India Fashion Week Dubai 2014

Friday, I was invited to see the shows of the last day of India Fashion Week Dubai. The event took place at Emirates Towers, which is right next to a metro station, so to avoid getting stuck in Dubai’s infamous Friday afternoon traffic, I took the metro.

I went with two of my oldest and dearest Dubai friends, Hanna and Pia, both of whom I haven’t seen for months. The invitation stated that the show would start at 16:00, but on the website, I read that the event was at 17:00. We thought that it was better to arrive a little early, than to rush in last minute, so we were all there at 15:45, only to find out, that the show was delayed.

We waited for a while in the bar and had what must be one of the most expensive cans of Pepsi in Dubai, before we went inside the big ballroom, where the runway was located, and took our seats. Then we waited for more than an hour, before the show finally started at 18:20. Now that’s what I call fashionably late..

Just before the lights were dimmed and Indian pop music started pumping out of the speakers, Pia gave up and left for Friday dinner with her family, and I must admit, I was tempted to leave too, as I had skipped lunch. I was so hungry, I could’ve eaten the chairs we were sitting on, but I was happy that I stayed. First out was Ashima Leena’s bridal collection. Models dressed in beautifully draped robes swirled down the runway and thrilled the audience with bright colors and golden ornaments. The heavy brocade along with the light, gold-lined veils were stunning and this collection was my favorite of the evening.

The next show was Sonya for Vemb. Her collection was more toned down than Ashima Leena’s but the cuts were flattering and the silhouettes almost floating.

Sonya for Vemb was followed by the FAD Grad Show, which I had really been looking forward to. FAD International Academy is one of the most prominent fashion and art academies in India, and the designers are encouraged to cater to a global market and not just domestic consumers. It was a very elegant collection with sleek lines along with a dash of playful details and probably among the most wearable items I saw that evening.

After the FAD Grad Show was the well-known men’s apparel brand More Mischief by Deepak Shah. A flautist opened the show and accompanied the models down the runway. The collection was flirting with military/uniform influences, but the bright colors and accessories, such as cherry-pink cashmere shawls, made the garments look more in-crowd and less army-like. I could definitely see Poul wearing one of those outfits (though I’m not sure Poul agrees).

When the More Mischief’s show was over, it was almost 20:00 and even though I would have loved to see the rest of the shows not to mention the afterparty, I was so hungry I was afraid I might jump onto the runway and take a bite of one of the models, if I stayed. It was a fascinating glimpse into a tantalizing world that’s completely new to me and I had such a good time. I just wish I had brought a snack..A Snickers, a Snickers! My kingdom for a Snickers!

Read my blog posts about Fashion Forward and Arab Fashion Week, two of Dubai’s biggest fashion events.