Walid Atallah: All that glitters

Any fashion insider to Dubai Fashion Week will give you one scrap of advice before attending some of the blingtastic shows that are lined up for this week. Be armed with a pair of sunnies and you might be able to ward off the brilliance bouncing off from the creations on the runways. Leading the bling bandwagon is none other than designer Walid Atallah. His flamboyant creations are often generously sprayed with Swarovski crystals, precious stones and even diamonds.

tabloid! caught up with the Beirut-born designer ahead of his show.

How do you feel when your clients bring Dior or Cavalli gowns into your atelier and request you bling it up with crystals and diamonds?

It's flattering. They all come to me and say: ‘Walid, now put your magic touch to this.' What happens is they want to look splendid on a special occasion so they buy the dress from the European brands thinking that it will look good on that day. But towards the end, they change their mind and want a bit more sparkle. So that is where I come in. After I finish with their gowns, they are all disappointed that they didn't know about me earlier or that my atelier was near enough for them to make their couture gowns.

Your creations are rich and are laden with Swarovski crystals and precious stones. How do you manage to find a balance?

I just don't simply scatter the crystals all over a dress. The key is to know how to use the crystals at the right place. People love the shine and sparkle of the crystals. The love for shine is not limited to people in the Middle East. Now with world going through a dark period, women will love to wear dresses that are elegant and glittering. My inaugural show at New York's Couture Fashion Week last week was a huge success. Ladies in New York loved my gowns.

Does that mean we will see a lot of colour and crystals during this DFW?

Definitely. Swarovski crystals are here to stay. All my 36 creations will celebrate the elegance of a woman. It will be about beautiful encrusted gowns.