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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 20 March 2019
A shimmering night in Dubai as Dior shows its haute couture

By AYA BATRAWY ments, shown in collections The exclusive pieces at the and design hub. Minna Jo- office space. Despite
MALAK HARB in Paris twice a year, are invitation-only show, which seph, who attended the Dubai’s creative push, the
Associated Press bought by a core group of took place in a public park, show in a tulle skirt of her emirate does not have a
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- own creation, said it was major fashion week. In a
ates (AP) — Under a large amazing to witness the col- first in 2015, Chanel held a
circus-style tent, Dior show- lection. show in Dubai to unveil a
cased its latest haute cou- “I mean this is the park that cruise collection by Karl La-
ture collection to a crowd I grew up in, I bring my kids gerfeld.
of Mideast-based fashioni- in. And having something Still, Dubai is a major shop-
stas, social media figures, symbolic as Dior come, it’s ping destination, drawing
celebrities, buyers, design- monumental for Dubai, tens of millions of visitors
ers and editors Monday for all of us, for the fashion from around the world to
night. community,” she said. its more than 40 malls each
It was the first show in Dubai A more than $1 billion year.
for the French fashion project called the Dubai The retail and wholesale
house, which initially pre- Design District, or D3, was sector is the biggest sin-
sented its spring-summer launched in recent years gle contributor to Dubai’s
2019 haute couture collec- with offices dedicated to economy, according to
tion in Paris in January. A model wears a creation for the Dior Spring/Summer 2019 the fashion industry. the Oxford Business Group.
The presentation in Dubai, Haute Couture fashion collection presented in Dubai, United The district’s modern archi- “Today Dior is in Dubai.
however, also included 15 Arab Emirates, Monday, March 18, 2019. tecture and modish cafes This is the biggest example
entirely new creations un- Associated Press cater to fashion editors of that the UAE is making a
veiled especially for the magazines like Vogue Ara- place for itself on the fash-
show’s design conscious no more than a few hun- reflected in many ways bia, emerging designers ion map,” Lebanese TV
Arab Gulf-based audi- dred rich women around Dubai’s own ambitions to and local artists who can personality Annabella Hilal
ence. the world. become a global fashion afford the steeply priced said.q
Dubai’s exuberant displays
of luxury and the city’s sur-
real, futuristic-looking sky-
line were the ideal back-
drop to the show, where
creative director Maria
Grazia Chiuri was on hand.
The emirate of Dubai in
the United Arab Emirates,
where Bugattis and bil-
lionaires are a common
sight, has a reputation for
glamour and over-the-top
projects like man-made
palm shaped islands, the
world’s tallest tower and a
seemingly endless pipeline
of new five-star hotels and
spas.
The well-heeled Dubai
crowd was wowed as
models in sequined hel-
mets presented the pieces
inspired by Chiuri’s memory
and imagination associat-
ed with the circus. Dior has
a history with the big top,
with the circus theme first
appearing in a 1955 styled
photo and reappearing
under John Galliano’s cre-
ative direction.
The haute couture collec-
tion included details like a
“tattooed” body suit that
conjured up images of Vic-
torian-era circus perform-
ers and a tulle jumpsuit of
multi-colored streaks in sat-
in bands and dramatically
square shoulders.
Haute couture is an artisan-
based method of making
clothes that dates back
over 150 years.
The highly expensive gar-