Filipino designer Rian Fernandez, who dressed Miss USA 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel for the competition as well as her Miss Texas run before that, returned to Arab Fashion Week for the autumn/winter showcase in Dubai.
Fernandez, who founded his eponymous label in 2012 in Pangasinan in the Philippines, made his Middle East debut at the event in June during the menswear showcases. Known for his elaborate creations with strong cultural themes, on Tuesday, the first night of the six-day autumn/winter shows at Dubai Design District, the designer paid homage to Baguio, a city on Luzon island, north Philippines, where he said his love for fashion was born.
Scroll through the gallery above for Rian Fernandez's collection at Arab Fashion Week
Showcasing a mix of menswear and womenswear, the 40-piece collection was uncharacteristically colourful for the season, something the designer said was deliberate.
"They love colours in Baguio. It's also a city that's rich with culture," Fernandez tells The National.
Known as "the summer capital of the Philippines" owing to its elevation, Baguio's population is a melting pot of cultures, and is home to a number of ethnic tribes.
Fernandez's collection served as a nod to many of those tribes. While fringes on gowns represented the thread used in highland weaves, acrylic beads used for decorative purposes formed intricate patterns on puffy dresses, adding a dash of fun. There were also a lot of crystals, worked intricately on body-hugging pale-coloured gowns, while some formed striking headdresses.
Fernandez recently made news when he dressed Gabriel, who became the first Filipino-American in history to win the Miss USA title earlier this month. Gabriel, a model and fashion designer, beat 49 other candidates to the crown and will go on to represent the US at the Miss Universe 2022 pageant, to be held in New Orleans in January.
Before the Miss USA competition, Fernandez had dressed Gabriel when she competed in the Miss Texas competition this year and last.
He says accepted the invitation to participate in Arab Fashion Week in the hopes of introducing his label to the Middle East.
"It’s a very dreamy place and hopefully I'll set up my brand here soon," he says.
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Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
