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ARABIC DESIGNS SHINE AT HEYA LAST MONTH SAW THE RETURN OF THE HEYA ARABIAN EXHIBITION, QATAR’S LEADING WOMEN’S FASHION EVENT. Now
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Above: HF Boutique, one of over 200 exhibitors at the 7th Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition
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in its 7th year, the event has developed significantly, and this year’s edition has widely been regarded as the most ambitious and successful to date. Organised by the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in association with event planners Design Creationz, the exhibition showcases Arabian fashion in all its beauty, elegance and manifestations from abayas and jelabiyas to gowns, kaftans and capes. With more than 200 exhibitors from around the Gulf congregating in Doha to take part in the exhibition, the sheer range and quality of the garments on display was nothing short of astonishing. “It’s about elevating the experience,” explains Haya Alnaimi, Director of Design Creationz. “It’s not just about shopping, it’s about creating a space where women want to come and have a chat and a coffee with friends. We have everything here from Pierre Hermé Paris to the W Café and Katara Halls. We are staging fashion shows as part of the event so that this is more than just an exhibition. It’s an experience.” “We saw the potential of the event,” adds Adeline Desages, Event Coordinator at the QTA. “The abayas on display are fashionable and beautiful. There is a deep respect for the cultural roots of Qatar here. We are in a position to help bring this fashion to the next level. Our motto at the QTA is to create an international cultural hub with a deep respect for our culture. Heya is a fantastic way of promoting Qatari and, more generally Arabic, culture
and fashion and showing the best we have to offer.” Significantly, the event brings Arabian fashion to both new and established audiences. The opening day of Heya saw huge crowds descend on the Doha Exhibition Centre. Alongside Qatari ladies, visitors from throughout the Gulf were in attendance, as well as Europeans living in Doha and interested in exploring the range of clothing on display. Heya’s ethos is, at its heart, about reciprocity. It is as much about showcasing this wealth of creative fashion talent to a global audience as it is about creating a tourism buzz around Qatar’s thriving fashion industry. So are perceptions of what Arabian fashion is changing, I ask Haya Alnaimi? “Absolutely,” she says. “There is a real interest in our fashion. We had some western bloggers attend the launch wearing abayas. This is a sign that they are appreciating our fashion and, by extension, our culture.” The following morning, I attend a private brunch at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Doha to meet some of the designers and brand ambassadors participating in the event. Eman Al Ahmad, the designer behind the eponymous Kuwaiti brand tells me that Heya is “an incredibly important platform” for the brand. “We have lots of customers here in Qatar. We have brought a number of pieces with us: kaftans for Ramadan and for special events. We have included linen and cotton pieces for summer, as well as pure silk pieces for occasions.” She identifies the international outlook of the Heya organisers as a particularly striking element of the event. “They want to take Arabic fashion to the
Words: Bianca Brigitte Bonomi Photos: Supplied
Grazia Editor Bianca Brigitte Bonomi discovers the wonderful world of the Heya Fashion Exhibition in Doha and uncovers one of the most exciting – and ambitious – events in the Gulf
Main: A design by Eman Al Ahmad Left and below: Dar Naseem Alandalos
HEYA SHOWCASES BEAUTIFULLY THE WEALTH OF CREATIVE TALENT IN THE GULF AND HERE IN QATAR West and they have a strong vision.” Elsewhere, the founder of Jasmine’s Designs, again based in Kuwait, explains that Heya is a good way of reaching large audiences. “We have seen many people here, which is great. I have been a designer for twenty years. When I was young, I enjoyed making everything by hand. Craft has always been important to me. We have expanded over the past two years into the Gulf. Everything is made by hand and
embroidered. Our clients want that level of craft and skill.” Qatari powerhouse Debaj also proved a successful exhibitor at Heya. “We started small with just a few pieces in the first collection,” Creative Director Elisabete Reis tells me of the brand’s inception in 2012. “They were instantly accepted in Qatar and the demand for more pieces grew stronger. Our latest collection features in excess of 20 exclusive pieces.”
Elisabete puts this success own to the fabrics – “we choose them very carefully, we fly to Spain and buy the best quality” – and a creative vision which incorporates a passion for the world of art and treats each piece as a unique canvas. She acknowledges the significance of the Heya Exhibition: “It’s extremely important. I travel with Debaj everywhere in the world. We go to all the major exhibitions. Having something like this in Qatar is wonderful. We are showing the world that we have people here with a lot of talent the capacity to organise fantastic large-scale events.” In addition to highly exclusive clients here in Qatar, Debaj is also proving increasingly popular in Europe. “We have a number of capes and wraps in our collection. They are so easy to wear and they give Europeans the opportunity to experiment with Arabian fashion. For those living in Qatar, these pieces allow them to remain culturally sensitive particularly during Ramadan.” Debaj demonstrates the power of global interest in Qatari and Arabian fashion – the brand showed designs at London Fashion Week last year as part of British Fashion Council’s International Fashion Showcase initiative – and hints at a wider movement within the Arabian fashion landscape. “We are seeing growth in all of the designers here,” says Haya Alnaimi. “Some have already held shows in Paris and London. They are striving to be international brands and everything from their photoshoots to their branding and their booths here at Heya reflects their quality, professional and fashion vision. It’s an exciting time to be here.” 27