Review: ‘OFA’ luxury jewelry brand

Review: ‘OFA’ luxury jewelry brand
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OFA, which stands for “One For All,” is a luxury jewelry brand founded in 2020 by social media sensation Hala Abdullah. (Supplied)
Review: ‘OFA’ luxury jewelry brand
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OFA, which stands for “One For All,” is a luxury jewelry brand founded in 2020 by social media sensation Hala Abdullah. (Supplied)
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Updated 19 February 2025
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Review: ‘OFA’ luxury jewelry brand

Review: ‘OFA’ luxury jewelry brand

OFA, which stands for “One For All,” is a luxury jewelry brand founded in 2020 by social media sensation Hala Abdullah.

It is deeply rooted in the rich cultural tapestry of Saudi Arabia, with designs featuring elements such as the Arabian sword and Najdi triangle.

Abdullah’s work is a vibrant reflection of her environment, incorporating a diverse palette of gemstone colors that resonate with the landscapes and traditions of her homeland.

Collaborating with skilled artisans in Dubai, OFA has established a modern design vernacular that celebrates the beauty of materials while maintaining a strong connection to heritage. Abdullah’s aesthetic is influenced not only by her Saudi roots but also by her experiences living in France and Los Angeles, where she majored in architectural design.

Each piece is meticulously crafted from ethically sourced stones and the finest 18 karat gold, embodying a simplicity and timeless elegance that exudes warmth and quiet confidence.

At the heart of OFA is Abdullah’s vision of fostering a community that values inclusivity and unity. The brand aims to intertwine stories of heritage with innovative design, creating a space where individuality and creativity are paramount. Each piece is more than jewelry; it is a statement of identity for those who wear it.

One notable collection is Foug, which pays homage to Saudi heritage while seamlessly embracing contemporary aesthetics. Celebrating Saudi National Day, this collection features vibrant green onyx and rhombus shapes. Another standout is the Selene collection, known for its playful designs that combine pearls with blue topaz, evoking the fluidity of water and the natural world.

However, despite the unique designs and craftsmanship, some critics argue that OFA’s pricing is exorbitant for a relatively new brand. For instance, the Nereide pearl necklace, featuring two strands of pearls and white-gold pendants set with blue topaz, is priced at SR27,151 ($7,220). Some feel such prices are not justified, especially given the brand’s brief history and the competitive market.

I purchased the Arura diamond ring for SR2,951. While its craftsmanship is commendable and the design delicate, the overall pricing may deter potential customers seeking more affordable alternatives.

Despite these concerns, OFA’s commitment to quality and innovative design remains impressive, making it a noteworthy player in the luxury jewelry market and appealing to those who appreciate artistry and cultural significance.


Global models to attend Modest Fashion Week

Global models to attend Modest Fashion Week
Updated 26 February 2025
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Global models to attend Modest Fashion Week

Global models to attend Modest Fashion Week

DUBAI: Models and influencers including Halima Aden, Mariah Idrissi, and Rawdah Mohamed are set to attend the 10th edition of Modest Fashion Week from April 14-16.

This year’s edition will be held in Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, with previous iterations having been held in Istanbul, Dubai, London, Riyadh, Amsterdam, and Jakarta.

In 2025, organizers expect fashion labels from 10 countries to take part, with a schedule of masterclasses, workshops and panel discussions also on the agenda.

Think Fashion and Miral Destinations are partnering to host the event, with Liam Findlay, CEO of Miral Destinations, commenting: "Hosting the 10th edition of the Modest Fashion Week on Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi, a globally recognized event in the fashion industry, is a significant milestone.”

The event will draw star power in the form of Aden, Mohamed and Idrissi, who have hit the catwalk for luxury brands during their careers.

Aden has walked the runway at New York Fashion Week multiple times and was also a member of the judging panel at the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador in 2023.  She shot to fame for being the first woman to wear a hijab in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant in 2016, where she was a semi-finalist.  

Mariah Idrissi will attend this year's Modest Fashion Week in April. (File/ Getty Images)

Somali Norwegian model Mohamed, who has an eyewear campaign with Italian label Dolce & Gabbana under her belt, has worked with brands like Boss and H&M and is also a regular on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet in France.

Mohamed walked the Roberto Cavalli show in Dubai in 2024 and previously told Arab News that she “sort of stumbled into modeling” after a mutual friend put her in touch with her manager while she was at university studying for a degree in behavioral analysis and healthcare.

Mohamed said: “I went to a fashion show in Oslo at the end of 2018 where I met my manager. He told me about what they were doing and I went to his office for a meeting and I said I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a model but I wanted to work in fashion.”

Born in north west London to Moroccan and Pakistani parents, model Idrissi made headlines when she became the first hijab-wearing model to front a major fashion campaign for H&M in 2015.


Elyanna fronts Coach’s Ramadan campaign

Elyanna fronts Coach’s Ramadan campaign
Updated 26 February 2025
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Elyanna fronts Coach’s Ramadan campaign

Elyanna fronts Coach’s Ramadan campaign

DUBAI: Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna is the face of Coach’s Ramadan 2025 campaign.

In the campaign, Elyanna is seen against a desert-inspired backdrop, styled in pieces that blend contemporary fashion with cultural influences. 

She is seen carrying Coach’s signature handbags, each featuring gold chain accents and the brand’s signature “C” clasp.

In one image, she wears a dark oversized coat with black trousers and knee-high boots, accessorized with a muted sage green handbag.

Another image captures Elyanna in a black long-sleeve top and a voluminous pink skirt. Her hairstyle incorporates braids with metallic embellishments, and is holding a black Coach handbag with gold detailing.

Elyanna has been normalizing Arabic lyrics in the Western world throughout her career, taking inspiration from artists including Lana Del Ray and Beyonce, as well as Middle Eastern legend Fayrouz.

The Los Angeles-based singer’s music is a mix of Arabic and Western beats, which she attributes to her multicultural upbringing.

Last month, Elyanna performed live with British band Coldplay during their four-show run in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The music sensation has previously hinted at upcoming projects this year, stating: “The sunrise and the rebirth of the ‘Woledto’ project is just (the) start for the next chapter of 2025. Arabic is the music of the soul and the sun. Grateful for all the talented people that believed in this project and helped with the vision to come to life this tour (sic).”

Elyanna’s debut album “Woledto” featured nine songs: “Woledto,” “Ganeni,” “Calling U,” “Al Sham,” “Mama Eh,” “Kon Nafsak,” “Lel Ya Lel,” “Yabn El Eh” and “Sad in Pali.”

Before releasing the album, she wrote to her Instagram followers: “This album is the embodiment of pride to be an Arab woman, to be from Nazareth, to be from the Middle East.” 


Nora Attal stuns at Burberry’s Winter 2025 show

Nora Attal stuns at Burberry’s Winter 2025 show
Updated 25 February 2025
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Nora Attal stuns at Burberry’s Winter 2025 show

Nora Attal stuns at Burberry’s Winter 2025 show

LONDON: British Moroccan model Nora Attal turned heads this week at Burberry’s Winter 2025 showcase, held on Monday at London’s Tate Britain. 

She donned a long black faux fur coat, cinched at the waist with a belt, with an oversized silhouette. Underneath, the catwalk star wore a matching set consisting of a brown collared top and coordinating trousers, which peeked from beneath the coat. The sleeves of the top extend slightly beyond the coat’s cuffs. The outfit was completed with brown heels.

She donned a long black faux fur coat, cinched at the waist with a belt. (Getty Images)

A star-studded cast including Naomi Campbell; actors Lesley Manville, Richard E. Grant, and Elizabeth McGovern; and Lila Moss, daughter of supermodel Kate Moss, modelled creative director Daniel Lee's fifth collection for the British brand.

Besides Attal’s coat, Burberry’s winter 2025 collection also featured leather trench coats, velvet brocade suits and equestrian styles like jodhpur trousers and high leather boots.

The catwalk was carpeted in bright blue, a colour Lee has made his trademark at Burberry, and the museum's neoclassical architecture was complemented by drapes with an impressionist prints inspired by great British landscape artists.

A star-studded cast including Naomi Campbell  modelled creative director Daniel Lee's fifth collection for the British brand. (Getty Images)

The collection’s color palette of warm browns, greys and taupe also evoked the British countryside, with some red and yellow accents.

Jacquard-woven trenches and brocade jackets were inspired by the tapestries and wallpaper of stately homes, with silk pyjama shirts and trousers evoking domesticity.

“It’s that great Friday night exodus from London to the countryside for long rainy walks and to disconnect in the great outdoors,” Lee said of his inspiration for the collection.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Burberry (@burberry)

Accessories included oversized scarves with chunky fringes and leather boots featuring Burberry's signature check.

It is the second show since CEO Joshua Schulman took the reins at Burberry and began implementing a new strategy focused on outerwear, scarves, and marketing the brand’s British heritage in a bid to turn sales around.

In keeping with its renewed emphasis on scarves, Burberry sent each guest a dark green and navy check scarf along with their invitation.

It was the closing show of London Fashion Week, the second leg of the Autumn/Winter 2025 catwalk calendar, which began in New York and will go to Milan and Paris.


From Ashi Studio to Elie Saab, Arab designers dress stars at SAG Awards

From Ashi Studio to Elie Saab, Arab designers dress stars at SAG Awards
Updated 24 February 2025
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From Ashi Studio to Elie Saab, Arab designers dress stars at SAG Awards

From Ashi Studio to Elie Saab, Arab designers dress stars at SAG Awards

DUBAI: From Ashi Studio to Elie Saab, Arab designers dressed a handful of celebrities at Hollywood's Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi dressed US actress Ali Ahn, who stars in Netflix’s “The Diplomat.” Ahn stepped out in a cream, sculptural look from the Paris-based designer who helms haute couture label Ashi Studio.

Ali Ahn stepped out in a cream, sculptural look from the Paris-based designer who helms haute couture label Ashi Studio. (Getty Images)

Ahn’s “The Diplomat” co-star Keri Russell attended the ceremony in an all-black look by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad, hailing from his Fall/Winter 2024 ready-to-wear collection. The fitted gown featured a deep sweetheart neckline and thigh-high slit, as well as detailing on one shoulder.

Keri Russell attended the ceremony in an all-black look by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad. (Getty Images)

Lebanon was also represented by designer Elie Saab, who dressed Kaitlyn Dever, Leighton Meester and Sofia Carson.

Singer and actress Carson continued her love affair with powerhouse Lebanese designers with the SAG Awards appearance, months after she showed off looks by Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad during international performances alongside legendary Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

On Sunday, Carson opted for a baby pink gown from Saab’s Spring/ Summer 2025 couture line, complete with an elegant train and elegant draping over one shoulder.

Sofia Carson opted for a baby pink gown from Saab’s Spring/ Summer 2025 couture line. (Getty Images)

Meester also picked her look from one of Saab’s 2025 collections, but the TV star chose a column gown from his Spring/ Summer 2025 ready-to-wear line. The Lebanese designer’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection was inspired by the “sun-soaked savannah,” according to show notes, and this look was no exception.

Crafted from raffia-style fabric, the look harked back to safari wear without falling into tired cliches.

Meanwhile, “Ticket to Paradise” actress Dever showed off a peach-toned column gown with paillettes across the length of the dress.

US actress Marissa Bode shone a spotlight on Lebanese Italian designer Tony Ward. (Getty Images)

US actress Marissa Bode shone a spotlight on Lebanese Italian designer Tony Ward by opting for a ballgown from his Spring/ Summer 2025 collection. The gown featured an exaggerated Cinderella-style skirt with embellishments across the length of the dark tulle.


Noon By Noor showcases latest line at London Fashion Week

Noon By Noor showcases latest line at London Fashion Week
Updated 23 February 2025
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Noon By Noor showcases latest line at London Fashion Week

Noon By Noor showcases latest line at London Fashion Week

DUBAI: Designers Shaikha Noor Al-Khalifa and Shaikha Haya Al-Khalifa of Bahraini label Noon By Noor unveiled their Fall Winter 2025 collection during London Fashion Week.

The brand held a salon-style showcase at London’s Somerset House.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Noon By Noor (@noonbynoor)

Noon By Noor’s latest collection was inspired by Bahrain’s architectural landscape —specifically the work of Swiss architect Christian Kerez, whose multi-storey car parks in the city of Muharraq have become a cultural hub.

The four car parks were commissioned by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities as part of a wider preservation and development project in Murharraq, which served as the Bahraini capital until 1932.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Noon By Noor (@noonbynoor)

“We are fortunate to have been nurtured in art and architecture, both in our home and in our surroundings in Bahrain – a place rich in both, from which we can draw constant inspiration,” Shaikha Noor Al Khalifa said in a released statement.

Shaikha Haya Al Khalifa added: “While working on this collection, we focused on finding a sense of balance between structure and curves, elegance and ease, function and frivolity, a balance between generations — a collage of the past, the present and the future.”

The line features sculptural jackets, draped bodices, and sliced silhouettes that subtly reveal the skin. As per the brand’s design ethos, embellishments are minimal and textures and fabrics play a larger role.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Noon By Noor (@noonbynoor)

The designers employed a technique of stripping and fraying wool tweeds and reapplying them onto tulle to create their own lightweight fabric that is used across the collection.

Meanwhile, the color palette stays true to the fashion house’s previous collections, with heavy use of neutral shades. A dark shade of chartreuse acts as a counterweight to the black, beige and dark grey ensembles featured in the latest line, while a slick and shiny trench coat in creamy beige stood out on the runway.

The womenswear brand was established in 2008 and was previously shown at New York Fashion Week before the designers made the switch to London.