The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Entesar Al-Hammadi, an aspiring 20-year-old Yemeni model and actress who was abducted by Houthi rebels on a Sanaa street along with two friends, is now the subject of a criminal investigation, according to an Arab News report.
Her lawyer, Khaled Mohammed Al-Kamal, told the media outlet he has been informed that a prosecutor from the rebel-controlled West Sanaa court will question Al-Hammadi on Sunday. He did not say what the focus of the investigation is, but observers and rights groups believe it relates to violations of traditional Islamic dress codes.
Yemeni officials said Al-Hammadi and two other actresses were travelling to shoot a drama series on February 20 when the rebels stopped their vehicle and took them to an unknown location. This kidnapping is the latest in a string of abductions by Houthi rebels on dissidents and liberal women in areas under the group’s control.
Last year, Al-Hammadi told a local TV station she wished to travel abroad to work as a model, citing parental and societal resistance at home. “It would be great if I was given an opportunity outside Yemen,” she said.
Despite decades of volatility in Latin America’s third-largest economy, some local fashion entrepreneurs have found success thanks to a combination of grit, determination and hyper-adaptability.
This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features Hong Kong jewellery giant Chow Tai Fook, Ghana’s travel retail move and Brazilian apparel retailer Lojas Renner.
This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features Japanese cosmetics group Kosé, Pakistan’s e-commerce market and JD.com’s management shakeup in China.
Actors are a particularly effective way of reaching Indian consumers, but fashion brands should consider widening the net to include other famous faces like local musicians, athletes and celebrity influencers, say marketing experts.