South Asian Designers Shine Bright at Dubai Fashion Week

Designers from India and South Asia dazzled Dubai, blending couture with innovation.

- PUJA TALWAR

In Dubai's ever-evolving landscape, the sky is rarely the limit. This extends to everything from its towering skyscrapers and industrial innovations to lifestyle and fashion. The fashion-forward cosmopolitan oasis is rewriting the geography of global style. While the Big Four—Paris, Milan, New York, and London—continue to dominate headlines, Dubai is steadily positioning itself as a stage where East meets West, blending couture traditions with contemporary sensibilities.

Since its inaugural edition in 2023, Dubai Fashion Week (DFW), co-founded by Dubai Design District (d3) and the Arab Fashion Council (AFC), has been clear about its mission: to establish the city as a global fashion hub, fostering international collaboration while nurturing regional talent.

Jacob Abrain, founder and CEO of the Arab Fashion Council, explains, "Dubai Fashion Week is an umbrella for multiple designers and creatives. It is a neutral platform that allows designers to shine with their own themes and aesthetics. The only theme we usually follow is spring/summer or fall/winter, and then it is the stage for designers to astonish us with their creativity." He adds, "As Fashion Week, we are very careful that it is not only for the most established designers but also a platform to incubate emerging talent. We believe they have the capacity and aesthetics to grow. We don't choose designers by picking one brand over another; we give everyone the opportunity to shine."

INDIA MAKES ITS MARK