Dubai Fashion Week: Hardly a haute night

Dubai: After a flurry of shows - 35 to be precise - the curtains finally came down on Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) late on Wednesday night.

The Z for Z show, which had Bollywood star Mugdha Godse scorching the ramp, did not start until one hour after schedule. And when it did, one was left wishing it hadn't. Z for Z's seven colours seven chakras-themed Rainbow show turned out to be an insipid affair.

"Close your eyes, take a deep breath, relax," said a recorded voice on the speakers. But the audience may as well have gone to sleep because the dresses were largely predictable and uninspiring. The men's collection saw models doing hip-hop handstands and other such moves on the runway - which didn't quite strike the right chord with the audience.

Record participation

Earlier, as many as 45 established designers and newbies presented their Autumn-Winter Collection during the five-day event, tapping into a myriad influences, transcending geographical boundaries, with everything from vintage-glam to ethnic-chic in a dazzling showcase of style. In terms of designer participation, this edition of DFW was the biggest.

Yet for all the hype, there were hardly any real spectacular ‘wow' moments, though some shows stood out from the tepid mélange during the event.

The stand-out show this season was a flamboyant spin on opera character Madame Butterfly by Filipino designer Michael Cinco on Tuesday. New York-based designer Andres Aquino's opening-day show featuring vintage gowns and pleated dresses, was received well, as was Iraqi designer Zeena Zaki's line of couture gowns.

Uma Ghosh Deshpande's tie-up with French fashion accessories brand Agatha Paris too threw up a fairly decent presentation, as models sashayed down the runway in metallic-shade tops and funky trousers.

The grand finale of the week, which was to feature Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, was yet to take off at the time of going to press.

Awards galore