MIMI Fashion Designs
Emirati
Launched in 2007, Mariam Al Marzo takes her client down the rabbit hole with her latest collection, which was inspired by Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’. The psychedelic journey of bright colours and universal fashion was founded on a feminine hybrid of the traditional Eastern jalabiya and Western maxi dress. The young Emirati designer is evidently quite obsessive when it comes to patterns. Whether its floral, geometric, plaid, polka dotted, zigzagged, or striped, Al Marzo beautifully manipulates unique combinations of prints and patterns to create colourful dresses that highlight different techniques and experiment with various fabrics. Today, MIMI Designs give a greatly missed bohemian-chic essence to the world of Arab fashion.
Shrekanhth
Dubai-based Indian
Beginning with his eponymous debut in Spring/Summer 2010, Dubai-based fashion designer and print-maker, Shrekahnth triggered a new wave of digital artwork into the Middle Eastern fashion scene. From collections based on the architecture of Dubai to the travels of 14th century Moroccan Muslim scholar and traveller, Ibn Battuta, Shrekahnth’s work turns a traditional aesthetic on its head, via the neo-contemporary medium of hyper-real prints. His references may be many, but it is his unparalleled ability to utilize special cuts in order to flatter the female figure that have made him quite so successful with the Arab, or pro-Arab clientele, earning him the title of “The Kaftan King”. His references to Islamic Art beautifully translate into fashion-forward prêt-à-porter.
Christian Dior Haute Couture
French
The Fall/Winter 2011-2012 Dior couture show marked the first collection not overseen by John Galliano in 15 years. A rather unorthodox series of designs cascaded down the runway, including an unusual inclusion of resort-collection-like kaftans that will be immediately picked up by one of three types of client: the jetsetter, the Arab, or the Arab Jetsetter. Bill Gaytten, the former assistant to Galliano who had been asked to temporarily fill the disgraced former creative director’s shoes, presented a show with many disparate influences that was almost trying to prove his cultural erudition. His free-flowing kaftans however were the highlights of the collection and something many an Arab woman, whether vacationing on the Côte d'Azur or hosting an iftar in Ramadan, will desire.
Hermès
French
Hermès was another prestigious fashion house that went under new leadership this season. With Jean Paul Gaultier no longer at its superbly crafted reigns, the luxury label adventurously pushed its equestrian tradition into the background, spotlighting a nomadic lifestyle instead. An essence of Orientalism was strongly present with the sweeping kurtas and elegant kimonos and kaftans. Ponchos and capes resembling the Saudi mishla with their trimmings and tassels were a much more dramatized ode to the Middle East. Christophe Lemaire also exploited Hermès’ leather expertise in designing gloves for falconry and archery, revealing an appreciation for traditional Arab pastimes, while other accessories, such as obi belts, conjured the East. The ex-Lacoste designer is clearly combining the heritage of Hermès with a touch of eccentricity, and it works.
Omar Azure
Saudi Arabian
And last but not least, we have a special one for menswear. The traditional thobe has been getting contemporary makeovers for about a decade now. From the cargo pocket and zipper-embellishments, to the more classic version adorned with embroidered calligraphy, the garment has been reinterpreted widely. Yet never has it been so subtly refined as in the interpretation by Saudi thobe designer, Omar Ashour of Omar Azure. With its Japanese cotton, French taffeta satin and German voile, Omar Azure has created an international cultivation of an extremely regionalised garment. Originally trained as an architect, Ashour intimately understands proportions and construction, manipulating one to achieve sophistication of the other. The result is a product that transcends borders, boasting global appeal and understated luxury.
