Some of the region's most exciting design talent will congregate in Dubai this week.
Arab Fashion Week will host its ninth season from Wednesday, October 9 to Monday, October 14, bringing together couturiers and creatives from across the Middle East to the UAE for a series of shows and presentations.
The sartorial spectacle will this year be held in City Walk at the Arab Fashion Week headquarters, in the 1422 concept store.
This season will welcome designers such as Rami Kadi and Charbel Zoe, who will present their collections in glitzy runway shows.
This edition will also host special collaboration with Vogue Talents and Sara Sozzani Maino, Vogue Italia's deputy editor in chief, to present four catwalk displays from the likes of Hussein Bazaza and Nora Al Shaikh.
Who can attend?
While some parties and trunk shows are invite-only, front-row hopefuls can register for tickets to shows at arabfashionweek.org/rsvp.
What shows will take place?
The opening day will see Lebanon's Charbel Zoe, which has dressed the likes of Jennifer Lopez, present its couture collection. Beirut's Naja Saade, Belarus's Valeryia Sa'ad and Dubai's own Baravia Couture will also send their designs down the runways.
Kayat Couture, helmed by Laila Aziz, Dubai's Asmaraia, India's Nirmoha, Turkey's Ezra Tuba and Italy's Sophia Nubes will participate in shows on day two.
Day three will see the Vogue Talents shows take place, with Lebanon's Hussein Bazaza, who has dressed Naomi Campbell, kicking off proceedings. India's Dhruv Kapoor, whose clientele includes Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor, will then showcase his typically vibrant ready-to-wear designs.
Italy's Daniele Carlotta, which fuses party-ready fabrics and avant-garde silhouettes will put on a show, followed by Saudi Arabia's Nora Al Shaikh, who is renowned for her versatile pieces that nod towards the designer's Middle Eastern heritage.
Rami Kadi will close day three with a likely breathtaking show, with the Beirut designer's futuristic materials, glamorous structures and dazzling technique having won over a legion of fans including Heidi Klum, Kendall Jenner and Rachel McAdams.
America's Jonathan Marc Stein, Dubai's BLSSD, Turkey's Mehmet Korkmaz and Lebanon's Mikhail Chamoun will present collections on day four, while day five will welcome Dubai's Marmar Halim, Moldova's Malliny and Azerbaijan's Sophie Couture to the runway.
October 14 is dedicated to an invite-only trunk show.
Is this the only fashion showcase in Dubai this month?
In short, no.
After a two-year hiatus, Fashion Forward Dubai will return to Dubai Design District from Wednesday, October 30 to Saturday, November 2, with labels including Amato, Arwa Al Banawi and Michael Cinco taking part.
For the first time, the event will offer a "shop-now" platform, with pop-up shops at D3 as well as online shopping for international fashion fans.
Looks like we'll need to sport our fashion A-game this October.
