The Splash Emerging Talent Show attracted a large crowd at the Dubai Fashion Week on Tuesday. Held at the Godolphin Ballroom, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the event showcased the Spring/Summer 2009 creations of the six finalists of the GCC-wide competition. These included Surbhi Jaggi (UAE), Rula Abu Qaoud (Jordan), Homa Qamar (UAE) Wafa Saifi (UAE), Arshia Khan (UAE) and Dianne & David (UAE-based Filipinos) The show kick-started with a preview of Splash's new Japanese street-wear inspired “Friday Kinyobi'' label, which will be launched in stores next spring.

The collections displayed a great deal of crepe dresses in pastel colors (Jaggi, Qamar) as well as short and long fluid dresses inspired by the deep sea with turquoise and dark blue fabrics (Diane & David). Antiquity was displayed in the runway with flowing beige and dark blue Roman- and Greek-inspired robes with heavy-looking golden bracelets and chains.

Most of the designs were impressive. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the models, most of who were overweight and appeared amateurish. A wardrobe malfunction during Qaoud's show, full of rather sensual dresses and skirts, resulted in an embarrassing situation when a model wearing a short dress catwalked with a broken back zipper that left her posterior exposed.