The Doha Fashion Show is returning, but later than scheduled.
Originally planned for the end of January, the three-day event has been postponed to March 16 to 18 due to “regional security considerations and out of an abundance of caution for all participants”.
The venue, programming and participating designers remain unchanged. The DFS said in a statement that the decision was made to “prioritise the safety of designers, talent, partners, media and guests while ensuring the highest-quality experience for all involved”.
Returning to The St Regis Marsa Arabia Island, The Pearl Qatar, the schedule of runway shows will be a mix of regional and international labels. Created to support and celebrate Qatari and regional talents, Doha Fashion joins Dubai Fashion Week and Riyadh Fashion Week in celebrating local emerging designers.
Founded in 2022, Doha Fashion Show has established itself as the premier Qatari fashion platform, welcoming more than 70 designers from around the world since it began.
DFS creative director and chief executive Tiffany McNair explained that the event was created to be “a platform for cultural exchange”.
“As Qatar continues to invest in creativity and global dialogue, we’re proud to contribute to an ecosystem that brings regional voices into conversation with international fashion and design,” she says.
Regional talent
Veronica Manzo Couture from Qatar will bring its evening wear to the fashion show. Founded by Italian designer Veronica Manzo, who relocated to Doha, she describes her evening wear as delivering elegance, which is no longer soft. “It’s structured. Sharpened. Redefined.”
Another regional name to keep an eye out for is the Saudi label Awaken, a streetwear-inspired brand for men and women. Already a veteran of Doha Fashion Show and Riyadh Fashion Week, it is known for its patchworked, printed and padded designs.
Also from Saudi Arabia is Filly Paris, a women’s ready-to-wear brand that recently hit the headlines when its enigmatic founder took a holiday in Morocco with Madonna and her family.
Known only by the online handle of La Cavaliere Elegante, this anonymous hijabi designer is a skilled horsewoman and is often seen posing on horseback in one of her own looks.
International names
Nicholas Oakwell Couture is a British brand known for dressing stars on the red carpet. With a strong eye for colour, past collections include Tsumani, which opened with a silvery dress with a long train of black and blue ostrich feathers that tumbled like water, while another took its inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock's heroines.
An off-schedule regular at Paris Haute Couture Week, the brand's designs have been worn by the likes of Karlie Kloss, Helen Mirren and Naomie Harris, while Teyana Taylor recently stepped out at the CCA Celebration of Black Cinema & Television awards in an Oakwell gown.
American designer Pia Lindsay will also bring her colourful looks to the Qatari capital. Known for favouring a rich palette – past collections have featured burnt orange, fuchsia pink, lime green and Klein blue – visitors to the show can expect an eye-popping collection.
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