Two costumes designed by an Emirati husband-and-wife duo will take centre stage at the closing ceremony of Expo 2020 Dubai on Thursday. Organisers have promised a "spectacular" event to celebrate the end of the six-month-long world's fair, with a one-hour ceremony featuring global music stars, dazzling fireworks and performances at Al Wasl Plaza.
Follow the final day of Expo 2020 Dubai live here
Designers Rashed and Hessa Bin Tamim were entrusted with creating the costumes for the main characters of the night: the Hero Girl and Al Wasl.
Young Dubai model Mira Singh, who became a celebrity overnight after her performance at the Expo 2020 opening ceremony, will return to the same stage as the Hero Girl, while the character who will embody Al Wasl will be introduced on the night.
"Mira's character will represent an Emirati girl so we decided to dress her in an authentic miyaza’a, a thobe with specific linings," Rashed tells The National. "Coincidentally, we and the Expo team had the same colour in mind.
"The main character Al Wasl is Al Wasl Plaza. As described by Expo, it has the soul of an Emirati woman who is authentic yet universal. Al Wasl is a space that reflects the characteristics of an Emirati home, welcoming everyone with an open heart. The Expo team wanted her to represent Al Wasl through having the pattern of the ring on her dress, but we still had to add the Emirati touch to it."
The ancient golden ring found in the desert by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, will be part of the story that will also capture standout moments from the world's fair, organisers have said.
Rashed and Hessa founded their label, TBR Haute Couture — pronounced "tibr", Arabic for "pure gold" — in Dubai in 2012, and specialise in haute couture gowns and traditional Emirati dresses.
Mira's dress, with heavy embroidery, took two months to complete, while the dress to be worn by the character embodying Al Wasl, took two weeks. Rashed and Hessa worked with a team of 15 to finish the outfits on schedule.
"It was a bit challenging because of the tight schedule," says Rashed. "The intricate pieces have been fabricated by a creative team of craftsmen using carefully selected beads and crystals. Both dresses are made using the finest pure silk and luxurious highly engineered tulle to match the fantastical world of Dubai Expo 2020."
The designer couple said they will be at the closing ceremony to watch the show, and their creations, come to life.
"We are honoured to be associated with Expo 2020," says Rashed.
Organisers on Monday said festivities for the closing ceremony are set to begin at 7pm "with the young girl from the opening ceremony in September taking the audience on another compelling journey".
"For 182 days, she has grown, learned and connected with people from around the world — what remains is the final step before she awakens to her full potential," Expo event organisers said.
The one-hour ceremony will have an Emirati soul that would touch on a global experience.
Global music stars including US artists Christina Aguilera and Norah Jones, as well as American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, will lead the line-up of performers at the closing event, before the world's fair baton is passed from Dubai to Expo 2025 Osaka.
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
MATCH INFO
Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%203-litre%20V6%20turbo%20(standard%20model%2C%20E-hybrid)%3B%204-litre%20V8%20biturbo%20(S)%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20350hp%20(standard)%3B%20463hp%20(E-hybrid)%3B%20467hp%20(S)%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20500Nm%20(standard)%3B%20650Nm%20(E-hybrid)%3B%20600Nm%20(S)%0D%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh368%2C500%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars
- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes
- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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- Eighth place in Premier League in 2015/16
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