The highly-anticipated Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition announced today it will be returning for its 11^th edition with an eclectic mix of global brands offering a variety of designs, from couture modest fashion collections to evening gowns, and everyday accessories. Fashion enthusiasts, designers, and visitors will come together to enjoy daily fashion shows, hands-on workshops and fashion forums led by industry experts.

Held under the patronage of Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, this year’s exhibition was officially announced at a press conference at the Shangri-La Hotel Doha, confirming the show will return to the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) from April 28 – May 2. The conference was attended by senior delegates from organisers Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatari fashion talent, as well as exhibitors, designers, and industry leaders and influencers.

Mashal Shahbik, Director of Festivals and Tourism Events at Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), said, “The growth witnessed by Heya over the past several editions reflects the ongoing efforts QTA and its partners have undertaken to develop this exhibition, as part of our strategy to enhance the Business Events sector and attract more business events tourists. We are particularly proud of this exhibition as it celebrates our deep cultural roots and Qatar’s local talents in the context of the country's modern and cutting-edge exhibition facilities.”

The 5-day fashion exhibition will present an array of abayas, kaftans, jalabiyas, veils, gowns, among other fashion pieces. Expanding on the show’s success, the Heya Spring/Summer 2017 edition will also bring visitors elegant and luxurious pieces to browse and buy, including kiosks of coveted leather goods, kimonos from one of Japan’s oldest textile manufacturers; Tsukamoto Group, and the latest abaya collection ‘Jeywn,’ by popular Japanese designer ERIKO.

This year for the first time, families are invited to attend the first day of the show (April 28) including husbands who can accompany their daughters and wives, with children over the age of 13 invited to enjoy too. Furthering its commitment to the local community, Heya acts as an important stage for showcasing local talent and entrepreneurship. This year a record 93 booths have been booked by Qatari designers who will be displaying their collections. Fahd Al Obaidly will welcome guests to the daily red carpet events.

New to this year’s event is the participation of four international delegations welcoming designers from Japan, Spain, Portugal, and Germany. Complementing Qatar-Germany 2017 Year of Culture, Heya, in a joint project with the German Embassy and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, Heya will feature two German designers. Acclaimed fashion school ESMOD, rated number 5 worldwide, will also host four fashion workshops, enabling visitors to learn how to design creative modest fashionwear.

A spokesperson for Design Creationz, the company which has been delivering Heya for three years, said; “Heya is becoming a benchmark for quality, variety and creativity for designers and fashion enthusiasts across the region, and beyond. We continually look at new and innovative ways to build on the show’s success, presenting the highest quantity of emerging and established design talent from more than 15 countries. We are extremely proud of the variety of Qatari design participation, the expansion into leather accessories, ESMOD’s expertise, as well as the four foreign delegations presenting new designers. The 11^th edition of Heya will be more exciting than ever.”

The spokesperson continued; “Heya is now well established as a fashion platform. Our research shows designers exhibit not only for sales, but also to promote themselves and take advantage of the many marketing opportunities Heya provides them with. Thus, more and more brands are participating.”

The bi-annual event provides a high-profile platform and launch pad for established and up-and-coming local and Khaliji designers to tap into the vast economic potential present in the growing global modest and Islamic fashion market. The exhibition will host more than 250 brands from 15 countries across the GCC, Levant, and beyond, contributing to the growing multibillion-dollar industry for modest and Islamic fashion market.

Proud partners of this year’s Heya exhibition include Qatar-Germany Year of Culture, Qatar Airways, Q-post, Qatar Red Crescent, Maison de Joelle, Shangri La hotel, ESMOD, Guerlain Spa, Adagio aparthotel, Bonsai, Qatar UAE Exchange, Zahrat Al Khaleej, Ohlala! Magazine and Marhaba.

For more information on the 11^th Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition please visit www.heya.qa, or alternatively follow Heya on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat – Heya.qa, or YouTube. There will also be a new Heya mobile app launching nearer the event including an exhibition map for convenience.

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QNE

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