For Saudi designer Honayda Serafi, it’s been a career-defining week.
When Jordan’s future queen Rajwa Al Saif stepped out in a custom-made dress by the label for the first official celebration ahead of her wedding to Crown Prince Hussein on June 1, the world’s eyes were suddenly on the Saudi label.
“Since 2016 when we established the brand, we’ve been working really hard to be recognised worldwide, to empower women and to take Saudi heritage global, and I feel like this is one of the strongest moments for the brand,” Serafi tells The National. “For Rajwa to choose a Saudi woman to design for her is very empowering, she’s amazing.”
Serafi first got the call from Al Saif’s mother Azza two-and-a-half months ago, asking if she could design the bride’s look for her pre-wedding henna party, which was hosted by Queen Rania in Amman.
“The first thing she asked me was, ‘Will you be able to deliver in that short time?’ So I told her yes, definitely,” she says. “We have a strong team and we gathered all our forces together to deliver. I was so grateful to have her phone call. From there the journey started, and it was a great and beautiful journey.”
The white silk two-piece dress, known as Sahabi Thoub, featured intricate gold beadwork that painted a picture of the Jordanian and Saudi cultures coming together. Created in 3D through a mix of silk, metallic threads and traditional reed strings, the gown contained the famous palm of Saudi Arabia and was seven stars, symbolising the seven-pointed star of Jordan.
“Every time I met her for a fitting, she always came with this beautiful smile on her face and left with an even bigger smile,” she says. “She wanted something modest, young and trendy, but cultured at the same time.
Rajwa Al Saif looked phenomenal, she is a princess and she looked like one
Honayda Serafi,
designer
“She was specific as well, she wanted to have fun and to enjoy the occasion with her friends and the women of society, so she didn’t want a long train as she wanted to be closer to the people to enjoy the moment with them. She wanted to be comfortable walking around them and be close to them.
“And the story that we wrote for her, combining the elements of the Jordanian and the Saudi cultures, everyone is complimenting it. I haven’t stopped getting calls and messages.”
Serafi added another personal touch, with verse from Tunisian poet Abu Al Qasim Al Shabi embroidered in the veil, speaking of the beauty of life at one’s sight. She felt it perfectly summed up the couple’s love.
“I was actually searching with my team to find something that can deliver and explain this eternal love between her and Prince Hussein,” she says. “They are role models and they are setting a new love story for everyone to look up to, they are inspiring the young generation to have this kind of honest and pure and strong love between them. It took a while for me to find something that suited, and I wanted it to be modern and nice and straight to the heart. Something that everyone can say and everyone can feel. And actually it’s been trending.”
Usually, to create a dress like the one Serafi’s team made for Al Saif would take upwards of 2,000 hours and no less than six months. However, the team were able to pull together and finish in around 750 hours.
“Our team is great, everyone was very dedicated and we really worked hard with love and passion for the occasion and for Rajwa.”
And for Serafi, seeing the bride-to-be in the final finished look ahead of the henna party was a moment she will never forget.
“I was with her as she was getting ready, I had to be there to make sure that everything was perfect,” she says. “She looked phenomenal, she is a princess and she looked like one. Queen Rania was very happy when she saw her and she complimented the dress and how she looked. Her mum was also very happy.”
While Serafi is of course extremely grateful for the platform this opportunity has offered her brand, she says being asked to create the gown is more significant than that.
“It’s not about the success only, it’s been amazing to feel the love and happiness that people have for Rajwa,” she says. “She gave me a story to tell. Anyone can design a dress, but not everyone can be as lucky to have such a story to tell. I was lucky to translate this love through my design.
“Saudi is dancing, everyone is happy.”
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
MATCH INFO
FA Cup fifth round
Chelsea v Manchester United, Monday, 11.30pm (UAE), BeIN Sports
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Lecce v SPAL (6pm)
Bologna v Genoa (9pm)
Atlanta v Roma (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Hellas Verona (3.30pm)
Juventus v Brescia (6pm)
Sampdoria v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sassuolo v Parma (6pm)
Cagliari v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Torino (11.45pm)
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
