Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid and friend Naomi Campbell have jetted off to Qatar, where they enjoyed a busy few days this week taking part in major fashion events and visiting the local museums.
The pair were in town for a variety of initiatives, including a fashion show held under the patronage of Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani. The event was part of Campbell's Emerge, a project supporting young creative and business talents in emerging regions, in collaboration with cultural platform Qatar Creates.
Both Campbell and Hadid walked the runway during the show, alongside other models who were all wearing clothes from award-winning fashion designers in or from Africa and the Middle East. They included Thebe Magugu and Abdel El-Tayeb.
Hadid looked fierce in a black oversized structural dress with a beaded chain asymmetrically placed around her neck, while Campbell sported a hooded, floor-length black dress with chest cut-outs, followed by a white and blue feathered gown.
At a gala dinner later that evening, Hadid turned heads with a hooded red dress and Campbell looked elegant in a purple velvet gown with puffed sleeves and a large diamond necklace.
The pair were also present earlier this week at the fourth Fashion Trust Arabia Awards, a star-studded event that recognises established and aspiring creatives across the Mena region, which this year took place at the National Museum of Qatar.
Hadid, who was joined by her father, property mogul Mohamed Hadid, looked sleek in a silk navy blue gown with hood by Alaia, while Campbell wore a modest long-sleeved gown with a cape and golden embellishments.
"It shows that even through struggle; passion, love and beauty will always shine through," Hadid wrote in a caption on Instagram alongside a clip of her and her father posing on the red carpet at the event. "There is so much talent from the people of MENA, the only problem is, not enough opportunity."
She added: "Sending my love and congratulations to all of the incredible designers who stand strong for their respected countries. Representation is so important and if we are not able to showcase the talent of MENA (Middle East &North Africa) to the rest of the world, how will it ever be known? They deserve the same respect, recognition & support as the rest of the world."
Other big names at the event included Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Picciolini, British models Jourdan Dunn and Poppy Delevingne, US-Somali model Halima Aden, American models Olivia Culpo and Jasmine Tookes, as well as British actress Jodie Turner-Smith.
A lot of the same faces were to be seen at the opening of Valentino's first exhibition in the Middle East, which took place at M7 in Msheireb Downtown Doha on Friday. It's the largest exhibition devoted to the fashion house, with more than 200 haute couture and pret-a-porter pieces, including some rarely seen outfits designed for people such as Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Campbell made a memorable entrance in an extravagant pink outfit complete with a matching headpiece that resembled a flower crown and lion's mane. The cape dress was from the Valentino Pink PP collection and she layered diamond necklaces with silver cuffs, beaded bracelets and diamond rings to round off the maximalist look.
Hadid was also present, with Culpo and Aden, as well as Romanian-Jordanian designer Amina Muaddi, Janet Jackson, French filmmaker Farida Khelfa and Yemeni-Emirati singer Balqees Fathi, to name a few.
Cultural offerings in Doha
Hadid and Campbell also went on a "beautiful night tour" of Doha's distinctive Museum of Islamic Art, which was designed by celebrated architect I M Pei.
The pair were present at the opening of the museum's Baghdad: Eye's Delight exhibition, which will be on view until February 25, exploring and celebrating the Iraqi city's heritage as capital of the Abbasid caliphate, which ruled between 750 and 1258.
The exhibition also highlights its legacy in the modern era, when the city again became an artistic, cultural and commercial hub in the 20th century. The display comprises 160 objects, including works loaned from major institutions around the world.
Hadid also found time to reconnect with her roots, as she and her father visited the Qatar Museums Gallery in the Katara Cultural Village, where the exhibition Labour of Love: Embroidering Palestinian History is running until January 28.
It's curated by Baha Jubeh of The Palestinian Museum and explores the legacy of tatreez, a traditional Palestinian embroidery technique, through the lenses of gender, labour, commodity and class.
"This show brought tears to my eyes and even more pride for my beautiful Palestinian roots and people," Hadid wrote in a caption on Instagram alongside photos of herself and her father at the exhibition. "I love you Qatar and I love you Palestine!"
These exhibitions, as well as myriad others, will be running throughout the Fifa World Cup, which is taking place in Qatar from November 20.
Scroll through the gallery below to see how Qatar is preparing for the World Cup
