Fingerprint: a line-up of individual creative looks

By Bonnie James/Deputy News Editor

Fingerprint, the 14th annual fashion show of Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, wowed the audience yesterday on its first evening with “a line-up of distinct and individual creative looks that were researched, experimented with, and reinvented.”

Staged off-campus for the first time, the show will be hosted by Salam Stores today and tomorrow too at The Gate Mall, at 7pm. The event is open to the public and tickets can be bought online at www.qatar.vcu.edu

The show began with an introduction by fashion design chair Sandra Bell Wilkins and a brief address by Salam International Investments chairman and CEO Issa Abu Issa, who assured continued support to VCUQatar.

First to be presented on the ramp were creations from special guest designer, New York-based Eric Gaskins. His collection consists of luxurious day and evening pieces that have been worn by celebrities including Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Sharon Stone, and Kim Cattrall. Gaskins is renowned for his modern day and evening wear. His design philosophy is “to create clothes that are essential, without artifice or contrivance.”

Next came children’s wear, ‘Patterns,’ with the kid models bowling over the audience. The student designers were inspired by all types of patterns, including surface decorations or motif repetitions – florals, geometrics or abstracts – or the pattern pieces that form the outlines or shaping of their garments.

The senior fall collection, ‘Illusions,’ that followed featured creative and experimental collections of ensembles/dresses, suits, sportswear pieces from a variety of materials - simple but sophisticated silhouettes with extraordinary detail.

Eric Gaskins walks on the ramp.

The junior sportswear collection, ‘Denim Focus,’ combines the universal appeal of the ageless fabric with the individuality of each designer, resulting in some striking as well as thought-provoking pieces.

The final presentation, senior thesis collection – described as an eclectic mix of day to evening looks that reflect the individual aesthetic of the designers - showcased the work of Sultana Jesmine, Oulla al-Samarrae, Basra Bashir, Dana Masoud, and Rabab Abdulla.

The collections comprised a minimum of 10 looks that reinforced the vision, creativity and styles of the young designers graduating this year.

Sultana Jesmine’s ‘Deviant Minimalist,’ explored ‘the superimposition of simplicity, elegance, freedom and comfort that a woman aspires, with accents to playfulness and energy that beams in her personality.’

Oulla Al-Samarrae’s collection reflected her own personal style, which she described as “simple, elegant, sophisticated and youthful.” She used “basic silhouettes and simple colours to create a softly tailored collection.”

Basra Bashir’s ‘Monarchy,’ embodied “a mesh of cultures and styles whereas Dana Masoud imparted a ‘unique contemporary twist” to her collection with “rich colours and a combination of lush and embroidered fabrics.” The last collection to hit the ramp, ‘Timeless Blend,’ was from Rabab Abdulla.

The award ceremony will be held today. Salam Stores has also announced the introduction of their own special prize; the Salam Fashion Award, to support a graduate’s transition between student designer and commercial success.

In the coming months, Salam Stores will sponsor the chosen designer by offering mentoring in the development and design of two bespoke collections. These pieces will be sold exclusively within a dedicated space in Salam Stores, Doha.

Seating opens at 5.30pm and concludes at 6.45pm. Seating is open on a first-come, first-seated basis. More information could be had from 44020555 or www.qatar.vcu.edu