New York Fashion Week has provided a series of firsts from sending disabled models down the catwalk, to turning an American Football pitch into a catwalk (Tommy Hilfiger) and finally, and more excitingly, this year also saw Fatema Fardan become the first Emirati designer to showcase at the prestigious event.Not only did fashion designer Fatema Fardan make her debut at New York Fashion Week but the talented star did so with panache, showcasing her autumn/winter 2015 collection with the help of the style elite and garnering A-list support from famed model and art director Julia Roitfeld (she is also the daughter of former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld), who hosted the A-list filled event.
The memorable night took place deep in Soho at the renowned Voce Di Gallery. DJs-of-the-moment, The Misshapes, provided the entertainment while models lined the flower-covered walls, revealing Fatema’s collection of “traditional folklore clothing”. The range boasted forest greens, muted red, black and greys, which were blended into dressed, cropped palazzo trouser, chiffon blouses and heavy, crepe culottes.
High-profile guests attending the night included celebrated stylist Rachel Zoe and her husband Rodger Berman, Haya Maraka, actress Lilla Crawford, model Cory Kennedy and TV personalities Ezra Williams, Stassi Schroeder and Carole Radziwill.
“The whole night felt like a beautiful dream,” said Fatema. “The ambience was perfect – it was everything I wanted it to be.”
Fatema Al Fardan, who is a UAE national, is the creative director and owner of Fatema Fardan Designs is a UAE. She graduated from Regents University in London with a First Degree Honors in Fashion Design and Marketing and debuted her women’s ready-to-wear line in Dubai in 2014. Fatema’s expertise involves envisioning and constructing garments, developing technical drawings, cutting patterns, embroidering items and dying fabrics. Having recently returned to the UAE Fatema has just launched her second collection for autum/winter 2015.
With the local fashion talent in the region constantly on the rise we are sure Fatema will not be the last Emirati we see taking international fashion weeks by storm.
