Dubai: This year’s Dubai Fashion will move the fashion industry literally with the ‘Express Fashion’ where models will take to the catwalk aboard a moving Dubai Metro train on Wednesday. The one-of-a-kind fashion show will kick off a host of activities for the 11-day glamour event as part of the 18th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).
“The Dubai Metro is a landmark of Dubai, and it is very trendy and fashionable. So we want just to showcase fashion in a different format,” Suhaila Ghubash, Events Director at Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), told Gulf News.
To be held in collaboration with the Dubai Mall and Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Express Fashion will take place in one of the five-carriage trains of the Dubai Metro. The train will leave the Burj Khalifa station and move non-stop to Nakheel station and vice-versa.
“RTA will be providing one train for the fashion show to be done inside it. It will be a special train, not a passenger train, but will be in between the other trains,” Ramadan Abdullah Mohammad, Director of Operations Department, Rail Operation, told Gulf News.
“That will be a continuous train, moving at a slow speed in between other service trains. It will not affect the service and at the same time it will not be stopping at any stations because it is a special train,” Ramadan added.
Ghubash said besides staging Dubai Fashion on the Metro, three more glamorous events are in store for fashionistas to get the latest trends in fashion this year. The Street Catwalk will happen on January 26 at the Dubai Mall Fountain Promenade to feature 100 professional and amateur models.
Midnight Fashion will be staged for the first time this year on February 1 to showcase designer collections in three different shows when the clock strikes midnight.
Ladies eager to get a better fashion sense may mark February 2 on their calendars for the Biggest Makeover, where stylists and make-up artists will do a makeover for the largest number of women in the shortest possible time.
“Basically, every year we do a research and that includes every element of the shopping festival since shopping is the middle name of the shopping festival,” Suhaila said.
“And from our findings, we find that at the top of their [shoppers’] list is fashion, lifestyle in terms of shopping during the festival. We noticed also that people actually save their money and [to] shop during the festival. So they find that it is more convenient and value for money,” she added.
A study commissioned by DEPE and conducted and independently audited by YouGov for last year’s DSF indicated that next to electronics, the most purchased items were clothes and fashion items at 61 per cent. This showed a 15 per cent rise from the 46 per cent rate during DSF 2011. Perfumes, cosmetics and skincare purchases came at third place.
