By Jemma Walker
Dark drama, feminine embellished gowns and urban sportswear took to the runway for the final day of Fashion Forward, and as the three-day event offering homage to an array of talented designers came to close, the MOJEH team were on the front row.
House of Nomad
Autumn/winter is all about urban sportswear with the iconic House of Nomad twist, and for Fashion Forward Season Five, co-founders Ahmed El-Sayed and Saleh Al-Banna made fashion fun – for men and women.
The show began with a teasing spotlight flickering across the runway, revealing unclear glimpses of the first model striking a strong pose at the mouth of the catwalk – sudden bright light revealed girly plaits, berry lips and a contrasting uniform of grey college-inspired sportswear. A team of female models wore knee-high socks, skirts, dresses and jackets in a dark grey while carrying notebooks, the array of looks challenging the limitations of a monochrome palette. Injected with menswear, Ahmed El-Sayed and Saleh Al-Banna’s unique designs explored the limits of urban simplicity. A sudden change in tempo sparked a monochrome, heavily-sloganised twist – gentle prints revived baseball jackets and models replaced their books with footballs, marking the beginning of a youthful mix of off-duty sportswear. Some of the standout designs included a striped full skirt, printed baseball jackets marked with an ‘N’ and sloganised t-shirt dresses – we’re on team Nomad.
House of Nomad at Fashion Forward, images courtesy of Getty Images^
Taller Marmo
Dubai-based design duo Riccardo Audisio and Yago Goicoechea revealed their reaction to this season’s normcore trend with a dramatic collection – a hybrid of staple everyday pieces and white tie dress code – the injection of Middle Eastern flare was a welcome alternative to laid-back unisex clothing.
Known for challenging the norm, Taller Marmo continued to surprise, with the rebirth of silhouettes progressing from last year, historical influence so rife it seeped from every stitch and (in true Dolce & Gabbana style) making the show a family affair with a mother and daughter taking to the catwalk hand-in-hand for the final act. The masquerade party began with soft ostrich feathers creeping through the knees of denim trousers, followed by bronze satin pajama-jogger combinations subtly decorated with mink – from the very beginning autumn/winter was full of metallic shimmers and contrasting textures. Stark black masks covered the faces of some models; others adorned one heavily lined eye – the gala allure cleverly incorporated into every aspect of the show. With standout pieces including metallic hued skirts bedecked with Thalia and Melpomene masks, a regal red bishop sleeved playsuit and silk reptile designs - there are no limits to Taller Marmo’s reach.
Taller Marmo at Fashion Forward, images courtesy of Getty Images^
Madiyah Al Sharqi
The Fujairah-born Emirati princess Sheikha Madiyah Al Sharqi captures the style of the Middle Eastern woman with ease, entwining enviable Parisian elements year after year. Moving away from pastel and blush tones her autumn/winter collection focuses on elegant embellishment.
The brand’s signature silhouettes complimenting the female form continued, with layered asymmetric dresses falling gracefully around the models' bodies, waist-highlighting midi skirts and loose trousers lead the way to achieve effortless elegance. One of our favourite pieces was the soft-mint layered dress revealing the collarbone with a dash of lace – you couldn’t help but notice the unusually demure regard to embellishment from the designer – but with the waterfall of capes and duck-egg blue tones, it didn’t effect the seeming endless grace of Sheikha Madiyah Al Sharqi’s imagination.
Madiyah at Fashion Forward, images courtesy of Getty Images^
Amato by Furne One
As we sat by an earth-covered runway, lit only by the glowering blood moon in a haze of fog, we prepared for the ever-dramatic Amato to close the three-days of fashion revelations with his Anna Karenina-inspired collection.
The haute couturier began his dark tale with gothic dresses embellished with safety pins and crystals; semi-sheer lace gowns accessorised with impact headwear and heavily laced bodices. The show was packed with the creativity and imagination that makes the Filipino designer’s tickets the most sought over at Fashion Forward year after year, however a debut element caught our eye from within the darkness. High -waisted skirts adorning subtle bows and printed peplum dresses marked the beginning of a ready-to-wear element hidden within the heavily laced and denim ensembles. The 40-piece collection celebrated the power of femininity unconventionally and the doomed love story came to an end with a 19th-century dress created from modern fabrics, worn by a model with hair so bright it challenged the burning moon.
