ball of arabia 2021

Rym Saidi in Rami Al Ali. Photo: Dazl Production
Among the host of dazzling gold gowns at Vogue‘s Ball of Arabia, Rym Saidi‘s subtle yet elegant take on the night’s dress code was a noteworthy stand-out moment. The Tunisian actor took the pale gold route on December 12, and breezed into Raffles The Palm Dubai in a gown by Syrian couturier Rami Al Ali, cementing her spot among the best dressed at the grand event.

The strapless dress with a structured corset top flowed into a floor-grazing pleated skirt with a high slit, and was picked from the UAE-based designer’s Fall/Winter 2021 collection. Saidi, who also fronted Vogue Arabia’s May 2019 issue, channeled the model in her as she posed for the cameras at the ball, with lights reflecting off of the sharp pleats of her dress. The star’s look was curated by celebrity stylist Cedric Haddad and served as the perfect mix of regional and international talent, complete with Jimmy Choo heels, a gemstone-adorned Bulgari choker, and matching earrings (notice how one featured a ruby while the other championed a sapphire) that complemented her regal updo.

For the mother-of-two married to actor Wissam Breidy, picking a Rami Al Ali creation for the Ball of Arabia celebrating the UAE was an easy choice. Both, the designer and star, have adopted Dubai as their home, and there could not have been a better way to honor their connection to the country than by coming together to create this memorable sartorial moment. Speaking to Vogue Arabia, the actor shared why the gold number will also be one to remember for her. “I don’t usually wear gold, but it is the most luxurious color,” she said. “It is almost the end of the year, so it is a great occasion to wear the color, especially at this beautiful ball.” Saidi also took the opportunity to spotlight the strength of Emirati women, saying, “I am so proud of them—what they are doing and what they have done already. I am proud as an Arab woman living here in the UAE, and I want to see more and more Emirati women on top.”
Below, more snapshots of Saidi from the evening.

Read Next: Mona Zaki to Dorra Zarrouk: The Most Beautiful Gold Gowns from Vogue’s Ball of Arabia 2021

Held on a winter evening at the luxurious Raffles The Palm Dubai, the Ball of Arabia was a major cause for celebration, and one of the most glamorous reasons to dress up for this year. With the theme calling for gold dresses in Arab designers in honor of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, guests went with a no-holds-barred approach when it came to selecting their red carpet-worthy ensembles for the evening.
As one of the co-chairs of the Ball, couturier Zuhair Murad found many of his stunning pieces worn by guests. Fellow co-chair Mona Zaki opted for an embellished dress with sweeping cold-shoulder sleeves, and later slipped into a shorter pleated dress. Host for the evening Jessica Kahawaty stunned in a beaded cape dress, and editor-in-chief Manuel Arnaut also wore a custom black velvet cape with gold embroidery by the Lebanese designer. Co-chairs and sisters Huda and Mona Kattan arrived together in equally dazzling numbers: Mona chose to join those championing Murad in a bejeweled figure-hugging dress, and Huda took the opportunity to wear Michael Cinco, the UAE-based couturier she had not been dressed in until now.
Shades of gold and classic black also made an appearance on the red carpet. Tunisian actor and model Rym Saidi—who shared that she doesn’t often wear gold—went for a pale shade of the color in a strapless pleated number by another UAE-based couturier, Rami Al Ali. Like Zaki, another star to have an outfit change at the Ball was Dorra Zarrouk. The Tunisian actor made an entrance in a metallic gold dress by Jean Pierre Khoury, and later swapped it for an olive-toned one by Géyanna Youness Haute Couture. And then there were the ladies who took a subtler route for the night. While Nadine Nassib Njeim walked in wearing a gold and black pantsuit, Jane Yun opted for an earthy sculpted Azzi & Osta number sprinkled with gold, and Aseel Omran picked an ebony maxi.
In the gallery above, find out what your favorite celebrities, influencers and more wore to the Ball of Arabia.
Read Next: Red Carpet and Beyond: 40 Pictures That Take You Inside the Star-Studded Ball of Arabia 2021