Latest from Vogue Arabia
Vogue Arabia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
Grey Skies, Mud and Music: Burberry's Festival Remix
There's nothing quite like an English summer. Gloomy and golden in equal measure—depending on the mood of the weather gods—it's a season of contrasts. And nowhere are these juxtapositions more alive than at the heart of British music festivals. Think wellies in the mud, bass lines under grey skies, and a crowd that never lets the drizzle dampen the vibe. For Burberry Festival, the British heritage house taps into that heady mix of nostalgia and modernity, celebrating the cultural power of 1990s festivals and the spirit of Cool Britannia that defined an era. Burberry Festival doesn't just revisit the past—it remixes it. Set against a custom-built festival scene complete with tents, sound systems, and a healthy dose of English mud, the visuals blend archival footage with contemporary imagery to channel a carefree, off-duty energy. It's an ode to Britpop and rave culture, to oversized silhouettes and utilitarian outerwear, and to the kind of style that thrives in unpredictable weather. Because in the UK, festival fashion is as much about expression as it is about survival—and Burberry knows how to do both. At the heart of this campaign is a cross-generational cast that reflects the past, present, and future of British cool. Liam Gallagher—arguably the voice of an entire generation—joins fellow 90s icon Goldie alongside modern-day muses like Cara Delevingne and Loyle Carner. The next-gen Gallagher siblings also make an appearance, underscoring the campaign's sense of legacy and reinvention. In one shot, Alexa Chung stands defiant in a moss-green parka thrown over a sequinned slip dress—her Burberry wellingtons sunk into the slush, puddles pooling behind her. It's messy, moody, and unmistakably British. The kind of image that doesn't just nod to festival culture—it lives in it. In another, the back of a small vehicle is packed with all the essentials for a full day of music: Burberry's Large Highlands Tote brims with water bottles and cups, while rolled-up mats and the matching Highlands shoulder bag hint at a long, carefree day ahead. Burberry Festival puts the spotlight on festival-ready pieces from the Fall collection. Expect weatherproof outerwear, layered silhouettes, and, of course, the quintessential Wellington boots—a nod to festival legends like Kate Moss and Sienna Miller, who made the sturdy footwear a style icon in its own right. Beyond the campaign, Burberry will mark the summer with special takeovers at The Newt in Somerset and Ibiza, blending countryside cool with coastal energy. By capturing the essence of an era while looking ahead to what's next, Burberry Festival isn't just a nostalgic ode—it's a cultural reset. A reminder that great style, like great music, is always worth revisiting.
Vogue Arabia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
The Creative Space: The Free Fashion School Redefining Possibility in Lebanon
Premiered at London's Shubbak Festival, this 16-minute documentary by Pia Brynteson and Ramzi Hibri offers an intimate look into Creative Space Beirut—a tuition-free fashion school empowering Lebanon's next generation of designers amidst national adversity. Last week, The Creative Space premiered at London's Shubbak Festival, marking the culmination of a three-year journey for co-directors Pia Brynteson and Ramzi Hibri. The 16-minute documentary spotlights Creative Space Beirut (CSB), a free fashion school founded in 2011 amid Lebanon's overlapping crises – political, economic, and structural. Yet the film is intimate and vivid – a portrait of creativity as a lifeline. Brynteson began the project while studying fashion journalism at Central Saint Martins. Disillusioned by the industry's sameness, she was drawn to stories with deeper cultural and emotional weight. Discovering CSB online and speaking with co-founder Sarah Hermez proved transformative. "It was the most inspiring concept I'd ever seen," she said. "A free fashion school in Lebanon – creating opportunity through design. I was completely taken aback." The film follows several students, including Mostafa, who travelled to London for the premiere – his first time leaving Beirut. 'When I stood in front of an audience in a country that wasn't mine and shared my story, the reactions I received gave me more strength to keep going,' he said. While Brynteson approached the story from the outside, Hibri brought lived experience. A Lebanese filmmaker and longtime supporter of the school, he was less than 100 metres from the port explosion in 2020. In the aftermath, he worked at CSB. 'I just wanted to do something,' he said. 'I worked there on a negligible salary for two years. I did nothing else.'
Vogue Arabia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
The Rise of Playful Proportions: Inside the World of Fashion's Most Joyful Silhouette
Gone are the days when minimalism reigned supreme and proportions played it safe. As Coco Chanel once said 'fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.' And In 2025 that architecture is being reimagined – through asymmetry, drama and deliberate imbalance, fashion is finally shedding its obsession with restraint and symmetry. The message? Proportions are no longer a matter of balance but of boldness. From voluminous sleeves that seem to float midair to sharply exaggerated tailoring which borders on the theatrical, the fashion world is embracing a new aesthetic vocabulary – playful proportions. This isn't just a passing trend – it is a bold reimagining of elegance, where individuality takes centre stage and maximalism is no longer a rebellion. Tracee Ellis Ross in Marc Jacobs at the Met Gala Amina Khalil in Rami Kadi at Cannes At the MetGala 2025, Tracee Ellis Ross's striking Marc Jacobs ensemble, featuring exaggerated wide legged trousers and a sculptural satin bow at the waist was the perfect example of how a voluminous silhouette transforms classic tailoring into high fashion drama. At Cannes 2025, Amina Khalil, wore a custom Rami Kadi gown with a sculpted bodice and cascading feathered tiers, a striking balance between softness and structure. On the runway On recent runways, fashion houses took to inflating silhouettes and a touch of playfulness. From YSL's sloped and elongated shoulders and voluminous ball gowns to Schiaparelli's carefully engineered construction of silhouettes. Rami Al Ali's Spring/Summer 2025, was an architectural marvel with geometric motifs which disrupted the symmetry of the otherwise sleek silhouettes. Ashi Studio's immense Balloon skirt created an intentional imbalance and exaggerated volume in a theatrical way. They show that awkward proportions and layering doesn't have to be over the top – they can be elegant and wearable too. Why is fashion leaning into this imbalance? At first, playful proportions might look like just a fun and impractical trend. But if you look closer, it's a natural reaction to the visual fatigue of minimal, plain fashion. It's less like a trend and more like a philosophy. Now, after the pandemic and the quiet luxury trend, people are moving back towards bold styles that show personality, creativity, and joy. The desire to break free, advocating for fun and expressive fashion and the appetite for emotions, personality, and visual excitement is definitely knocking our doors. High street brands are replicating the look with unexpected creativity – ballooned sleeves, wide cut pants, trapeze shaped coats, they are making fashion fun again for the average consumer. The desire to reject perfection and embrace individuality reflects how people, especially Gen Z and social creators, want to stand out and celebrate their complexities. Fashion creators' search history probably reads like a modern style manifesto: oversized jackets, statement sleeves, layered looks. This shows that fashion creators are looking for more volume, drama and excitement. It helps them break traditional fashion rules, turning garments into bold statements of identity and creativity. It does not only amplify one's volume but demands attention allowing for personal expression which says more is more.
Vogue Arabia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
Why an Increasing Number of Women are Saying They Dress for the Female Gaze
From the moment they hit puberty, women are socially conditioned to dress in clothing that will be pleasing to the opposite gender. This is no modern phenomenon — in Ancient Rome, women styled their stolas, sleeveless dresses adorned with brooches, in a way that would appear alluring to men, and in Victorian England, women wore corsets so tight they fainted, just to appease men. The fashion industry has always known that 'sex sells.' But things are changing. Women around the world are ditching clothes that men find sexy for clothing that wins compliments from other women. In dressing, women are seeking no one's gratification but their own, even if it means they are making sartorial choices that the opposite gender doesn't deem attractive. This could mean going for clashing prints, mixing figure-hugging pieces with voluminous ones, wearing gaudy colours, or wearing polka dots from head-to-toe just because you like it. 'Women are done dressing for male approval,' says Maryam Al Ansari, a psychotherapist from Qatar who loves experimenting with her personal style. 'The female gaze values expression, confidence and individuality; it's not just about looking pretty. It's about dressing to feel powerful, not to be palatable.' Al Ansari says she dresses to feel 'true to herself,' navigating towards oversized blouses teamed with baggy culottes, fur coats paired with three-quarter length leopard print shorts and Y2K outfits that could have been worn by the members of '90s girlband B*Witched . And she recognises that this was something her Qatari foremothers did before her. Women in the Gulf have a long history of dressing for the female gaze at ladies-only social events like ghabgas .
Vogue Arabia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
Stéphanie Cachard's Jewellery is a Study in Modern Alchemy
You don't need to look beyond Stéphanie Cachard's perfectly groomed nails and understated finesse to get a sense of her retro-tinged namesake jewellery brand. Born and based in Lebanon, Cachard is a second-generation jeweller who first joined her father's atelier 15 years ago as a temporary job, only to fall in love with the craft and never leave. Today, she runs both the family's main business and her own line. Demure and refined, anchored by a masculine weight that grounds their femininity, Cachard's pieces embody the same Modernist sensibility that defines her personal style. Influenced by the bold geometry of '60s and '70s architecture and fashion, her signature stackable rings – Ava, Helga, and Kim – feature striking angular cuts that echo the clean lines of the era. Worn daily with the effortless elan of an undone ivory silk blouse, they feel instinctive, a little undone, and entirely intentional. 'My father collected jewellery magazines from that period and they became my first design references,' she says in her soft-spoken, French-lilted accent. 'That effortless simplicity still captivates me.' One of her most arresting pieces – a gargantuan topaz ring, its golden depths framed by a bevelled, ridged silver setting – feels both audacious and deeply personal. A nod to her parents' rings from the '90s, it captures the essence of her work: a blend of craftsmanship, nostalgia, and the talismanic power of heirlooms meant to be worn, not merely kept. 'All the pieces we create in our atelier are handmade, preserving the little imperfections that add value and meaning,' she adds. An old soul with a resolutely modern eye, Cachard distills a timeless elegance that transcends trends – an enduring cachet destined for generations to come. Here, we get a little bit more personal on what inspires Stéphanie's creative orbit, some style tips and why nostalgia is still so chic. Stéphanie Cachard at home in Beirut with her cat, Bernard Default uniform Stéphanie in her go-to outfit A statement ring is the finishing touch 'My default look is a pair of loose black trousers, a tank top and belt, topped with tassel loafers. Plus a statement ring, naturally.' Sculptural inspiration 'I recently discovered Constantin Brâncuși's sculptures at Pompidou and was instantly captivated - the purity of form completely drew me in.' Styling tip The April pinky ring and Helga ring, Stéphanie Cachard 'Jewellery, like clothes, should feel comfortable to look good. Size up your rings to flatter your hands, slip on a bold pinky ring, a silver necklace and an irreverent brooch to mix it up." Silver locket, Stéphanie Cachard Silver Allure Rings, necklace and a pill box, Stéphanie Cachard Silver objects, Stéphanie Cachard 'As I grow older, I find myself increasingly drawn to silver – not just for its luminous sparkle, but for the rich patina that develops and evolves over time.' Silver pill box, Stéphanie Cachard Beirut in the '70s Stéphanie's parents in Beirut during the 70's 'I've always loved my parent's photos from Beirut in the 70's. Their expressions, the way they dressed, the parties they went to…everything looks so carefree. It's the era that's most present in my work.' A '90s statement 'I commemorated the beginning of the year a dramatic remake of my parent's ring from the 90s.' The muse 'Line Vautrin, dubbed the 'poetess of metal' by Vogue in the 1940s for her emotive jewellery pieces - is my ultimate design muse.'
