A fitting statement

A fashion show was held last week at the Plaza Ballroom, Dubai Intercontinental Hotel, to announce the launch of Avia fitness and leisure wear, which will be distributed in the Middle East by HME. Previewed at the show was the Avia Fall 2001 collection of apparel, shoes and accessories.

Fittingly, the show started with some spirited jazzercise choreographed to lively music. The young dancers wore gym clothes in bright orange, blue and purple. On show was a range of fitness wear for women that included track suits, training shorts, court wear and crop tops with matching warm up jackets.

The clothes were coordinated with sleek sports shoes and matching accessories like rucksacks, cell phone holders and hats, presenting a sporty and smart look. The men's leisurewear was mostly in beige, grey, black, khaki and blue.

T-shirts and training pants, sweatshirts worn with sleeveless jackets, polyfilled jackets with fleece lining, interesting bucket hats, berets and baseball caps, duffel bags and comfortable looking shoes were part of this collection.

The ladies leisurewear line was more colourful with hooded jackets in red and T-shirts in yellow included in the mainly beige, blue and grey collection. The clothes, especially the jackets, had excellent cuts and fabrics like polar fleece and cotton-wool blends gave them a soft feel.

Although the colours were mostly pastels, the use of contrasting trims gave them a bright look. The outfits had interesting detailing like red Velcro fasteners on a blue men's jacket, zippered cuts on trouser bottoms and a chocolate brown ladies jacket that was beige on the inside. A beige jacket worn over a blue T-shirt had the same blue on the inside of the hood.

Avia also has a children's apparel line, which is essentially a take down from the adult lines. The Avia footwear also has a young and sleek look. The range includes shoes with a drainage system for aqua aerobics, lightweight shoes that weigh less than nine ounces and sandals.

The footwear uses a cantilever system that centres the heel over a concave sole, which acts like a trampoline. The system adds stability to the shoe and enhances its ability to absorb impact shock.

In key impact areas the shoes are injected with 'fom', a material that mimics the way the fat pads in the feet compress and disperse shock. The kid's footwear range has shoes with lights and a novelty line with hidden pockets and colourful detailing on the shoe as well as on the soles.

The show was well presented and brought out the fresh and dynamic look of the collection. The entire range was later put on display enabling the audience to get a closer look and to touch and feel the garments.