to indulge in her short filmmaking creativity.
Shahad Salman
This Saudi model began her career at the age of 24 and has enjoyed a rapid rise since then.
Like Winnie Harlow, the Canadian model, Salman has the skin condition vitiligo and does not shy away from the disease, choosing instead to showcase her patches of lighter skin pigmentation with pride.
Now an advocate of self-love and acceptance, Salman works to inspire young men and women in her home county and beyond to honour their authentic selves.
“Seeing the changes in the region, I feel I can finally express myself through fashion, and show my true sense of style.”
Lughass
This Saudi photographer, who now calls Dubai home, shot to fame when his 2017 drone shot of a basketball court at Sole DXB went viral and was then picked up by Nike.
Since then, he has put his love of streetwear and skateboarding to good use, capturing everything from the latest trainer must-haves, to the rapper ASAP Rocky on stage.
Having studied law and economics in London, now Lughass now prefers spending his time shooting the UAE from the sky, where his love of finding order in the environment gives his work a unique element.
“My love for my craft lies in finding patterns, connections, and discovering the beauty in what most consider to be nothing at all. There is so much to uncover in simplicity, and capitalising on the emptiness of spaces is what draws me to minimalism.”
Creations Of LA
Despite his name linking him with Los Angeles, this multi-disciplinary photographer, designer, videographer, visual director and artist was actually born in Canada to North African parents.
Now living in Dubai, his real name is a closely guarded secret, which only adds to the surreal twist he puts on much of his work. His past projects include an image with the Dior logo floating mysteriously in the UAE landscape and a self-portrait with light streaming out from where his face should be.
"I’ve always leaned towards earth tones, the calmness, the connection to nature. I enjoy symmetry, lines, lights and shades," he says. "It creates a perfect frame for my work, and I end up finding that within the most abstract setting, finding the symmetry or lines somehow keeps the balance around me."
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
Men’s singles
Group A: Son Wan-ho (Kor), Lee Chong Wei (Mas), Ng Long Angus (HK), Chen Long (Chn)
Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)
Women’s Singles
Group A: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn), Pusarla Sindhu (Ind), Sayaka Sato (Jpn), He Bingjiao (Chn)
Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Racecard
%3Cp%3E8.30pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Turf)%201%2C200m%3Cbr%3E9pm%3A%20Yas%20Island%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%3Cbr%3E9.30pm%3A%20Saadiyat%20Island%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3E10pm%3A%20Reem%20Island%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%3Cbr%3E10.30pm%3A%20Arabian%20Triple%20Crown%20Round%203%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(PA)%20Dh300%2C000%20(T)%202%2C400m%3Cbr%3E11pm%3A%20Al%20Maryah%20Island%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
UAE group fixtures
Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran
Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait
Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi
4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
