If you thought that the key to winning the Dubai World Cup Style Stakes was to spend time (and large amounts of money) in the shops, then you'd be wrong.
This year's judges largely rewarded creative, elegant outfits that were anything but off-the-rack.
The winner of the best-dressed lady competition, Alicia Fernandez, was a case in point.
Her sage-green sheath dress, with lace accents, was inspired by a magazine feature. But it was all down to the skills of her mother, who runs a design company
in Dubai, to turn a picture into a winning reality.
Apart from her shoes (Harvey Nichols) and hat (picked up in Australia), the outfit, comprising dress, gloves and handbag, was designed and made by Alicia's mum.
And although it was Alicia's moment to shine, mum will at least be reaping some rewards.
"I'm going to give the prize money to mum," said the Indian-English winner of the top prize: $5,000 (Dh18,350) worth of
BurJuman vouchers.
The prize also includes an all-expenses-paid five-night stay at the Chiva Som spa resort in Thailand. Who will Alicia take with her on her pampering trip? "Mum, of course!"
Close-run
The runner-up in the best-dressed lady category nearly didn't enter - because her tradition-meets-fashion outfit only arrived
at the last minute from her native South Africa.
Matshepo Selesho, who lives in Abu Dhabi, first saw her two-piece brown and yellow outfit the day before the race. "I asked my uncle back home to make it for me, and he brought it only yesterday. I didn't buy a ticket for the World Cup until then
because if I didn't have this outfit there was no point in coming.
"The hat is from the Zulu tribe, and the skirt is in a material typical of the Seshoeshoe people. Winning is not something I
was expecting - I'm so overwhelmed. I can't even begin to think what I will spend the prize money on." Matshepo took home $3,000 (Dh11,000) worth of BurJuman vouchers.
The best-dressed couple, Heath Meldrun and Brodie Harper, in coordinating cream outfits, will also be heading to Thailand and have $4,000 (Dh14,680) to spend at BurJuman. Nazira Sailer, from Kazhakstan, won in the best hat category. "I bought my dress first, then took it to hat designer Marilena Romeo." Marilena, from Australia, was beaming proudly from the side of the stage.
Individual
It wasn't just the winners who took their outfits into their own hands. Proving that a great look doesn't take too much cash
or planning were Hilary Thomas and Krystal Winsloe from New Zealand.
"We put our outfits together this morning," they said. Hilary's dress is from Decjuba in Australia and Krystal's is from a
New Zealand high street store. Their hats were dismantled and remade - Hilary's wide-brimmed straw hat was made even more striking by simply reducing the height of the head. "I cut off the middle, and made it flatter, which I prefer." It's
something the judges preferred too: Hilary made it to the last 23 contestants.
That was no mean feat in a contest which drew more than 500 participants - compared to around 300 in previous years.
The judges had a tough time whittling down the number as hundreds of ladies, each bearing a numbered card, trooped across the stage. Host Nanette Midwood reminded the ladies to "smile, smile, smile!" and advised that deportment was also a factor.
Dubai-based designer Ayesha Depala, Australian milliner Kim Fletcher, TV presenter Shahnaz Pakravan and Karen Talty of Dubai Racing Club were on hand to make the decisions, and all agreed that elegance and imagination were the winning combination.
Elegance
"One thing that we haven't liked is too much flesh," said Shahnaz, wearing a hat from her sister's boutique Candella in Dubai.
"This is the perfect opportunity to be innovative but not to reveal all. What's best is when a woman walks up onto the stage and looks comfortable. Those women that have made too much of an effort just don't look right - some come up here and you think, 'why, why, why?'."
Ayesha, looking radiant in a fiery-hued design of her own, was also looking for creative restraint. "I'm looking for someone who's chic, with simplicity. They must have the right hemline, with not too much cleavage. It's a hot day, so it has to be appropriate and it has to be right for the races.
"The right fabric is important. There should also be colour but on the right person, even cream could be a good choice. As
long as it suits you, it doesn't matter where it's from, but it should be well-made, with good fabric and fit.
"I've seen a few scary sights today, but there are a lot of people having fun and there are some really fantastic sights
too."
