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Qatar Today Editorials - Talent on the ramp
Valentino shoes, Versace jeans and Louis Vutton handbags, filled the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUQ) Atrium on May 25 and 26 for the Annual Student Fashion Show, Collage 2005.
More than 450 guests packed the VCUQ Atrium for this year’s fashion showcase. Payoff came in the form of satisfied front row smiles, roaring applause, and lingering photo opportunities for the designers themselves.
The event was sponsored by the Fashion Design programme at VCUQ, under the auspices and presence of HH Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, wife of the Heir Apparent HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Collage 2005 was a celebration of the outrageous, the unexpected, the chic, the eccentric and the unconventional: a potpourri of cultures and styles, the showcase celebrated the spirit of VCUQ students – elegant, dynamic and striking.
Noor Jassim Al Thani’s senior project consisted of more than an ordinary research paper for her graduation project. No pens or papers for her. Noor’s project consisted of designing the dresses, casting of models, and a runway.
Inspired by the Masaii culture of Africa, Noor created a collection with an African flair that left the audience breathless. Noor’s designs captured elegance and grace. “Clothes are like stories...they unite people, teach, bind, inform and enlighten and entertain us...we need them as a remembrance of who we are,” she says, describing her designs.
Eager designers, both old and new, were on hand to display their sculptures in cloth. This year’s show featured a wide array of arresting designs which were divided into seven scenes. First up was ‘Story Time’ where sophomore students showcased the beautiful clothing based on popular children’s book characters. ‘Round and Round’ featured the work of sophomore designers who created denim separates inspired by the form of the circle. The show took a mature turn in the next collection, ‘Loungewear’ whereby home wear was turned into something worth staying at home for. Noor’s ‘Sophisticated Ladies’ harmoniously combined eastern and western lines and the ‘Swarovski’ category based on bridal gowns of the 1920’s, was described as ‘unique’ and fused Parisian fashion influences.
The last category – Senior Collection – highlighted their signature collections, where Noor Jassim Al Thani and Al Anoud Jassim Al Thani created a consistent, fully realised body of work.
Sandra Bell Wilkins, Coordinator of the Fashion Design Programme, speaking about this year’s catwalk, says, “The evening itself was a collage of happenings as we presented collections inspired by cutting edge designers, our favourite children’s books, and new interpretations of dressing up and dressing down.”
The fashion industry is most probably one of the most misperceived industries in the Arab world. The mere mention of apparel manufacturing conjures up ideas and images of sweatshops, bleeding finger tips, cut fabrics and little money. But that is definitely not the true face of the fashion design industry. Instead, one should be imagining models in a design studio; designers sketching the latest fashion; merchandisers arranging for the apparel to be shipped to distribution centre or stores around the globe; fashion models walking down the runway; fashion photographers taking the pictures and fashion journalists inspiring the latest chic’s and mode’s.
Today’s apparel industry is so much more than just manufacturing. It is an extremely distinguished industry that involves market research, brand licensing/intellectual rights, design and material engineering (textiles), product manufacturing and marketing, and finally distribution. What people fail to realise is that it is a $24.3 billion industry whose potential reaches further than just clothes. It involves cosmetics, footwear, as well as perfume and jewellery design.
The fashion show is part of the annual activities of VCUQ – Doha’s fashion design centre – to develop the country’s fledgling fashion industry with support from Qatar Foundation for Science, Education and Community Development. “Fashion is deeply imprinted on the soul of a nation. Collage 2005 blended fashion, beauty and culture,” says Christina Lindholm, Dean of VCUQ. Her words echo those sung by Umm Kulthum years ago. “It is necessary to fill society with everything that is beautiful, for beauty endures, and is the best manifestation of authenticity.” And fashion design does just that: It epitomises beauty – making the ordinary extraordinary.
This article is reproduced with special permission from Qatar Today - Qatar's only news, business and lifestyle magazine
