The 18th edition of the Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition successfully concluded on Friday, 17 December, at the Doha Exhibition & Convention Center (DECC) thanks to the partnership with leading entities from the public and private sectors.
Held under the theme Ignite, the exhibition organised by Qatar Tourism and Qatar Business Events Corporation (QBEC) confirmed its position as a leading platform for modest fashion in the region and reaffirmed its commitment to empowering female entrepreneurs not only in Qatar but in the whole Middle East.
Stakeholders and partners from across the fashion, beauty, entrepreneurship, and education sectors partnered with this edition of Heya to present interactive sessions on a variety of topics, to inspire and educate up-and-coming designers and entrepreneurs.
Ahmed Al Obaidli, CEO of QBEC, thanked this year’s partners and participants.
Heya continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening and consolidating Qatar’s position as a leader in Arabian fashion. Heya will continue partnering with distinguished entities from public and private sectors to offer valuable programmes to its visitors. We thank all our partners for providing premium content in this year’s edition.
Entrepreneurship Partner Bedaya had two speakers participate in a panel discussion titled Finding your Way in Fashion, in addition to a dedicated booth for Bedaya start-ups operating in the fashion and design sectors.
Highlighting their participation, Hamad Al-Qahtani, General Manager of Bedaya Centre said expressed their gratitude for being part of this year’s edition. He said that their participation is in line with their objective to empower entrepreneurs with new opportunities and acknowledge them as powerful drivers of economic development.
Over the years, this event has successfully showcased the latest in Arabian and modest designs, as well as inspiring discussions on the business of fashion, the latest trends, beauty, textiles, and sustainable fashion.
Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, the Education Partner in the exhibition, showcased modest fashion collections by three of their alumni and two faculty members in two booths. VCUarts Qatar also participated in two fashion shows and two panel discussions entitled The Role of Nanotechnology in Future Textiles and High Fashion” and Circular Fashion in Qatar on the opening day of the exhibition.
Christopher Q. Fink, Chair Associate Professor from the Department of Fashion Design & Merchandising of VCUarts said that they are once again pleased and honoured to be a part of Heya once again. He said that they have been part of the exhibition since its inception.
At VCUarts Qatar, we embrace modest fashion design in our programme and Heya provides us the opportunity to engage with the modest community in the MENA region in a most rewarding and meaningful manner.
For the first time, AlHosh Gallery also participated in Heya as an Exclusive Gallery Partner, with the work of local artists presented at their booth, in addition to their participation in a fashion show and a panel discussion. Ghanim Al Ghanim, Director AlHosh Gallery commented:
Our participation included 20 unique pieces ranging from wearable fashion to art- fashion installations designed by Sara Al Ansari of Vintage Couture Line, Lorena Morell, Maryam Al Sada artist and designer, Fatima Al Baker. These talented artists and designers’ inspiration for this edition was to infuse traditional wear with modern artistic designs on various materials. We welcomed HEYA audiences to meet and greet the designers for fashion talks on how to incorporate and style various apparel to their wardrobe collections and enjoy the vibrant ambiance at the exhibition.
He also said that Art and Culture are essential for the wellbeing of a sustainable society, adding that AlHosh Gallery believes that artistic designs can be fashionable, wearable, and modest.
This year’s Luxury Fashion Partner is Printemps Doha which displayed the chronological history of the luxury brand in their booth. They also participated in two panel discussions entitled The Role of Fashion in Women’s Empowerment and Building a Brand. Printemps is set to open in September 2022 in Doha Oasis, the latest family entertainment destination in Qatar.
Rosette Fares, Marketing and Communications Director of Printemps Doha, commented:
Besides bringing the latest trends and exclusive brands in the fashion industry and exquisite food and beverage outlets, Printemps is set to become the fashion hub of the Middle East and a platform for Qatari Designers to showcase their designs.
Other partners of the 18th edition include Qatar Airways (Official Airline Partner), EAA (CSR Partner), SkipCash (Digital Payment Partner), Qatar Assistive Technology Centre Mada (ICT Accessibility Partner), Istituto Di Moda Burgo (Fashion Institute Partner), PowerHouse Gym (Wellness and Fitness Partner), Maison de Joelle (Hair and Makeup Partner), Bioskin (Spa Partner), Floward (Flower Partner), Golden Gazelle (Chocolate Partner), Halo and Oakberry and Twenty Eight (Coffee Partners), and HARPER’S BAZAAR QATAR (Exclusive Magazine Partner).
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