Fashion design students graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) this year presented their senior year collections at a fashion show recently held at the university.
Five senior students showcased their designs at the show titled Paradox – Two places at once for an audience that included their families and friends, in addition to the VCUarts Qatar community. VCUarts Qatar is a partner university of Qatar Foundation.
The collections evoked the personal interpretation of each designer of their chosen theme, and were as varied – maladaptive daydreaming, Qatar’s topography and heritage, third culture influences and women empowerment.
According to VCUarts Qatar Fashion Design Chair Christopher Fink, the senior fashion show this year saw for the first time how the students take charge of all aspects of the event, from concept to execution. This factor, he said, added to the element of suspense and excitement. The organisational skills of the students came to the fore, and the result was an incredible event that had the imprints of creativity, seamless collaboration and sheer hard work.
As the Chair of the Fashion Design department, I was especially proud to be part of this event showcasing our senior students and applaud the amazingly creative interpretations of Qatar’s emerging design talents.
The names of the collections and the respective designers who took part in the presentation were:
- Systematic Chaos by Tiaba Nazir
- Kandaka by Rana Elhadi
- Noori by Noor Rashid Butt
- Mermaid Desert by Moza Alsharim
- You’re just as sane as I am by Iman Imran
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In addition to friends and families of the senior fashion design students, faculty and senior leadership from the university, this year’s show featured special guests from the local creative sector including dignitaries and senior representatives from various government and private organisations including Qatar Museums, Qatar Foundation, Doha Film Institute (DFI), and Printemps, to name a few. Senior representatives from embassies and other universities were present as well.
The event was also supported by local businesses and creative organisations.
Awards
Following the show, the Department of Fashion Design at VCUarts Qatar handed out special awards to senior and junior fashion design students.
Tiaba Nazir won the Golden Needle Award for Most Outstanding Senior 2023 and the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for a senior student. Noor Rashid Butt and Iman Imran also received the Special Project Award and the Team Spirit Award, respectively.
The Golden Needle Award for Most Outstanding Junior, meanwhile, went to Maha Al Rabaan and the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for a Junior Student was awarded to Wadha Al Attiya.
In addition to the departmental awards, partners and sponsors who supported the fashion show also presented awards in specific categories to the senior students: Rana Elhadi won the Harper’s Bazaar Qatar Emerging Talent Award and the DFI Narrative By Design Award. The Printemps Award for Emerging Talent in Accessory Design was awarded to Moza Al-Sharim.
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