I did not decide on a career in fashion. It just came naturally, without any planning on my part.
My first memories of fashion are from a very, very young age. I started loving fashion when I was four or five as far as I remember. My mum, who has a couple of fashion stores and has been in the industry for decades, used to travel to Milan, Paris and various other places to buy garments for her shops. She used to take me with her because she had no one to look after me while she was away.
I was influenced by my parents. My father is an interior designer, so I lived and breathed fashion day and night. I said to myself from an early stage in my life that I was going to be a fashion designer. I told myself: "I'm going to do it. And I'm going to correct all the mistakes that I can see, to improve fashion for everyone." I used to catch mistakes regularly in the clothes my mum bought.
When I was around eight or nine, my parents started to ask me for suggestions, which they would then implement. This really helped me because it gave me a lot of confidence in myself. I used to suggest that they should remove a little something here or add a minor detail there, and they did. Everything always ended up looking fabulous.
My fashion sense has always been a little different. I've always admired the vintage look and fashion from the Victorian era. At our high school prom we had to wear evening gowns, but I didn't want to go out and buy something ready-made. I asked my mum to take me to a fabric shop and after I had chosen the materials I liked, I took them to a tailor and explained what I wanted my dress to look like. I ended up winning an award on the night of the prom for being the best-dressed student. Things like this all helped to push me in the right direction.
My fashion sense for my line of clothes has changed considerably over the years. In the UAE, there are so many different tastes to cater for. Working in the UAE is a very good experience for me because I have to cater my dresses for six or seven different kinds of people. Satisfying the needs of this many people in just one item of clothing is not an easy thing to do. But I manage it.
I can design other things - and design them brilliantly for that matter - but my heart lies in designing dresses. I think that if I continue to concentrate on just one thing, I can improve on it, as opposed to working on several different ranges at once.
My clothing line is heavily influenced by my love of Edwardian and Victorian fashion. Of course, my designs are far simpler than the huge dresses women would have worn back in those days, but the influence is obvious. The colours and fabrics I choose are light and soft, and it's this mix of Edwardian and Victorian as well as my own style that helps me create my designs.
My personal taste is influenced by the 1930s and 1940s as well as glamorous women like Marilyn Monroe. All my clothes are reminiscent of these time periods. I think the style back then was so romantic and feminine while still being comfortable to wear. My make-up, my house, my furniture, my car - even my music - are all influenced by the 1930s and 1940s. The music at my last fashion show was from that era, as was the make-up and hairstyles of the models we used. I find it all so inspirational.
I have been in this industry for nine years. My plan is to go to New York, Paris or Rome to display my collection. When I was young I had a dream to accomplish, and I believe I can do it. Today, as I see myself headed in the right direction. I know that I have the ability to do it.
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')
Manchester City 0
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
The%20Killer
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SPECS
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Results
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Brief scores:
Toss: Rajputs, elected to field first
Sindhis 94-6 (10 ov)
Watson 42; Munaf 3-20
Rajputs 96-0 (4 ov)
Shahzad 74 not out
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
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EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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