Latest news with #LesBenjamins
The National
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Michael Cinco, Mrs Keepa and Les Benjamins set to return as Dubai Fashion Week announces new dates
Dubai Fashion Week has announced the dates for its next season, which will run from September 1 to 6. Returning to Dubai Design District – which is celebrating its 10th anniversary – the event will once again provide a platform to regional labels while introducing more international names to the savvy UAE audience. Showcasing the spring/summer 2026 collections before the main women's wear schedules take place in New York, London, Milan and Paris, Dubai Fashion Week promises a strong line-up. The provisional timetable is a blend of ready-to-wear and couture, taking in familiar names and new arrivals. French brand Weinsanto is returning, supported by the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the governing body of France's fashion industry, as well as being on the DFW council. Also showing once more is Iraqi-British designer Tara Babylon, and the Turkish streetwear name Les Benjamins. Other returners from the region include That Concept, FLTRD, Dima Ayad, Lili Blanc, Mrs Keepa, Lama Jouni, Heba Jasmi and BLSSD. As the Middle Eastern market becomes increasingly significant for international brands, this season features the arrival of labels from Germany, Croatia and the Netherlands. Croatian brand XD Xenia will make its DFW debut, as will Canada's Jozeph Diarbakerli. Other designers making their first appearance include Fioletowy (Poland), London School of Trends (India) and New York's Otte. For couture, the Malaysian brand Maison Rizman Ruzaini will return, as will Dubai's Michael Cinco and Kresha Bajaj from India. Dubai Fashion Week was co-founded in 2022 by the Dubai Design District, Arab Fashion Council and Tecom Group PJSC. 'This season represents a powerful evolution of our platform. We're not just showcasing collections – we're building a creative economy rooted in diversity, design diplomacy, and long-term commercial impact,' said Mohammed Aqra, chief strategy officer of Arab Fashion Council. 'DFW spring-summer 2026 is a bold statement of where fashion is going, and the world is watching.' The Threads Talks series, in conjunction with Meta, is also set to come back. Discussion panels and seminars will consider industry challenges such as AI integration and sustainability. Khadija Al Bastaki, senior vice president of Dubai Design District, says the event has expanded immensely in three years. 'Dubai Fashion Week shows how we have grown together,' she said. 'With a rich legacy of influencing the regional landscape, DFW is actively championing sustainability, innovation and diversity in the global design narrative, cementing Dubai's position as the destination of choice for fashion and creative talent from around the world.'
The National
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
A history of PlayStation collaborations, from McDonalds to Les Benjamins
Since the first PlayStation was released in 1994, the console and its successors have sat comfortably on the throne of gaming. Despite competition from Nintendo and Xbox, each generation of PlayStation has remained some of the bestselling, with the most successful of all being the PlayStation 2, which sold more than 160 million units. With its popularity comes the demand for co-branded merchandise. This past weekend, Turkish clothing brand Les Benjamins announced a collaboration with PlayStation to release clothes with the console's logo and tagline. The collaboration is the latest attempt by PlayStation to expand its brand and cement its place in pop culture. Here, we look at all the different collaborations with PlayStation over the years. Les Benjamins's PlayStation release includes three T-shirts, two sweatshirts, a hoodie, a bomber jacket, a polo shirt and jeans. All the items bear the PlayStation logo with the brand's name written in the console's recognisable font. The clothes also make use of the four shapes found on every PlayStation controller – circle, square, X and triangle. Last year, to celebrate PlayStation's 30th anniversary in December, Japanese clothing brand Beams released a set of hoodies and crewnecks that celebrated the gaming console. These were a lot more subtle in their representation and used the PlayStation's iconography in a minimalist way. German sportswear brand Puma also collaborated with PlayStation to release a line of colourful t-shirts. The Puma line used hues such as baby blue and violet to present a more playful side of the console. Alongside the shirts, Puma also released a PlayStation shoe collection that is closer in spirit to the console colours. The sports shoes came in black, white and blue and featured details that fans of the console will recognise. But biggest shoe collaboration for PlayStation was in 2021, when rapper Travis Scott and Nike released a special pair. The Nike Dunk Lows feature the signature Travis Scott reverse swoosh and the original PlayStation Logo with Japanese lettering under it. The cream and light blue footwear was an instant hit with collectors and PlayStation fans alike. Today, the shoes sell for upwards of $2,000 on marketplace StockX. PlayStation fans were given a chance to play with their food with the release of a pasta collaboration in 2023. British online supermarket Ocado and pasta makers Garofalo teamed up with Sony to create pasta shaped like the characters on the Sony controller. The PlayStation pasta was sold in a 500g bag that cost $2.92. The collaboration was the first of its kind for PlayStation, but it wasn't the first time the console was associated with food. In 2012, American fast food chain Taco Bell ran a promotion for participants to get a chance at owning the portable PlayStation Vita console. Four years later, the chain announced another promotion for a chance to win a special golden PlayStation 4 console, which has now become a sought after collector's item. The first documented collaboration between PlayStation and a fast food chain was in 2001, when McDonalds released a Japan-only exclusive happy meal toy that featured four characters from PlayStation games. The characters were PaRappa the Rapper from the game of the same name, Toro from Doko Demo Issyo, Pipo Saru and Chocobo from Ape Escape. There have been numerous releases of toys and collectibles that feature PlayStation game characters. Most recently, Sony released keychains that featured all the controllers and portable devices from its history. These keychains were only available in Japan and could be found at gachapon machines, coin-operated capsule toy vending machines. The most well-known collaboration for PlayStation toys and collectibles is with Funko. The company, which produces figurines that feature characters from pop culture, collaborated with PlayStation to release a line of some of its most recognisable characters. Some of the most popular of these are of Joel from The Last of Us, Kratos from God of War, Sam Porter Bridges from Death Stranding and The Hunter from Bloodborne. Many of the PlayStation Funko figures sold out immediately and can only be bought on the second hand market for exorbitant prices.
Grazia USA
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Grazia USA
Everything You Need To Know About Dubai Fashion Week SS26
Photo: Supplied The countdown is officially on. Dubai Fashion Week (DFW), the region's most influential fashion platform and one of the fastest-rising names on the global style circuit, is set to return for its Spring/Summer 2026 edition from September 1 to September 6, 2025, firmly securing its position at the forefront of the international fashion calendar. Held at its long-standing home, Dubai Design District (d3), the city's beating heart of creativity, now celebrating over a decade of design innovation, DFW is once again poised to launch the global Spring/Summer season. As the very first stop before the famed Big Four (New York, London, Milan, and Paris), all eyes will turn to Dubai this September as designers, tastemakers, and fashion insiders descend on the city for a celebration of creativity, culture, and cutting-edge style. This edition follows a high-energy FW25/26 season in February, which saw a show-stopping finale by Indian couturier Manish Malhotra, international runway appearances, and a powerful spotlight on emerging regional talent, including Les Benjamins. February's schedule also featured immersive brand activations and exclusive citywide events, solidifying DFW's status as more than just a fashion showcase, but as a driving cultural force. The upcoming SS26 edition is set to elevate expectations, with a curated line-up of over 30 standout designers from across the globe, spanning France, India, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, the UAE, and the UK. With a mission rooted in sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural narrative, DFW continues to amplify designers who redefine conventional boundaries. From exclusive off-schedule events and designer dinners to global brand presentations across the city, this season will unfold as a multidimensional fashion journey. Attendees can anticipate appearances from globally renowned guest designers, private collection previews, and a dynamic Buyers Programme that connects leading international retailers from Europe, the US, and beyond with the region's brightest design talent. Founded by Dubai Design District (d3) and the Arab Fashion Council, Dubai Fashion Week is rapidly becoming a pivotal voice in global fashion conversations, from the Middle East to the world.
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Dubai Fashion Week set to return this autumn
DUBAI: Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) is set to make its return this autumn with its series of Spring/Summer 2026 shows, running from Sept. 1 to 6 at its longtime home in Dubai Design District (d3). For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ A post shared by Dubai Fashion Week (@dubaifashionweek) As the first event on the international fashion calendar — ahead of New York, London, Milan, and Paris —DFW's upcoming edition builds on the momentum of February's Autumn/Winter 2025/26 showcase, which drew widespread attention with headline-grabbing appearances by international models and a grand finale by iconic Indian designer Manish Malhotra. The season also spotlighted emerging regional voices, such as Les Benjamins, a correspondent member of the Arab Fashion Council, alongside global names like Paolo Sebastian.
Al Etihad
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
BRED Abu Dhabi: Festival of street music, fashion, food and sport
25 Apr 2025 00:17 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The coolest place to hang out this weekend has to be BRED Abu Dhabi, running from April 23 to 27 at Yas Marina Circuit, Yas its third year, the cultural phenomenon presented by Hypebeast returns to celebrate music, fashion, sport and art. Music The line-up of international headline acts includes rappers Nas and Nines, PARTYNEXTDOOR, rockers Adonis and Cairokee, as well as the BRED Abu Dhabi exclusive single "Hena" by Karim Osama, Asayel and The off the line-up is the likes of regional favourites Marwan Moussa, Afroto, Dana Hourani, Nayra, Odeal, Ilmond, and many more who are all looking to bring their high-energy performances to the festival's stages. Fashion If you're looking for streetwear, high-fashion, vintage finds, or fierce footwear, you're sure to find festival exclusives, customisation spaces and more to accommodate your Daily Paper and Turkiye's Les Benjamins return to the festival with new collections alongside Precious Trust and label Pieces Uniques and local wonders Mesmari, Wyld x Jeeski make their debut, while Sharjah-based concept store Basement has teamed up with barbershop The Lab for a mix of streetwear and fresh global names such as ASICS, JD Sports, New Balance, adidas, ANTA, Timberland, and New Era will also be offering everything from high-performance apparel to ready-to-wear staples, and multi-brand concepts like Sneaker District, TONE, and Foot Locker are set to launch exclusive product releases. Art Street art legend Futura will make a special appearance at the Les Benjamins space where you can get a signed copy of his latest book and shop the exclusive collection Futura x Les Benjamins. Additionally, LA-based Marwan Shahin, Lebanese illustrator Joelle Jabbour, Armenian-Syrian artist Stephany, and Emirati designer Shamma Bu Hazza will also be producing customised artworks exclusively for the festival. Food When it comes to food, BRED Abu Dhabi is renowned for its diverse offerings. On the menu this year is Oklahoma-style smash burgers, French-style steak sandwiches, New York pizza, Moroccan specialities, Mexican tacos, Jerusalem ka'ak, and a South African-style flame grill. Sport In competitions held over the five days, the TOP BALLER Gulf 1v1 Cup, presented by NUMBER 10 and adidas, will conclude, crowning region's top talent. The dedicated NBA 2K League Gaming Zone is also set to return, where you can see some of the best players live in action as well as take part in various interactive basketball-inspired challenges.
