Dubai Fashion Week: Something different from Down Under

When Simon Lock stepped in as creative director, DFW, we had a hunch there would be something different coming from Down Under, (besides his experience as the Founder of the Australian Fashion Week). And we were right. The last show of the first day of the biannual Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) spring-summer 2012 saw the debut of Easton Pearson.

Owned by Brisbane-based designers Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson, the brand had first taken the world of fashion by storm in 1998 when they showed their collections in Paris Fashion Week. Since then, they sell through more than 100 stores globally and are available in more than 24 countries.

Nine years in the region

A visibly excited Pearson says: "We may be new to DFW, but we are not new in the Middle East. As a brand, we have been selling for the past nine years in the region and know our customers, our buyers and store-owners. We recently showcased these garments in Paris Fashion Week and have flown here straightaway. The DFW will help us serve as a bridge and give us a chance to introduce the brand to others."

Their collection, Arafura, is a graphic, quirky marriage of geometry and whimsical detail, with exquisite artisanal handwork. The clothes consisted of kaftans, glamorous evening wear and dresses.

Colours offbeat

The colours are strong but offbeat (red, blue, black and mustard); and the fabrics — mainly cottons and silks — were soft, fluid and had an airy feel to them. Funky plastic balls made up for earrings and the models wore flat sandals. This was deliberate as Pearson says they wanted to keep the accessories "light-hearted".

"We often find the models struggling to strut in high heels so we chose the flats for our collection. We want women to take our garments and make them their own," she says. "They fit almost anyone and our clothes are never too tight. The sensuality of fabric against skin is important to us."

The second part of the collection called <Take Away is the brand's latest venture. "It is a collection of easy luxury which provides an effortless transition from beachwear to cocktail dresses and beyond," Pearson says.