Arab Fashion Week is now underway, with runway shows taking place at Citywalk Dubai until April 28. With a busy schedule of over 27 shows featuring regional and international designers, there's a lot going on, so we've picked out five names to keep an eye on.
Aiisha Ramadan
This UAE designer has dressed everyone from Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lopez to Kareena Kapoor in her signature take on tough-girl evening wear. Expect layers of beautifully embroidered net and ruffles given an upscale, streetwear twist.
Rami Kadi
Having recently been invited to join fashion's very highest echelon – the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture – Lebanese designer Rami Kadi is a star on the rise. With a fearless but elegant approach to colour, and an almost obsessive love of shimmer, Kadi’s design are ultra-glamorous, and infused with power and attitude.
FAD Institute of Luxury Fashion and Style Dubai
Offering industry professional-tutored courses, FAD provides a vital platform for aspiring designers both here and abroad. Having previously partnered with Fashion Scout and Vogue Italia, this latest show by FAD students is a chance to catch the next big name in the region, before anyone else.
Sara Altwain
This Saudi designer is already well known in the region for her sumptuous bridal gowns, and her use of dense beading and embroidery. Her most recent collection, entitled The Vision, is inspired by wheat, and the good luck it's meant to imbue, with the motif delicately worked across her pieces, tone on tone. With a growing maturity to her work, she is definitely one to keep an eye on.
BLSSD
Founded in 2015 by cancer survivor Lama Riachi, BLSSD is a deeply thoughtful label that combines a clean, almost minimalist aesthetic with a focus on gratitude. Offering understated, pared-back pieces, this brand is unique in that it's the only non-profit social enterprise in the region that's helping those who have been affected by cancer.
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