My works in GLAM Qatar April 2013

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My works in GLAM Qatar April 2013

Transcript of My works in GLAM Qatar April 2013

Page 1: My works in GLAM Qatar April 2013
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editor sindhu nair

chief fashion correspondent debrina aliyah

senior correspondents abigail mathias

ezdhar ibrahim ali

rory coen

correspondent sabrina christensen

photographer rob altamirano

senior art director venkat reddy

deputy art director hanan abu siam

assistant art director ayush indrajith

senior graphic designer maheshwar reddy b

senior manager – marketing zulfikar jiffry

assistant managers - marketing chaturka karandana

thomas jose

senior media consultants hasan rekkab

lydia youssef

marketing research & support executive kanwal baluch

senior accountant pratap chandran

sr. distribution executive bikram shrestha

distribution support arjun timilsina

bhimal rai

basantha.p

publisher and editor–in–chief yousuf jassem al darwish

chief executive sandeep sehgal

executive vice president alpana roy

vice president ravi raman

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reProduced without the exPress Permission of the PubLisher and/or License hoLder. aLL rights rest with dataLog media soLutions. the PubLisher does not accePt

resPonsibiLity for any advertising contents carried in this PubLication.

contact [email protected], [email protected] www.issuu.com/oryxmags

www.facebook.com/gLamqatarcaLL us: +974 44550983, 44672139, 44671178, 44667584 fax: +974 44550982

OnlineeditiOn

EVENTS OF THE MONTH

COMING UP

special look at conscious exclusive at h&m, a glamourous hollywood collection that is based

on sustainability. materials used in the collection include organic cotton, recycled

polyester, and recycled polyamide. the conscious exclusive collection will be available in around 140 stores worldwide from april 4th.

also, a sneak peek into the special exhibition by louis vuitton in collaboration with marie

beltrami.

●1 vcuQ Graduation show 16 Apr - 18 Apr, 2013, 7:30pm - 8:30pm

the most-awaited fashion show in qatar’s fashion calendar as we get to peek into the next generation

of new designers to hit the market. this year, the show will take place at salam studio & stores at

the gate in west bay. this is the first time the graduation show will be held out of campus

grounds to allow better exposure of the graduating students’ works. ticket is required via registration

on www.qatar.vcu.edu

●2 Audemars piguet Opening April 7th, 12 noon

audemars piguet will be opening its own standalone boutique in villaggio this month. the

luxury watch brand is represented by ali bin ali and the opening will see the attendance of francois henry bennahmias, the group ceo of audemars

piguet.

www.glamqatar.com

we get up close and personal with renowned bridal designer clara rosa on her new store

in doha and why she thinks every man should have a thobe in their wardrobe.

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●1 evita peroni angelie soft band ●2 accessorize linen mesh band ●3 accessorize bejewelled hair pins

●4 asos floral hairband ●5 asos green flexible wire band ●6 evita peroni stina soft band

Head Turners

this ss13, we spy lots of fancy hair accessories on the runway starting off with the cute ribbon fabrics at louis vuitton to the turban-inspired pieces at dolce &

gabbana. we say hair accessories are not only fun but convenient especially during summer to keep your hair in check.

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trend sPOttinG

fRESH fROm PREvIEWINg tHE NExt AutumN WINtER cOLLEctION ANd gENtLy fIzzINg Out tHE cuRRENt SPRINg buzz, WE uNdERStANd tHAt yOu WILL NEEd A LIttLE mId-SEASON PIck-mE-uP tO fRESHEN uP yOuR

WARdRObE. WE tRENd SPOt SOmE StAR buyS tHAt WILL dEfINItELy StAy IN-StyLE fOR tHE RESt Of 2013.

01

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Nirav Modi - Elastic BaNglE -the classic gold elastic

bangles come inpink, white and yellow gold adorned with diamonds and

can be worn stacked or solo.www.niravmodi.com

BaNaNa rEpuBlic -dual liNEd BlazEr banana republic at

villaggio

BottEga vENEta -chuNky platforM hEEls

bottega veneta at villaggio

victoria BEckhaM totE exclusive harper tote at harrods.com

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05

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NiNa ricci mini grand duo - available at

al-muftah jewellery

Etro multi panel sheath dress at

stylebop.com

BoodlEs BlossoN diamond ring at

harrods.com

gap - colour Block stripE tuNic

gap at landmark and villaggio

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tAsMeeM FAshiOn desiGn

It tOOk ALmOSt HALf A yEAR fROm tHE cONcEPtION Of tHE IdEA tO tHE fINAL RuNWAy SHOW, but tHE EffORt WAS WELL WORtH fOR

jOANNA dALLImORE ANd SAHAR mARI, tHE dRIvINg fORcE bEHINd tHE 2013 tASmEEm fASHION dESIgN PRESENtAtION.

desIGns OF COLLaBOraTIOn

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was a simple idea to put together a team of Virginia Common Wealth University Qatar (VCUQ ) fashion alumni to work with Qatar-based designers to create a collection that was designed and made in the country. But the simple idea was aimed at addressing a more pertinent issue, the manufacturing viability of producing a fashion collection locally. "We gave the designers a budget and we documented their journey in producing these pieces. The aim here is to raise awareness that we need to start building an infrastructure to

support fashion designers in starting their own labels. The designers worked within limited resources to produce six pieces per team for the show," says Joanna and adds that, "currently Qatar is not ready in terms of infrastructure should the teams decide to mass produce."

Each team was assigned one colour from the visible spectrum to produce a hybrid collection that included both abayas and contemporary ready-to-wear pieces. The six teams came together to

design the final colour of violet to make up the complete spectrum. The final work was presented in a special runway show during the biennial Tasmeem Design Conference, the showcase event for VCUQ. The finale of the project was unveiled to the attendees of the conference which included guests from all around the world. "We received excellent feedback on the collections –– that it married the local culture with the influences of the people who live here. The fashion design team was very diverse, including Qataris, a Korean, a German, a Filipino, a Californian, Malaysians and a Pakistani," says Sahar.

The collection has since been sold through a silent auction at the VCUQ Design Shop.

"There may be some bumps on the road but we are definitely progressing. But for now, the independent designers in Doha are definitely doing their best in producing unique pieces and this goes to show that creativity can brew anywhere!" says Joanna.

●1 indiGO by nAjLA hAMAd AL thAni

My collection is simple with clean silhouettes. Very feminine but with a slight edginess. As these pieces will be for sale off the runway,

it

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I wanted them to be wearable with an effortless style. It can be accessorised to fit any time of day and any occasion. I was inspired by the hybrid of the classic woman, icons like Audrey Hepburn and the modern woman who lives a fast-paced life.

●2 OrAnGe by eLizAbeth yAnG sOOn ju

The abaya and the Hanbok (traditional Korean garment) share flat characteristics that create comfortable movement for wearers and this inspired my collection. Another key design concept came from transferable styles, which allows the customisation of looks. Considering that the abaya is often made in polyester, which has low breathability, I used natural fibers, such as linen, silk, and cotton, as the primary fabrics to make comfortable contemporary pieces in Qatar' s hot weather. All these design efforts are made to contribute to eco-friendly fashion in the long run.

●3 yeLLOW by jOAnnA dALLiMOre & zArA OthO

The collection was inspired by the Qatari desert with its golden yellow hues, and the opulence of the local gold souq. Joanna who has been living in Qatar for almost a decade, collaborated with young designer Otho who had just recently moved here. The collection featured edgy abayas with a glimmer of golden dust and draping hoodies as well as contemporary pieces of harem pants and two-way scarves which reflected both designers'  funky personalities. Joanna says, "I absolutely love the abaya. I would happily wear one daily. They are instant elegance and can hide a multitude of sins. When I arrived in Doha I was rather disappointed when I found out that expats could walk freely in Western clothes! When I wear an abaya, I can actually feel myself walking straighter. My only personal objection would be

the shayla, my bright orange hair is a bit of a trademark.

●4 Green by cArLA MALLAri, debrinA ALiyAh And chAn Mei LinG

The collection is a hybrid of the two cultures in the team, Filipino and Malaysian. The contemporary pieces designed by Chan and Debrina reflected the V-neck pattern that is prevalent in the Malaysian baju kebaya , worn traditionally by women in the country. The abaya pieces featured the stiff standing shoulders, a design that is synonymous with traditional Filipino costumes. The final combination is a contemporary touch by the designers; Carla's edgy tuxedo collar meets the one-shoulder signature style of Chan and Debrina's design outfit, Twenty30Forty. ●5 bLue by sAhAr MAri And nAyLA AL-MuLLAh

Although one half of this team is Qatari, Nayla is not one that usually draws inspiration from her culture but this time around, she has decided to dig deep into traditional Qatari costumes to inspire the modern collection. By combining the traditional embroidery and shapes of Qatari garments, she produced contemporary pieces including a hooded top, a kaftan and a short dress. The abayas, designed by Sahar, were driven by the blue patterned fabric she chose and is based on a simplistic design to accommodate for daily wear.

●6 red by sArAh AbduL GhAni

"I get my inspiration from many sources, shapes, colours and patterns, whether from books, catalogues or just my own experiences. I blend all these influences together and combine them with my own tastes, colours and ideas to create original designs. I am not one for pure simplicity but rather something with a touch of beauty," says Sarah.

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reInvenTInG TradITIOn

tHE AbAyA, IS ONE Of A fEW tHINgS tHAt IS SymbOLIc Of tHE mIddLE EASt tO tHE WORLd. OftEN mISuNdERStOOd, ONLy tHOSE WHO HAvE HAd

tHE PRIvILEgE Of LIvINg IN tHE REgION ANd dIScOvERINg tHE bEAuty Of tHIS gARmENt WILL REALIzE tHAt It IS NOt juSt A dARk cLOAk. AS A

fASHION StAtEmENt, tHE AbAyA NOW SEES INtERPREtAtIONS IN dIffERENt fAbRIcS, cutS, StyLES ANd EvEN dASHES Of cOLOuRS. WE mEEt tHE OWNERS Of tWO muLtI-bRANd AbAyA bOutIquES, ANd SOmE Of tHE

mOSt INSPIRINg uPcOmINg AbAyA dESIgNERS fROm qAtAR ANd AROuNd tHE REgION tO bRINg tO yOu A SPEcIAL INSIgHt INtO tHE EvOLutION Of

tHE tRAdItIONAL AbAyA tO A cONtEmPORARy fASHION StAtEmENt.now trending: images from the debaj collection that premiered

at the luxury network launch event held at rizon jet facilities last month

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by debrina aliyah

a GuIdInGFOrCe

mEEt tHE vISIONARy bEHINd tHE bOutIquE WHO IS ON A mISSION tO dEvELOP qAtARI fASHION tALENtS.

jO LA MOde bOutiQue

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is a quiet force driving the surge of Qatari fashion de-sign talents. A guiding hand that helps budding design-ers look past their small home-based operations and focus on something bigger. It is an effort that comes from pure passion and determination, and Jawaher Al Kuwari is just the woman for the job. It has been almost a year since Jawaher opened Jo La Mode, a multi-brand boutique specialising in abayas, but her role in her own community to encourage creative talents started long be-fore. The formidable entrepreneur has a very pragmatic approach towards her goal, to provide an infrastructure

to help talents grow by pro-viding support and business guidance. She hopes to one day put these Qatari talents on the world map, but the task at hand is not an easy one. “There are a lot of very creative and talented abaya designers. Most of them start out as a home-based oper-ation and after achieving a little success in their own social circle, they stop. They are satisfied at that level but what we want to do is to show them the bigger picture, a chance at the international arena.” Education is the key, she emphasises and this year, she has joined the panel on the Fashion Journey Project organised by Roudha Center to promote fashion entrepre-neurship. In her effort to find the next Qatari fashion star, she hopes that Jo La Mode

will be an integral platform for the abaya fashion indus-try in the country.

When and why did you decide to start Jo La Mode?I had always planned to start a company of my own but I was not very sure in which direction I should head into. It would have to be something that revolved around wom-en and fashion, something that would be easy to pursue as a woman in my community. In the end, I took the big leap and started researching the business of retail and launched Jo La Mode in May 2012.

What is your most important focus as a multi-brand abaya boutique?I am very much about promoting the growth of local and regional designers because I feel that these talents need the platform to grow and expand. Jo La Mode is focused on encouraging these designers, their creative work and their contribution to the fashion world.

Tell us about the importance of the abaya in modern day Qa-tari society.The Abaya is the foundation of a Khaleeji woman’s ward-robe. It is no less important than designer bags or shoes. We take great pride and effort in carrying authentic de-signer accessories from big names and this is the same approach we take towards abayas. In modern times, most women would seek out designer abayas rather than just tailoring it themselves.

Who are some of your favourite abaya designers and why?It is difficult to pin down any certain name but I can say, all the designers who are carried in Jo La Mode now are definitely my top picks!

What do you think are some important efforts to help Qatari fashion designers become regional success stories?Any designer should consider two very important fac-tors before starting their brand. They need to work on their designs and originality, experiment with different directions and gather a lot of feedback on their work. The second part is to have a strategic plan for their brand and this is very much related to the business perspective. They must identify where they would like to distribute their products, how they would like to market it, identify the need to open their own store or to use other selling channels.

Who are the 13 permanent designers in your boutique?DAS Collection, Bedazzled, Malaak, Slouchyz, and Roselle Couture from the UAE. HANIA and TaaMarbou-ta from Saudi Arabia. Darz Designs, Aldarzi by Mariam, Maha Oriental Pieces, MJay Designs, Fakhira Abaya and The Crown Turbans from Qatar.

Why did you choose them?There are four important points that I have to see in a brand before I stock them in my boutique; originality and creativity, productivity of the brand, the vision of the brand and their suitability to our client’s demands.

there

We take great pride and effort

in carrying authentic

designer accessories from

big names and this is the same

approach we take towards abayas.

fOcuS / 49

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CLassIC MeeTs

MOdern

dArz desiGns

by debrina aliyah

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years and 12 collections after the fashion brand was initiated, Darz Designs is going stronger than ever. Unveiling the latest L 'Original collection in a fancy party last month, it is undeniable that the abaya brand has garnered the strongest of following with the fashionable abaya-clad women showing up in full force including Raya Al-Khalifa and Hanane Al-Emadi. L 'Original is the label 's first collection for 2013 and celebrates the culmination of luxury, elegance and sophistication, all the attributes of the modern day abaya-wearing woman. Creative director Aisha Al Bedded takes us into the folds of the Qatari abaya world.

The New Collection It’s the most eloquent of all the collections by Darz to date, and of course features styles from ready-to-wear to couture. We have an abaya for every occasion. The L 'Original Collection is exciting as it is the first to be launched within our new creative direction, this range is quite unique and we are so proud of the collection. We have launched the collection along with our new website, our new loyalty membership programme and also gifts & birthday certificates for our clients. We are not only celebrating the traditional beauty of the abaya, but also our clients'  loyalty and support.

2013 Abaya TrendsThe most important trends in abayas are the new cuts and shapes we are seeing, as well as the use of different types of fabric and stitching, which defines the overall look of the abaya. Embroidery and the use of contrast patch has also remained a popular trend for the design in 2013, and we feature these unique touches throughout our collections, making them very personalised and quite special. The Evolving Symbolism of the Abaya Today, we are seeing the abaya getting more and more fashionable. At Darz we believe that the abaya should respect the tradition whilst being trendy and elegant. Our motto is – Tradition meets Fashion. We aim to preserve the cultural respect and history behind the abaya, whilst experimenting with different cuts, embroideries and textiles. We pride ourselves on preserving the original look and narrative of the abaya, whilst offering some unique and elegant touches to the classic abayas, through accessories such as belts and fine materials.

The Qatari Touch The Qatari abaya is still very traditional, but we can see today that many ladies are starting to wear new styles and cuts. I think on average it is still very popular to wear classic black abaya in Qatar, unlike the ladies from the other Gulf countries who go for different looks and styles.

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styling: tasmeem fashion design teamphotography: karli moreto makeup: debi mendezhair: blanca montenegromodels: hye sun kim, ghinwa el baff & adrianna ellamshot at the student center of education city, qatar.

rEd by sarah abdulghani

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MADE IN Qatar

tHE tASmEEm fASHION dESIgN tEAm AdOPtEd tHE vISIbLE cOLOuRS Of tHE SPEctRum tO PRESENt A

fuLL-fLEdgE cOLLEctION Of AbAyAS ANd REAdy-tO-WEAR PIEcES fOR tHE bI-ANNuALS vcuq tASmEEm

dESIgN cONfERENcE. tHE PROjEct fEAtuREd WORkS tHAt WERE dESIgNEd ANd mAdE IN qAtAR by A tEAm

tHAt cAmE fROm ALL AROuNd tHE WORLd. tHE HybRId-mAkINg cOLLEctION WAS SHOt by gLAm tO cOmmEmORAtE A fIRSt EvER EffORt tO SHOWcASE

qAtAR-bASEd dESIgN tALENtS.

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a sTOry OF LIBeraTIOn

fOR A RESERvEd ANd PRIvAtE PERSONALIty, mAdELEINE vIONNEt HAS LEft A LEgAcy tHAt cHANgEd tHE

fAbRIc Of 20tH cENtuRy fASHION dESIgN. A SImPLE INNOvAtION Of bIAS cuttINg bRINgS fORtH A WHOLE

NEW PERSPEctIvE Of tHE fEmALE fORm AccENtuAtEd by tHE ARt Of dRAPINg.

viOnnet

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he shunned the limelight of the fashion de-sign stardom that came to many couturiers of her time, turning her focus to her special-ised work in ‘coup en bias’. Having invented the bias cut technique, Vionnet spent a large part of her career trying to protect her work through copyrights by maintaining authen-ticity documentation. Although the tech-nique seemed simple, the production of the final garment is preceded by lengthy pro-cesses of draping and pinning fabrics before the design could be materialised.

It was Vionnet’s initial idea that by cutting fabrics on the bias, it would allow the fabric to be draped to match the curves of a woman’s body and to allow natural fluid motions. This movement is integral to the fashion revolution of the 1920s, which saw the rise of new dress forms as opposed to the constricting corsets that promoted a distorted view of the female form. The bias cut allowed Vionnet to bring forth new designs that integrated comfort and movement, and introduced a new concept of femininity. Utilising materials such as crepe de chine, gabardine and satin, fabrics that were considered unusual in garment making at that time, her final designs were luxurious and sensual. The new technique combined with the odd fabric choices gave rise to the handkerchief dress, cowl neck and halter top, design patterns that have become popular cuts in today’s fashion.

A true visionary, Vionnet’s design innovation reflected more than just a new sartorial form but rather something that had deeper mean-ing in her feminism pursuit. Her garments liberated women from re-strictive forms and focused on their well-being and personalities. Her design principles draw inspirations from Greek art where garments reflect the persona of the wearer and not the other way round. This is reflected even in the operation of her couture house, as she became one of the first few women to practice revolutionary labour laws in-cluding paid holidays and maternity leaves.

After her first fashion house closed after the onset of the First World War, Vionnet returned with a new store in 1923 on the illustrious Av-enue Montaigne, that later became referred to as the Temple of Fash-ion by the high society of the time. The new atelier was an architec-ture and interior marvel which was a collaborative effort by maestros Ferdinand Chanut, George de Feure and the crystal sculptor, Rene Lalique.

At the age of 63, Vionnet finally closed her fashion house at the start of the Second World War. In her career spanning almost three decades, she became known as the ‘architect of dressmakers’, for her work in introducing new approaches to art of fashion design. Her dis-tinctive method of pinning and draping has become an influence for many new modern day designers including Marchesa, Halston, and Azzedine Alaia. The works of these contemporary fashion labels evi-dently lean towards the works of free flattering form referenced to the original works of Vionnet. After the closure of the atelier, Vionnet con-tinued to mentor and advise other design houses in developing their own works. In 1952, she donated most of her designs to the archive of the Museum of Fashion & Textiles in Paris, where it is still exhibited today. The revered designer passed away on March 2, 1975.

The Next ChapterThe Vionnet label was acquired by the Lummen family in 1988, who did little with the brand initially and instead focused on accessories and perfumes. In July 2006, Arnaud de Lummen announced the re-turn of Vionnet and promised new collections that would stay true to

the vision of the original house. With Sophia Kokosalaki as creative director, a debut clothing collection was launched in Spring Summer 2007. After several collections which included designs by Marc Au-dibet, Vionnet opened a new store at Place Vendome and focused on demi-couture designs. In 2008, Matteo Marzotto and Gianni Castigli-oni, acquired the brand and put to work a long-term project to recreate Madeleine Vionnet’s heritage. Today, Vionnet is headed by Goga Ash-kenazi, a successful entrepreneur whose business experience spans across diversified industries including oil and gas. She is also current-ly the creative director of the label, which is now based in Milan. Vi-onnet now shows ready-to-wear collections, which includes a line of accessories, seasonally at Paris Fashion Week.

vionnet is available at palmera fashion in the ritz carlton doha.

Vionnet donated most of her designs to the archive of the Museum of Fashion & Textiles in Paris, where it is still exhibited today.

s

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FasHIOn FOrWard

duBaIby debrina aliyah

spOtLiGht OnreGiOnAL desiGners

private initiative to bring together the best of Middle East design talents, Fashion Forward Dubai (FFWD) has big dreams. Keen on creating a platform similar to fashion councils in established fashion cities like New York and London, FFWD will be holding its inaugural session this month, 2013, with a series of panel talks and catwalk presentations. But what underlies this ambitious project is the challenge to encourage regional designers to think big and progress to the international arena. Bong Guerrero, CEO of FFWD tells us that education and the willingness to learn is the most important element.

What is the main objective behind FFWD?This is basically a facility project to serve as a platform to magnify our own designers. We have to be honest that we are not a mature market yet like London or NY and we need to work on it. Middle East is an autonomous market by itself and there is no reason why our own designers and labels cannot be the heroes of our region. Looking at the development of this region as an emerging market, we are young and have lots to learn in all perspective of the fashion industry. FFWD was incepted to take on the challenge, create an opportunity and a platform to take the industry to the next level.

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What are some the exciting events that will be taking place during FFWD?The response since the announcement of this project has been very encouraging. Everyone is very excited and we are getting a lot of support both internationally and regionally. We will be bringing in international experts, heavyweight fashion personalities, and academic partners for panel discussions and forums. These educational sessions are to engage and help provide an avenue for regional designers to learn about the whole fashion process. We are taking a fashion council-like approach to teach designers about buying cycles and branding by having these experts to speak and to inspire. There will also be runway presentations by 18 selected regional designers who have made a name for themselves in the Middle East. And of course, there will be pop up stores, fashion cinemas, and social events to make it a fashion destination for the regional fashion set.

How do you think FFWD will promote the growth of the fashion design industry in the Middle East?We will have international buyers coming in and for this first time, they will observe and educate. This will be part of the forum panels where they can educate the regional designers on what they are looking for in terms of designs, budgets, seasonal plans and marketability. From this first session, perhaps they will start buying when our designers rise up to the occasion to meet their demands.

What do you think are the main obstacles facing fashion designers/inspiring designers in this region?

A lot of designers from this region start off as couture-skewed labels, offering bespoke designs and services. The notion of ready-to-wear is very new to them, and perhaps this is because we are at an infancy stage for manufacturing possibilities in this region. To progress, we have to move to a new concept especially now, where your designs need not necessarily be manufactured in your own backyard. The ME market is also dominated by global fashion brands and we hope that FFWD will eventually help put regional designers on par with international brands.

How will FFWD grow after this? What' s next?These efforts will be ongoing and we are hoping to make FFWD a bi-annual event in April and October according to the fashion calendar. We are looking at all kinds of possibilities and to potentially woo other cities in the region to become the host but at the moment Dubai seems to be most infrastructure-ready with an international appeal.

Familiar regional fashion stars including Ayesha Deepala, Furne One, Rami Al-Ali, Essa, Ezra, Dina JSR, Emperor 1688, Golkar Couture, Michael Cinco and Tahir Sultan will be presenting their collections at FFWD. In partnership with Starch, a non-profit organization that helps launch emerging Lebanese designers, four new talents, Celine Der Torossian, Bashar Assaf, Hussein Bazaza and Sevag Dilsizian will also be showcasing their collections.

to attend ffwd, register on www.fashionforward.ae to be issued day passes by ffwd. this is an industry event and passes will be issued by discretion of organisers. ffwd will be taking place from april 26-29, 2013 in dubai.

We will have international buyers coming in and for this first time,

they will observe and educate.

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InspIred By LIFe and

COLOurby debrina aliyah

tHE ALLuRE Of tHE mIddLE EASt AS A REgION fOR NEW OPPORtuNItIES HAvE PROgRESSEd bEyONd

bRIck ANd mORtAR INduStRIES, gENERAtINg A NEW WAvE Of cREAtIvE tALENtS tHAt ARE NOW bASEd Out

Of tHIS ONcE duSty dESERt REgION.

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he growth of the fashion industry, while dominated by Arabesque-skewed designers, also gives rise to contemporary design works by many expats who are inspired by the unique metropolitan mix. German-born Nadine Arton, the founder of Glam On You fashion label, moved to Dubai seven years ago and fell in love with

the multicultural environment. "I found Dubai, reflective of my own cosmopolitan style and was inspired to create a brand that took the best from the melting pot and put them together to encompass an overarching Middle Eastern perspective."

Based out of the fast-paced city, Nadine designed collections that were uniquely feminine and glamourous, something that truly fit into the lives of women living in Dubai. In less than five years, the label is now carried in stores all over the Middle East.

What is the main inspiration behind your label? Why did you decide to venture into fashion design?I was immersed in design and fashion as a child as my family worked in the industry. I started by designing and making my own dresses and these caught the attention of my family and friends. I often got complimented on my works and eventually, word got out. Each collection has a different mood and theme and that in particular is what inspires and keeps me focused. I am so passionate about fabrics and colour that I can easily get carried away. People, places and nature, inspire me. Everything that has colour and is full of life can inspire me.

How do you define the modern woman of Dubai and how do you include this in your designing process?The woman who embraces GlamOnYou subtlety stands out from the

crowd, conveying effortless style, wherever she goes. My designs embody this through the use of a wide variety of fabrics, from silks to cotton and modern garments as jerseys, and a broad palette of colour whether its neon, dark grey or light pastels.

Tell us about the three different lines produced under your label.The three lines under the label are the Seasonal Collection, the Resort Collection and the Little Miss Collection. Every season I design a collection that fits the time of year and brings new trends to the Middle East using inspiration from my travels and the beauty of nature. For example, the Spring Summer 2013 collection draws inspiration from the cities in which we live. The collection is strong and plays homage to a metropolis, you will see strong lines and silhouettes and bold colours. The Resort Collection features a diverse collection of kaftans, dresses and swimwear, ideal for chilling at the beach side, lounging at the pool side or relaxing at a glamorous holiday hotspot. The Little Miss Collection is a children's collection for little girls featuring chic and playful dresses inspired by the women's collection, ideal for fashion-forward kids.

How do you think the regional fashion industry will grow in the next five years?A challenge for smaller independent brands is to establish an identity in this crowded marketplace as traditionally shoppers in the region have gravitated towards global brands that they recognise. Recently we have seen that our target clientele are moving away from the mainstream brands and supporting independent labels by seeking out more unique pieces which has benefited us as a company and I think this movement will continue to grow in the next five years.

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Page 29: My works in GLAM Qatar April 2013

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elie saab, for his autumn winter 2013 collection, envisions a woman that is strong and mysterious, harping on androgynous cuts and masculine tailoring. day looks consists of crepe

satin jumpsuits, high-waisted trousers, and sheer silk chiffon blouses, all anchored by clean lines. the colour palette of black and white is presented in matte fabrics and accentuated by

equally mysterious hues of navy, and petrol blue with a touch of chartreuse yellow. the graphic lines, key to this season's creations, are presented with transparent and shapely

cut-outs, and intricate embroideries. the collection also saw a crossover of elie’s couture influences in the form of decorative materials including mohair, velvet, broderie and sequins.

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