#StyledByCed: Cedric Haddad On Top Trends, Biggest Fashion Moment, And Balqees Fathi’s FIFA World Cup Song Look

Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s new columnist and stylist to the stars, Cedric Haddad shares his glittering view from the runway to the red carpet

Anatomy Of A Look

The starting point for the official FIFA World Cup song Light the Sky was to create a visual that telegraphed confidence, power, strength, and a youthful edginess. So I bet on black when I styled Balqees for the music video; from her Lara Croft-esque French braid to her Bardot-inspired winged eyeliner, she proved that black is always a smart choice. For her first look, I opted for a minimalistic scuba Dolce&Gabbana midi dress with built-in gloves, and a turtleneck that has a clever sheer black tulle detail. I remember the look fit her perfectly, no alterations needed! That’s why I called it “The FIFA dress” – it’s a winner. To finish, I added an eye-catching YEPREM ear cuff that reflected the light when it was Balqees’ time to shine in the music video.

For the group scene shot at night inside the Lusail Stadium, I wanted Balqees to have an elevated street-style look that also found a way to ‘light the sky’. I did this by teaming a pair of Tom Ford flared crystal-covered pants with a cutaway black tank top. At the last minute, I added some black fingerless gloves that I topped off with diamond accessories from YEPREM and to accentuate her long wavy hair I added a single YEPREM earring into the mix so that it looked like a river of diamonds was cascading down her neck.

3 Trends To Know

Cargo Pants

These are so much fun to style because they’re versatile. You can slant them towards a chic and minimal direction or lean in to a more grungy, street-style approach.

XL Bags

These oversized bags are practical and comfortable, which is always a great combo. But if you’re petite, steer clear of them… you don’t want to look like you’re being eaten alive by your bag.

Tank Tops

A simple cotton tank is now seen as a luxury item. Thank you, Prada! It’s a journeyman top that works well with denim, pencil skirts and shorts… basically with everything, anytime and anywhere.

My Fashion Moment

Being invited by Donatella Versace for a one-on-one private dinner back in March when she was visiting Dubai, was the highlight of my 2022. I can’t describe how inspiring that night was, learning from the legend herself. As an Arab stylist, I feel even more responsibility to help reverberate her fashion perspective across the Middle East region, especially after I asked her what her vision for Versace was after having designed it for over a decade. Her answer… “I will always aim to keep Versace young, sexy, SUPPLIED IMAGES and dreamy!”

Images Supplied.

From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s November 2022 issue.