Riz Ahmed's Met Gala outfit pays homage to 19th-century immigrants in New York

While for most stars the Met Gala is a night to channel all-out glamour, actor Riz Ahmed used the occasion to make a different style statement.

The theme for the 2022 Met Gala was Gilded Glamour, and for his look the Sound of Metal star took inspiration from an underrepresented group from New York’s gilded age — immigrants.

Riz Ahmed's look was designed by 4S Designs, a label founded by an immigrant. AP

Ahmed shone a spotlight on the major class discrepancy that existed in late-19th century New York, with his look inspired by the clothing of an immigrant labourer. He collaborated with brand 4S Designs, which is founded by immigrant Angelo Urrutia, wearing an open, navy-blue jacket over a white vest and matching drawstring trousers, which he tucked into heavy-duty boots.

“This is an homage to the immigrant workers who kept the Gilded Age going,” he told reporters from the red carpet.

Ahmed’s look was put together by his stylist Julie Ragolia, who explained the inspiration behind it to Vanity Fair. “In thinking about the Met Gala theme of Gilded Glamour, I wanted to focus on the people without whom nothing Gilded would exist: the labourers, the workers, the unseen," she said. "This look is for everyone who thinks they don’t have a voice. They do.”

The look stood in stark contrast to other guests' interpretation of the Gilded Glamour theme, which spurred plenty of shimmering, golden outfits, regency-era shapes and white-tie tailoring.

However, in announcing the theme, the Met Gala’s organisers did acknowledge the stark contrasts of class during the era, encouraging guests to “embody the grandeur — and perhaps the dichotomy — of Gilded Age New York.”

Fashion’s biggest night saw several other red-carpet statements from fashion’s A-list, including Kim Kardashian, who wore the exact dress Marilyn Monroe wore to sing Happy Birthday to US president John F Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962.

Billie Eilish also made a statement in upcycled Gucci, taking inspiration from John Singer Sargent’s 1885 portrait of Madame Paul Poirson.

See the best looks from the 2022 Met Gala:

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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

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How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed

Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.

Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.

The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.

One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.

That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.

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How to turn your property into a holiday home

Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
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Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.

Bert van Marwijk factfile

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

Teams managed:
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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

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.”

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Volunteers offer workers a lifeline

Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.

When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.

Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.

Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.

“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.

Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.

“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.

Riz Ahmed's Met Gala outfit pays homage to 19th-century immigrants in New York

Actor wore a navy jacket and trousers over a white vest, paired with heavy-duty boots

See the best looks from the 2022 Met Gala:

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

While you're here

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

PULITZER PRIZE 2020 WINNERS

JOURNALISM

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

UAE currency

How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed

UPI facts

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How to turn your property into a holiday home

Bert van Marwijk factfile

While you're here

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Volunteers offer workers a lifeline