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Bella Hadid has once again used her platform to celebrate Palestinian talent — this time while promoting her perfume brand, Orebella.

In her latest Instagram post, the Palestinian-American model shared a series of photos of herself wearing an exquisite piece from Palestinian designer Reema Al Banna’s label Reemami, praising the designer’s skill and vision. The dress features the olive tree and other symbols of the Palestinian resistance.

Calling Al Banna a “brilliant, beautiful, hard-working, talented young Palestinian artist and designer,” Hadid described the outfit as “a piece of art” and expressed gratitude for her craftsmanship.

Banna started her brand at 24, fresh out of college. Her label, according to Official Bespoke, captures the spirit of a daring and thriving generation that has rooted itself in a recovering region.

The designer, who won the DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize for ready-to-wear in 2016, said in an interview featured on Gems of Arabia in April, “The symbolism in Palestinian craftsmanship feels like homecoming to me. It’s about celebrating my identity.” She spoke about how fashion can be a force for purpose, not just aesthetics.

Hadid’s post went beyond fashion. Tying the shoot to her own heritage, Hadid reflected on her “Eternal Roots”, a theme she has been championing, and spoke about “holding your lineage when the world makes it hard,” a clear nod to the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza and the backlash Palestinian and pro-Palestinian voices face for speaking up. Hadid has faced intense backlash for her support of her father’s homeland, including threats from the Israeli government.

“Roots are not passive,” she wrote. “They hold us steady through storms, and they remind us of who we are when the ground feels unsteady. My roots are my compass,” she declared.

Describing those roots as her family, her ancestors, mother nature, God and love — elements she says have guided her through the toughest times — she added, “And they will always, always run deep.”

Hadid ended her post by spotlighting another Palestinian creative, singer Elyanna, whose song ‘Olive Branch’ she used in the video. “Bless you, Habibti. I am so proud of you and all that you do,” she wrote.

“Eternal Roots comes from within, we just have to make sure we walk in our truth, the rest will follow,” concluded the model.

This isn’t the first time Hadid has merged her advocacy for Palestine with her work in fashion and beauty. The model has consistently spoken out against injustices faced by Palestinians, making her platform a space where artistry and activism often intersect.

Earlier, she wore a red keffiyeh dress to Cannes, France, during the city’s famed film festival. In an Instagram post highlighting her look, she spoke about the significance of the keffiyeh.

“Palestine on my mind, in my blood and on my heart. Always… While I still have to go to work, even through this horror, to wear our culture makes me a proud Palestinian, and I want the world to continue to see Palestine, wherever we go,” Hadid wrote.

Hadid said the dress, designed by Michael and Hushi in 2001, was “a beautiful way to represent the history, labour of love, resilience and, most importantly, the art of historic Palestinian embroidery.”

Thirty years ago, the coming-of-age romantic comedy “Clueless” opened in movie theaters and went on to become an enduring American pop culture touchstone.

“I’m thrilled that people love it and continue to love it,” the movie’s star, Alicia Silverstone, said in a recent conversation in New York. “Young people. Old people. It’s really gone on and on, and obviously that’s lovely.”

AMC Networks is counting on Silverstone’s multigenerational appeal to help boost the New York-based media company’s streaming service Acorn TV, which specializes in British dramas and other programs from overseas.

Silverstone is the lead in the new Acorn original series “Irish Blood,” which premiered Monday. She plays hard-bitten Los Angeles divorce lawyer Fiona Sharpe, who heads to Ireland to resolve a mystery involving the father who abandoned her as a child.

AMC has also signed the imperishable Brooke Shields to star in another Acorn project titled “You’re Killing Me.” She portrays a mystery novelist who teams with a young wannabe writer and influencer to investigate murders in a small New England town. The series starts shooting this summer and is set to premiere in 2026.

Why put two iconic American actresses on a streaming platform with a well-defined niche of providing viewers with international locations and accents that at times require closed-captioning even when the language is English?

Even the small players in streaming have to get bigger.

AMC does not have the deep pockets to compete with the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. The company has blazed its own digital path by serving dedicated audiences who will pay for an additional streaming service that caters to their passions, such as Shudder for horror fans and HIDIVE for anime lovers.

The company’s suite of streaming services has around 10.4 million customers. Even with that modest figure, AMC Networks’ streaming revenue has steadily grown to the point where it will soon surpass what the company earns from its traditional TV channels such as AMC, BBC America, Sundance TV and WE, which continue to see subscriber declines because of cord-cutting.

AMC has found that the strong fan bases for its niche services are willing to absorb price increases and are less likely to cancel. The company has managed to keep its streaming platforms priced at less than $10 a month.

Now AMC Networks is looking to accelerate its subscriber growth and Acorn — the most popular and profitable of its standalone offerings — is seen as the platform best suited to the task.

“It’s a service we really believe in,” Courtney Thomasma, executive vice president for streaming and content strategy at AMC Networks, told The Times in a recent interview. “Over the last year, we’ve been really focused on looking for ways to continue to raise awareness of the brand and invite new viewers in who we know would also love it. We’re doing that with a focus on investing in the brand and inviting bigger talent that’s more familiar to North American audiences.”

Many fans of Acorn — which started out as a direct marketer of British TV series on home video and was acquired by AMC in 2018 — are what Thomasma calls “armchair travelers” who want to take in a French vineyard or the cobblestone streets of Chelsea. But AMC believes aligning Acorn more closely to the mystery genre will widen its appeal.

A monthlong promotional campaign under the banner of Murder Mystery May — which featured a number of season premieres — drove Acorn TV subscription sign-ups to a four-year high. The 20 million hours watched during the month was the best ever for the service, according to AMC.

The emphasis on mystery provides Acorn the latitude to cast Silverstone and Shields. One way AMC attracts star talent is the opportunity to put their own creative stamp on their programs. “They become as invested in the success of the projects as we are,” Thomasma said.

Silverstone came on to “Irish Blood” as executive producer and became involved in the development of the series. She was involved in the hiring of key positions in the production and worked with the writers. She’s happy with the result.

“I thought it was quirky and also an emotionally deep drama,” Silverstone said. “There’s a lot for me to do.”

Shields and writer Robin Bernheim pitched the generation gap tandem at the center of “You’re Killing Me” to AMC, and the actor remains deeply involved in the process as shooting begins. “This is the first time I’ve ever had this much creative control as an executive producer,” Shields said in an interview. “I feel lucky that they entrusted me to do what we’re doing.”

Acorn teams with production partners around the world and generates revenue from selling some of its series for second runs on international broadcasters and PBS. AMC spends in the range of $1 million per episode for its cost-efficient series, which are heavy on dialogue and largely car-chase free. The audience is older — they are avid readers who are likely to subscribe to newspapers, watch cable news and PBS, and enjoy solving puzzles.

And though Acorn is hoping to attract more younger subscribers, the service won’t be losing its British accent.

Acorn recently launched “Art Detectives” with Stephen Moyer, who also is an executive producer. The series, about a Heritage Crime Unit that solves murders connected to art and antiques, had the strongest premiere in the streamer’s history.

Later this year, it will offer a new six-episode series starring Matthew Lewis, known for his Neville Longbottom role in the Harry Potter films. Based on the series of Canon Clements mystery novels by the Rev. Richard Coles, “Murder Before Evensong” is a co-production with British broadcaster Channel 5.

“We pride ourselves on being a boutique neighborhood store, the kind that you walk in, you know the owner [and] the owner knows you,” Thomasma said. “We have deep connection to our audience.”

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When Miuccia Prada sent boat shoes down the runway at her SS24 Miu Miu show, the fashion world sat up. Also known as top-siders or deck shoes, the moccasin-like style with 360-degree lacing and a rubber sole has nautical origins thanks to Paul Sperry, who is credited with inventing the non-slip shoe after he fell overboard on his boat in 1935. He patented the sole in 1939, and it became standard-issue for the US Navy’s casual uniform a year later – before eventually making its way onto civilian feet around the world.

Today the shoe has become a smart-casual standard combining the comfort of a sneaker with the polish of a loafer. According to online retailer Mr Porter, searches for boat shoes have increased by 120 per cent in the past six months with Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana and Zegna among the most in-demand labels, according to buying director Daniel Todd.

Options range from neutral, Ivy League-style classics at Sebago and GH Bass (try the Mini Lug Hampton, £210) to Italian-inspired elegance at Pasadena-based brand Ghiaia, whose Marina dock shoe is hand-sewn from structured martellata leather (£731). For minimalists – and special occasions – defer to the Milanese brand Scarosso or the Stockholm-based tailoring house Saman Amel, which crafts its bestselling City Moc (boat shoe-adjacent, as it only features lacing on the upper) from premium Italian suede (£545).

The boat shoe combines the comfort of a sneaker with the polish of a loafer

For a classic finish, look to John Lobb’s offering (£890). The brand’s Foil shoe, designed as a “contemporary twist” on the trend, according to CEO Philippe Gonzalez, features glove stitching on the apron and a padded insole reminiscent of Riva boat interiors. His advice is to wear a pair with “linen trousers and an oversized shirt for a more casual day at the office, or with swim shorts and a linen shirt by the pool.”

Want to make a statement? Celine Homme’s Bateau model is embellished with gold Triomphe charms (£790) while Loewe’s Campo shoe, available in a soft suede and striking metallic calfskin, showcases Flamenco-style knots and an exaggerated round toe (from £825). Those hankering after some height might prefer Grenson’s Dunstan, which pairs a boat-shoe upper with a hefty Vibram rubber commando sole (£350). Alternatively, try the Haddock by Bottega Veneta (£990) or Studio Nicholson’s Guston boat shoe with raw-cut laces and topstitching at the welt (£495). 

And if you have an old pair at the back of the cupboard, ready for a refresh? Just take inspiration from the Miu Miu catwalk: embrace the scuffing and add colourful laces.