Officials announcing the details of the exhibition yesterday. Below: A fashion show giving a glimpse of what to expect at the exhibition.PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam
The Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition will be held from June 10 to 15 at the Doha Exhibition Centre.
This was announced by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), in collaboration with Design Creationz - a fashion-focused event management and marketing company based in Doha, yesterday.
The 2015 edition of Qatar’s largest women’s fashion exhibition would showcase the latest Spring/Summer and Ramadan 2015 collections of Arab- and Khaliji-designed abayas, kaftans, jalabiyas and dresses.
The Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition is a unique fashion event showcasing the finest designs and latest trends in the world of Khaliji abayas, Arabic kaftans, veils and evening gowns. Now in its seventh edition, this year’s exhibition will see a transformation to a more upscale fashion platform for women seeking the latest and finest Arabian fashion designs, according to the organisers.
The event will welcome more than 337 brands, with 89 designers coming from Qatar and the rest flying in from Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to showcase their latest collections in customised boutique spaces.
The exhibition, which will host several daily fashion shows, is expected to welcome more than 30,000 people from Qatar and the Gulf countries, the organisers said.
Speaking at a press conference, QTA director of exhibitions Hamad al-Abdan said: “This year’s Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition will see a complete transformation as we work to reposition the event to a world-class fashion destination. This year’s event will be bigger and better and will feature many new elements and fashion-focused activities.
“We believe that the revamped Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition comes as part of QTA’s plan to develop a sustainable tourism sector in Qatar. The exhibition addresses an important segment in the GCC community and we expect to attract a massive audience from the region.”
Michelle Demenjon, operational GM of Design Creationz, added: “We are delighted to partner with QTA to help rebrand this year’s Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition. We wish for this year’s exhibition to be much more than just a shopping destination; we want to create a place for women to showcase, inspire, socialise, network and motivate others in the industry to reach international recognition.”
The press conference concluded with a glimpse of what to expect at Heya, featuring a fashion show by famous Middle East designers, including HF Boutique, Naseem al-Andalos, Debaj, Eman al-Ahmed and Ghudfah, who revealed their latest abayas and jalabiyas.
