It’s curtains down but optimism up as the Eighth edition of the Dubai Fashion Week came to a glittery end.
Indian designer and Bollywood favourite Manish Malhotra closed the five-day event with a packed house as the white catwalk turned black and models came out from a bellowing smoke wearing shimmering regal outfits.
Preceding Malhotra was another Dubai favourite, Filipino designer Furne One (pronounced on-ay) who took the DFW to new heights, literally, with his Elizabethan era-inspired collection titled ‘I’m the queen’. One of the most anticipated shows of this edition, One didn’t disappoint as models walked the runway in dramatic headgear, high, hand-crafted shoes and feathery trains.
Earlier in the day, Indian designer Amber Feroz sent out his models in a range of modern abayas, pantsuits and short dresses while designer duo Sara Al Madani and Apple Wang mixed Arabian and Chinese influences for their label Rouge Couture.
Another talented pair, Shani Himanshu and Smita Singh Rathore, debuted their label CellDESGN in beige, gold, red and shimmering black, and played with layers and gathered garments.
Arnab Sengupta, who opened the last day, was inspired by royalty as he chose the Nizams of Hyderabad as inspiration.
With 30 shows bringing together more than 40 designers, the five day event was a mix of talent, colours, nationalities and design ethos, aptly portraying the city it was held in.
It also showed, without doubt, that new owners Capital Marketing have the conviction to take this forward. The rest is up to the immense talent pool that is waiting to be discovered.
Here are some of tabloid!’s favourite from the last day:
11.11 by CellDSGN
Incorporating depth and layers into their clothes, Indian designer duo Shani Himanshu and Smita Singh Rathore fused practicality with aesthetics through their outfits made of cotton silk and gathers of folded cloth on the shoulders.
Innovative split-toed ninja boots of canvas and leather soles in red, white and ivory accompanied the outfits designed by Mia Morikawa.
Rouge Couture
Models with guns and abayas with skull prints and matching hoods featured in designer pair Sara Al Madani and Apple Wang’s collection. Chinese and Japanese silhouettes also appeared with necklines that were cut like kimonos. Fun and young, Al Madani and Wang are definitely worth watching out for.
Amato by Furne One
Filipino designer One’s collection will have to be one of our favourite this season. With a dramatic start choreographed by the designer himself, showing a model galloping replete with elaborate headgear, the collection trumped many that had shown before him.
One’s Elizabethan era-inspired looks came heavily embellished with Swarovski crystals and ranged from hard-bodied dresses, with dangling chains and metallic cups, to wedding dresses with feathery trains and embellished veils.
Horses, a sign of royalty, figured prominently while the high shoes, handcrafted in the Philippines, were also a highlight.
Interestingly, some of the models wore neck-braces and band-aids, which, according to One, was used to signify the spoils of war.
The collection, which was brought directly from London Fashion Week, is for the queen in everyone, said One after his show.
Manish Malhotra
Undoubtedly the most popular of this season, Malhotra, a Bollywood regular, showed his appeal with the record number of people and media in attendance. As smoke bellowed from the end of the catwalk, which had been turned black, models came out in skirt and bustier combos shimmering under the bright lights.
Featuring a lot of zari work, tassels and colorful baubles at the end of the dupattas, Malhotra’s collection was regal, to say the least, as velvet and tulle sleeves mixed to great effect.
Local business partner and owner of Studio 8, Sara Belhasa, joined Malhotra on the catwalk as he brought the Eighth Dubai Fashion Week to a fabulous end.
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