Arab Fashion Week 2019: The UAE Designers Showcasing Their Collections

As Arab Fashion Week kicks off for 2019, here are some of the home-grown fashion labels to look out for.

ARSHYS

Between April 24-28th, designers from across the region will gather at Dubai’s City Walk to display their collections and explore the growing fashion trends within the Middle East

Across the week, there will be 27 shows to marvel over and explore. And to celebrate the homegrown talent, here are the fashion labels born right here in the UAE that have earned themselves a spot on the show schedule.

Aiisha Ramadan

The eponymously named fashion label was born in the UAE in 2007 and aims to create feminine designs that can be appreciated by women all over the globe. Creator Aiisha, who was born in Lebanon, studied fashion design in the American Univerity of Dubai before opening her brand with which she aimed to cherish the art of couture and later introduced bridal and ready-to-wear in 2013. Famous faces such as Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lopez and Aishwarya Rai have donned the label.

BLSSD

Introducing a local fashion brand with a heart. BLSSD was created in 2015 by Lama Riachi. As a cancer survivor, Riachi aimed to make a brand that connected with gratitude instead of simply aesthetics while giving back to fellow survivors. The designs mix urban ready-to-wear looks, and the trademark statement of BLSSD is Pret A Gratitude.

Baravia

The local fashion store focuses on creating playful occasion, evening and wedding gowns for the young vibrant woman. Created by Uzbekistan-born designer Gulnora Muhedinova, each garment demonstrates her love of art. After opening her own beauty centre in 2015, her fashion label was only born in 2018, so is a relative newcomer to the local fashion scene.

Aiisha Ramadan

Yara Bin Shakar

This Emirati fashion designer takes her inspiration from vintage Hollywood glamour. The fashion house prides itself on creating comfortable and practical ensembles collections that remain on trend, and are wearable from day to night. While Yara Bin Shakar strives to cater to all types of women, traditionally feminine designs are at the heart of her collections.

Sara Al Madani

Born and raised in Sharjah, Sara Al Madani has grown up around Emirati fashion, watching it grow over the years. And from the age of 15, she had been conceptualising her own fashion label after being dissatisfied with the purely black abayas available on the market. Now, she runs her successful fashion house that is loved by many, and have even taken her creative hand to the food industry, a creative consultancy and a new tech company.

ARSHYS

Sharing a sense of identities and believes through clothes is as the core of this contemporary womenswear label. Established in early 2017 by Emirati fashion designer Arshia Alam, her brand champions sustainability by working on designs in small batches to eliminate waste, and carrying on any leftover fabrics into new seasons.