Friends at home are always asking me about the fashion here in Dubai, finally, I can reveal a bit of a glimpse into what women are wearing here. Considering I haven't dedicated enough time to photographing local style on my own, I've relied on Style.com/Arabia to give you the goods. Over the past weekend, I attended Fashion Forward Dubai, where the local talent came out in full force - from the fashion shows and discussion panels, right down to the attendees; Dubai officially impressed me once again.
Below are a few of my own photos from the weekend, excuse the quality, I forgot my camera and had to rely on my iPhone... for more snaps from the event, check out my Instagram feed.
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| {another Dubai first} |
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| {the outdoor bar & lounge area - I made a pit-stop for a bloody mary} |
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| {the calm before the crowd} |
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| {translation kit required to get through a panel discussion in 100% Arabic - even with the headphones it was a challenge} |
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| {wearing: "diy" Gap vest, Zara top, H&M skirt and Alaia heels} |
Quotes//discussion points that caught my attention at Fashion Forward:
When asked about what inspires his designs + what makes a woman elegant,
keynote speaker, Rabih Kayrouz, responded with the following:
{Hopefully I can get the translation right} "لديها الكتفين" literally translating into English as "she has shoulders" meaning, if you're elegant and confident, you walk with your shoulders, and this is what inspires his designs, collections and aesthetic. The design aesthetic of Middle Eastern dress used to be {and from my perspective, still is} based around the shoulders for this reason. When you think about it, when a woman is slumped over and has bad posture, no matter what fabulous designer she is wearing, she doesn't look elegant, nor will she catch your eye. However, the woman who stands tall with her shoulders back will radiate confidence and self assurance.
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| {first talk; designer Rabih Kayrouz} |
On the challenge of designing Haute Couture vs RTW collections:
"Ready-To-Wear collections are more challenging as you are designing clothing for people whom you do not see - you have no idea who is buying your collection making the process a tricky and risky one, meanwhile Haute Couture requires direct contact with the wearer, resulting in a design that you know will make the client happy."
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| {first talk; designer Rabih Kayrouz} |
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| {leaving the venue wearing BCBG ring + Miu Miu specs} |
I loved these two responses, both equally interesting. Ever since, I've been paying attention to not only the way that other women carry themselves, but I've noticed that I'm correcting my posture much more now! I was a bit surprised to hear the way he answered to Haute Couture vs RTW as I always imagined it would have been the reverse somehow. Ultimately, Fashion Forward was a great event, it was nice to do something different and have a chance to see the local talent all together in one venue. Looking forward for Season 2.
