{"id":4574,"date":"2022-09-27T11:50:22","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T11:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/arab-fashion-week-to-kick-off-in-dubai-in-october\/"},"modified":"2022-09-27T11:50:22","modified_gmt":"2022-09-27T11:50:22","slug":"arab-fashion-week-to-kick-off-in-dubai-in-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=4574","title":{"rendered":"Arab Fashion Week to kick off in Dubai in October\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Egypt\u2019s 19th century gift to France inspires new children\u2019s book \u2018Grace the Giraffe\u2019<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\nDUBAI: In 1827, the people of Paris saw the rarest of sights. The ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, sent an unusual diplomacy gift to King Charles X of France: A female giraffe from Nubia, dubbed \u201cla belle africaine,\u201d that caused a sensation and set trends in French society.<\/p>\n
\nThis real-life and little-known story inspired Paris-based couple Oliver Gee and Lina Nordin Gee to create their third and latest children\u2019s book, \u201cGrace the Giraffe,\u201d which will be released in October.<\/p>\n\n\nParis-based couple Oliver Gee and Lina Nordin Gee created their third and latest children\u2019s book, \u2018Grace the Giraffe.\u2019 (Supplied)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\nIt captures a light-hearted aspect of this historical event. \u201cA few books have been written about the giraffe, but they\u2019re quite dry,\u201d Oliver, an Australian, and host of The Earful Tower podcast, told Arab News.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe thought the fun part of the story was just as much this reaction from Parisians,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s a fashion story of people going crazy, where women had their hair looking like the horns or ears of the giraffe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOriginally from southern Sudan, the giraffe was transported via the Nile and crossed the Mediterranean, landing in Marseille. \u201cShe was in a boat with a hole so her head could stick out, which is amazing,\u201d noted Oliver.<\/p>\n
\nThe giraffe endured a long and arduous journey as she was walked from Marseille to Paris for weeks. She grew physically along the way, accompanied by a procession of cows that provided milk. \u201cBy the time that she was in Marseille, a giraffe hadn\u2019t been in Europe for 300 years,\u201d said Oliver. \u201cSo today, it would be like an alien is here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nIn Paris, the giraffe lived in a zoo for under two decades until her death. \u201cEverybody went to see her,\u201d said Oliver. \u201cEven in the small cities, half the population came to see her go past. It was insane.\u201d She achieved her own kind of celebrity, as the elegant creature appeared on fans and ceramics. Luckily, the giraffe\u2019s body has been preserved over the years and is currently on display at a museum in La Rochelle, France.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cGrace the Giraffe\u201d was written by Oliver and illustrated by his wife, Lina. Told in rhyming couplets with little twists in the narrative, the charming piece of work features colorful spreads of Grace\u2019s boat journey, extraordinary procession, and whirlwind arrival in the French capital.<\/p>\n
\nThe news of the book\u2019s publication has been well-received online, sparking interest from readers of all ages. \u201cFrom a history perspective,\u201d said Oliver, \u201cit\u2019s cool to know that children and adults will be learning about a fascinating story.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n