Fashion Design

Sidra Khan,

AUE, Dubai:

CDES students went on several guided tours of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi in February. Artworks from around the world are showcased at the museum, located on the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, with particular focus placed upon bridging the gap between Eastern and Western art. Louvre Abu Dhabi is a new cultural beacon, bringing different cultures together to shine fresh light on the shared stories of humanity. The origins of Louvre Abu Dhabi date back to 2007, when France and the United Arab Emirates came together to develop a new kind of cultural institution. The result is a museum rooted in universal human values, the first of its kind in the region. Louvre Abu Dhabi represents the dynamic nature of the contemporary Arab world, while celebrating the region’s vibrant multicultural heritage. With support and contributions from Agence France-Museums – gathering seventeen of France’s most renowned cultural institutions – Louvre Abu Dhabi represents a unique opportunity to combine the UAE’s bold vision of cultural progression and openness with France’s expertise in the world of art and museums.

Nima Mohamadi,

AUE, Dubai:

The students of Fashion design from the College of Design at American University in the Emirates showcased their capstone capsule collections in an exclusive fashion show at Dubai International Fashion Week Season 6 in April 2018 at Sofitel the Palms, Dubai. The prestigious platform with an international audience provided them exposure, experience, appreciation and the appropriate launching pad for starting a successful career.
The Grad show included the collections of 5 designers – Reema Sadafi, Sirin AlBaghada, Mona Mohammed, Indira Kurbanova and Rezvaneh Safari. They all had varied themes and concepts that had inspired them to create their fashion designs.

Sirin Al Baghada received the first prize in the Emerging Designers’ competition, with her collection “Chaperone Rouge”. The collection focused on exploring the application of ‘hoodies’ for conservative but fashion-forward Muslim women in stylish and trendy outfits.
Mona Mohammed, winner of the runners-up prize in the Emerging Designers’ competition, was inspired from her childhood experience in a society where women have no rights. She symbolized their empowerment through unconventional designs incorporating unusual materials and cuts.

Samreen Kazi,

AUE, Dubai:

Fashion Design student Nima Mirahmadi bagged the First prize at the Arabic Fashion Awards at BRIDE Abu Dhabi on May 12th, 2018. BRIDE is a highly reputed event in the region, and CDES students have been regular participants. Nima’s design of a modern-day couture abaya carries many details, and every detail is a metaphor. The abaya represents a strong woman who has faced a lot of pain in life but she has no regrets, and hosts an iftar in the Holy month of Ramadan, inviting and treating the very people who have hurt and harmed her. The carving of the Ramadan Kareem in Arabic calligraphy is to welcome them, and the black embroidery represents the scars. The soft net represents the open wounds that still are fresh, while the pleats are the chapters of every suffering she must carry for the rest of her life.

Sidra Khan,

AUE, Dubai:

Samreen Kazi Fashion Design student won the “Best Overseas Design Award” at the 6th World Etiquette Culture Festival and China International Ceremonial Dress Design Contest (CICCDC)”, held in January 2018 in Beijing. She was among the top 20 Finalists from across the world who showcased their collections at the final event. The CICCDC is one of the most influential and authoritative annual fashion design contests to be held within mainland China. The contest theme this year was “Crush on Red”. Red is the symbolic color of China, both traditional cultures, and modern society, and “Red” is also one of the most popular colors in the world.

My Design the capsule collection titled “Rose of the East” aimed to combine red concept from all over the world to define the ideas about red based on different cultures and backgrounds. I have conducted an in-depth research and analysis of the color red and its significance in Chinese culture as well as the world over to interpret and create original fashion designs confirming to the high standards of Chinese haute couture.

Ayesha Zubair,

AUE, Dubai:

We had a special preview tour of the Salvador Dali exhibit in DIFC, SALVADOR DALI. THE MEMORIES. For the first time in the Middle East, hand-picked pieces of Salvador Dalí’s legacy and timeless mystery were showcased in Dubai from worldwide private collections. Hundreds of original photographs, lithographs, and paintings were exhibited. The star of the exhibition is called “Shower of Jasmine”, an exclusive oil on canvas painting that was first exhibited to the world in 1954 and was kept in a private collection since. This was the third time ever for it to exposed to the public eye. I and Sidra Khan, were trained as art tour guides and volunteered during the whole vent. Their contribution was appreciated by the organizers of the exhibition and the art and cultural community