The inaugural Riyadh Fashion Week kicked off on Friday with 16 shows highlighting the best of Saudi Arabian design. Here are some names – emerging and established – to know.
Mohammed Ashi
The opening show was, fittingly, by Mohammed Ashi, the couturier who earlier this year became the first ever Saudi designer invited to join the prestigious Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode in Paris. Known for his intense sophistication and glamour, Ashi called his latest show 8PM, and it was inspired by the beauty of the desert by night.
Here he delivered evening wear that echoed the rolling curves of dunes, in colours of sand at sunset – russet red and rich gold – mixed with the pale cream of moonlight. An off-the-shoulder dress arrived in deep oxblood satin, its fabric sculpted into complex sleeves, while elsewhere tendrils of cream wool were left as loose fringing, framing the face on a longline dress given volume through the hips, or on a beaded, sleeveless jacket worn open over wide-legged trousers.
Ashi is rightfully taking his place on the global stage, for his adept skill at mixing strict tailoring with voluptuous femininity. For this fashion week debut, Ashi delivered an elegant, feminine collection, best captured in a pared-back, almost severe square-necked column dress in cream, and softened with great explosions of organza ruffles as sleeves.
Yousef Akbar
Jeddah designer Yousef Akbar delivered some serious attitude with a parade of sleek black dresses, beautifully carved around the body. Single sleeved or with a train falling from the waist, these were elegant, grown-up and deeply sensual.
Things shifted tack elsewhere in the show with a series of looks filled with volume. There was a mille-feuille dress of candyfloss-pink organza – a mini at the front before falling away to a dramatic train- and a black, off-the-shoulder puff ball with a train in gleaming taffeta. Rich, sultry, and unashamedly dressy, this show was about letting Akbar's keen cutting skills shine through.
Honayda
Honayda sent out a show inspired by Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Saudi woman to go to space, with looks paying homage to celestial bodies, with details including beaded stars, half-moon jewellery and even a skirt shaped like a planet.
Centred around the sort of occasionwear the Middle East excels at, it was a breezy parade of evening looks in tones of sky blue interspersed with starlike glitter. To top it all, designer Honayda Serafi called on Halima Aden to walk her runway. Aden wore a fitted dress and flamboyant hooded cape finished with star-shaped rings.
After making waves as the first hijab-wearing model to walk major runways, Aden retired from the industry in November 2020 citing disillusionment. She returned to the runway once more in May 2023, but said she would pick and choose her projects carefully going forward.
Abadia
Abadia delivered a signature mix of minimalist cuts paired with touches of traditional handicraft. A full, floor-length skirt in cream arrived with a drop waist and a panel of traditional Sadu weaving wrapped instead around the hips. Worn with a relaxed white shirt, it captured the nonchalant storytelling of the brand, fusing modern shapes with touches of heritage.
Other pieces included simple, straight-cut tunic dresses, in purposely crumpled fabric, and tops and skirts with curved panels. Restrained in its use of Sadu weaving allowed the collection to feel contemporary, while the pared-back silhouettes will speak to any woman looking for style with comfort.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
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Global institutions: BlackRock and KKR
US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.
KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.
Mobile phone packages comparison
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Anti-semitic attacks
The annual report by the Community Security Trust, which advises the Jewish community on security , warned on Thursday that anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had reached a record high.
It found there had been 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent from the previous year.
The report detailed the convictions of a number of people for anti-Semitic crimes, including one man who was jailed for setting up a neo-Nazi group which had encouraged “the eradication of Jewish people” and another who had posted anti-Semitic homemade videos on social media.
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
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Anonymous, Penguin Books
