This past week, Dubaï hosted its first online fashion week for men in order to establish the capital as a top destination for ready to couture
A huge leap for the United Arab Emirates’ fashion industry
For the first time, the Arab Fashion Week- Men’s – the Middle East’s first dedicated solely to menswear in the region – hosted a dozen designers from the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Iran, the United Kingdom, and France. They presented a variety of designers, from fine tailoring to streetwear, and included those who create gender-neutral collections. This event has been held in partnership with Facebook and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode – that enabled people to watch the show on Facebook and Instagram Live -, and AFC announced that this event will take place every January and June and will become a bi-annual event. By making this show an online event, fashion lovers of all across the globe have been able to watch designers from Lebanon, Iran, the Middle East, and North Africa and from the United Arab Emirates, who showcased their latest trendy pieces in menswear.
“Emerging brands are expressing a fashion-forward view of the world. We are pleased to present some of these talented designers from the Paris Fashion Week calendar in Dubai at Arab Fashion Week-Men’s, to allow them to increase their global reach,” says Serge Carreira, head of emerging brands initiative at the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
An amazing Fashion Week showcased by designers with moods as different as each other
The event was also broadcasted live on YouTube, where Amato – an Emirati brand that has become international – opened the ball. Let’s discover the magnificent clip of Armato couture – an Emirati brand now international – shot in the desert. Men appear all dressed in white, with lace t-shirts and more traditional costumes of the Gulf. They walk, pose on top of a tree, throw creamy colored cultured pearls on very rhythmic music. The rhythm accelerates, they run, until they find themselves around a beautiful woman dressed in lace and pearls. The pace slows down to start faster again. It’s all about long light coats with embroidery and white feathers, then also long dresses typical of the Gulf accompanied by long sleeveless coats.
Now, let’s talk about some other designers. We got Zar Douz Basic – an Iranian based label – that made a statement of peace and gender equality through fashion. The whole source of this catwalk was inspired by Nature, as Zar Douz Basic is highly influenced by the coexistence of mountains and water. Gender is not found in most clothes, and the unisex clothes bring about the same function and comfort for everyone.
Then we got Anomalous – derived from the term “Anomalous Monism”, which is a theory that describes dualism in the philosophy of mind and thus showcases the duality and versatility, present in every piece.
Arturo Obegero showcased a tale of drama and emotions and wanted to bring a sparkle of fantasy to overcome all the problems (inequality issues, the pandemic issues…) we go through. He showcased original cut (belt in the upper back) and used mostly velvet as a fabric, coming from old velvet curtains collected from theatres around the world, from Sydney to London.
“The world has become the biggest stage, and everyone performs for attention and validation. I feel that we are in the most beautiful cage called life, a velvet prison.”
Get used to the desert; that belongs to nobody, where you stay between earth and sky, without wall or fence (Erri De Luca)#Dubai #ArabFashionWeek #UnitedArabEmirates #UAE #fashion #moda #italian #fashionweek #man #men #manfashion #outfit #vogue #italianboy #arab #desert #kefiaf pic.twitter.com/FGpZCTQXa6
— Marco Parrino (@MarcoParrino) November 26, 2017
Dubaï has a head full of projects
Dubai Fashion Week was first launched in 2015 with the aim of establishing itself in the middle of the largest fashion capitals such as Paris, London, New York… Dubai, one of the seven principalities that make up the United Arab Emirates, and which is poor in oil, has bet on its image of luxury to diversify its economy by establishing itself as a financial hub, and a tourism destination. But, one of their biggest current goals is to attract and create their own image in the fashion industry. Sales in the clothing sector accounted for $12.3 billion in 2018 in the Emirates, with men’s textiles accounting for 53 percent of this amount and a turnover of $6.2 billion, according to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“As the only official fashion week established within the region, The Arab Fashion Council is thrilled to launch Arab Fashion Week- Men’s and to begin a new journey to shape the future of the emerging menswear market across the Arab world both by nurturing the creativity of regional designers and, through our continued support to international designers wishing to explore opportunities within the region,” says Jacob Abrian, founder, and CEO of Arab Fashion Council.
“The world around us is changing, as are attitudes towards fashion, and nowhere more so than in the Middle East,” claims Mohammed Aqra, director of the strategy at the Arab Fashion Council, which represents the sector for 22 countries. “Arab Fashion Week-Men’s presents the scope of men’s fashion beyond formal wear and streetwear, and paves the way for a bolder wardrobe for Middle Eastern men”. We can expect and be convinced – after watching the show full of talented designers – that these countries will become one of the biggest fashion hub in the world in a near future
