Dubai - MENA Herald: As part of the unique Street Runways being held during the current edition of Dubai Shopping Festival, the fashion catwalk show called FOR THE LOVE OF FOLK took place on 23 January 2016 at the Burj Plaza in Downtown Dubai with the stunning backdrop of the Burj Khalifa.
The show was held in collaboration with s*uce and Emaar with hair and makeup being presented by Paris Gallery, as part of the ongoing Apparel and Fashion themed events of DSF 2016.
For a few hours, the Burj Plaza became a bohemian haven filled with nature’s niceties in the form of vegetable patches that included fresh lettuce, cabbage, beetroots and radish as well as flowers growing in glass boxes. The benches were placed to embrace the pebbled grid that became the catwalk. Once the show started, it felt as if a pretty town square came alive with beautiful women dressed in splashes of colourful tribal flair, fresh flowers sprinkled in their hair and baskets of fresh produce draped around their delicate arms. The folk theme was achieved by blending in the richness of texture, colour and fabric used in the designs of both regional and internationally renowned contemporary designers - Anaya, Dee by Dalia, Mochi, NoFux, OTT, Zayan the Label, Alexis, Sretsis and Zimmerman, to name a few.
The organiser of DSF, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) – worked closely with S*uce to create this tribal Street Runway concept that was uniquely presented in terms of the décor of the seating area, the catwalk area, the make-up and hairstyle as well as the music. Presenter Shereen Mitwalli opened the Street Runway show by introducing the concept of FOR THE LOVE OF FOLK to the guests. She wore an off-the-shoulder striped dress from Zayan the Label, with pearl cluster appliqué around the shoulder.
Zayan Ghandour, Co-founder, Creative Director and Head Buyer at s*uce concept stores, said: “We were thrilled when DSF approached us to collaborate on a show for the Street Runway series! It has been an absolute pleasure working with the team and we are delighted to be able to support and showcase our local and regional designers under the DSF platform. We look forward to many more collaborations in the future.”
The use of multi-coloured floral embroidery, an overload of merry pom poms, metallic embellishments, thick woven textiles and ornate accessories captured the bohemian rhapsody effect. Accessories included belts made of flat silver coins and embroidered motifs, small pots of flowers as handbags, chunky rhinestone-studded necklaces. Even attention to detail was given to the shoes, most of which featured pom-poms. Hair was dressed by Paris Gallery either as tightly plaited pigtails accentuated with pom-pom laden headdresses or flowing hair with a burst of flowers around the crown.
One of the models wore a NoFux black robe dress heavy laden with embroidery, trims and tassels. Her hairband was made of branches filled with colourful pom poms while her handbag was actually an Indian tiffin box embellished with more pom poms. Another model wore an embellished cropped jacket by Zayan the Label, over a daring Dee by Dalia ensemble.
Sretsis faux leather coat with flower buttons and embroidery was worn over a Mochi skirt with blue flowers.
OTT showcased a stunning maxi dress whose billowing skirt, once caught by the evening breeze, showed off the extreme detail of floral embroidery meshed in with lace lining, patterned flowing material and playful tassels.
Stella Jean’s Pom Pom wool and alpaca blend camel jacket went well when worn over a long sleeved yellow dress by I’m Isola Marras finished with a wooden tassel necklace.
As of 24 January 2016, s*uce has made it possible for cuatomers to buy the pieces showcased during the Street Runway on their Instashop website www.shopatsauce.com/instashop
The Street Runway at Burj Plaza followed the first DSF Street Runway held at the historical AL Fahidi district on 19 January that showcased high-end French retro fashion. With connoisseurs of fashion being able to ‘Unwrap The Best of Style’ this DSF with some unique fashion events featuring luxury brands, the third and final Street Runway will be held today (25 January) at Meena Bazaar in Bur Dubai in an entirely new setting that will showcase wedding traditions in harmony with modernity. As with the previous two Street Runways, hair and makeup for this event too is presented by Paris Gallery.
The audience will be taken on a journey into the lush fabrics of India, as models decked out in extravagant Indian wedding ensembles take to the walkways of Meena Bazaar, led by a festive Indian band in a fashion show that is a first for the region.
The Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) , an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), and the organisers of DSF 2016, has been working closely with leading retail brands to engage shoppers with unique activations, and the ‘Street Runways’ series of fashion shows has not only moved high-end fashion to the streets of Dubai, it has also given guests the opportunity to experience the ambience of the unique locations in which they are being held.
