London Fashion Week has drawn to a close, however, it wasn't just homegrown labels that took to the catwalk during the sartorial spectacle.
Among the global designers presenting their autumn / winter collections in the British capital was Atelier Zuhra, the womenswear label founded by Oman's Mousa Al Awfi. The label, which is based in Dubai, showcased an after-dark line-up of glimmering gowns and shimmering separates in the last slot of Saturday's schedule.
The collection was inspired by precious gems, Atelier Zuhra revealed on its social media pages, with designs referencing the "distinctive structure and colours" of stones. Ruby red strapless gowns were finished with a smattering of sequins resembling brilliant facets, while sculpted emerald gowns had an architectural feel.
Froths of feathers and tulle and sleek crepe were present throughout, with the silhouettes theatrically voluminous and yet romantically fluid.
Scroll through the gallery above to see more from Atelier Zuhra's autumn / winter 2019 collection.
Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
