Dubai Designers Bring Flair to Traditional Dress

posted on: Jun 25, 2010

Some of the Arab world’s leading fashion designers have relocated to Dubai, drawn by a favourable investment climate and the lure of the Gulf market. Dubai’s numerous exotic hotels provide a plush backdrop for their latest collections, which tend to combine classical, conservative designs with a splash of daring colour.

Lebanon’s Aqal Faqih and Iraq’s Ikhlass Al-Shaibani are two of the many designers who have decamped to Dubai for reasons linked to security as much as economics. Dubai has proven a lucrative and welcoming base for their operations, and they are happy to give something back to their host city after a season of strong sales. Faqih and Al-Shaibani’s most recent collections were shown at Dubai’s seven-star Burj Al-Arab hotel. The proceeds were donated to the Noor Centre for Children with Special Needs.

Faqih’s collection for spring/summer 2010 displayed his trademark innovative blend of textiles, colours and sharp tailoring, delivered against a background medley of Western and Lebanese music introduced by Lebanese singer Wadia Al-Safi’s “Lebanon, You Piece of Heaven”.

Al-Shaibani unveiled a collection of traditional black women’s abayas, or outer garment wraps, enlivened with splashes of vibrant colour and shiny accessories.

“I design everything from classic pieces to casual chic, but I am now concentrating more on modern reinterpretations of women’s traditional garments. I work from a black base, but add colour and gold and silver embroidery”, Al-Shaibani said.

Ikhlass Al-Shaibani with samples from her latest collection
Ikhlass Al-Shaibani with samples from her latest collection

For bridal wear, the Iraqi designer normally adds flourishes to traditional white dresses. She likes to work with “Bahraini silk, chiffon, satin and lace.” The abayas sell at high-end boutiques.

Abd Al-Rahman Ibrahim is a Dubai textile dealer who attended the shows and who supplies the designers with many of the textiles and accessories in their collections. He stated, “I was one of the first to introduce personal touches to women’s abayas in the Gulf, specifically in Dubai. That was around 15 years ago. Before that, you could only find traditional designs in black.” When colour was introduced, “demand picked up quickly. The positive response that I received encouraged me to add bright accessories. I source them mainly from China, Taiwan and Europe”, Ibrahim said.

Al-Shofora