Going Italian at mall

Fashionistas, VIPs and the press attended the official launch of two of the world's most popular Italian brands at Moda Mall, writes Mai Al Khatib.

Stylish people and jazzy background music created the ideal ambience to complement the sophisticated designs of Gianfranco FerrŽ and Just Cavalli.

Gerard Liut, franchising manager for Gianfranco FerrŽ, said: "We are pleased with the opening. We already have an address in Dubai and Beirut and now in Bahrain.

"We have a very consolidated client base in the Middle East but up until now a lot of people from Bahrain had to leave the kingdom to find us.

"Now we are coming to them! It will be interesting to see how the response will be when they are shopping in Gianfranco locally for a change."

The summer 2009 women's collection at Gianfranco FerrŽ is sophisticated and easy to wear, focusing on shapes inspired by geometry and the female figure.

Mr Liut said: "What are in at the moment are volumes and layers. We use a lot of shapes, volumes, lengths and shoulder lines in our collection.

"Our clients in the Middle East are very much into high fashion, are really picky and know their stuff. So it is interesting to see how they will respond to the new identity of Gianfranco FerrŽ through the eyes of a new design team."

The collection draws upon the Italian tradition of fine tailoring to define a unique contemporary style in gorgeous classic fabrics complete with ultra-tech metallic fibres. The fabrics are totally innovative expressions of organza, duchesse, gazar and ottoman. Other fabrics include silky jersey and cotton stretch poplin.

The cuts of the collection are ultra sartorial with contrast and layers such as dome sleeves and boxy hems. Colours are neutral hues ranging from iridescent white to ice tone all the way to iron grey.

The men's collection is leisurely and swift. It embodies new pinstripes in the laser-cut cottons and embossed leathers with totally natural 'trompe-l'oeil' effects at shoulders, sleeve-joints, buttonholes and tucks.

Jackets are cut in natural synch with the body, straight pants are slim and easy to wear.

The materials used are dry mohair, abaca, oiled polyester lined in pashmina for soft and super light jackets, cashmere with silk doubling, linen and wood fibre, ultra soft jersey for classic T-shirts and embossed leathers.

The colours are dark neutrals.

Moda Mall shopper Rosaleen Woods, who works for Aramco and lives in Saudi Arabia, said: "The Gianfranco FerrŽ store looks fabulous and I absolutely love their designs."

Just Cavalli's collection, as previously featured in GulfWeekly, is brighter in colour and more modern than classical with the slogan 'Fashion should make you dream and imagine the impossible. Just Cavalli makes these dreams real and brings your desires to life'.

Once the store was opened, Shaikh Hassan Al Khalifa, the director of the Al Rashid Group which has brought the designers to Bahrain, did a little shopping of his own.

He said: "We are glad to be opening the store and introducing Just Cavalli to Bahrain. I personally love Just Cavalli and the reason I am so glad it is here in Bahrain is because I used to fly out before to shop and now I have the opportunity to just drive to Moda Mall and find what I want.

"The element that really attracted me to Just Cavalli is that it is cool, chic and easy to wear. It's as the name says - it is Just Cavalli."