Zuhair Murad

Zuhair Murad is a very big name in the Middle East - he's a Lebanese designer who dresses not only the regional celebrities but also has quite a following in the Hollywood.

If you ever find yourself in need of a dress that is inspired both by ancient columns and Ottoman candelabra - his words, not mine  - do yourself a favour and go buy Zuhair Murad dress.

Lots of  shimmer, lots of volume, lots of drama.

Mr. Murad first open his boutique in 1995 in his native Beirut; he has showroom in Milan, stores in Paris, and of course Dubai (Dubai Mall, across Jimmy Choo's boutique).

Everyone who's anyone in Hollywood has been photographed in his OTT gowns - from Miley to JLo, but what impresses me most is that he managed to get Wanda Sykes to wear him once as well.

Wanda doesn't even wear dresses!

Here she is (on the right) with her wife Alex:

Bedazzled!

Sometimes i think that if you want to sell something to somebody in the Middle East you only need 3 things:

1.  whatever it is you are trying to sell

2.  hot glue gun

3.  SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS!

You take your rusty-trusty glue gun, hot glue a pound or two of crystals onto the goods - et voile!  Done and done! 

Well, at least that was an idea behind "Swarovski Elements" promotion - or how they prefer to call it "an initiative". 

Back in October of last year,various Middle Eastern and some European designers - Christian Louboutin among them - were invited to incorporate crystals with their creations.

The results of this collaboration, which includes everything from crystal adorned false eyelashes to tea cups to yachts, were then compiled into a fashion/lifestyle collection named "Jawaher". 

Coincidentally, "Jawaher" means "precious stone".

Naturally, Jawaher was launched in dazzling-bedazzling Dubai first and then in London. 

Check it out below:

Pix are from www.swarovski.com

Beyonce Does Middle East

Well, Sasha Fierce is bringing her House of Dereon Shoe Collection to the Middle East.   

I guess selling "affordable line" to Wall-Mart and temporarily tattoos to bunch of underage fans did not pan out the way Mama Knowles hoped. 

House of Dereon is partnering with UAE-based Level One, who will be marketing and distributing for them. 

Level One was responsible for bringing and marketing Sketchers over here and they did an awesome job - Sketchers are extremely popular among Dubai's ankle-biters; my own kids would not wear anything else but them.

Beyonce and Tina Knowels are shooting to start selling by the end of the year first in crazamazing Dubai and then in Lebanon. 

My personal opinion:  these shoes are not good.  Some of them are taking fugliness to the whole new level, some are just poorly and lazily designed and all of them are unoriginal.  I understand that rabid fans and wannabes will snap up anything by their fave celeb, but Beyonce should just get a little more expensive and talented designers to make them' shoes.

Gwen Stefani did it.

Good luck to Sasha Fierce, me thinks she'll need it!

Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco

Let me tell you, Royal House of Morocco is just a treasure trove full of breathtakingly beautiful women!

Princess Lalla Meryem is a daughter of a late King of Morocco and sister of a current King.  She is Princess Lalla Salma's sister-in-law.

Princess Lalla Meryem was born in Rome in 1962; in 1981 she graduated with the bachelor degree and immediately was appointed by her father to a position with the country's Army Forces.

In 1984 she married some big-wig's son - rumour has it it marriage was arranged by her father in the interest of the country.  Not surprisingly, the marriage ended the same year her father, King Hussein II  passed away.

The 15 year long marriage resulted in a birth of two children - gorgeous Princess Lalla Soukaina and Prince Moulay Rachid.

Princess Lalla Meryem is on the board of a slew of local and international charities with concentration on women and children's issues.  She holds a post of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and bunch of other important positions in her country.

She is also a very stunning woman.

Riva Fashion

Riva Fashion is a very popular in the Middle East  fashion brand.  The "Design Concept" page on it's website gives one an impression that Riva Fashion is Paris-based and even calls it "European brand".

In fact, Riva Fashion is a Kuwaiti based business and i don't know why they are pretending otherwise. 

Clearly, this brand caters mostly to the Middle Eastern women with it's brightly colored outfits, large accessories and modest cuts. 

I think Middle Eastern fashion brands should be proud of who they are and not try to pass themselves for something else.

Riva Fashion is a very strong presence in the region - it has 4 stores in Dubai alone, 19 total in the Gulf countries.

Check out this collection that hit the stores in 2010. 
Like much?

Pix from www.rivafashion.com