TOP UAE DESIGNER TO UNVEIL LATEST COLLECTION

Top UAE designer Reem El Mutwalli, whose client list includes Arabian Gulf shaikhas and other Middle East royalty and socialites, will stage an exclusive show during Simply Woman, a first-of-its-kind, women-only event taking place in Dubai in November.

By A Staff Reporter

Published: Sun 26 Sep 2004, 1:23 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 1:01 AM

El Mutwalli's latest collection will be one of the fashion highlights of the two-day event on 29-30 November, which aims to become a top forum for women in the region, with topics ranging from women's health and beauty treatments to careers and financial advice.

Visitors at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, the venue for Simply Woman, will be able to see gowns previously worn in gracious royal living rooms and ballroom settings. Offering a modern twist to the traditional Arabic dress known as 'athwab', El Mutwalli's designs feature luxurious fabrics embellished with lace, tiny flowers, Austrian crystals, sequins, beads and even semi-precious stones.

"My designs reflect the growing confidence and individuality of modern Gulf women," said El Mutwalli who is also a gifted interior designer, art consultant and prolific scholar. She holds a Masters degree in Islamic art and archaeology and has also published a book on Abu Dhabi's architectural heritage.

El Mutwalli established her fashion design company in 2000, after four years of research into the history of Arabic dress. What started off as a basic collection and reconstruction of traditional gowns soon grew into a desire to fuse old and new, incorporating current fashion trends into clothes Arabic women had worn for generations.

While El Mutwalli's gowns all follow the traditional cuts, it is the attention to detail that gives them a modern flavour. The dresses' exquisite ornaments take such a long time to finish that El Mutwalli's collections never amount to more than 100 dresses per year. Gowns are not displayed in stores as the designer only presents her collections to a small circle of distinguished customers.

Simply Woman is a new forum being introduced for all women, from working professionals, housewives and mothers, to students. Incorporated within the event is Simply Health, a series of talks and seminars on women-related issues such as breast cancer, infertility, heart disease, weight management, plastic surgery and beauty treatments.

In line with the event's commitment to empower women, Streamline Marketing has also announced that 100 per cent of all ticket revenue will be donated to women-related charities in the region. A single day pass will give women access to both Simply Woman and Simply Health, while the event will be open from 10am to 10pm daily.