January
The annual Grammy Awards ceremony turned into a fully fledged political movement, when many of those who attended wore white roses pinned to their clothes in solidarity with the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements. Hot on the heels of the audience wearing all black to the Golden Globes (shunning the traditional red-carpet parade), the Grammys saw stars opt instead for all-white.
February
Gucci decided to turn things – literally – on their head for its autumn/winter 2018 show in Milan, when it sent models down the runway wearing knitted balaclavas, cradling baby dragons and, in a few startling cases, carrying replicas of their own heads tucked under one arm. Ever a brand to push boundaries, Gucci also drew fire for dressing white models in Sikh turbans.
March
Not to be outdone by the previous month’s shows, for its autumn/winter 2018 spectacle, Chanel recreated an entire forest inside Paris’s Grand Palais. Models walked across a floor deeply carpeted in autumn leaves and past entire trees, in a collection of rust-coloured clothes.
April
US first lady Melania Trump triggered a wave of criticism when she set off for a children’s shelter in Texas wearing a jacket with: “I really don’t care do U?” scrawled across the back. The children in question were those separated from their parents by policies introduced by her husband, US President Donald Trump.
May
A total of 1.9 billion people watched Meghan Markle marry Britain’s Prince Harry, wearing a custom-made dress by Givenchy’s creative director Clare Waight Keller. In classic Givenchy fashion, the gown had a boat neck and simple cut, while the hand-embroidered train carried emblems of all the countries in the Commonwealth, in a salute to the new role Markle was assuming. For the wedding reception, the new Duchess of Sussex changed into a halter-neck gown by Stella McCartney.
June
Beyonce and Jay-Z threw down a challenge to the art establishment with their music video shot in the Louvre in Paris. Clad in couture, the pair referenced, or recreated, many of the famous artworks housed in the museum’s collection, in a takeover that was as visually beautiful as it was politically charged. The couple were challenging perceptions that art is the sole preserve of white cultures.
July
Forbes magazine stated Kylie Jenner's worth at US$900 million (Dh3.31 billion), putting her on course to become the world's youngest self-made billionaire, thanks to her eponymous make-up range. Despite only launching her brand in November 2015, Jenner, 21, silenced her critics with products that outperformed all others on the market.
August
Material Girl singer Madonna, turned 60 and celebrated the milestone by visiting Moroccan city Marrakech. A few days later, however, she attended the MTV Video Music Awards dressed – bizarrely – in traditional Moroccan Berber attire, drawing flak for cultural appropriation.
September
Designer Hedi Slimane presented his first show as the creative head of Celine, signalling his return to the runway after leaving Saint Laurent in 2016. In a case of fashion deja vu, however, the new Celine collection felt eerily similar to that presented by Saint Laurent, now headed by Anthony Vaccarello, and a bemused audience watched as both houses trotted out near-identical collections.
October
Just after meeting with President Trump while donning a “Make America Great Again” hat, Kanye West released a line of T-shirts calling for “Blexit” – an African-American exit from the Democratic Party. A few days later, West claimed that he had nothing to do with the project and that his name was used without his consent. He then announced he was quitting social media. The hiatus, predictably, didn't last long.
November
Dolce & Gabbana sparked a huge scandal in China after releasing a teaser video for its Great Show in Shanghai showing a Chinese woman struggling to eat Italian food with chopsticks. Although no doubt meant as humorous, it clearly missed the mark, with many taking to social media with #BoycottDolce. The situation escalated further when Stefano Gabbana then seemingly lashed out on social media in a racist tirade against Chinese people. The company claim its account was hacked, but the damage was already done, with more than 150 million people taking to the internet in protest, forcing the designers to cancel the much-hyped show and issue a public apology.
December
Just as the fashion world recovered from the Dolce & Gabbana debacle, Prada sparked yet more controversy by launching a collection of toys and key rings that bore an uncomfortable resemblance to long-disgraced golliwog dolls. With their oversize red lips, the toys were criticised for depicting “blackface” and a campaign – led by a New York civil-rights attorney Chinyere Ezie – forced the label to pull the products and issue an apology.
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Read more:
Year in review: 2018's top fashion trends
Kendall Jenner is the highest paid model of 2018 - here's how much she earned
Louis Vuitton is the UAE's favourite luxury brand, followed by Hugo Boss and Dior
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if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GCC-UK%20Growth
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England XI for second Test
Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Ben Stokes, Joe Root (c), Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Ben Foakes (wk), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, James Anderson
SPECS
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The years Ramadan fell in May
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
more from Janine di Giovanni
More from our Neighbourhood series:
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures
Thursday, November 30:
10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders
Friday, December 1:
9am, Pitch 4, v SBA Pirates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
