Latest news with #Beyonce
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Look: Dubai-based designer Rami Al Ali first Syrian invited to Paris Haute Couture Week
Syrian couturier Rami Al Ali made history Thursday as the first fashion designer from his country to feature in the official Paris Haute Couture Week calendar in a new landmark for Arab representation in the luxury business. After years of showing his tailored evening dresses on the sidelines of Couture Week, he was invited this year by France's Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to join the programme. He sent out models in long pleated dresses in pastel colours, making elaborate use of silk, rolled crepe fabric, embroidery and beading in a collection that reflected his optimism about the future of his war-ravaged country. "We called the collection the 'Guardian of Light', and it came at a time that is very hopeful, very promising," the 53-year-old told AFP beforehand. The fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December led to the rise of rebel-turned-transitional leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, which has brought a fragile end to nearly 14 years of civil war. Al Ali, who grew up in the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor before moving to Dubai, where he founded his brand more than 20 years ago, was holding back tears as he spoke to reporters afterwards. He told AFP he had been feeling "nervous, excited, tired, happy" about his breakthrough moment, which follows years of dressing A-listers and royalty including Beyonce and Oscar winner Helen Mirren. 'Bolder, braver' After decades of Syria being a byword for violence and political oppression, Al Ali hopes that artists will now help highlight the country's rich history and design culture. "I think now we have much more freedom in expressing ourselves in all different aspects, political, humanitarian, creative. We have a lot to say, and definitely we are bolder, braver in the way we express it," he said. Haute Couture Week is separate from the ready-to-wear Paris Fashion Week and is dedicated to handcrafted, one-of-a-kind creations made for red carpet events, galas, and other high-profile social occasions. The programme this week included two designers from Lebanon — Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad — as well as Cameroon's Imane Ayissi, the sole sub-Saharan African label included in the calendar. Saudi Arabian designer Mohammed Ashi's brand Ashi Studio was also in the programme. Ayissi, who joined the Couture calendar in 2020 at the same time as much-hyped Indian designer Rahul Mishra, paid tribute to the increasing diversity on the Paris fashion circuit. "It shows that things are changing, that things are moving forward," former model Ayissi told AFP this week after his show, which made elaborate use of traditional African textiles.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Beyonce makes MAJOR tour change after terrifying stunt left her hanging and screaming midair
Beyonce has made a major change to her Cowboy Carter tour just weeks after the singer was left hanging midair during a terrifying stunt. The Grammy winner, 43 — who has sparked fear in fans that she could possibly retire — took to the stage in Atlanta on Thursday where she debuted a mechanical gold horse which she rode inside the Mercedes- Benz Stadium. Up until last month, she had ridden on a red Cadillac convertible which would suspend over the crowd — but the prop began to suddenly tilt amid her June 28 concert in Houston which caused the singer to abruptly stop the show. However, Beyonce has since made the slight alteration to her tour this week with the flying gold horse. She notably sits on the prop as it soars through the air while belting out her country track 16 Carriages. It is not the first time that the songstress has used a horse as a prop while performing on stage. Back in 2023 during her Renaissance Tour, Beyonce used a sparkling silver horse - which mimicked her Renaissance album cover. The star kicked off her Cowboy Carter Tour earlier this year in April - and is in support of her eighth studio album of the same name which was released in 2024. She is set to perform two additional dates in Atlanta on Sunday, July 13 and the following Monday. The Crazy In Love hitmaker will then travel to Las Vegas later this month where the tour will conclude on July 26 at Allegiant Stadium. Late last month, the mom-of-three was forced to abruptly stop her show after the flying car she was riding on seemingly began to tilt midair. The horrifying moment occurred at her Houston concert on June 28 and stunned audience members, who had captured it on video. The red convertible, which is normally in an upright position, could be seen at an obvious slant as she soared through the air during her 16 Carriages performance. 'Stop,' Beyonce could be heard sternly saying. 'Stop, stop, stop,' she further commanded, concern evident in her voice. The crowd inside then grew quiet before they erupted into a mixture of yelling and cheering. The vehicle, which was attached to various cables, was slowly and safely brought back down to the stage. Despite the terrifying stakes, Beyonce appeared calm whilst in the car. It's unclear what exactly occurred but according to various social media accounts, her car began to tilt in the air. According to the Houston Chronicle, her car had stopped moving midair. contacted representatives for Beyonce for comment but did not immediately hear back. According to Hot New Hip Hop, Beyonce left the stage floor briefly after her car was properly lowered to the ground before coming back to wrap up the performance. The songstress, now safely on stage, then resumed performing her song and thanked her fans with a heartfelt message. 'I wanna thank y'all,' she told the audience, adding, 'for loving me. If ever I fall, I know y'all will catch me.' The incident, which occurred in her hometown of Houston, is not the first time she has suffered from a mechanical issue during her Cowboy Carter tour. In May, the songstress was captured in fan video on the final show of her five-night run in Los Angeles as a robot on stage failed to hit its mark. During one section of the concert at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium, Beyonce took a break to sit on a large gold thrown as a robotic arm that wouldn't have been out of place in a factory attempted to pour a bottle of liquor into her glass on one of the throne's arms. But the robot upended the bottle just an inch or two away from the drink, and instead poured the liquid all over the golden chair she was sitting in. She was supposed to follow up the over-the-top display by taking a sip of her drinking and grabbing a remote control on the other arm rest as if to turn on the TV before vegging out. But the Texas Hold 'Em singer — who was dressed in a busty white Western suit covered in sequins and tassels — looked surprised and embarrassed as she briefly picked up her glass and realized that it was empty. Her mouth started to curl into a smile as she quickly returned the empty glass to its spot on her arm rest. But Beyonce managed to tamp down her smile and continued with the act as she picked up the remote and flicked it as if to turn on a television. And in June, Beyonce lost her chaps on stage during a show in London. The diva from Texas was walking while singing as the fringed chaps fell to the ground as she looked astonished, according to TMZ. Her look was a gold plunging bodysuit under gold fringed chaps with high heels and sunglasses as her accessories. The site claimed that she 'effortlessly performed' during the embarrassing incident as she slid down to pull the chaps back on. The Cowboy Carter Tour, officially titled Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour, is Beyonce's ongoing concert tour in support of her album Cowboy Carter. It's an all-stadium tour, featuring 32 stadium shows in the U.S. and Europe - and will conclude on July 26 in Nevada.
Malay Mail
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Rami Al Ali makes history as Syria's first couturier at Paris Haute Couture Week
PARIS, July 12 — Syrian couturier Rami Al Ali made history Thursday as the first fashion designer from his country to feature in the official Paris Haute Couture Week calendar in a new landmark for Arab representation in the luxury business. After years of showing his tailored evening dresses on the sidelines of Couture Week, he was invited this year by France's Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to join the programme. He sent out models in long pleated dresses in pastel colours, making elaborate use of silk, rolled crepe fabric, embroidery and beading in a collection that reflected his optimism about the future of his war-ravaged country. 'We called the collection the 'Guardian of Light', and it came at a time that is very hopeful, very promising,' the 53-year-old told AFP beforehand. Models presenting creations for Rami Al Ali. — AFP pic The fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December led to the rise of rebel-turned-transitional leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, which has brought a fragile end to nearly 14 years of civil war. Al Ali, who grew up in the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor before moving to Dubai, where he founded his brand more than 20 years ago, was holding back tears as he spoke to reporters afterwards. He told AFP he had been feeling 'nervous, excited, tired, happy' about his breakthrough moment, which follows years of dressing A-listers and royalty including Beyonce and Oscar winner Helen Mirren. 'Bolder, braver' After decades of Syria being a byword for violence and political oppression, Al Ali hopes that artists will now help highlight the country's rich history and design culture. 'I think now we have much more freedom in expressing ourselves in all different aspects, political, humanitarian, creative. We have a lot to say, and definitely we are bolder, braver in the way we express it,' he said. A model presents a creation for Rami Al Ali. — AFP pic Haute Couture Week is separate from the ready-to-wear Paris Fashion Week and is dedicated to handcrafted, one-of-a-kind creations made for red carpet events, galas, and other high-profile social occasions. The programme this week included two designers from Lebanon — Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad — as well as Cameroon's Imane Ayissi, the sole sub-Saharan African label included in the calendar. Saudi Arabian designer Mohammed Ashi's brand Ashi Studio was also in the programme. Ayissi, who joined the Couture calendar in 2020 at the same time as much-hyped Indian designer Rahul Mishra, paid tribute to the increasing diversity on the Paris fashion circuit. 'It shows that things are changing, that things are moving forward,' former model Ayissi told AFP this week after his show, which made elaborate use of traditional African textiles. — AFP
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rita Ora showcases her toned midriff in a skimpy white top as she travels on the subway while exploring Brooklyn
Rita Ora showcased her toned midriff in a skimpy white top as she travelled on the subway while exploring Brooklyn on Friday. The singer, 34, appeared to enjoy riding on the public transport around the New York City borough. For her outing she stepped out in a white sheer long-sleeved top which she layered over a matching bralette. She paired her top with some casual light blue low cut flared jeans which she paired with black flip flops. Adding a hint of glamour, she toted around her belongings in a large black Hermes bag. To accessorise, the songstress wore a quirky mental ring and a pair of black tinted sunglasses. Alongside her Instagram post, she penned: 'Brooklyn Bridge 9pm.' While traveling around Brooklyn, Rita playfully rummaged through her designer bag for some hand wipes. Rita recently revealed how Beyonce has always been her 'protector' as she discussed being hit by speculation that she was 'Becky with the good hair'. Beyonce's smash hit 2016 album Lemonade featured poignant lyrics about cheating and she sang about the mysterious woman in her track Sorry. Fans widely speculated it referred to alleged infidelity by Beyonce's husband Jay-Z with a woman called 'Becky', and theories began circulating online about her identity. Rita found herself at the centre of the rumours as she was wrongly accused of having an affair with Jay-Z, with the singer forced to hit back and deny the claims. Now, Rita - who was represented by Jay-Z's Roc Nation label at the time - revealed she was so upset by the claims because Beyonce has always been her 'protector'. Speaking on Davina McCall 's Begin Again podcast, Rita explained: 'Behind closed doors, [Beyonce] is literally my fairy godmother, she was my protector - that's what's insane because there was nothing but love. Rita recently revealed how Beyonce has always been her 'protector' as she discussed being hit by speculation that she was 'Becky with the good hair'. 'And, you know, again, being signed to Jay-Z, her husband, she being my biggest inspiration, she came to my first show in New York at The Box and I sang Say My Name in front of Beyonce when I was 21.' Rita admitted she was 'genuinely' upset and 'confused' by the storm because Beyonce is a 'big sister' who has always 'looked after' her in the industry. The For You hitmaker revealed she still sees Beyonce often to this day as she doubled down on her denial that she was 'Becky'. 'It wasn't real,' Rita insisted, before jokingly adding: 'I wish I had good hair!' 'None of that was real. That was the first time I experienced what it means to be in a messy situation, I guess,' she added. Rita - who has been married to Taika Waititi since 2022 - firmly put the rumours to bed by taking a selfie with Beyonce at the 2016 Met Gala. 'Then it was gone,' she added. 'Because there was never anything there in the first place.' It is not the first time that Rita has addressed the 'Becky with the good hair' storm as she shut down the speculation on Louis Theroux's podcast in 2022. Rita became at the centre of the speculation when she posted a photograph of Snapchat in April 2016 of herself wearing a lemon bra while wearing an initial necklace, which fans thought was the letter J. Though fans were convinced it was a response to the controversial song lyric, Rita insisted: 'Oh my God, it literally was a coincidence.' 'I didn't even think about it, I swear,' she told Louis. 'And it wasn't a J, it was an R. They flipped it round and then it looked like a J.' She also addressed another famous image which saw her wearing a semi-sheer bra from her Tenezis collaboration with specially-placed lemons. She said of the lemon-inspired shoot: 'No, it had nothing [to do with it]. No, that was my own design with an underwear company called Tezenis that I was working with. 'This is what I mean, man - a pinch of salt - you've got to take things with a pinch of salt. And that's what's insane.'
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I visited the tiny European island loved by Beyonce and Cristiano Ronaldo that has 300 days of sunshine a year
'JEFF Bezos was in this restaurant yesterday,' the waitress tells me. I'd spotted the Amazon owner's unmissable $500million yacht just off the coast, here on the Croatian island of Hvar, earlier that day. 5 The harbour town of Hvar, with the Pakleni Islands just a boat ride away Credit: Getty 5 Hvar Square, with the historic Saint Steven's Cathederal Credit: Shutterstock 5 Grand buildings line Hvar's waterfront Credit: Supplied Having just tucked into the fresh catch of the day, straight from the Adriatic Sea, I can see why The family-run Kod Barba Luke, in the quaint harbour town of Stari Grad, has been dishing up traditional Croatian grub since 1970, all of which is cooked in home-produced olive oil and washed down with local wine from UNESCO-listed vineyards. Good choice, Jeff. He's not the only A-lister to have been spotted in these parts, either. This island — well over 500 times smaller than Britain — is actually something of a celebrity hotspot. READ MORE TRAVEL NEWS Beyonce revealed her baby bump here and Tom Cruise is a fan. Many of the island's 10,000-odd residents would prefer their homeland wasn't such a star attraction, though. So much so, the local government recently launched a crackdown on the party tourism that the island has become famous for. They well know that this haven has so much more to offer than late-night discos and affordable booze. Most read in News Travel And I completely agree with them. It's a jaw-droppingly beautiful cultural crossroads; a rich Mediterranean melting pot of Neolithic, Greek, Venetian and Renaissance history. And the sun has its hat on for more than 300 days of the year, making it one of the sunniest places in Europe. Holiday island just a 2.5hour flight from London is 'as good as Ibiza' Local tour guide Ivana takes me away from the glamour of Hvar town's bustling harbour at the foot of a picturesque hilltop medieval fortress, to uncover something more peaceful and utterly beguiling. I meander through labyrinthine stone streets to find charming boutiques, cafes and restaurants behind fairytale-like limestone facades. Ivana reveals that Hvar has no less than six assets assigned Unesco World Heritage status, including the vast Stari Grad Plain. A short drive into its heart, past vineyards flanked by dry-stone walls, takes me to the Lacman Family Winery. I dine on local dishes including rooster, and taste all-natural white, rose, red and even orange wines. Beyonce revealed her baby bump here and Tom Cruise is a fan. Cristiano Ronaldo even had a street shut down so he could visit his favourite jewellery shop, away from fans All are blended with Bogdanusa — the indigenous grape variety which translates as 'God-given' and grows nowhere else in the world. The view from the winery's clifftop pergola reveals exactly why Jeff arrived by yacht. I gaze across rolling hills of pine trees, olive groves and lavender fields towards the midday sun reflecting on the azure horizon. Your budget may not stretch to a superyacht, but a day on the Adriatic — at a minimum — is a must. Just minutes from Hvar town port are the famous Pakleni islands — and day excursions can be booked via Valamar's Experience Concierge (a four-hour sunset tour costs from €80 and a six-hour day tour costs from €100, see I board a small sailing boat to swim in lost lagoons and find concealed coves full of crystal-clear sea. After seeing this, it's no surprise to me that Europe . My hotel is Places Hvar by Valamar, which sits towards the western side of the island, right on the coast. Holiday like Jeff After a two-and-a-half-hour flight from the UK, you will need to pick up a short transfer to a ferry, for a two-hour crossing, or a catamaran for a one-hour crossing, and then a brief taxi ride on Hvar — but the hotel can help organise all of that. It is a modern, vibrant and small, but perfectly formed, beachside resort in Stari Grad. Stroll through the sun-dappled pine grove lining the waterfront and you will find a little spa, outdoor gym area and hot tubs, plus another cocktail bar on the beach I'm staying on a half-board basis in a beach-chic room for two, which is funky and fresh, with a TV, ensuite bathroom and balcony. Although there are luxurious detached villas with private pools for bigger groups or those with children. If you do have kids, you may prefer the adjacent four-star Valamar Amicor Resort, with its outstanding children's facilities and waterpark. Places, on the other hand, has a more grown-up vibe, with a beautifully free-flowing layout, a main restaurant and bar that opens on to two sun-drenched pools and an outdoor cocktail bar, where a DJ drops some gentle beats during the day. Stroll through the sun-dappled pine grove lining the waterfront and you will find a little spa, outdoor gym area and hot tubs, plus another cocktail bar on the beach. A relaxing evening drink delivers a chaser in the sky made up of vivid orange, purple and pink as the sun sinks beyond the sea. You can charge the exquisite range of creative cocktails, made with local herbs, to your room with a waterproof wristband, which is also your door key. 5 Places Hvar by Valamar, which sits towards the western side of the island, right on the coast Credit: Supplied 5 Jeff Bezo and Lauren Sanchez who are big fans of Croatia Credit: Getty Brilliantly, it comes pre-loaded with a complimentary €25 euros for each day of your stay. The evenings are chilled — a band plays acoustic music while couples enjoy board games and cards. And mine and Jeff's new favourite restaurant is just a ten-minute stroll around the harbour. What could be better? With cheap flights and double rooms from just £123, my getaway was proof that you don't need to be an internet billionaire to holiday like one. GO: HVAR GETTING THERE: Wizz Air flies from Luton to Split from £48.28 return. See Transfers from the ferry port to the hotel cost €7.50pp, booked through the hotel. Return ferry/boat transfers cost around £45pp (see STAYING THERE: Double rooms at Places Hvar by Valamar start from £123. Flexi half-board includes a buffet breakfast and €25 daily credit per person for lunch or dinner. Villas at Valamar Amicor Resort start from £285 for half-board. See
