Salam International Investments chairman and CEO Issa Abu Issa presenting the Salam Fashion Award to Dana Masoud, also the winner of the Golden Needle Award for Most Outstanding Senior.
Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCU-Q) honoured its outstanding students on Wednesday, during the second day of its 14th annual fashion show, Fingerprint, hosted by Salam at The Gate Mall.
VCUQatar’s Golden Needle Awards for achievers in the fashion design department were presented to – Kinda Morshed (Best Children’s Collection), Dylon Sergei Adonis (Most Outstanding Sophomore), Hisham Dawoud (Best Junior Collection), Maha Ghanim al-Kuwari (Most Outstanding Junior), Dana Masoud (Most Outstanding Senior) and Rabab Abdulla (Most Outstanding Senior Collection).
Linda Smith-Turczyn (adjunct professor in the Fashion Design department), Victoria Bleick (image resource curator) and guest designer Eric Gaskins were presented with the Friends of Fashion awards, given annually to individuals or organisations who have made significant contributions to VCUQatar’s Fashion Design department.
The Salam Fashion Award, introduced this year by Salam International Investments chairman and CEO Issa Abu Issa, to support a graduate’s transition from student designer to a career in design was presented to Dana Masoud. The award includes mentoring in the development and design of two bespoke collections which will be sold exclusively within a dedicated space in Salam Stores, Doha.
For the third consecutive year, the W Doha Hotel and Residences sponsored the W Doha Fashion Award, presented to the most outstanding and innovative VCUQatar fashion design student of the year. Clara De Lama, director of marketing, W Doha, presented the award to Rabab Abdulla.
The award includes the opportunity to use W Doha, and another W Hotel around the globe, as a platform to showcase her collections at various events happening throughout the year.
The final sponsored award of the evening, presented by Texture Boutique to Sultana Jesmine, gives her the exclusive opportunity to showcase her collection at the concept boutique for one month later this year.
Texture Boutique is the brainchild of Kholoud and Dana al-Mana, both graduates of VCUQatar. “As a graduate of VCUQatar, I’m really happy to be a part of this celebration of fashion. At Texture, we encourage young designers; the boutique is a hub for local designers, a place where they can express their potential,” said Kholoud.
For the first time this year, the 14-member jury comprising sponsors Salam, the W Doha and Texture Boutique, besides other industry professionals, who select the designs that go into the show, eliminated none of the garments during the final juried round.
The fashion show is part of the annual activities of VCUQatar’s fashion design programme, to
develop the country’s growing fashion industry, with support from Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
‘Fingerprint’ was the culminating academic project for Fashion Design students at VCUQatar, and every aspect - from the jury-selected student designs and model try-outs to show production - reflected their academic and creative efforts while launching senior fashion students from student life into successful careers.
1 The Golden Needle Award winner for Most Outstanding Senior Collection, Rabab Abdulla, with VCU Qatar Fashion Design department chair Sandra Wilkins and W Doha’s Clara De Lama.
2 Kholoud al-Mana of Texture Boutique presenting Sultana Jesmine with the Texture Boutique Fashion Award.