GQ Middle East (@gqmiddleeast)

Bollywood’s reach across the region is undeniable, its family values and emotional pull resonating far beyond the vast South Asian diaspora that calls the Arab world home. @ishaankhatter’s ascent is part of that story – and very much his own. From the promise of Beyond the Clouds to global recognition in A Suitable Boy and Netflix’s The Perfect Couple, he’s carved out a career defined by discipline and curiosity. “It’s early days, and there is so much more that I want to do. I think now I’m at a time and place where people are able to see me for me,” he tells @rajasen. This September, Khatter fronts the cover of GQ Middle East as an actor stepping into a new kind of authorship – of his story, his craft, and his future. Hit the link in bio to read the full story. Cover one of two. Head of Editorial Content: @aminejreissaty Photography: @ashishisshah Art Director: @rashidbabiker Visuals Editor: @ankitaachandra Senior Fashion Editor: @keanoushdarosa Styling: @jameslalthanzuala Grooming: @aalimhakim @shahrukhshaikh9519 Make Up: @nalini_ferns Fashion & Production Coordinator: @anchthawani Photography Assistant: Anish Oommen Fashion assistants: Mahek Gada, Astha Killa Production: @ikp.insta Talent: @ishaankhatter Artist Reputation Management: @jio_creative_labs @anushreekirtikar

Ishaan Khatter has built his craft deliberately, step by step. It all began with a childhood fascination with cinema, eventually leading to a standing ovation at Cannes for his performance in Homebound. But before the camera, there was dance. At six, he was mirroring Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai routines in front of the mirror, idolising Hrithik Roshan. By eight, he was on set watching his brother Shahid make his debut in Ishq Vishk, mesmerised by the grind behind a song sequence and the magic of seeing it complete on screen. “Dancing is a very big part of who I am as an actor,” he says. “As a form of physical expression, and much beyond even just the physical, I think it’s informed my craft as an actor. My connection with my body, and how I can express things through my body.” This September, GQ Middle East explores Khatter’s evolution as a performer. Read the full interview at the link in bio. Words: @rajasen Head of Editorial Content: @aminejreissaty Photography: @ashishisshah Art Director: @rashidbabiker Visuals Editor: @ankitaachandra Senior Fashion Editor: @keanoushdarosa Styling: @jameslalthanzuala Grooming: @aalimhakim @shahrukhshaikh9519 Make Up: @nalini_ferns Fashion & Production Coordinator: @anchthawani Photography Assistant: Anish Oommen Fashion Assistants: Mahek Gada, Astha Killa Production: @ikp.insta Artist Reputation Management: @jio_creative_labs @anushreekirtikar

From running up walls as a 20-year-old assistant director to witnessing the raw intensity of his mother’s performances, @ishaankhatter opens up about the moments that shaped him as an actor and as a person. He speaks to @rajasen about the lessons he learned along the way, and why honesty and presence are at the core of every role he takes on. “Everything that you’re thinking shows. You can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to the camera,” he says. GQ Middle East’s September cover star takes us through his journey – from the early opportunities to the global projects, and how he’s sharpened his instincts through it all. Hit the link in bio to read the full story. Head of Editorial Content: @aminejreissaty Photography: @ashishisshah Art Director: @rashidbabiker Visuals Editor: @ankitaachandra Senior Fashion Editor: @keanoushdarosa Styling: @jameslalthanzuala Grooming: @aalimhakim @shahrukhshaikh9519 Make Up: @nalini_ferns Fashion & Production Coordinator: @anchthawani Photography Assistant: Anish Oommen Fashion assistants: Mahek Gada, Astha Killa Production: @ikp.insta Talent: @ishaankhatter Artist Reputation Management: @jio_creative_labs @anushreekirtikar

The definitive style guide to keep your fits fly, curated by the GQ Middle East team. Artwork: @rashidbabiker

In the years since the premature death of former @off____white and @louisvuitton creative director @virgilabloh, a team of archivists has tirelessly catalogued one of the most remarkable private fashion collections ever assembled. In GQ’s September issue, we’re revealing it for the first time. Read at the link in bio as @samuelhine takes a look inside the Virgil Abloh Archive (VAA)—home to approximately 20,000 garments, shoes, bags, documents, pieces of art, and personal mementos that belonged to the most prolific creative force of his time. Story by @samuelhine Photography by @michael_schmelling Polaroid of Virgil Abloh by @ezrapetronio - Art Partner / Trunk Archive Via @gq

Speaking to GQ Middle East, Tunisian filmmaker @kaoutherbenhania opens up about the making of her latest film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which premiered yesterday in Venice to a record-breaking standing ovation. The film tells the story of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli forces after nearly three hours trapped in her family’s car in Gaza, spent on the phone with rescuers who were ultimately unable to reach her. She explains why the film is both a memorial and a political statement, and reflects on the mix of support and criticism sparked by Hollywood’s biggest names standing behind it. Hit the link in bio to read more.

Giorgio Armani has passed away. Born in Piacenza in July 1934, he left us today at the age of 91. His work made him immortal – shaping generations of designers, inspiring countless imitators, and bringing young people closer to fashion. Beyond the tributes and rhetoric, this is his greatest legacy: what he gave to the world of fashion, and to the world itself.

In Lebanon, 14,600 Sudanese refugees live in limbo, caught between displacement and uncertainty. For many, the football pitch has become a place to belong. “The team is my family now. If I am sick or something happens, they support me,” says Ibrahim Abdu of Al Tahade. Across 11 teams and 200 players, the Sudanese league has grown into community, escape, and a way to claim space in a country that often denies them one. For Taj Eldeen Adam Ali of Al Ahrar, the game is everything. “I looked forward to this all week,” he says, beaming. “I would play every day if I could.” Football connected him to half the community he now calls his own. Hit the link in bio to read @ameliadhuga’s full story. Photography: @yasminahilal_

Ahead of her SS26 show at @dubaifashionweek, we stopped by @mrskeepa’s studio for a sneak peek at her new menswear collection. After eight years of womenswear, she makes her menswear debut with a fresh take on her signature denim and bold silhouettes. Video: @omarabulata

@itshusseingamal shares his favourite tracks with GQ Middle East, from the one for a long drive, to the one made to make people dance. Playlist available at the link in bio. Video: @omarabulata

The Nile is central to Egypt’s story. For thousands of years it has shaped the land, sustained communities, and carried traditions that remain vital today. Along its banks, daily life unfolds in many rhythms: fishermen casting their nets, children playing in the shallows, families gathering at dusk. On a ten-day voyage from Luxor to Abu Simbel aboard the historic Steamship Sudan, Amsterdam-based photographer Pie Aerts turned his lens to the river and the lives it sustains. His images capture the quiet gestures of everyday life and the weight of history flowing through its waters. Hit the link in bio to read more. Words: @ankitaachandra Photography: @pie_aerts

We caught up with @riyad.joucka on set for his latest GQ Middle East shoot for a quick #GQ&A – talking strange client requests, the role of functional design, and what Middle Eastern design looks like in 2025. Video: @omarabulata