The next wave of young designers graduated from the region’s top fashion institute, ESMOD Dubai, last week and their limitless creativity and talent was on full display at their graduate fashion show.
10 students who make up this year’s graduating class represented 10 different nationalities and showcased their one-of-a-kind bespoke couture collections to a select audience of VIPs, trendsetters, fashion influencers and their loved ones on June 26th.
As a testament to the role art and culture plays as inspiration to these young talents, the venue for this exciting event was Alserkal Avenue, a vibrant creative community and home to the region’s best designers, home-grown and entrepreneur-led businesses, and community spaces.
“An open space for arts and culture and homegrown creativity was a perfect platform to celebrate 3 years of the efforts and industry of our Class of 2023. At ESMOD Dubai, we give students the freedom to express who they are and where they come from and this was evident on the night as they wowed the audience with their imagination, innovation and individual stories told through the bold and stunning collections they’ve created,” said Tamara Hostal, one of the two founders of ESMOD Dubai.
Along with co-founder Denis Ravizza, since its inception in 2006, the institute’s courses have nurtured creative individuality, developed aesthetic sense, and enhanced superior garment making skills of students in the region by employing a practical methodology that has become a symbol of the ESMOD tutoring system.
From the performing arts to changing work environments, pop-art, edgy motorcycle culture and sea creatures, to places as diverse as Morocco, Somalia, France and Dubai and time travel, the collection themes reflected the diversity that has been the hallmark of ESMOD Dubai for so many years.
The graduates used bespoke materials, and employed unique methods including digital printing, denim bleaching, cutting technique, crochet, fabric manipulation, quilting, knitting, applique and staining of the material, and the result was vibrant, audacious, and wowed the audience.
With sustainability high on the global fashion agenda, the graduates also incorporated this important trend into their collections as well including the use of natural fibres, natural dyes and tints and the recycling of old fabric, crystals and other embellishments.
An esteemed panel of judges got a sneak preview of the collections the day before with awards being given out post-fashion show in categories including Contemporary woman, Art & Design, New luxury, Emerging Designer and New couture.
Winners included Laila Abbas who walked away with the Merit Award for Marie-Antoinette meets pop art collection. The Creative Design Award went to Xing xing Gao, with Fatma AL Fuquei bagging the Technical Design Award for her innovative use of leather. The textile award went to Sophia Lim, who was lauded for her very intricate fabric manipulation where she employed a variety of techniques including crochet, quilting, knitting, appliqué, and embroidery.
Ihsane Choua’s Morocco-inspired collection won her the Humanitarian Award while Maimouna Diop’s time travel-themed collection, which took inspiration from the Renaissance era and the 1980s’ and everything in between, received the Jury award. Both these students were previously chosen for the prestigious and highly acclaimed Women@Dior programme earlier this year.
Japanese arts and textiles expert and kimono collector, Mr. Corentin de Sade, recently hosted an exclusive workshop with students at ESMOD Dubai and as an added treat, the result of this collaboration was also showcased on the night as well.
“From main elements to pattern cutting to the symbolic and characteristic components of a kimono and the use of fiber to create and decorate, the Introduction to Kimono Workshop was both comprehensive and fascinating and it was wonderful to unveil the ESMOD Dubai Kimono collection on this special occasion,” added Ms Hostal.
