Rian Fernandez, who dressed Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel, returns to Arab Fashion Week

The six-day autumn/winter showcase is being held at the Dubai Design District

Filipino designer Rian Fernandez returned to the Arab Fashion Week with his eponymous label. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

Fernandez made his debut at the Arab Fashion Week in June, during the menswear showcases.

The designer said his autumn/winter collection was inspired by Baguio City in northern Philippines where his love for fashion was born.

Fernandez showcased 40 colourful looks for autumn/winter.

The collection was a mix of menswear and womenswear.

The designer is known for his elaborate creations with strong cultural themes.

A model on the runway for Rian Fernandez.

Known as 'the summer capital of the Philippines' owing to its elevation, Baguio, Fernandez's inspiration, is a melting pot of cultures, and is home to a number of ethnic tribes.

Fernandez's collection served as a nod to many of the tribes in Baguio.

Fringes on gowns represented the thread used in highland weaves.

Acrylic beads formed intricate patterns on puffy dresses, adding a dash of fun.

There were also a lot of crystals, worked intricately on body-hugging pale-couloured gowns, while some formed striking headdresses.

For an autumn/winter show, Rian Fernandez's collection was uncharacteristically colourful.

A model walks the runway for Rian Fernandez at Arab Fashion Week.

Fernandez recently made news when he dressed Miss USA 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel, who became the first Filipino-American in history to win the title in October.

Fernandez has dressed many beauty pageant contestants before.

A model in a cream military-inspired suit.

Electric blue meets a tuxedo suit.

Many of the patterns in the collection are inspired by tribal patterns.

Fernandez says he accepted an invitation to participate in Arab Fashion Week in the hopes of introducing his label to the Middle East.

Fernandez says he hopes to bring his label to the UAE soon.

A look from Rian Fernandez's autumn/winter collection.

Fernandez designs for both men and women.

Arab Fashion Week's autumn/winter showcase is being held at Dubai Design District.

The audience at Rian Fernandez's show.

Frills galore at Rian Fernandez's show.

Rian Fernandez's eponymous label is based in Pangasinan in the Philippines.

The designer founded his label in 2012.

Filipino designer Rian Fernandez, who dressed Miss USA 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel for the competition as well as her Miss Texas run before that, returned to Arab Fashion Week for the autumn/winter showcase in Dubai.

Fernandez, who founded his eponymous label in 2012 in Pangasinan in the Philippines, made his Middle East debut at the event in June during the menswear showcases. Known for his elaborate creations with strong cultural themes, on Tuesday, the first night of the six-day autumn/winter shows at Dubai Design District, the designer paid homage to Baguio, a city on Luzon island, north Philippines, where he said his love for fashion was born.

Scroll through the gallery above for Rian Fernandez's collection at Arab Fashion Week

Showcasing a mix of menswear and womenswear, the 40-piece collection was uncharacteristically colourful for the season, something the designer said was deliberate.

"They love colours in Baguio. It's also a city that's rich with culture," Fernandez tells The National.

Models showcase Filipino designer Rian Fernandez's autumn/winter collection at Arab Fashion Week. Victor Besa / The National

Known as "the summer capital of the Philippines" owing to its elevation, Baguio's population is a melting pot of cultures, and is home to a number of ethnic tribes.

Fernandez's collection served as a nod to many of those tribes. While fringes on gowns represented the thread used in highland weaves, acrylic beads used for decorative purposes formed intricate patterns on puffy dresses, adding a dash of fun. There were also a lot of crystals, worked intricately on body-hugging pale-coloured gowns, while some formed striking headdresses.

Fernandez recently made news when he dressed Gabriel, who became the first Filipino-American in history to win the Miss USA title earlier this month. Gabriel, a model and fashion designer, beat 49 other candidates to the crown and will go on to represent the US at the Miss Universe 2022 pageant, to be held in New Orleans in January.

Before the Miss USA competition, Fernandez had dressed Gabriel when she competed in the Miss Texas competition this year and last.

He says accepted the invitation to participate in Arab Fashion Week in the hopes of introducing his label to the Middle East.

"It’s a very dreamy place and hopefully I'll set up my brand here soon," he says.

Miss Universe Bahrain makes major runway debut for Furne One at Arab Fashion Week — in pictures

Furne One, centre, with Miss Universe Bahrain Evlin Khalifa, centre right and Ameni Esseibi, right, at the opening show for Arab Fashion Week. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

Furne One, centre, with Khalifa, right.

Amato by Furne One's latest collection is themed around birds.

Called Birds of Prey, the 33-piece collection was presented with the designer's signature dramatic flair.

It proved a strong opening show for the six-day autumn-winter showcase event at Dubai Design District.

It featured a mix of menswear and womenswear.

Known for his glittering couture creations, One's all-black collection was geared towards ready-to-wear.

The designer played with textures to great effect, proving his mastery over fabrics, too, and not simply red-carpet sparkles.

The bird theme is strong through use of feather embellishments.

There were feathers aplenty, and all kinds of lace, tulles and even leather.

One said sustainability was another important message he wanted to communicate with his latest collection.