Men’s Arab Fashion Week kicks off in Dubai

Dubai Design District (d3), recently opened the third edition of the Men's Arab Fashion Week in Dubai. The event, which welcomed global fashion labels, as well as international celebrities, is organised in strategic partnership with the Arab Fashion Council.

The first day saw several celebrities and influencers grace the front row, or take on the runway. The A-list celebrities in attendance included the “Some you Loved" British artist Conor Maynard and Bollywood superstar Urvashi Rautela.

As for the designs, one of the most notable names on the first day included Amato Couture. The label showcased its Eden FW22/23 collection, which is inspired by the tree of life. The collection had unexpected looks, albeit all dominated by gold colour.

Ibrahim Shebani, Creative Director of the Libyan brand Born in Exile, meanwhile, presented his "Blood, Swear and Oil" collection digitally through a look-book. This collection captures the hopes, fears and uncertainties of Libya’s oil boom and the events that followed.

Anomalous, the contemporary homegrown label by Rabih Rawel in collaboration with model and influencer Oscar Kraye, was also one of the highlights of the day. Creative Director Rabih Rawel commented on the new collection: “I always thought of Anomalous becoming a community, and this collaboration for me is a huge step towards this direction. We didn’t think of this collection as FW22/23, it was more like FW82/83.”

Day two was equally exciting and highlighted five international and regional designers, including the Lebanese label Ahmed Amer, American Asher Levine, French Valette Studio, Jordanian d3-based Zaid Farouki, and d3-based Michael Cinco. With inspirations ranging from NFTs to art to augmented reality, the collections were truly stunning.

Los Angeles-based, Asher Levine, impressed with his signature looks at the event. For the runway show, Asher explored his entire design spectrum. Clear and present was his minimal tailoring approach, as well as hi-fashion look. Asher’s celebrity clients include Lady Gaga, Lil Nas X, Nicki Minaj, Will.i.am, Doja Cat, and more.

Michael Cinco’s show, meanwhile, took the audience on a journey with his “The Impalpable Dream of The VOYAGER”. The designer provided a breath-takingly masculine experience through the careful use of silhouettes, fabric, and volumes.