Alumni from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar’s (VCUarts Qatar) fashion design department are preparing to debut their collections at the Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition, on November 29, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.
This will be the first time that alumni from VCUarts Qatar – a Qatar Foundation partner university – will be presenting their designs during the five-day fashion event, which is scheduled to run from November 27 to December 1.
In addition to the runway presentation, Roda al-Marzouqi and Sonali Raman, two VCUarts Qatar fashion design faculty members, will be taking part in panel discussions on the topics ‘Studying Fashion in Qatar’ and ‘Sustainability and Fashion’, respectively, on November 29, from 5.30pm to 8pm.
VCUarts Qatar’s Class of 2020 alumni – Hind al-Mansoor, Roudha al-Mazroei, Fatima al-Sada, Noor al-Kuwari and Lauren Morell – will be presenting their designs at what has become the leading platform in Qatar for showcasing contemporary Arabian fashion.
Morell, the alumni project lead, said that being able to debut their fashion line at a prestigious event such as Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition – which last year alone welcomed 185 fashion-related exhibitors – is a dream come true for her classmates.
“To be able to present our creations at Qatar’s prime fashion event is an amazing opportunity,” the California-born and raised designer, said. “We’re very excited that our collections – based on the theme of modesty – will be seen by some of the most discerning fashion designers and influencers in the region.
“And, from an education point of view, it also gives us alumni a chance to actually work with organisers and event managers, and acquire a hands-on understanding of the behind-the-scenes-operations that go into making such large-scale events possible.” VCUarts Qatar booths will also display a range of alumni-created clothing collection, on all five days of the exhibition.
For close to two decades, VCUarts Qatar has been regularly partnering with Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition, with VCUarts Qatar faculty often featuring in panel discussions during the event, and the organisers of Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition frequently supporting the university’s annual fashion show.
Raman, one of the VCUarts Qatar faculty members who will be a panellist at Heya, noted how the event is a great platform for local designers, female entrepreneurs and fashion enthusiasts to network and inspire others in the fashion industry.
“VCUarts Qatar has been associated with Heya for several years now,” she said. “This upcoming edition is a fantastic opportunity for both the students and faculty in the university’s fashion design department to showcase their creativity to the local audience, and to create awareness about our BFA programme.”
The forthcoming 17th edition of this ladies-only event will offer a chance for famous local fashion brands, as well as up-and-coming local designers and female entrepreneurs, to share their modern interpretations of traditional Arabian fashion.
To register, or for further details on the event, visit: https://www.visitqatar.qa/en/events/heya
Lauren Morell
