Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas
Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas
Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas
Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas

Hijab-wearing make-up artist Salwa Rahman tapped by Pharrell Williams and Adidas for new campaign


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Showing that both the hijab and Muslim women are becoming more mainstream in sports, Adidas has just tapped up British-Bangladeshi make-up artist Salwa Rahman for its latest campaign.

Already known for her fearless use of colour and pushing the beauty boundaries, Rahman is something of a wild card in the beauty world, preferring to walk her own path, rather than follow someone else’s. This bold attitude made her a perfect pick for Adidas and its new partnership with Pharrell Williams.

Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas
Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas

The partnership sees Williams and his company Human Race reimagine famous retro football shirt designs and deconstruct them into something less formal. Using tie-dye and paint, the ensuing new designs remain faithful to the colours and patters of the originals, but with a softer, more approachable air.

Of the project, Human Race declared the new designs to be “iconic, creative, imperfect, human. The [club] jersey, redesigned by hand for the human race.”

Created for five of the biggest clubs in the world, Arsenal, FC Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, the pieces have now launched, and for the campaign Adidas decided that bold new voices were needed. Cue Rahman.

Hailing from mixed British-Bangladeshi heritage, the make-up artist's past works have seen her create entire landscapes across her own face. For this project, she is seen wearing a vibrant yellow and blue tie dyed top, that she has matched with spray painted make-up, and finished with a red hijab. Swirls of colour run across her eyelids and cheekbones, and her inner eye is marked with roundels of blue.

“To me, creativity has the capacity to ground and uplift oneself and the community," she said of the project. "Football jerseys are not just for football players and football is a game for everyone. When I work with make-up, I’m able to express myself, as a human being. To me, this jersey is a reminder that colour unifies and will always spark inspiration.”

Her creative spin on make-up has also seen Rahman collaborate with the likes of Glossier, Champion and Nike in the past.

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

SUZUME
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Martin Sabbagh profile

Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East

In the role: Since January 2015

Lives: In the UAE

Background: M&A, investment banking

Studied: Corporate finance

The drill

Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.

Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”

Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”

Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.” 

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.”

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

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.