From Paris to Dubai... velvet dominates the looks of Arab stars

Velvet is no longer just a fabric associated with the winter season or classic evening looks. Rather, it has recently returned to occupy a prominent position in the choices of Arab stars, with different colors and cuts that confirm its remarkable presence on the red carpet at events and fashion shows. Between black and dark purple, the designs varied from specific feminine cuts, to touches inspired by the “retro” character, all the way to embroideries and decorations that gave this material a more modern character.

Black velvet accompanied the Lebanese artist Nancy Ajram while she attended a special party for the Swiss watch house Audemars Piguet in the French capital, Paris, where Ajram chose a short jumpsuit made of black velvet, with a heart-shaped chest, long sleeves, and high shoulders. The singer of the song "My Witness, My World" kept the rest of the details of the look simple, with straight hair and soft makeup, contenting herself with a gold watch from the house around her wrist.

Also in Paris, Iraqi makeup artist and influencer Hoda Kattan attended the Lebanese fashion designer Georges Hobeika’s Spring/Summer 2027 show during Fashion Week, and chose a complete velvet look from the Lebanese house, which consisted of a long-sleeved black jacket and a long midi skirt, decorated with burgundy-red floral embroideries, mixing the depth of velvet with more ornate details. Then the owner of the “Huda Beauty” account on “Instagram” completed her look with a short “retro” hairstyle and red lipstick.

During the same Fashion Week, black velvet also appeared in the looks of Egyptian actress Amina Khalil and Jordanian-Lebanese actress Andrea Taya. While attending the fine jewelry show of the French house Messika, Khalil chose a black velvet dress with an off-the-shoulder cut and long sleeves, with a long, narrow skirt.

She coordinated the design with jewelry from the house, transparent black socks, and classic shoes. As for Taya, during her attendance at the French designer Christian Louboutin’s spring-summer 2027 show, she wore a long black velvet dress, with a bare shoulder cut and a heart-shaped chest opening, with a defined waist and a wrap-around skirt that combined pleats, ruffles, and a side slit.

The look was combined with a side-swept retro hairstyle and burgundy red lipstick, along with classic shoes from the French designer. Away from black, Lebanese artist Najwa Karam opted for dark purple velvet by Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran during her concert at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

The design came with a bare shoulder cut, a straight collar, and a skirt with a mermaid tail, while the look was accompanied by gloves of the same color in a slightly lighter shade. Karam completed her appearance with a wavy hairstyle and soft pink makeup.