The fashion brands you need to see at Dubai Fashion Days

The second Dubai Fashion Days extravaganza, organised by Hala China, will see the debut of new fashion lines from some of China’s most exciting up-and-coming designer labels at exclusive catwalk launches, directed by China’s ‘father of fashion’ Jerry Zhang, in Dubai this December.

From well-established brands like Heaven Gaia and Jusere to emerging labels like Joy & Joa and XiangLuoYi, the region’s fashionistas and designers will have their eyes trained on the new looks being showcased at the Dubai Fashion Days’ catwalk at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai between 8 – 12 December. Each brand will exhibit up to 40 looks from its new lines, with top models and winners of the 2019 Miss Model of the World contest taking the stage in 30-minute slots each night.  

The 2019 Miss Model of the World winner, Anastasiia Ushakova from Russia, will close the event at Tony and Tony’s concluding show. Runners-up Liliia Lakishek from Ukraine, Elizaveta Kataeva from Siberia and Qi Yanchang from China will also be strutting their stuff on the runway over the five days.

So, before you head down to catch the event, here’s more about the brands set to launch new product ranges.

Heaven Gaia

Founded by Xiong Ying, Heaven Gaia combines traditional Chinese designs with contemporary fashion creativity. Following its outing at Paris Fashion Week, Heaven Gaia has rapidly become a popular Chinese haute couture brand. Ying’s love for culture and fashion, Heaven Gaia is opening this year’s Dubai Fashion Days.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 8pm – 9pm, 8 December

Jusere

Jusere was founded in 2002, and focuses on creating wedding dresses and luxurious evening gowns. Since its inception, it has a registered presence in more than 30 countries worldwide with over 17 years of practice. Today it is one of the biggest designers and manufacturers of luxury gowns. Jusere’s designers Aiping Yu, and Qiying Wei from Jusere were included in the list of China Fashion Week’s Top 10 designers.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 6pm, 10 December (Jusere Saloon Show) & 8:30pm – 9pm, 11 December

Tony & Tony’s

Fashion critic Tony has become one of the leading influencers on the Chinese fashion landscape. The ‘fashion godfather’ founded the brand to showcase his love for fashion and design. Known as ‘Chinese Fashion leader’ he spearheads a fashion house that creates luxury goods and clothing.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 7:30pm – 8pm, 12 December

Zoual Yanti

Zhou Yanti founded his edgy brand to cater to women who are in search of new fashion trends. Starring in the Perth Fashion Festival in 2017 made Yanti a face for the new era of fashion. With strict control over the materials and creation of each piece, Yanti’s superior quality and designs make this a brand to know at this year’s Dubai Fashion Days.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 8:30pm – 9pm, 9 December

Mordorf

Founded in 2014 by Min and Lee, Mordorf’s designs embody both luxury and minimalism. With black, white and blue being the main design colours used in their pieces, Mordorf delivers light and neutral designs that offer a sharp contrast to the more traditional and heavy styles seen in the region.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 8pm – 8:30pm, 10 December

Rimma Benetti

Rimma Benetti was founded in 2000 to enable the modern, progressive woman to respect their faith without limiting style and self-expression. Founder, Zarema Betisheva, integrates her Middle Eastern heritage into her design with the ‘Hummingbird Collection’, which reflects both oriental luxury and middle eastern culture. Her designs have been showcased at Chechen Fashion Week 2018, Moscow Fashion Days 2017, Runway Dubai 2019 and International Fashion Week Dubai 2019.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 4pm – 4:30pm, 10 December

ESMOD Dubai

Established in Dubai International Academic City in 2006, ESMOD Dubai is the first and only higher education fashion institute in the UAE that is fully dedicated to fashion education. In the last 10 years, ESMOD Dubai has nurtured over 400 fashion design graduates, many of whom are considered to be the young leaders of the fashion scene in the GCC region. Showcasing their collections at Dubai Fashion Days are the institute’s alumni Hana Al Assaf and Canella Hostal.

Hana Al Assaf

Hana’s collections are inspired by the rich landscapes of nature, its abundance of spirt, and harmony. She strives to mimic its innate method of maintaining balance while provoking innovation by creating a sense of equilibrium in her design to transcend trends and seasons.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 8:30pm – 9pm, 10 December

Canella Hostal

Born into a creative French family, Canella Hostal dreamed of becoming a fashion designer from the early age of 7. She graduated from ESMOD Dubai in 2009 and has received the prestigious Golden Needle award. Canella Hostal's Label was launched in March 2012 and evokes a nostalgic spirit. Her travels have helped create a styling mood typical of many of Canella's collections. Inspired by yesteryear Paris, her collection at Dubai Fashion Days ‘Retro Nouvo’ promises to be full of sparkle.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 8:30pm – 9pm, 10 December

Joy & Joa

Founded in 2019, Joy & Joa is committed to creating high-end designs for children. The label has participated in the Beijing China International Fashion Week and Shanghai Fashion Week to portray its vision for young ones and to celebrate the happiness inherent in children.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 8pm – 8:30pm, 11 December

Fishing

Founded in 1997, Fishing was created to break boundaries between styles prevalent in the West and in China. Its haute couture collections offer a combination of intense Eastern colours and Western elements for women who seek high-end fashion day-to-day attire.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 6:30pm – 7pm, 12 December

Oriental Boutique

Wu Haiyan held her first one-person fashion show in 1987 and has since scaled the heights of Chinese fashion design. In 2001, she received the ‘Golden Top’ award from the China Fashion Association and China Fashion Designers Association. Her designs reflect China’s heritage and have been showcased around the world in Germany, Japan, Istanbul, Turkey, Malaysia among others.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 6:30pm – 7pm, 12 December

Dorm Kids Couture

Founded in 2015, Dorm Kids Couture specialises in children's attire that is elegant in style and taste. Handmade, from specially imported European fabrics, the precise and complicated sewing process gives this brand an edge, making each piece a one-of-a-kind. Dorm Kids was launched to bring haute couture to the childrenswear segment.

On the catwalk @ Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai: 8pm – 8:30pm, 9 December

Pop-ups @ d3

Along with the evening fashion shows being held at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai, a host of pop-up stores and textile exhibitions will run from 10am to 8pm every day at Dubai Design District (d3). On the last day, the pop-ups will be open to public until 5pm. Visitors can check out the latest collections as well as shop and order.  

• Heaven Gaia having already made a splash globally for its contemporary designs, will showcase its latest collection.
• Xiang Luo Yi exemplifies traditional QiPao cultural elements, using intricate handmade embroidery on silk to create stylish and elegant designs.
• Bronze Saga will put on sale copper artwork that combines ancient methods and new age technology in bespoke pieces.
• Baowa Jewellery will showcase delicate handmade jewellery, created masterfully by experts with decades of experience in the art.

• GuoJiangFu Black Tea will display quality tea leaves from the ecological gardens of the Xiangcha Group. This award-winning tea is not only flavoursome, but offers plenty of health benefits as well.
• Siyun Silk carries on the long-standing culture of silk in China with shanghai styled – gifts and crafts.  
• Koncise Enamel presents unique and ornate jewellery and watches designed using royal enamel that is integral to traditional Chinese culture.

Running until 12 December across Dubai, the five-day event organised by Hala China, the joint initiative of Meraas and Dubai Holding designed to facilitate trade and cultural exchanges between China and the UAE, provides a platform for emerging Chinese designers and international fashion labels to showcase their products in the Middle East.

In its first year, Hala China organised an array of high-profile events and activities that have seen the Chinese community in the UAE and Chinese businesses foraying into the Middle East markets to explore new and exciting opportunities. Key events included two China film weeks in Dubai, the largest Chinese New Year celebrations hosted outside of China, a photography-art exhibition in China titled ‘Through Chinese Eyes’, ‘The Silk, Tea and Celadon: An Intercultural Dialogue on the Silk Road’, and the first Chinese group wedding at Dubai’s picturesque Love Lakes.