The fourth seasonal installment of Dubai Fashion Week was a cheerful, carnival affair, with the city's fashion set and designers whipping up a festive frenzy. Straddling kooky clothes, conservative creations and royal robes, the final day of the spring-summer collection had it all. The colourful ramp featured flirtatious numbers in bright hues, conservative yet alluring abayas and billowing silk gowns.
Investing in Essa
The grand finale and the much-awaited collections from Dubai's most creative and eccentric designer Essa did not disappoint.
Saving the best for the last, Essa's collection was an eclectic mix of colours, textures, prints and cultures. The dazzling embellishments and the shock of feather trimmings in the calf-grazing gowns was spot on.
Inspired by legendary Arabic singer Umm Kalthoum, the Victorian-styled gowns that had intricate embroidery and brocaded work, made his collection, titled Kawkab Al Sharq, a visual spectacle. Violets, blues and pinks were used in generous quantities along with a mixture of silks, lace, organzas and tulle. Though the Indian-born-UAE-bred designer made a hasty exit soon after taking his final bow, tabloid! tracked him down by telephone, only to find him in a carpe-diem mode. Here are the excerpts from the exclusive interview
How does it feel to be the hit of the evening?
I am overjoyed, happy, excited and overwhelmed right now. I feel blessed that so many people loved my creations. It was inspired by the legendary Arabic singer Umm Kalthoum, whom I think is the epitome of class and refinement.
All your creations were distinctly extravagant and rich. Did the dismal economic climate ever act as a deterrent?
If you were to ask me, Dubai is in a state of gloom and boom. And through my creations I wanted to underline that my clothes are all about long-term investment pieces. They will never fail you and will have long-lasting value.
What's your advice to Dubai's fashion set?
Dare to experiment and don't be shackled by trends. You only live once and it's never too late to learn the art of blending textures, colours and styles.
Rabia and Amber turn conservative colourful
Between the two of them, they managed the impossible. Without any skin flashes, Amber the master draper and Rabia the creative head dished out an eclectic collection of abayas and hijabs and took the Arabic allure to a new level. The Conservative Couture show saw a sizeable turnout of Emirati women and was a resounding success.
"I would love to wear this," was a common credo. Swathes of bright silks, yards of unstitched cloth draped in unusual ways, peppy abayas knotted at the end, black traditional ones with bling and piping were the hallmarks.
"Fashion is not just about a skin show. With our collection, we want to show that without a hint of flesh display traditional Islamic clothing can be traditional yet contemporary," says Rabia. Harem-styled pants beneath the flowing abayas was another hit.
Aiisha Ramadan celebrates simplicity
Aiisha Ramadan is a newlywed and her creations were a clear reflection of her "happily-ever-after" state of mind. The show, which began with a stone-encrusted virginal wedding dress (which we later learnt was the one that she wore to her own wedding) was dominated by whites and peaches. Bubble dresses, cocktail dresses, sheer pants with sequins made up most of her blissful creations that was, surprisingly, not cheesy. High necks but bare backs lent the finishing touches.
"This is the first time that I have not used black in my collections. Prior to my wedding, I was partial to it. And to me, backs are far more alluring than plunging necklines," said Aiisha, as she fielded compliments from all sides.
Eager to shrug off the bold, bright, rich and flamboyant designs that often characterise Arab designs, Aiisha reveals that she is on a quest for simplicity. "Less is more is my favourite phrase these days," she adds.
Salma Khan's regal influence
Bright tropical colours such as oranges, yellows and greens dominated Salma Khan spring-summer collection. Billowing gowns made from sheer crepes and chiffons with stone-encrusted embellishments and floral motifs transported us back in time of the Maharajas.
"My inspiration was to make a women feel regal and elegant", says Khan after the show. After having taken more than one strand from Arabic and Pakistani embroidery, Khan adds she is a supporter of strong colours and dressing it up a notch or two.
