Latest news with #KML
Vogue Arabia
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
Inside Vogue Arabia's June Saudi 2025 Issue
Photo: Nora Alharthi by Fahad Al Shanbari near Jabal Cafe, Taif A new wave of Saudi creatives and entrepreneurs take centre stage in this month's issue. Photographed in the predominantly-male rose fields of Taif, Nora Alharthi personifies the kingdom's progressive path, having created a luxury e-commerce business stemming from the roses native to her hometown. In fashion, we speak to Ahmad and Razan Hassan, the founders of fashion label KML, which was a semi-finalist for the 2025 LVMH Prize. Ahmad Hassan, Photographed by Lesha Lich, Styled by Ahmed Zaher Hassan Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan In music, we catch up with Ramadan Alharatani, the CEO of MDLBEAST, which has organised massive, multi-genre music festivals in the Kingdom, and DJ Nooriyah, who is carving out a space for SWANA sounds in London, and will be performing at Glastonbury Festival 2025. Photographed by Stef Galea, Styled by Natalie Westernoff Photographed by Stef Galea, Styled by Natalie Westernoff Just in time to inspire your summer holiday itineraries, entrepreneurs with Saudi roots share their favourite spots in cities such as Milan and Los Angeles. Also worth incorporating into your travel plans are two events that just kicked off in Europe, and will be running throughout the summer: in Paris, we get a first look at The Mystery of Cleopatra exhibition opening this month at the Arab World Institute, and in Venice, we meet the visionaries behind the Arab pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025.
Arab News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Fashion trailblazers honored at Riyadh awards
RIYADH: Women's Wear Daily, in collaboration with the Saudi Fashion Commission, honored several creatives at an awards ceremony in Riyadh on Thursday. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Alessandro Sartori, artistic director of Zegna, was named International Designer of the Year, while Matteo Tamburini, creative director of Tod's, received the International Brand of the Year award. Patrick Ta, founder of Patrick Ta Beauty, was named International Beauty Innovator of the Year, and Glow Recipe was awarded International Beauty Brand of the Year. Additional awards presented by the Saudi Fashion Commission celebrated the achievements of several Saudi Arabia brands and individuals. Rawan Kattoa was named Fashion Stylist of the Year, Rayyan Nawawi received the Fashion Photographer of the Year award, and KML was recognized as Menswear Brand of the Year. In addition, Abadia was named Womenswear Brand of the Year, Charmaleena as Jewelry Brand of the Year, and the Elite Model Honorary Award for Model of the Year went to Talida Tamer. The judging panel included industry leaders Law Roach, Amanda Smith, Burak Cakmak, Xavier Romatet, Mohammed Aldabbageh, and Mai Badr. In her acceptance speech, Kattoa said: 'This award means so much to me. It represents a journey that started as a freelancer ... I want to thank my husband for his support, my parents for their inspiration, and all the creatives who made this possible.' Ahmad Hassan, co-founder of KML, said: 'This is such an award for the first time ... It means the world to us. Being recognized in our home country makes this achievement even more special.' 'We were born and raised here, and to have our work celebrated in Riyadh is a dream come true. This award inspires us to push boundaries and innovate in our designs,' he added. Reflecting on the evolving fashion scene, Hassan said: 'Events like this showcase the incredible talent we have in Saudi Arabia. It encourages us to keep creating and to elevate our craft.' 'We are committed to telling our story through fashion and contributing to this vibrant industry,' he added.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Uttarakhand to use satellite imageries, drones to assess plantation success
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand forest department has introduced new initiatives including the use of satellite imagery and drones to assess the success of plantation drives. This comes months after a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report revealed irregularities in the use of funds intended for forest conservation. Until now, the number of trees planted were counted after physically visiting the sites. 'There are several satellites covering Uttarakhand, providing data at various resolutions. Using this satellite data, we can monitor plantations and activities like soil and moisture conservation to evaluate their impact. This is the first time such a technology-driven system is being used for plantation monitoring,' Rahul, chief conservator of forests (monitoring, evaluation, IT, and modernisation) said. Drones will be used to assess the overall impact of the plantation efforts. 'For instance, if a moisture conservation activity has been undertaken, drones help us determine the change in the moisture regime and the increase in vegetation in that area. Drones provide an accurate assessment,' he said. Also, all plantations will be tracked using GPS. 'For every plantation site, we create a digital file in KML format (a file used to display geographic data in Earth browsers like Google Earth). We then superimpose this digital file onto satellite imagery, which helps us determine the actual area of the plantation, whether the site was suitable, and what impact it has had,' Rahul said. Also Read: India's forest, tree cover at 25.17% due to large scale plantation works: Govt to UN 'These initiatives will be effective in evaluating plantation success and eliminate the possibility of false plantations,' he added. Aiming to bring greater transparency to plantation efforts, Uttarakhand forest minister Subodh Uniyal said, 'We must maintain a balance between the economy and the environment. Whenever forest land is diverted for roads or other development projects, we are required to provide compensatory land in return. Uttarakhand is the only state in the country where forest cover has increased after the formation of the state. Forests are important and so is development.' The CAG report, tabled in the state assembly during the budget session in February, said that the funds meant for compensatory afforestation under compensatory afforestation fund management and planning authority (CAMPA) were diverted to buying iPhones, kitchen appliances, building renovation, even fighting court cases. The report pointed out that 'at the divisional level, ₹13.86 crore were diverted/ expended on inadmissible activities. This included renovation of forest department buildings and purchases of iPhones and computers.' Also Read: Uttarakhand forest department releases report on 2,147 conserved plant species The annual average expenditure under CAMPA in Uttarakhand is around ₹ 300 crore. In March, the state forest department started the process of hiring an external agency for better implementation and transparency in CAMPA activities. However, the officials said they had started the process to hire the agency last year, even though an expression of interest was issued on March 25.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
LVMH Prize Showroom Heralds a New, Culturally Diverse Approach to Menswear
PARIS — Delphine Arnault likes to say that the LVMH Prize for Young Designers is a good barometer for the industry at large. 'It's really like taking a photograph of fashion at a given moment in time,' said the executive, who is the force behind the prize and a key talent scout at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. 'Each year there is a slightly different message.' More from WWD President Trump Goes Italian and Politicians in Pink: Analyzing Capitol Hill Fashion Lucy Hale Is Ready to Fly to 'White Mars' EXCLUSIVE: Moët & Chandon and Pharrell Williams Team for Limited-edition Champagne Collection After mirroring the rise of genderless fashion and a growing focus on sustainability, the showroom for this year's edition heralded the arrival of menswear from new cultural horizons, with the 20 shortlisted brands including for the first time candidates hailing from Egypt, Ghana and Saudi Arabia. It also reflected the emergence of the Middle East as a pool of design talent, with the presence of Egyptian-born, Qatar-based Yasmin Mansour, Saudi Arabia's KML and Lebanese brand Renaissance Renaissance. The 20 labels are competing for a grand prize of 400,000 euros and mentorship by LVMH teams in such areas as sustainable development, communication, copyright and corporate legal aspects, marketing, manufacturing and the financial management of a brand. Ahmed Hassan, who founded KML in 2022 with his sister Razan, showed in Paris last June as part of the Saudi Fashion Commission's Saudi 100 Brands initiative. The label aims to redefine menswear for a new generation of luxury clients. 'We live in a very interesting time in Saudi where in the past 30 years we've been buying a lot, and I think now it's the time where we do fashion that is more culturally relevant to us,' Hassan said. 'We're trying to bring some of the fading traditions, such as men wearing skirts, for example.' His elegant monochrome pieces are often transformable. The top of a black coat can be detached to make a cropped jacket, while a white shirt features a button-off back. His skirts come in narrow or fuller styles, but not all customers are ready to adopt them. 'The conversation is very interesting, because when we see the older generation and the younger generation, they love our work,' he said. 'The older generation, they relate to it, they've seen it before, and the younger generation think it's cool and sexy and they want to experiment with it. Our generation is the generation that forgot its tradition, in a way.' The brand, sold exclusively at its studio in Riyadh, wants to expand into accessories. For Hassan, the LVMH Prize is an important step in that direction. 'Recognition is one thing, and it is the most important thing for us at this stage, and then also connecting with the right people to execute, to manufacture, to develop,' he said. David Boye-Doe, the founder of Ghanaian brand Boyedoe, said funding was crucial to scale up his genderless label, but he also saw the advice he could glean as crucial. 'We want to produce in a more ethical way, so mentoring is one of the key areas,' he said. 'Without the correct mentorship and collaboration, you abuse the money.' Some of his pieces, including a burgundy-colored coat with fringed trim, are made from fugu, a handwoven fabric originating from the northern parts of Ghana. It usually comes in vivid colors, but the label makes darker versions that it thinks are better suited for an international market. 'We blend Afroluxurious heritage with ethical elegance,' said Boye-Doe. 'It's African luxury: our way of interpreting luxury.' Also among his designs were pants assembled from the waistbands of reclaimed jeans, and a coat pieced together from the leftover inseams. The designer usually sources items from Accra's sprawling Kantamanto market, Africa's largest secondhand clothing market, which burned down on New Year's Day. 'No matter the challenges, even losing our source of getting those things, we focus more on how we thrive,' he said. 'Even to be here, to be selected as one of the first Ghanaian brands, is a testament of how we have thrived over the years.' The label, which has shown at Lagos Fashion Week and Portugal Fashion, is also present at the Tranoi trade show in Paris this season. Boye-Doe sees his role as clearing the way for other emerging African luxury brands. 'We call ourselves the underdog, where people are not expecting that this thing is coming,' he said. 'Because of us, other Africans, other Ghanaians can see that it can be done.' Even in markets like the United States, designers are challenging established ways of making and selling men's clothes. 'My business model is all bespoke custom orders,' said Josh Tafoya. The Parsons graduate moved from New York to his native New Mexico during the pandemic and has since been exploring his family tradition of weaving. 'It's a lot of Spanish influence, Mexicano influence and Genizaro,' he explained, referring to the name given to detribalized Native Americans in the Southwest starting from the 17th century. 'My family comes from a lineage of weavers, both sides, and I'm trying to bring that culture back. It's slowly dying in New Mexico,' added Tafoya, who had brought with him a nearly century-old piece woven by his grandmother. His genderless pieces incorporate traditional elements like Mexican serape stripes, or Chimayo-inspired chevron motifs, but he imbues the designs with his own theatrical flair in a bid to challenge perceptions of Southwestern identity. 'I'll play into campy little motifs, like gunmetal for the Bandito bullet suits. And I'll play a lot with Western denims, but also with metallic fringes, because cowboy is a little flamboyant, it's funny,' said Tafoya. 'When I went to Parsons, we were taught American fashion, and it was sportswear and the traditional brands,' he continued. 'That's not my vision of American fashion. This is my vision. This is the oldest part of the Americas.' At a cocktail party on Wednesday, Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of womenswear at Dior, was among those who stopped at Tafoya's stand. Also making the rounds was Sarah Burton, who was preparing to show her debut collection for Givenchy on Friday and will be joining the LVMH Prize jury as a result. The chic crowd also included Sidney Toledano, senior adviser to LVMH chairman and chief executive officer Bernard Arnault; Tod's Group's chairman Diego Della Valle, who lingered at the Torishéju booth; designer Gabriela Hearst; image architect Law Roach; milliner Stephen Jones, and models including Natalia Vodianova, Elle Macpherson, Toni Garrn and Paloma Elsesser. LVMH Prize ambassador Jaden Smith said he was 'blown away' by the selection. 'Everybody here right now is at the forefront of fashion, innovation and design,' he said. The rapper and actor, who is known for his bold choices on the red carpet and has his own clothing line, Msftsrep, demurred when asked if he had any tips for the young talents. 'If anything, I'm here to learn things from everybody who's here,' said Smith. 'I would love to study with them and learn things from them.' Fellow ambassador Lily James described the excitement of discovering the new voices shaping fashion. 'Hearing about their stories, their identities, them sharing their heritage and cultures through their fashion and subverting something traditional and turning everything on its head — honestly I feel overwhelmed by the talent in this room and incredibly inspired,' she said. James advised the finalists to keep honoring what makes them 'unique, individual and authentic, because there's only one of you and that's your superpower.' Meanwhile, Delphine Arnault praised the resilience of the designers who have struck out on their own despite the challenging market conditions for independent brands. 'It takes a lot of courage, a lot of passion, and they put themselves on the line,' she said. 'All the designers who are here could very well be working in the studios of large brands, so you have to have a very strong entrepreneurial side. Most of them have to do the work of 10 people on their own or with just one other person.' Danial Aitouganov, for example, left his job as menswear designer at Louis Vuitton under Pharrell Williams last summer to focus on Zomer, the label he cofounded with stylist Imruh Asha. The Dutch designer has eight years of experience working for brands including Vuitton, Chloé and Burberry, but admitted it was a challenge juggling design duties with everything else. 'We are small, so I'm learning as we go, and learning production and finances was really not on my résumé,' he said. 'I would love to have guidance in that.' Cynthia Merhej, the designer behind the Renaissance Renaissance label, has faced more challenges than most, steering her brand through the coronavirus pandemic, a huge explosion that destroyed swathes of Beirut, economic crisis and most recently, the conflict between the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israel. 'I'm very happy to say that now the company is finally back in Beirut. We've been producing everything there for the last two years,' said Merhej, who had briefly moved some operations overseas. 'A lot has now changed in terms of the landscape politically. We don't know for the worse or for the better, but what we know is now at least it's a bit more stable,' she reported. 'It's really hard to run a business when every day you don't know if there will be a currency.' Having made the semifinals in 2021, when the event was held online due to the lingering effects of COVID-19, she was happy to attend the showroom in person. 'It was obviously incredible to be nominated the first time, but to come back and actually have face-to-face contact, and for people to be able to physically touch the garments and to see them, it makes a huge difference,' Merhej said. 'During COVID, it felt a bit isolated because we didn't actually get to meet each other. It didn't feel real because I didn't see the other people's collections. It's really nice to be back.' 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The National
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Meet the three Arab designers shortlisted for the LVMH Prize 2025
Three designers from the Middle East are among the 20 shortlisted names for the 2025 LVMH Prize. The annual award is handed out across three categories. The Young Fashion Designers winner will receive a €400,000 endowment and a year of mentorship. The Karl Lagerfeld Prize winner will be awarded €200,000 and a year of mentorship, and the Savoir-Faire Prize recipient will receive a €200,000 grant along with mentorship. Now in its 12th year, the prize has thrown a spotlight on rising talent, with past winners including SS Daley, Ahluwalia, Grace Wales Bonner and Marques'Almeida. The 20 semi-finalists will present their work to LVMH jury members at the Louis Vuitton Foundation at Paris Fashion Week, from which the winners will be selected. Here's a look at the three designers from the region who are in the running. Launched in 2014, the eponymous Qatari label is one of the first homegrown women's luxury labels in the country. It creates elevated womenswear described as pret-a-couture, or ready couture. Utilising deft tailoring, bold silhouettes and roomy, architectural shapes, the brand is rapidly making a name for itself. After winning the evening wear category at the 2024 Fashion Trust Arabia awards, Yasmin Mansour is aiming for further recognition at LVMH. Lebanese designer Cynthia Merhej founded Renaissance Renaissance. The brand is the product of a strong fashion heritage – Merhej is a third-generation couturier, and combines rich femininity with a deep-rooted sense of rebellion. Its pretty pieces feature delicate elements such as bows, ties and frills that nod to historical notions of what defines 'womanhood'. Look closer, however, and the contemporary shapes and cuts are challenging and new. Frilly mini skirts, ruched tops, bulbous skirts and sheer, tiered dresses are some of the pieces that make this Beirut label beloved of the cool girl crowd, including Chloe Sevigny, while never losing wearability. Eager to protect the unique dressmaking skills of Beirut, every piece is made in the Lebanese capital. Merhej was chosen for Net-A-Porter's The Vanguard global mentorship in 2021, the same year she was a semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize. Will she strike it lucky the second time around? KML is a Saudi menswear label founded in 2022 by Ahmed and Razan Hassan. The designers have built their creations on hours of research into how humans have dressed through history and how meanings have distilled through time. This has resulted in collections that challenge the notions of contemporary fashion and what it signifies. Some labels could lose themselves in such highbrow thinking but KML retains a keen eye for the wearable, with richly draped wrap tunics, wide-legged trousers and tops with discreet cut-out panels. Clever, intriguing and thought-provoking, it is little wonder that when stylist Law Roach attended 1001 Seasons of Elie Saab in Riyadh, he did so wearing KML.
