AROUND TOWN

Pak-China artistes come together for Mid-Autumn Festival

A cultural gala featuring Chinese and Pakistani musicians and dancers was held to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Islamabad. The Shaanxi Wenyi Art Troupe, Xi’an City Wall Art Troupe and traditional Chinese orchestra of Xi’an International University performed Silk Road Imagination, Plum Blossom Melody, Jasmine Blossom, Spring, River, Flower, Moon, Night, Dragon Characters, Capricio of Qin Opera, Changa’an Melody, The Banquet and the famous Royal Court Drum Dance. While Pakistani dancers performed kathak and bhangra dances, a solo classical dance was presented in the kathak style by Azeem Haidery.

The event was organised by the Chinese embassy, the China Cultural Centre and the Shaanxi Council for the Promotion of External Cultural Exchange to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, the second most important event after the Chinese New Year. Addressing the audience before the show, Chinese Cultural Counsellor You Yi said, “The festival is a day for family gatherings and reunion where they enjoy the full moon, which is an auspicious symbol of harmony and prosperity. PNCA Director General Jamal Shah spoke about the diversity of Chinese culture and the increasing cultural ties between the two countries.”

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@Muneebawajid1

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#KEEPITNATURAL

Acne-positive movement gains momentum across the world

In today’s day and age, when all that people seem to be working for is aesthetic perfection, a new acne-positive movement is encouraging them to open up and accept their respective skin problems. The movement comes shortly after others of the same kind, offering support to those who suffer from vitiligo, freckles and even stretch marks and asking them to accept their natural appearances. According to The Guardian, the movement traces back to British blogger Em Ford, who posted a video on YouTube called ‘You Look Disgusting’, back in 2015. The video featured her with both, a full face of make-up and completely bare skin, where her acne was visible. It garnered more than 10 million views in just a week, including hateful comments from users stating that she looks “ugly” and “gross.”

Now it seems like acne-positivity is bringing in the winds of change, as more and more people are now embracing their flawed skins. Celebrities such as Lorde and Justin Bieber have followed suit, undisturbed by what fans might say. And then, in 2017, Teen Vogue launched the Acne Awards.

#FASHIONTAKEOVER

Michael Kors buys Versace for $2.1 billion

Global fashion house Michael Kors (MK) has agreed to buy Italian luxury giant Versace, adding a new layer to its offering after buying shoe brand Jimmy Choo last year for $1.4 billion. MK, with roots in the United States but headquartered in London, has struck a deal to buy the aforementioned brand for 1.83 billion euros ($2.1 billion), a statement said. "We are excited to have Versace as part of our family of luxury brands, and we are committed to investing in its growth," said MK chief executive John D. Idol. "With the full resources of our group, we believe that Versace will grow to over $2.0 billion in revenues," he added. Named after its US founder, MK was launched in 1981. MK, best known for its bags, watches and perfume, said it planned to grow the number of Versace stores worldwide by 50 per cent to 300.

Donatella Versace, artistic director and vice-president of the Italian group, said the takeover was "essential to Versace's long-term success". Versace was the brainchild of Gianni Versace, who was born in Calabria to a dressmaker mother and presented his first signature collection in 1978, with his brother Santo taking care of the label's business arm. But the designer, whose bold designs were embraced by Madonna and other mega-celebrities, was the victim of a bizarre slaying in 1997 by luxury-obsessed male prostitute Andrew Cunanan in Miami.

#MUSIC REVIEW

Strings leave everyone spellbound with a musical throwback

Strings fans were given a particularly delightful and nostalgic musical treat when Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood performed one of their most loved songs, Zinda. The band serenaded a different rendition of the song that brought out a diverse and extraordinary liveliness on stage. The song has painful yet uplifting with intense composition. The great use of instruments particularly drums and electric guitar - the riffs after the spoken verse truly awestruck the audience. The performance was admired more than the original track, the credit for which equally goes to the ace drummer Aahad Nayani. Zinda’s lyrics are profound – they convey the message of life and death, and the melody brought that signature tune alive with an unforgettable score. The way the duo executed the song with zest was absolutely immaculate. Strings composition of this version sound still as hard hitting as Faisal’s vocals and Anwar Maqsood’s poetry, setting the perfect mood. Though the song carries a despondent attitude, it still sets the tone of the musical evening with catchy beats and redeeming factor. The song will stay alive in eons to come.

#AGIRL’SBESTFRIEND

World's most expensive shoes step in, in Dubai

The world's most expensive pair of shoes, with a price tag of $17 million (Dh62.4 million), are to be launched at the world’s only seven-star hotel, Burj Al Arab. The Passion Diamond Shoes are made of diamonds and gold; they feature hundreds of diamonds, together with two imposing D-flawless diamonds of 15 carats each. Previously, Debbie Wingham high heels were considered the most expensive footwear costing $15.1 million (Dh55.4 million). Jada Dubai, in collaboration with Passion Jewellers, designed and created the luxury footwear over a period of nine months. The pair of shoes on display is a prototype 36 size of European Union standard, but it will be made in a specific size provided by the customer after the sale. During the event, Jada Dubai will also launch three more limited edition creations made with diamonds, rubies, gold and pearls. The new collection includes the Diamond Pearl sandals ($25,000), the Ruby Stilettos featuring rubies, gold and diamonds ($27,000) and the Diamond and Gold stilettos ($17,000).

#HEARTOFGOLD

Maheen Khan raises her voice for suffering children

Maheen Khan has spoken up on the water crisis that exists in the Tharparkar district of Pakistan, sharing images and articles of children, as well as families suffering from the drought that has been ongoing since 2011. The district is also low on doctors and medicine which means there is a lack of enough resources for their medical treatments. The veteran designer tweeted, “I am struggling to put this in words but why have we become so numb, so immune to the suffering of others – in this case, the children of Tharparkar. They are dying of lack of water.” The Gulabo mastermind then requested Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and Prime Minister Imran Khan to look into the matter and come up with a solution. Designer Feeha Jamshed also joined in and requested the Sindh government to help the people of Tharparkar. She requested the PM to take notice and stated, “Thar belongs to Pakistan not to a province. Get a grip and do something now.”