In its second edition, Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) made waves as an official member of the international fashion calendar. The seven-day fashion event took place in Dubai Design District (d3) from Oct. 9 to 15, where guests gathered to witness designers plument their collections on the all-white catwalk.
The spectacular event kicked off with a presentation from New York-based womenswear label Carolina Herrera and concluded with a surprise catwalk appearance by renowned British model Naomi Campbell who strutted down the runway for Malaysian designer Rizman Ruzaini.
The event, which evolved from Arab Fashion Week, saw collections that spoke of highschool rebellion with Lebanese brand Emergency Room, ultra-feminine asymmetrical silhouettes that combined functionality with ready-to-wear via Lama Jouni, sustainable excellence and innovation with Thailand-based brand Pipitchatra, and more. Read on to discover some of our favorite moments from this season’s Dubai’s Fashion Week.
Weinsanto
Experimental designer Victor Weinsanto combined a graceful color palette of camel, beige, white, and the occasional hint of blacks, greens, and a melancholic raspberry red with architectural silhouettes. Titled “A Perfect Day,” the womenswear label kept it simple and enticing with sharp bustier corsets matched with oversized pants, Western-style skirts, a re-imagined wedding dress made of distressed denim, and a finale that took the crowd by surprise: A “vase” dress, constructed as a full body corset was reminiscent of, and captured the essence of the late British designer Alexander MCQueen during his glory days. Weinsanto poetically fused a love for fine arts with architecturally clever silhouettes.
Lama Jouni
There is beauty in simplicity, and Lama Jouni’s collection can attest to that. The Lebanese designer threaded sentiments of female empowerment by creating a versatile collection that you could wear everyday whilst looking evermore badass. She gave us asymmetrical goodness with a variety of cut-out tops and pants, oversized blazers, and uniquely crafted dresses, matched with a color palette that consisted of classic black adorned with vibrant hues such as electric green, fuschia, and eclectic blues.
Emergency Room
The Lebanese brand captured all the different personalities you bump into as you walk down your highschool corridor. “Neverland High” brought the audience back to a time they surely wished to forget, a time hindered with teenage angst and a certain kind of fervor or rebellion that we wished we still carried today. As a rendition of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall and Comfortably Numb made its way through the speakers, each look embodied a different personality and character that you may have once hated or loved back in high school. The collection certainly captured a sense of rebellion and celebrated individualism through the designer’s signature upcycling technique, incorporating a mix of patchwork denim, wool fabrics, and intricately handcrafted accessories. Vibrant crochet ensembles, vests, and generously-sized sweaters, mini skirts, and cropped blazers that evoked Cher in Clueless.
Slimi Studio
Dubai-based designer Sleiman Dayaa’s Slimi Studio gave us a culturally induced experience to say the least. Honing in on hues that are derived from the perfect golden sunset, the collection weaved a narrative of spirituality and personal growth as well as nod to Indian Hindu culture. The story of the collection unfolded in two different narratives. The first being reminiscent of streetwear, where denim, contemporary and oversized silhouettes, exaggerated golden hoops, and knee-high boots were the main characters— It gave casual chic, but it still remained sexy at all times.
The second part of the collection was an ode to evening wear and vibrant elegance, with an emphasis on carefully curated color schemes, that were never boring. Sparkling mesh high-neck crop tops, rich red sheer gowns, and a vibrant yellow and subdued turquoise cut-out dress, animal prints, and feather-filled headpieces were peppered throughout the offering.
The Giving Movement
The Dubai-based brand stayed true to its roots, championing sustainability with every look that appeared on the runway. The soundtrack instantly set the mood for the collection as you had the occasional afro-beat tune drill tracks that you couldn’t help but bop your head to, and some hip-hop classics that got everyone swaying. As for the clothes, the collection was a dynamic fusion of earthy tones, patterned fabrics that saw their way onto sporty cuts, oversized cargo pants, biker shorts, form-fitting mini skirts, oversized t-shirts, and jackets.