Interviews

Since our talk with her last year, Rana Yousry continued developing her fashion empire beyond local borders; as well as making history with collections that intentionally obfuscate the lines between haute couture and prêt-à-porter by creating and claiming Prête-à-Couture. ASORY House continues to introduce extraordinary designs that boast the best of both worlds in modern fashion: elegance and eccentricity. The young icon, who took to the finale at AFW in Dubai, has launched her newest collection, Black Rose. The collection also made it to the first-ever Fashion Week in Saudi Arabia, etching ASORY’s name in the MENA region’s fashion history. Check out our exclusive catch-up with Rana. Yousry.

Culinary art is no piece of cake to master, especially when it comes to Egyptian cuisine. That said, the Top Chef star, Mostafa Seif, has proven to excel in it, beautifully representing his country through his gastronomic pieces in a reality competition that brings together chefs from all over the Middle East. Mostafa Seif talks about winning first place in the second season of MBC Top Chef, and tells us a bit about his future plans.

It’s not every day you get to hear about a woman flourishing in affluent male-dominated fields like hospitality. Caroline Selim has recently been appointed General Manager of Sonesta Hotel Tower & Casino, and humble as she is about her recent history-making promotion, Selim managed to spare some time from her hectic schedule to have a chat with us on how she made it to the top.

The internationally renowned chef, cookbook author, rockstar, and restaurateur is far more than a photogenic TV host. After being exposed to a variety of cultures at a young age, Bobby Chinn has developed a culinary acumen that surpasses any other. We had the pleasure to chat with the culinary sensation himself, and he told us about his journey to becoming a professional and making it to Top Chef Middle East.

in the hit series ‘Nesr El Saeed’ (Eagle of Upper Egypt), Batool Elhadad has once again impressed her audience with her role as Safiya – a young woman who gets caught in a complicated love triangle. Elhadad had already risen her own bar after her successful role as Ghada in ‘Younis Weld Faddah’ (Younis Son of Faddah); her emotional and natural acting continues to receive local acclaim and positive criticisms. Elhadad tells us how she landed her first role, and gives us a glimpse of her future plans.

The international soprano vocalist, Zeina Barhoum, is more than just a talented performer with astounding theatrical skills. Having launched the first Arab Opera festival in the Middle East, ‘Amman Opera Festival’, the Jordanian sensation is working on orchestrating a cultural appreciation for what she calls “food for the mind soul and heart” –the opera. Exceptional opera performances are not her sole objective; the initiative will soon be launching educational programs in collaboration with international institutions to work hand-in-hand on bringing people of all cultures together through art. The songstress and fashion designer opens up to us about how she made it where she is today, and tells us about her plans of perpetuating fine arts regionally and internationally.

It was only four years ago when we saw Wissam Saliba’s talents on the screen in the hit TV series, ‘Ahmed and Christina,’ which tells the story of two young adults from different religious backgrounds falling in love. You might also know the rising star from the international Arab film ‘La’eni Bahebak’ (Because I Love You), which continues to receive global and regional acclaim until today. We talked to Saliba about his exceptional role in the upcoming ‘Mala Al’a’ (Trouble); a film that narrows down the generational gap by blending contemporary social angst with outdated obligations imposed on millennials of today. The Lebanese star with a multi-faceted resume opens up to us about his latest film, and some of the challenges he has overcome thus far.  

Whether you’re looking for viral writings, spontaneous TV hosting, or successful productions – Suby Otry is your man! His countless interviews with the biggest names in the Arab world have made him one of the most radiant names in the media industry. Otry has never failed to keep us updated on the juiciest gossip and entertainment news through the show ‘Trending.’ The talented host walks us from the moment it all began, to his future plans of starting his own show.

Known for her exuberant collections that reminisce the golden days and celebrate our colourful present, Dina El Missiry smoothly renders the textures and hues of our surroundings into unique designs that stand out in the crowd. Her most recent collection, ‘Bohemian Vagabond’, is a pleasant blend of vintage and ethnic apparel, boasting both warm and vibrant shades that beautifully complement the simple floral and geometric patterns. El Missiry opens up to (in)sight’s Mayar El-Shamy about how her journey started, her brand’s policy on animal cruelty, and what she’s working on right now.

Taught by the best, only to present us the best – Amir Ramses is one of the most radiant names in the filmmaking industry, known for his unique work and exceptional talent. After having worked as an assistant director with the iconic Youssef Chahine, Amir Ramses now continues to add masterpieces to his filmographic repertoire of international films.  Ramses talks to (in)sight’s Rania Badr about his emergence as a filmmaker, his experience working with Chahine, and his efforts on making El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) up to the standards it set for itself.