Fashion Forward Day 1

I know I know this is like 2 months late, but better late than never. As you may noticed I was in Dubai in April for Fashion Forward season 2, I took it as an excuse, for a gateway with my hubby, to celebrate my birthday as well. Read more about my stay here

As an Egyptian born and raised in Cairo, my imagining of a show was the thing my mom and aunts used to watch Saturday morning on Channel 2 through a program called ( Lakey ya Sayadety), growing up and choosing a career in fashion( a career that I had to ditch 5 years of Pharmacy studying for), those (Lakey ya Sayadety fashion shows) turned out to be my life. Following the footsteps of my fellow fashion editors and bloggers, I booked first seat heading to Dubai, to attend the Middle East’s biggest fashion event, The Fashion Forward. FFWD can be considered as the Dubai Fashion Week, but the creative muti-national team behind it, preferred to have a thing of their own creation, than going the easy way and using the Fashion Week name.

 This is the third season for FFWD, growing every season more, and attracting more of the Middle East’s well celebrated designers, and more and more fashionable crowd and media. The fast growing event, host a number of fashion shows, fashion talk panels, workshops and a series of stunning parties. Along the   FFWD busy schedule, a very organized bazaar usually takes place, presenting to the fashionable crowd around 60 local designers from all over the Middle East region, and with couple of young Egyptian designer such as Koukla and Nada Akram.

I arrived to Dubai before the event with only one day, as soon as I check in my hotel, I decided to drop my bags and run to the Dubai Mall, to finish my shopping for the event, such event as big as the FFWD everyone goes dressed in the trendiest outfits they can find their wardrobes. I prepared everything and went to bed, but as usual I woke up late and was rushing to catch the shows from the start. I arrived to the luxurious Madinat Jumeriah, where the FFWD is held, 5 minutes before the start of  LEVEL’s talk­­­­­­. Almost everyone standing by the doors saw me changing my comfortable flats into a much painful pointed heels, but such scene is very common in such occasions, we have to admit heels are sexy but can be a pain sometimes.

wearing Azza Fahmy earrings.

With the ever sweet and beautiful Fozaza

Me with the lady who dressed me up in Pink. Nada Akram

with Zayan Ghandour

The first talk was a "shoes talk" hosted by the world’s largest shoes district "LEVEL" store. The talk addressed the shoes business and the chance that the emerging young talents in shoes industry can really have within the crazy world of the international shoes brands. The conversation was conducted by Level's principal Rania Al Masri along with A.Oliveros head buyer and Lebanese shoes designer Anneis Eunis.  Following the talk I was left to decided between attending a fabulous private party celebrating LEVEL store and the opening of the FFWD event, or to go watch the Lebanese group of designers Starch foundation show, the Egyptian genes in me kicked and involuntary dragged me to the party, can’t help it we Egyptians love to party.

. After the party I felt I need to satisfy my fashionable taste buds, by attending a show for one of my favourite local brands KAGE, so I lined up to the KAGE show, media line. KAGE is one of the favourite brands for Dubai’s somehow younger fashionistas, a thing you could easily tell by looking to the crowd waiting in front of the hall. The two young childhood friends, Arwa Abdul Hady and Basma Abu Ghazella have a signature touch of always using the minimal elements to design unique pieces. Out of all of their collection this particular one, I liked the least, I didn’t see anything new. The collection was inspired from the late 80’s early 90's, which was reflected on the models’ big messy bed hair, and simple loose shirt cut, that makes you feel that they just wake up and jumped into their boyfriends’ outfits. Don’t get me wrong the collection was nice, but I expected more from such a romantic duo. After few hours from the show, I was covered from head to toe, in snow, Snow in Dubai, yes artificial, you know in Dubai if you don’t have the thing naturally, you make the thing happens artificially, well after all that’s the Dubai fuzz  is all about. And that what the Filipino designer Ezra exactly did, he wanted to transfer his fashion show audience to  a one of snowy dark Moroccan Saharan nights, and with the right effects and perfect clothes, hell he did. One of the best shows this season, which had everyone talking. Ezra carefully mixed chiffon evening gown with what can be described as savage barbarian inspired silver accessories, a thing that only a barbarian princess would wear for an urban party in our own time. 

 What I wore:

Earrings: Azza Fahmy- Suma collection, The Sufi dancer crafted with Galal AlRoumy poem.

Top: H&M

Shoes: Zara

Skirt: Nada Akram Designs, Nada custom made this beautiful peplum skirt for me.

Bag: Zaam, Egyptian designer also custom made this pink pyramids bag. He had it as a limited edition to be displayed in Cairo fashion festival, but it was in blue. So to match my outfit thankfully he had time to make it in pink.The bag was shot by Savoir Flair magazine, for their best accessories feature :)

 

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