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THE latest trends in ready-to-wear attire, glamorous gowns and a selection of bridal designs were recently showcased during Arab Fashion Week, writes Mai Al Khatib-Camille.
The event, staged in neighbouring Dubai, is regarded by style gurus as one of the leading designer showcases alongside the other four big events held in New York (NYFW), London (LFW), Milan (MFW) and Paris (PFW).
The annual festivals of colour and textures tend to host the biggest names in the business and this year’s fourth edition in the UAE wasn’t any different.
It featured an array of international labels such as French Marchesa, the Italian brand Antonio Marras, as well as regional designers such as Michael Cinco and the Lebanese-French creative Ingie Chalhoub offering the closing day highlight.
Ingie, who is known for constantly pushing the boundaries of high-end luxury, is ranked number 66 by Forbes on the latest 100 Most Powerful Arab Women List and a leading style icon.
She founded the Etoile Group and opened the first ever Chanel boutique in the Middle East in 1983. Her recent accolades include being guest-of-honour during Beirut Fashion Week last October where she presented her latest collection and received the International Achievement Award from Michel Pharaon, Minister of Tourism, and an accolade for the Business of Fashion at Arab Fashion Week where she closed the show with an INGIE Paris presentation.
Her label INGIE Paris, was launched in 2009 and combines French craftsmanship with Middle Eastern vibes. Four collections are unveiled each year taking in ready-to-wear garments, elegant evening gowns, red carpet dresses, daywear ensembles, knitwear pieces, accessories, and a complete shoe collection.
INGIE Paris’s Fall Winter 2017-2018 Collection was the latest to come under the spotlight as models wearing the dazzling designs glided down the catwalk in flouncy dresses, metallic suits and modest attire with a rocker chic-edge.
According to Ingie, pictured above, creative director of the label and chief creative officer of Arab Fashion Council, the collection was an ‘animation of contrasts’.
It combined ample volumes with metallic tones and textures in romantic silhouettes that featured a late 1970s sophistication.
The season’s colour palette was sombre and sensual, featuring Parisian zinc, bronze, ink, amaranth and crème. Black underscored the collection as light emphasised the material textures across lacquer, mat, satin and Pekin stripes.
Many fabrics used were super fluid, airy and transparent while other garments included tweed or floral jacquard along with gold and tangerine tones.
The collection featured something for everyone including floor-length skirts with ruffles and patterns, oversized bows and sleeves in flows of silk crepe and off-the-shoulder gowns as well as sheer shirts and dresses.
The models sparkled with their dragonfly brooches, long-layered necklaces and oversized pearls.
The crowd was also captivated by the crystal clusters cast from ‘desert rose’ mineral formations in pale yellow and white gold. Footwear in silk and jacquard were equally adorned with pearls and asymmetrical ruffles.
The collection is now being featured at Etoile La Boutique in City Centre Bahrain.
