Day two of Arab Fashion Week 2021 provided a great opportunity to meet some new designers, from as far afield as Mumbai and Paris.
With virtual collections, the shows allowed a glimpse at some old school glam from Riyadh, direction jewellery from Beirut and edgy looks from the French capital. Diverse and offering new view points, it was a great way to brush up on emerging names.
Nohma Design
One name is Nohma Design, a polymath studio that works across the disciplines of both architecture and fine jewellery. As the name behind the Anantara Mina Al Arab in Ras Al Khaimah, not surprisingly, the same rigueur runs through its jewellery that comes as linear, three-dimensional forms. Bold, almost masculine, yet created to fit onto a woman's hand, these are striking and truly innovative. The line between jewellery and architecture has been fluid for years, and this multi talented designer has just blurred it even more.
Nirmooha
Next was Nirmooha, an Indian fashion house that merges tradition with modernity. Offering tailored trouser suits and bandage-wrapped tops, many pieces came lavished with the artisan hand-beaded work India is famous for, shown here as flat designs or great looping strands. Stand-out pieces included a Studio 54-style wrap-front velvet mini dress, worn with a beaded bra and tights, and Art Deco-inspired velvet minidresses, that gleamed with metallic geometric patterns.
Situationist
Showing from Paris Fashion Week was Situationist, with its co-ed collection. Opening with a hairy mohair coat for men, it then took us through a range of predominately coats (this is winter wear, after all), interspersed with sparse suits for men and edgy patterned dresses for women, with strong 1980s silhouettes
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Jean Charles Zakaria
Jean Charles Zakaria, based between Beirut and Riyadh, brought its glamorous occasion wear, with plenty of fitted dresses that clung to every curve and sparkled with delicate beadwork. There were backless dresses in blush pink satin or apricot, and best of all, a black sheer dress, covered in beading that made it look like a butterfly wing.
