The fashion calendar has, undoubtedly, been disrupted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Shows have been cancelled, entire fashion weeks moved online, and boutiques shuttered in recent months.
Among the designers rethinking their approach to the season-led industry is Rami Al Ali.
The Syrian couturier, whose atelier is located in Dubai, has announced he will not release a new couture collection for the autumn / winter season.
The designer, who typically showcases his couture collections at the biannual Paris Haute Couture Week, would have unveiled his latest in July.
However, Al Ali has decided to forgo this season's collection, citing a desire to reduce the brand’s environmental impact.
"We took the decision to not create a new collection this season, as we want to be more mindful about our production," he said in a statement. "Fashion is the most adaptable industry, and very much the mirror of the society."
Al Ali's spring / summer 2020 couture collection will, however, be extended, meaning the window in which shoppers can view it and make orders has been widened.
See the collection in the gallery below:
The 22-piece collection, unveiled in Paris in January, explored the glamour and mystique of the orchid.
The move also allows more time to produce future collections, the brand added, though a release date for its next couture line is yet to be confirmed.
"[This] will allow the designer’s creative process to not be affected by time constraints," a spokesperson for the brand said.
Al Ali, who has dressed the likes of Beyonce, Chanel Iman and Helen Mirren, revealed in April that he was still deliberating what to do about the upcoming couture season as the pandemic raged on.
"I don't believe designing a fully fledged collection will be a practical decision to many, as much as we all want to keep this industry and all its suppliers alive," he told The National.
Al Ali also welcomed the industry's embracing of digital formats, adding that the focus now is "mainly on the experience".
"Fashion has always been, and will always be, the mirror that reflects the transformations of society and the human race, so probably the near future will be about what you show and how you show, not where you show."
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Tamkeen's offering
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
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Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
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."
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
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Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
