The sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week opened recently with fallen angels, Rococo corsets, cupcake headbands and nary a kaftan in sight.
The Arab edition of fashion week is the sole event dedicated entirely to ready-couture and pre-collections.
Hosted on the Queen Elizabeth II cruise ship, the show, which prides itself on its Arab name, opened with angel-inspired and baroque kitsch collections by designers from Russia, Portugal, the UAE, the Philippines, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and more.
Designer Furone One, loved in Dubai for his ethereal designs, opened the four-day affair with his "White Noise" resort collection, inspired by angels both cherubin and fallen. Russia's Tatiana V. Lyalina paid tribute to Marie Antoinette with a Rococo-inspired collection featuring pink heart-print pantsuits underneath bright blue fur stoles, teal velvet gowns with brooches, glitter knee boots, corsets and cupcake headbands.
The Arab Fashion Council has openly stated that it aims to spread ready-couture across the region -- a form of fashion that is financially more accessible than haute couture, but pricier and slightly more exclusive than ready-to-wear. The spread of ready-couture has not sat particularly well with traditional gatekeepers in the fashion world, but the growing influence of social media has seen its popularity continue to skyrocket.
The Arab Fashion Council is banking on that popularity to make its mark on the global scene. Arab Fashion Week now has two editions that is Dubai Arab Fashion Week, and Riyadh Arab Fashion Week.
Saudi Arabia last month hosted its own version of the event, drawing press from around the world to a lineup that included trunk shows by Jean Paul Gaultier and Roberto Cavalli but did not include men or cameras.
