Haute couture, bridal, swimwear, high-end ready wear! It was all there at the J Winter Fashion Show that took place on board the luxurious Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica, overlooking the Dubai skyline, reports RetailME
The fashion industry is inclined towards quirky and interesting concepts, feels entrepreneur and model Jessica Minh Anh, so she likes to hold fashion shows in off-beat locations. “They create a whole new fashion experience, adding flavour to the rich collections. That’s why we chose the sundeck of Costa Atlantica, the international cruise ship, for our first show in the region,” she says.
“I do find the popular fashion shows held in London, Paris and Milan very enriching, but they are held in similar venues like hotels and even museums, which do not add any newness to the ambiance. We prefer selecting landmark locations in every region we go to – be it England’s iconic London Tower Bridge or the Petronas Twin Towers’ Skybridge in Kuala Lampur. With the weather being so pleasant this time of the year in Dubai, the city was the obvious choice for our winter show and what better place than Haute couture, bridal, swimwear, high-end ready wear! It was all there at the J Winter Fashion Show that took place on board the luxurious Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica, overlooking the Dubai skyline, reports RetailME on the high seas, with the imposing Dubai skyline as a backdrop. The city holds many mysteries for me and has always fascinated me,” Minh Anh continues.
She goes the extra mile in paying homage to the culture of every region she visits, even fashioning her hair-dos for the shows to match local landmarks. “For Dubai, my hairdo reflected the Burj-Al-Arab hotel, one of the city’s landmark buildings,” she observes.
“We organise four fashion shows every year within a short span of around two months. Our next show will probably be in Singapore, with Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul and New York being some other options we are considering. It’s difficult getting good locations that are offbeat at the same time. But we’ve been able to manage thus far. I believe if one wants to organise a fashion show on an airplane, why not do it on a real plane instead of having an airplane-like set up,” Minh Anh emphasises.
Strong collections showcasing a variety of styles and moods
The winter collection, premiered on a 70-metre long catwalk on the cruise ship’s sundeck, showcased a combination of haute couture, bridal, swimwear and high-end ready wear collections. Created by designers from the UAE, Russia, Italy, Lebanon, Portugal, Greece, Hong Kong and Vietnam, the variegated collections highlighted different styles and moods. “We always prefer a mix of established and contemporary designers to add variety to the collections and captivate the audience with their personalised designs and cuts,” Minh Anh comments.
“The first segment of our show featured futuristic haute couture styles of angelic, long-trail wedding dresses in the creations of Oscar De La Renta, Lebanese designer Aiisha Ramadan, Lusan Mandongus from Hong Kong and Greek talent Christos, which can be found at Dubai’s high-end Frost Boutique,” she explains.
Complementing the collections were jewellery pieces from Damas, including Roberto Coin and Graff diamonds, among others.
“In sharp contrast to the first collection, the second category conveyed retro and futuristic trends in the all-black dresses of Russian designer Polina Raudson that highlighted the concept of ‘Philosophy of Space’. The collection was created using natural fabrics such as silk, chiffon, cotton and denim, coupled with materials such as plastic, glass and metal,” Minh Anh points out.
Adding an extra touch of glamour to the show were creations by Vietnamese designer Hoang Hai that included richly embellished floor-length pieces with embedded gemstones, layered lace and delicate floral elements. The elegant touch came in the bridal pieces of Portuguese designers Joana Montez and Patrícia de Melo, whose distinguished cuts were made using light fabrics such as tulle, muslin and silk organza in the form of overlays, transparencies and frills. And transforming the concept of the traditional abaya was the colourful and refreshing collection from House of Art Slouchy’Z, the abayas and loose-fitting evening gowns being a stylish mixture of colour, flow of textile and delicacy of cuts.
The luxury swimwear collection from Gottex stood apart, making a bold fashion statement in its representation of two opposing extremes through different colours, shapes and prints. The daring side featured the use of strong colours such as cadmium reds, royal blue, torques, purples
and canary yellow, while the more feminine side was brought out through softer hues and prints, twisted and drapery shapes, Swarovski stones and graphite jewels woven in fine lycra.
The swimsuits were complemented by colourful, crystal studded, ultra-light, antiflat flip-flops from UAE footwear brand Flopeds.
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| J Winter Fashion Show front row VIPs in OK! Middle East |
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| J Winter Fashion Show on Costa Atlantica on UAE Shabab 20 magazine |
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| An interview with Jessica Minh Anh right after J Winter Fashion Show on Costa Atlantica Into uncharted fashion territory with Jessica Minh AnhJessica Minh Anh, the woman behind J Model Management, has organised fashion shows on London's Tower Bridge, the Petronas Twin Towers' Skybridge and a catwalk 90 metres above the Seine in Paris. Her latest trick was to feature designs from Marchesa, Hong Kong's Lusan Mandongus and the Lebanese designer Aiisha Ramadan, aboard the Costa Atlantica last Thursday as it was moored in Dubai. |
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| An exclusive interview with global fashion mover and shaker Jessica Minh Anh prior to J Winter Fashion Show on Costa Atlantica on ExpatWoman We managed to catch hold of the ever- so- busy Jessica ahead of the amazing event she is organising in Dubai this week- we spoke to her about life, determination and the fire to succeed! |
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| J Winter Fashion Show in OK! Middle East Next week's J Winter Fashion Show on the Costa Atlantica cruise ship will create waves in the UAE style scene ... and OK! is putting you right there! |
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| Jessica Minh Anh in OK! Middle East: MY WONDERFUL LIFE Fashion maverick and model Jessica Minh Anh shares her childhood dreams and front row secrets |
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| J Winter Fashion Show official makeup partner: SEPHORA MIDDLE EAST (photo: Jessica Minh Anh) |
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| J Winter Fashion Show official makeup partner: SEPHORA MIDDLE EAST (photo: Jessica Minh Anh) |