The 13^th Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition was officially opened yesterday by Her Excellency, Dr. Sheikha Aisha Al Thani, philanthropist and supporter of education and entrepreneurship in Qatar, Jawaher Al-Khuzaei, Acting Director of Communications and Marketing at Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), and representatives from Design Creationz.

The five-day exhibition which runs until Sunday, 29 April at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) is set to bring a series of fashion-centric events showcasing the latest in Arabian and modest fashion, as well as inspiring discussions on women’s empowerment in fashion and the arts.

Heya is delivered by Design Creationz with the support of Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) as part of its efforts to empower the private sector to attract and host global events. Jawaher Al-Khuzaei, Acting Director of Communications and Marketing at QTA, commented: "It’s a pleasure to launch the 13^th edition of Heya amid the steadily growing interest from local and international participants. They each come with their unique designs and approaches to fashion creating an enriched experience for the exhibition visitors as well as valuable opportunities for participants to exchange experiences and views on the latest trends in their industry.” She added, “The exhibition comes as part of QTA's strategy to support the home-grown entrepreneurs and promote local events, in line with overall efforts to diversify Qatar’s tourism products and visitor source markets."

The opening day witnessed a series of fashion shows presenting a collection of abayas, jalabiyas and evening gowns by leading fashion brands from around the world, including Dilek Hanif from Turkey; Liz Cardenas and Olga Doumet from Ecuador; Romani Design from Hungary; Debaj, QLabel and Ain Line from Qatar; Maison Chic from Kuwait; Anardana from India; Kristal B from Italy and Rida Couture from Lebanon.

A forum on ‘Exploring Similarities and Differences between Arabian and Ottoman Fashion’ was also led by Sandra Wilkins, head of fashion at Virginia Commonwealth University-Qatar (VCUQ); Fahad Al Obaidly, designer and artist and Dilek Hanif, renowned Turkish fashion designer.

On Thursday, 26 April - the second day of Heya - visitors can enjoy an hour-long fashion show showcasing the latest designs by Kuwaiti brands Gold Dust and Neshel by Najeeba; as well as Louver Line, Bride Atelier, ZR Abaya and Frames Fashion from Qatar; BKIB from Italy and Nourish Kareem from Malaysia. The fashion show will begin at 6:15pm.

Guests can also participate in ‘What’s In and Out on Social Media’, an insightful forum by Omani influencer Areej Balushi as well as with renowned Indian Celebrity TV stars and influencers, Krystel D’Souza and Sana Khan at 7:30pm where exhibitors and visitors can meet with the Bollywood celebrities and ask questions around fashion, style and trends on social media in the fashion industry.

In addition, workshops designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs will be taking place that evening by industry key players, including; ‘Quick Makeup Tips’ (5:00pm) by Maison de Joelle, ‘Footwear Design’ by VCUQ (5:25pm), and ‘A Success Story’ by Bedaya Center advising aspiring young Qatari entrepreneurs on their professional path (5:45pm).

Esraa Abel, spokesperson for Design Creationz, said: “Heya has evolved over the years, as people not only visit to shop and complete their collections, but also to learn about culture and modest fashion trends. The show this year is the most diverse it has ever been; we have designers from countries that have never been represented before, such as Ecuador and Hungary. We have also dedicated a larger portion of the exhibition space to local talent, with more than 190 brands participating from Qatar alone, the largest number to date.”

Held under the patronage of Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Heya showcases the largest display of local designers to date with more than 190 brands participating in this edition. Overall, more than 300 brands of abayas and modest fashion designs from 18 countries are represented, including; Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Turkey, Morocco, Lebanon, Iraq, India, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Ecuador, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy.

The 13^th edition of Heya offers shoppers and visitors an assortment of unique collections, from high-street apparel, couture and luxury, to the latest modest fashion evening gowns, leather accessories as well as perfumery and make-up. The ladies-only event is open to women and girls over 13 years old.

For more information on the 13^th Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition please visit www.heya.qa. Visitors can also download the Heya mobile app, enabling visitors to stay up-to-date with events and easily navigate brands and goods on offer.

Cover image courtesy of Heya

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