Spotlight on British fashion

Several aspects of the British fashion design industry were displayed last week at a Fashion Showroom arranged at the Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai. The Showroom featuring young designers as well as established retailers from UK was part of Xperience UK, an event organised by the British Embassy and Trade Partners UK. It provided a unique opportunity for the designers to interact with businesses as well as fashion design students based in the Middle East.

Ann Louise Roswald, a well-known name in the UK, brought her spring summer 2003 collection to the show. The distinctive prints and the exquisite feel of her garments attracted a lot of attention. "My wife designs her own prints and puts special emphasis on the fabrics. For this collection she has used Scottish cashmere, raw silk, stretch cotton jersey, double layered chiffon and some denim," informed Nick Roswald, who manages the retail side of the business.

The collection included long coats in bright floral printed raw silk, skirts cut to flatter a mature figure, dresses in ultra soft double layered chiffon and some East-inspired swimwear and cruise wear. Detailing like buttons coordinated with the print of the fabric added an elegant touch to these clothes. "We are here to study the market and understand it before making a foray into the Middle East," said Nick.

Also striking were Deida Acero's hats. The bold colours and sequin, feather and floral decorations gave the hats a sense of fun and cheekiness. Deida had used unusual materials like brocade and amusing newspaper prints to present a truly creative collection. It is no surprise that Deida counts celebrities like Ivana Trump and Shirley Bassey among her regular customers. With her hats already seen at Ascot and other prestigious races, the famous milliner has now set her sights on the Dubai World Cup.

Samia Khan was at the showroom to promote the latest Janet Reger lingerie collection. The garments were a fusion of silk, satin, ribbon embroidery, cute bows and daring vintage lace. Interesting denim print chiffons and a diamante-embellished line called 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' were characteristic of the well-known Janet Reger label. "We are looking for a distributor in Dubai because we have many customers from the Middle East and would like to make our products more accessible to them," said Khan, marketing manager of the company.

Young designer Helen Erhabor was participating in an international exhibition for the first time. "I started making jewellery as a hobby and have been encouraged by the success of my Eklectics label in the UK and in Switzerland. I came to Dubai because I wanted to explore new markets and I have heard that women here are fashion conscious and appreciate creativity," said Erhabor.

Her hand-made jewellery, which was an innovative mix of fresh water pearls, gemstones in a variety of colours, Sterling silver and Swarovski crystals, had a distinctive and classy look. It has been featured in several high fashion magazines like Marie Claire and Elle and is available in the UK at Selfridges. Among the well-known UK-based designers participating in the showroom were Berge Khachwaji and Jane Davies. The evening gowns displayed by Jane Davies' were embellished with peacock feathers and designed to attract attention.

Berge's evening wear in black and white double layered lace, co-ordinated with matching boots, bags and broad belts were eye catching. His embroidered gowns and jump suits with broad cummerbunds, all crafted from delicate net had a sensuous appeal. "I have many clients from all over the Middle East, but none yet in the UAE. I am here to change that," said Berge, who is the first designer to host a show at Kensington Palace in London.

Conceived as an annual event, the first Xperience UK held recently was the first step towards developing a mutually beneficial relationship between business establishments in the UK and companies in the Middle East.

Among the other events organised during the week were workshops and seminars hosted by well-known designer Arkadius, The Sunday Times fashion writer Colin McDowell and Ann Priest, Head of Fashion at London College of Fashion. A retail conference and the premiere of Die Another Day, the latest James Bond movie, were also part of this celebration of the best of British creativity.