Spotlight on local talent at the Beauty and Fashion runway event

At a special fashion show in Abu Dhabi last week, young girls were among the models sporting creations by a host of Emirati designers dedicated to their craft.

Al Ain-based designer Fatima Al Ghafli’s Oshia collection for young girls included UAE-themed dresses and jalabiyas. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council (ADBWC)

Emirati children’s wear designer Fatima Al Ghafli has a unique payment policy for the little girls who model the clothes she creates: each gets to keep a dress after the show.

Tuesday night was no exception. By the end of the Beauty and Fashion runway event at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr hotel, 11 dresses from Al Ghafli’s Oshia collection were duly packed up and sent home with the young models.

The evening featured four other Emirati designers: Hessa Suwaidi and her Elegant Abaya collection, Dola Aldhaheri’s Adore dresses; outfits from Alia Al Mazrouei’s Strass Couture label, and 30 gowns by the award-winning Mona Al Mansouri.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council (ADBWC) as part of their inaugural exhibition on entrepreneurship, titled Creativity and Innovation: Our Approach Towards Entrepreneurship, the exhibition will continue until November 19, and is held under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, honorary president of ADBWC, supreme chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and chairwoman of the General Women’s Union.

The talent

“I always try to keep an eye out on what’s new internationally and begin by sourcing elegant materials before I decide on my dresses,” says Al Mazrouei, who showed five gowns, including a wedding dress. “I’m in love with flowers. I don’t think I have a single dress that doesn’t feature flowers or the idea of flowers in some way.”

Al Mazrouei’s boutique, Strass Couture, on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi, is a favourite among Emirati women. “My dresses are dramatic,” she says. “They are for the woman who wants to be noticed when she walks into a room.”

Al Mazrouei is new on the fashion stage, as is Aldhaheri, whose Adore boutique opened just this year, while the experienced Al Ghafli, a former teacher, has been designing children’s wear for seven years.

Al Ghafli, who is based in Al Ain, says fashion has always been a passionate hobby. “I’ve loved making dresses all my life, but it’s only recently that I turned it into a business, and it’s the best decision I ever made,” she says after the show. “If you want to succeed in your business, you have to work from a place of love. Work only with love. That’s why I let every girl who does a fashion show with me to pick a dress, not necessarily the one she wore in the show, but the one she fell in love with.”

Al Ghafli’s dresses are reasonably priced. Beautiful brocade gowns in pastel colours and with pearls sewed into the waist are between Dh400 and Dh500; a dusty pink creation in tulle and chiffon with Swarovski crystals and embroidery is the most expensive at Dh850.

The showstopper

When Mona Al Mansouri’s first design from her label Dar Almansouri appeared that night, the audience cheered wildly.

“It made me so happy to see that during the entire show, everyone’s arms stayed up,” Al Mansouri says backstage afterwards.

“Usually the audience might take a picture here and there when they like a dress, but tonight, people were taking pictures of the entire show.”

It’s been a big year for the designer, who took part in three fashion weeks – Paris, Beirut and Abu Dhabi. An industry stalwart of 27 years, she credits Sheikha Fatima’s encouragement as part of her success.

The future

“This event is to help Emirati entrepreneurs understand creativity and innovation, and that makes sense to me because that is always the backbone of all my collections,” she explains.

“I try to cater to all tastes but keep an underlying presence of both luxury and elegance. The woman who wants something a bit more simple will find it, as will the woman who wants over-the-top opulence.”

Shafiqa Al Ameri, executive board member at the ADBWC and show organiser, hopes the event acts as a springboard for further success.

“We hope Emirati designers will continue to grow and flourish and find success both at home and on the international stage,” she says. “This event is a resource for all female entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses and learn by getting new ideas and having their questions answered.”

• Creativity and Innovation: Our Approach Towards Entrepreneurship is at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr until November 19; open to all