Memos From The Middle East: Jessica and Rita Kahawaty Announce Their Recipe Book, Shangri-La Muscat Turns 20, And Loro Piana Launches Its A/W25 Campaign

Every week Bazaar brings you the latest news in fashion and beauty, luxury and lifestyle, straight from our desks to yours — from across the region and beyond

Fashion

Loro Piana launches its AW25/26 campaign

Ever wished you were in a Jean Cocteau movie? Loro Piana’s A/W25 collection was captured at the iconic Villa Santo Sospir on the French Riviera by Mario Sorrenti, and was inspired by untamed landscapes from around the world. Rich cashmeres, soft knits, fluid outerwear, and clean tailoring come together to express the maison’s vision of refined comfort and timeless sophistication. Styled by Aleksandra Woroniecka, the cast – including Binx Walton and Leon Dame – invites you to slow down and choose clothes to truly live in.

Maison Margiela is shoppable online in the UAE

Maison Margiela is bringing its avant-garde spirit to the UAE with a simple click, following the launch of its dedicated e-commerce platform. True to the Parisian maison’s radical creativity, the site offers an immersive digital gateway into its world of deconstructed elegance and poetic rebellion. Customers across the Emirates can now explore the full Maison Margiela universe – from ready-to-wear to the cult Tabi and Replica shoes – with same-day delivery in Dubai and next-day shipping nationwide.

Beyoncé opens Cowboy Carter in custom Elie Saab couture
Beyoncé

Beyoncé kicked off the Washington, D.C. stop of her Cowboy Carter Tour in an eyecatching custom Elie Saab haute couture look that fused the region’s high glamour with Western flair. Wrapped in a dazzling feather-fringed bodysuit and matching cape, shimmering in vibrant red, white, and blue, she lit up the stadium with unstoppable star power.

Fine jewellery and watches

Meet Gucci’s latest high jewellery and watchmaking icons

Gucci unveiled its latest high jewellery and high watchmaking creations at an exclusive event in Paris, dazzling guests with a masterclass in Italian elegance and artisanal innovation. Highlights include seven new high-watchmaking designs and new additions to the Labirinti Gucci collection – think sculptural silhouettes, rare stones, and a poetic garden-inspired aesthetic, alongside bold reinterpretations of the iconic Horsebit and Marina Chain motifs. The spotlight also shines on Monili, a debut high jewellery collaboration between Gucci and Pomellato, blending soft leather, pavé diamonds, and sculptural gold into strikingly modern heirlooms.

Boucheron unveils its 2025 high jewellery dream

Boucheron invites us into a world where fragility becomes forever with “Impermanence,” the maison’s breathtaking Carte Blanche high jewellery collection for 2025. Dreamed up by Creative Director Claire Choisne, the 28-piece collection transforms nature’s most fleeting moments into wearable poetry – from featherlight tulips and luminous dragonflies to wisteria frozen mid-fall and poppies cloaked in Vantablack, one of the darkest materials in the world. Inspired by Japanese philosophies like wabi-sabi and the art of ikebana, each composition is both sculpture and jewel, brought to life with over 18,000 hours of artisan mastery.

Beauty

Hourglass Cosmetics has unveiled its latest eye collection, showcasing 40 thoughtfully crafted shades in matte, satin, shimmer, and metallic finishes, including eight new hues that glide on like silk and smoulder like ink. Presented in luxe, refillable packaging, each palette will feel like your personal make-up artist in your pocket. Accompanying the collection is the Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara in a deep Espresso hue, offering full, fluttering drama.

Culture

Jessica and Rita Kahawaty announce their family recipe book

Get ready to bring the soul of Mama Rita’s kitchen to your own as Jessica and Rita Kahawaty unveil their first-ever cookbook, Mama Rita: Family Recipes from the Mediterranean, publishing September 4 with Penguin Random House. Inspired by the beloved Dubai-based food delivery brand Mama Rita, this beautifully photographed hardback captures the warmth of three generations of family cooking through over 75 nourishing, flavour-packed dishes rooted in Lebanese and Mediterranean traditions. From crispy, not soggy fattoush to Grandma’s vegetarian lasagne and soulful chicken shawarma, every recipe tells a story of heritage, heart, and home. Pre-order your copy here.

Zayed National Museum to open in December 2025

A new chapter in the UAE’s cultural legacy begins this December, as the long-awaited Zayed National Museum opens its doors in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District. Built to honour the life and enduring vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum weaves together stories of identity, heritage, and belonging through a powerful lens of knowledge and unity. Inside its striking falcon-inspired design, visitors will journey across 300,000 years of history, encountering extraordinary treasures like one of the world’s oldest natural pearls and the mesmerising Blue Qur’an. With rare artefacts, immersive storytelling, and a mission rooted in cross-cultural dialogue, the Zayed National Museum is poised to become a cultural hotspot of the region.

V&A Announces the first-ever UK exhibition devoted to Schiaparelli

Mark your 2025 diaries – the V&A has announced the first-ever UK exhibition devoted to the iconic House of Schiaparelli. Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, will open March 21 2026 at the Sainsbury Gallery, charting the radical legacy of Elsa Schiaparelli from the 1920s to the present day. Featuring over 200 dazzling objects, including rare garments, accessories, jewellery, sculpture, and artworks by the likes of Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, and Picasso, visitors will be immersed in the Maison’s fearless history of avant-garde elegance, from the legendary Skeleton dress and Shoe hat to Daniel Roseberry’s modern-day sculptural couture worn by Beyoncé, Zendaya, and more. Whether you’re a couture connoisseur or an art lover with a surrealist streak, this is the V&A’s must-see show of 2026, running until November 1.

Travel

Introducing Amansamar: A Sanctuary in the Heart of Wadi Safar

Aman has announced Amansamar, its latest serene sanctuary nestled within the dramatic escarpments of Wadi Safar, just moments from Diriyah’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Featuring an ultra-luxe resort and a limited number of private residences designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, the retreat will offer a world-class spa with hammam and banya houses, fine dining, racquet club, kids’ facilities, and access to a royal golf course and polo fields. Currently under construction, it joins a flourishing Middle East portfolio that includes Aman AlUla, Janu Diriyah and the upcoming Amangati superyacht – watch this space.

Celebrate Two Decades of Shangri-La Serenity

Shangri-La Muscat is turning 20. To celebrate two decades of sea, sun, and soul-soothing serenity, the iconic resort has unveiled its most exciting stay offers yet. Guests are invited to mark this milestone with sun-drenched mornings, decadent dinners, and moments that linger long after checkout – whether it’s at the vibrant, family-friendly Al Waha, or the exclusive cliffside hideaway of Al Husn. For more information visit shangri-la.com or call +968 2477 6262 to reserve your stay.

Imagery supplied