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Firsts by Deena

Firsts by Deena

Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz 15 Episodes Feb 20, 2025

Firsts by Deena explores the origins of fashion and the pop-culture moments that have shaped the world. Host Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, a seasoned buyer and curator, engages in bold, against-the-grain conversations about fashion, art, and culture with special guests. The show aims to deepen listeners' understanding of how these influences shape thinking, dressing, and self-expression. Each episode delivers educational, lively discussions about iconic creations at the center of cultural zeitgeist.

Episodes

Beyond Assumptions: How Brands Can Truly Connect with Middle Eastern Consumers
Beyond Assumptions: How Brands Can Truly Connect with Middle Eastern Consumers Feb 20, 2025 37:42 Why do brands misunderstand the Middle Eastern consumer? It’s a question we’re tackling head-on in this episode of Firsts.Deena is joined by Philippa Morgan, Executive Director of International Markets at Dazed Media and Creative Strategy Director + Lead Editor at Deenathe1st. With a history of collaboration dating back to Vogue Arabia, Deena and Philippa bring deep industry knowledge to the table
Podcasts Killed the Video Star - Deena on Gen MTV
Podcasts Killed the Video Star - Deena on Gen MTV Dec 20, 2024 15:22 In this episode of Firsts, Deena delves into the impact of music videos on her life and on the broader cultural landscape. She recalls the 80s and 90s era of MTV, highlighting this new creative frontier that captivated her, particularly through the videos of Duran Duran, Don Henley, Bryan Ferry, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. She discusses the visionary directors like David Fincher who transformed
Finding Your DNA As A Designer with Mary Katrantzou
Finding Your DNA As A Designer with Mary Katrantzou Nov 15, 2024 43:18 What does the evolution of a designer look like? How do designers find their DNA? For designer Mary Katrantzou, who started off by pursuing a career in architecture and interior design and then found fashion as her medium of expression, her journey led to her breakout collection being featured in London Fashion Week’s 2008 graduating show, to then launching her eponymous label in 2009. Today, she’
Fashion Commentary 101 with Hanan Besovic of ideservecouture
Fashion Commentary 101 with Hanan Besovic of ideservecouture Oct 26, 2024 57:07 We're back with an episode that is unapologetically honest! Remember when fashion reviews weren’t just about hype? Hanan Besovic, the voice behind the popular Instagram account @ideservecouture, is bringing that era back. 'When the work is good, I love to praise fashion. But when it's not, sorry!' he tells Deena. Hanan’s platform represents a new wave of fashion commentary on social media, but wha
The Art and Evolution of Fashion Photography with Albert Watson
The Art and Evolution of Fashion Photography with Albert Watson Oct 3, 2024 45:42 At the end of our Deenathe1st.com interview with legendary photographer Albert Watson OBE, he mentioned that he would like to be asked about the position of art in photography and we had to follow it up with a podcast episode on Firsts by Deena! Hundreds of magazine covers, a Grammy on his shelf, the most popular portraits of Alfred Hitchcock, Steve Jobs, among others, and a career focused on the
The Power of Narrative with Ahmad Swaid
The Power of Narrative with Ahmad Swaid Sep 19, 2024 44:43 A supremely creative, endlessly curious individual—that’s how we would describe Ahmad Swaid. It’s high praise but well-deserved for the new founding Editor in Chief of Dazed Middle East. Born in London to parents from Sierra Leone and Lebanon, Ahmad grew up traversing these spaces that informed his identity. Through these formative experiences, he learned that all he wanted to do was tell stories,
Fashion History 101 with Valerie Steele
Fashion History 101 with Valerie Steele Sep 4, 2024 41:18 What do the clothes we wear reveal about us? More importantly, how do cultural shifts influence design and the way we dress? And how does this continue to evolve over time? At Deena the 1st, we love covering fashion history, and we had the privilege of diving deep into this topic with one of the leading voices in fashion studies, Valerie Steele. As the Director and Chief Curator of the Museum at t
The Rise of Saudi Art and Heritage on the Global Stage
The Rise of Saudi Art and Heritage on the Global Stage Aug 21, 2024 38:28 For the very first time, a panel has come together on the podcast to speak on a subject that needed to be discussed: why art from Saudi Arabia is now in the spotlight. This is on the back of Hafla by Sotheby's, an ongoing exhibition celebrating art from the Middle East. On the panel we have Ashkan Baghestani, the Head of Contemporary Day Sales at Sotheby’s and Princess Nourah Al Faisal, the f
Magazines, Media, and Manhattan with Dana Brown
Magazines, Media, and Manhattan with Dana Brown Aug 8, 2024 44:30 Magazines have declined, and while the digital world offers up more content than we can consume, we've lost the editors who were the tastemakers of our cultural zeitgeist. Dana Brown is the author of Dilettante, a memoir that takes the reader back to the golden era of magazines and publishing in its epicenter: New York City. But the book also tells you Dana’s story - a barback who got noticed by t
The Enduring Legacy of Elsa Peretti
The Enduring Legacy of Elsa Peretti Jul 25, 2024 8:54 A rebel. An artist. A maverick. Elsa Peretti created jewelry inspired by the world around her and this is only part of her legacy. Elsa inspired a style of jewelry that is classic and timeless, with pieces that have held resonance across generations. Collaborations with designers such as Halston, Giorgio di Sant'Angelo, and most successfully with Tiffany placed Elsa’s work on the map globally
Confluence with Sultan Al Darmaki
Confluence with Sultan Al Darmaki Jul 11, 2024 39:13 In this episode, Deena is joined by her friend and groundbreaking designer, Sultan Al Darmaki. He is the first contemporary Middle Eastern designer to have his work displayed at the V&A Museum in London. In this episode, Sultan and Deena begin by discussing how Sultan paved his path in the world of fashion and then they speak to the rich, yet lesser-known history of Middle Eastern fashion. The
From Runway to Red Carpet
From Runway to Red Carpet Jun 27, 2024 12:38 In this episode, Deena delves into the crossroads of fashion and the Red Carpet. Exploring the shift from spontaneous elegance to calculated stylization, she recalls the pioneering Giorgio Armani Oscars moments from the 80s which redefined the interaction between fashion and Hollywood. Reflecting on Versace's imprint on the Red Carpet, Deena highlights iconic instances such as Elizabeth Hurley's s

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