LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Simone Rocha accepts the British Womenswear Designer Award on stage during The Fashion Awards 2024 presented by Pandora at Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for BFC)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Simone Rocha accepts the British Womenswear Designer Award on stage during The Fashion Awards 2024 presented by Pandora at Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for BFC)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Simone Rocha accepts the British Womenswear Designer Award on stage during The Fashion Awards 2024 presented by Pandora at Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for BFC)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Simone Rocha accepts the British Womenswear Designer Award on stage during The Fashion Awards 2024 presented by Pandora at Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2024 in Lond

Designer Simone Rocha calls for 'Free Palestine' at British fashion awards


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Irish designer Simone Rocha and American photographer and activist Nan Goldin called for a “Free Palestine” during their speeches at The Fashion Awards in London.

The annual awards, organised by the British Fashion Council, recognises British and international personalities as well as businesses who have made the most outstanding contributions to the fashion industry during the year.

Rocha, who was honoured with British Womenswear Designer of the Year for her eponymous label, thanked her team in her speech on Monday. “I'm very proud of the work I've produced. My collections fuel my emotions. With this award I'd like to honour all the women and children who are displaced,” she said, before adding: “Free Palestine”.

Photographer Nan Goldin accepts her Special Recognition Award at The Fashion Awards 2024, accompanied by cellist Kelsey Lu. Getty Images
Photographer Nan Goldin accepts her Special Recognition Award at The Fashion Awards 2024, accompanied by cellist Kelsey Lu. Getty Images

Earlier in the evening, veteran photographer Goldin was given a Special Recognition Award for a campaign she shot and filmed for Gucci. The campaign, called We Will Always Have London, featured American cellist Kelsey Lu and veteran rocker Debbie Harry, 79, who also delivered a surprise performance.

Goldin, 71, has been an outspoken critic of Israel's aggression on Palestine. “I can only photograph people I love. I am so grateful. I never thought I’d be in front of a fashion crowd, I’m very nervous,” she said, ending her speech with: “Free Palestine.”

Other big winners of the night included rapper A$AP Rocky, who was honoured with the Cultural Innovator Award. Rocky was accompanied by his partner and pop star Rihanna, who opted for an ice blue fur wrap dress with a matching head piece and black bodice.

American designer Tom Ford won the Outstanding Achievement Award and was honoured by Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour. JW Anderson and Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson was named Designer of the Year, while Grace Wales Bonner won British Menswear Designer of the Year for the label Wales Bonner.

On the red carpet, monochrome looks dominated with musician Ellie Goulding sporting a white Moncler puffer coat couture gown, while actress Simone Ashley of Bridgerton fame debuted a new fringe alongside her cream strapless Prada look with a dramatic train.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Simone Ashley attends The Fashion Awards 2024 Presented by Pandora at the Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images for BFC)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Simone Ashley attends The Fashion Awards 2024 Presented by Pandora at the Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images for BFC)

Her fellow Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan wore a strapless Gaurav Gupta ball gown with a black bodice and powder blue tiered draping on either side.

Singer Rita Ora debuted a new look by sporting a blonde mullet and dyed eyebrows, accessorising with jewellery from her Primark collection, while tennis superstar Venus Williams wore a sleek Thom Browne black blazer and cut-off trousers. Another tennis star Maria Sharapova was also in attendance, opting for an all-white look.

Other stars included actress Rebel Wilson, Twisters star Glen Powell and British musician Paloma Faith.

Going grey? A stylist's advice

If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”

Squid Game season two

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk 

Stars:  Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun

Rating: 4.5/5

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

The%20specs
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Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

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Bert van Marwijk factfile

Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder

Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia

Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands

Results
%3Cp%3EStage%204%3A%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Juan%20Sebastian%20Molano%20(COL)%20Team%20UAE%20Emirates%20%E2%80%93%203hrs%2050min%2001sec%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Olav%20Kooij%20(NED)%20Jumbo-Visma%20%E2%80%93%20ST%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Sam%20Welsford%20(AUS)%20Team%20DSM)%20%E2%80%93%20ST%0D%3Cbr%3EGeneral%20Classification%3A%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders%20%E2%80%93%207%E2%80%B3%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20%E2%80%93%2011%E2%80%B3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'

Rating: 3/5

Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro

Writers: Walter Mosley

Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins

Need to know

Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.

Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.

The biog

Age: 59

From: Giza Governorate, Egypt

Family: A daughter, two sons and wife

Favourite tree: Ghaf

Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense 

Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”

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MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
%3Cp%3E1.%20Chad%3Cbr%3E2.%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3E4.%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E5.%20Bangladesh%3Cbr%3E6.%20Burkina%20Faso%3Cbr%3E7.%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E8.%20India%3Cbr%3E9.%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E10.%20Tajikistan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: December 03, 2024, 7:24 AM