By anyone's reckoning, 2021 has been a good year for Arab designers.
While there may have been slightly fewer red-carpet events because of the ongoing pandemic, across film festivals and even weddings, it seems famous women cannot get enough of regional talent.
At the high-profile Venice and Cannes film festivals, countless ladies turned to the region to find their perfect look, from Kate Hudson in Lebanese brand Monot to Nilufar Addati in white feathered Rami Kadi and Jessica Chastain in embellished Elie Saab.
This simply showed that, increasingly, celebrities are tuning into the high-octane, deeply feminine glamour on offer by Arab names.
With a rich heritage of couture and occasion dressing, designers in the region are well versed in creating rich looks for special events. Even Taylor Swift donned a resort 2022 dress by Lebanese atelier Zuhair Murad for an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in November.
Jennifer Lopez, too, has made no secret of her admiration for regional designers, stepping out in looks by Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab and Georges Hobeika over the years. For her performance at the Grammys this October, she wore a custom made, crystal-studded body suit by Zuhair Murad, with matching tights, and thigh-high boots.
However, for what must have been one of her most closely watched red-carpet moment, when she stepped out at the Venice Film Festival with her new (and former) partner, actor Ben Affleck, she turned to Lebanon's Georges Hobeika for her dress. In a deeply scooped, crystal-embellished, form-fitting gown, slashed high on the leg, she looked nothing short of spectacular.
Elsewhere, for a rare red-carpet moment with her daughter Zahara, Angelina Jolie turned to Lebanese-Iraqi name Harithand, for a demure tiered dress, while for her wedding in September, Victoria Secret model Jasmine Tookes opted for a high-necked, long-sleeved lace embellished gown with a train by Zuhair Murad.
Scroll through the photo gallery above to see more looks by Arab designers on red carpets in 2021.
