
ICYMI: Miss Universe UAE just slayed the 78th Cannes Film Festival red carpet
If anyone knows a thing or two about Emilia Dobreva, it's that whenever she attends ultra-exclusive events, she'll going shut down the red carpet in a jaw-dropping ensemble.
Back again another year of the infamous Cannes Film Festival, the proud 'wife and mama of 3' surely enough dazzled in a couture gown while dripped in the most dreamiest jewels ever.
For the grand opening ceremony, Emilia wore JoliPoli Couture, a Vietnamese brand known for its high-drama designs. Her black and white dress featured stunning pearl embellishments that was giving pure queen energy.
And becasue a little ✨drama✨ won't hurt anyone, the gown came complete with a sweeping arm wrap. Oh, and despite the Cannes' new rules reportedly banning large trains on the carpet, she still managed to slay (the wrap removable, btw).
As for accessories? Let's just say it was uber-perfection. Complementing her already gorgeous outfit, she completed the red carpet look with a slew of jewellery from Iranian London-based jewellery brand Hassanzadeh.
Since making history as the UAE's first Miss Universe, the 27-year-old (soon to be 28th this coming May 18, 2025) has been consistently making statements left and right. She recently walked the runway at Dubai Fashion Week and has been cementing herself in the world of fashion.
Who is Emilia Dobreva? Here's EYNTK about the UAE's first Miss Universe.
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But then I thought I might as well just take advantage of it and try to give myself some exposure for future sponsors. I said, 'I've got nothing to lose', and I gave them full access.' That strategy, which made her one of the show's most visible stars, proved emotionally challenging as her struggles mounted. 'We were still there to win,' she explains. 'So having them film me at my most vulnerable, and at my worst, was hard. I didn't want the world to know. It was a big fear of mine. But now that it's out there, I think people can relate. 'And if there's criticism against my driving ability, I don't mind. My sister takes it more personally than I do. I have a fan account that I created that I will use to start roasting them back,' Al Qubaisi laughs. Why she moved to endurance racing In the wake of her F1 Academy experience, Al Qubaisi, who had previously raced in Formula 4, has decided to give up on her Formula One dreams. Instead, she's charting a new course in endurance racing that has allowed her to rediscover what she loved about racing in the first place. Moreso than in Formula racing, endurance racing tests the durability of equipment and participants. Teams of multiple drivers using the same car in shifts attempt to cover a large distance in a single event. 'When it comes to Formula racing, it's too expensive. Because of our budget, we were constantly behind the pack. 'So this year, we decided to move into endurance racing, where it's much cheaper and the costs are split between drivers. When I moved into endurance racing, it was the first time I felt like I was actually enjoying driving in a long time.' In some ways, her path to endurance racing mirrors the fictional journey of Brad Pitt's Sonny Hayes in F1 The Movie, in which Hayes finds himself constantly at the back of the pack and has to figure out a way to turn that to his advantage. 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The series marks the third tier on the endurance racing ladder of Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the company behind the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. 'Sharing a car, we work together and help each other. We go through data together and strategise together. Having each other makes this decision easier, as we're both really good and we know each other, so we have an advantage.' What is the future of women in F1? Back in Formula racing, Al Qubaisi is rooting for the many young women working towards a spot in F1 but believes the sport as not a level playing field. 'It's very difficult to have a female in Formula One, no matter how good she is, no matter how big her achievements are. The Formula One teams need to have really big trust in those female drivers. 'They will need to invest in women drivers from a young age. I think they just need to start trusting women more to be able to reach that point too. 'Because now, all the girls who are working so hard in single seaters, who've made it to the top 10, who won races, nothing is done for them. No opportunity is provided and then they end up on the sidelines as a development driver or reserve driver, which isn't enough. If it was a male competitor, he would immediately have support, a test drive in a Formula One car.' Basic engineering was also an issue. Al Qubaisi faced difficulty with singer-seater cars that were built only for male bodies – 'we can't fit in that car' – which caused her and other women drivers to complain to the FIA regulatory body to ensure cars were built for both men and women. That issue was fixed, but Al Qubaisi feels it's symbolic of the inequality that exists in the sport. Telling her own story As she sets off on a new racing journey with her sister, Al Qubaisi feels that every bump along the way has prepared her for the difficulties ahead – not just as a racing driver, but as a public figure. She will rely less on how others tell her story and start to take an even greater hand in telling her own. 'I have a cameraman and we're doing our own YouTube docuseries for the racing championship. Every race weekend we show everything from our perspective and it's very authentic and very natural,' she says. 'I've learnt that I don't need anything polished and professional. These days, I just have to be real.'