The Qatar International Art Festival (QIAF) 2025 staged a fashion show at Katara Cultural Village Thursday, turning the runway into a platform for cultural expression as artists unveiled designs inspired by national traditions and personal creative narratives.
Among the participants was Martina Siladi of Slovakia, representing Unity Art Nations, a collective of artists from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Switzerland.
She said the group used its mannequin draping to highlight shared cultural symbols, including mountains and national floral motifs common to all four countries.
Siladi described the QIAF as a platform where artists meet “with one vision – peace, friendship and understanding”.
“Art connects people of all nations, cultures and nationalities because that is what art is good for,” she said, introducing the abstract painters, sculptors and ink artists who form her multicultural group.
Vedran Bukovina of Croatia presented a striking dress rooted in the symbolism of his heritage.
Serving as Croatia’s brand ambassador, he introduced a young creative team of graduates and artists who helped bring the piece to life.
The design featured Croatia’s heart motif, a national symbol protected by Unesco.
“The heart represents who we are. It is simple as wool and rich as lace, full of tradition and history,” the artist said, adding that the artwork stood as a reminder of how fashion can preserve identity while inviting the world to appreciate it.
The showcase also welcomed the delicate and deeply personal work of Vishakha Lad, a Fine Arts Master’s graduate from Sir J J School of Arts in Mumbai.
Lad is known for her intricate eco-conscious leaf artwork, a tradition pioneered by her father in 1957 and carried forward today with immense pride.
“My work blends culture and nature,” she said, expressing her gratitude to the QIAF and to Imagine Art Gallery Spain for giving her the platform to share her craft.
She described the festival as more than an exhibition, calling it a warm, organised and inspiring gathering where participants enjoy workshops, fashion shows and shared experiences that become lifelong memories.
