Dubai Fashion Week: Highlights of Day 5

On its penultimate day, Dubai Fashion Week featured the collections of DFW members part of the designers' committee, Dima Ayad, Lama Jouni, and Mrs.Keepa. International buyers participated in an industry panel discussion as part of the Arab Fashion Council’s buyers’ program in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District.

Lama Jouni

This season's collection was all about boldness and glamour, and nothing captured that essence like the predominantly black color palette, with occasional pops of white and pink, creating a striking contrast against the figure defining textiles. Keeping the prominent cut-out details and figure-hugging fabric along with the signature Lama Jouni blazer, this collection featured new styles of AW23/24 along with some of the brand’s core pieces. Predominant with maxi shimmery thigh slit dresses expose just the right amount of skin, adding a touch of sensuality to the piece. The fabric adds an extra layer of glamour and sophistication that complements the sleek and sultry silhouette.

Pressiat

Vincent Garnier, the designer of Pressiat, presented a unique collection inspired by his belief that a woman is more alluring in pieces she is confident wearing. This collection featured pencil skirts with corset lacing burrowed from the burlesque codes along with the iconic trench in Vinyl, bar jackets, and twin set cardigans with punk bravery. Contrary to common belief, Pressiat sees joy in black, which was dominant, especially through the light-reflecting fabric, velvet, tulle, silk, and bold latex. Halter neck tops with flowing necktie detail swayed on his models. Garnier shared his environmentally conscious pieces from upcycled vinyl filled with black and white dead stock feathers. He continued his creative journey with headscarves and retro-style motoring helmets with silk lavalier worn under the chin or to the back accompanied with attires of mini or sweeping floor-length skirts, tailored suits, and trousers.

Dima Ayad

Every design of this collection took us to a world of vibrant hues, thanks to their high precision that reflected uniqueness and inclusivity. The designer's affinity for all things metallic is prominent throughout the collection, featuring a textured gold dress with gladiator vibes, metallic collars on thobe-like dresses, and electrifying pops of blue in gradient shades. The carefully curated color palette and fabric choices perfectly complement each other and the female temple. In addition to metallic accents, the collection features trendy details such as scrunches, patterns, and defined fringes, adding an extra layer of texture and dimension to each piece.

Mrs. Keepa

Mrs. Keepa launched her AW23 collection titled "Life is a Game" with a digital presentation at Dubai Fashion Week. The collection drew inspiration from GenZ, a generation known for their authentic self-expression, and featured avant-garde and modern designs. Remarkably, the collection incorporated denim for the first time, with an emphasis on upcycling and recycling to align with the brand's sustainability values. The digital showcase underlined the brand's progressive and innovative approach to fashion.

Buyers talk and portfolio review

A panel discussion took place at d3 between international and regional buyers, DFW designers, and Media. Among the panelists were Dani Stenin from Antonioli, Raphael Deray from Printemps, Caterina Ercoli from Level Shoes, Georgina Gainza from Al Tayer Group, and Martina Solino from Tyrano &S aks. The discussion was moderated by Sujata Assomull, a contributor to Vogue Business, Khaleej Times, and other publications. The event included a Designer's Portfolio review, which followed the panel discussion and gave space Q&A between attendees and panel members along with the chance to hold one on one discussions between designers and the attending buyers.