The show featured Yousef al-Jasmi and Thaher from Kuwait; Reishma
Couture from Britain; Shaima Royal from Bahrain; Manal Al Sharhan from UAE;
Umer Sayeed from Pakistan; Gazal Mishra from India; and Sckali Design, Brism
Couture, Angel Line Abaya and others from Qatar, writes Umer Nangiana

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Doha (MBFWD), the two-day extravaganza, gathered some of the biggest names in the industry from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and South Asia besides showcasing Qatari brands.
Attracting a large multicultural audience for an array of designer wear, the show featured names such as Yousef al-Jasmi from Kuwait, Thaher from Kuwait, Reishma Couture from London, Shaima Royal from Bahrain, Manal Al Sharhan (Dubai), Gazal Mishra from India, Umer Sayeed from Pakistan and designers from Qatar such as Sckali Design, Brism Couture, Angel Line Abaya and others.
Yousef al-Jasmi, the Kuwaiti designer was the show-stopper. With his grande finale on the second and final day, al-Jasmi awed the audience with a range of designs.
“Our perseverance and efforts in contributing to Qatar’s evolving fashion and design landscape is beginning to manifest itself now and we consider ourselves very lucky to have made a difference only in our second year,” Khalid Shaaban General Manager Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles (NBK), the Mercedes official dealer in Qatar, told Community.
“We had a great turnout at the event and the response from the community has been very encouraging. The appreciation we have received so far is very motivating,” he added.
Originally from Kuwait, owner of Yousef Al-Jasmi Haute Couture, began designing at the age of 17. Yousef has dressed Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Jessie J, Dita Von Teese, Sharon Stone, Nicole Scherzinger, Kristina Bazan, Kesha and Paris Hilton.
Yousef also boasts a long list of famous Arab celebrities that includes Shirine Abdulwahab, Nawal Alzuhgbi, Madiline Matar, Haleema Boland, Diana Karazone, Hind Bahrinya, Viviane Murad, May Hariri, Amal al-Awadhi, Hessa al-Loghani.
Celebrated for his natural ability, the Kuwait-based designer is renowned for his creativity to transcend everyday trends into vintage works of art.
Yousef Haute Couture’s signature flair, using an enchanting mix of rich textures and lavish materials with a heavy emphasis on luxurious detailing and embellishment, reflects elegance, aesthetics and energy in equal measure.
“This season’s show pulled an even bigger an audience and people came in good numbers on both days. The house remained packed and this is bigger an audience then we were expecting,” Rahat Mansoor, the CEO of MBFWD, said at the conclusion of the show.
Anchored by renowned TV host, Ayesha Sana, the show brought before the Doha audience celebrities from the showbiz industry, alongside top models walking the ramp for the grand finale of the show.
Pakistan’s top designer Umer Sayeed opened the show on the first day while designer La Boutique Blanche collection closed day one.
Sayeed has been on the Pakistan fashion radar for the last 20 years and has managed to enrich the scene through years of extraordinary passion for style.
The MBFWD is a platform for discovering global excellence in fashion design. The organisers have had a clear vision from the start, to make this the premiere fashion showcase in Qatar which brings together established and emerging talents from the region and beyond, said Shaaban.
“We have kept the focus on the local and regional design community to start with as we feel it’s important to promote their design aesthetics to a global audience. With each edition, the event is only going to grow stronger and will feature designers that audiences in Qatar know of, but also new names that are making a splash internationally,” said the NBK GM, adding that at the heart of the fashion week is the promotion of new talent.
Gazal Mishra from India showcased a variety of her Rajasthani designs. Initiating her first label in 2012 in pink city Jaipur, Gazal showed her love for Rajasthani designs, fine embroidery, vivid colours and various fusions in clothing.
She assembles the ethnic clothing which includes traditional silhouettes in some fantastic new shapes. She combines signature material like Bandhej, Kota Doria, Chanderi, Laheria, art of block prints and many more with ideal blend of vibrant colours.
The revolutionary fusion of traditional crafts and contemporary haute, mix of vibrant colours and taste of Rajasthani fabric generates an alluring; one-of-a-kind handwork which is the signature of Gazal Mishra.
Asma Sckali, Qatari clothing fashion designer based in Doha, started in January 2011 promising a high quality of fabric and material into designed into elegant pieces mixed between luxury and modernity and oriental culture.
Sckali has succeeded to upgrade her fame by her creations to become more than a professional fashion designer.
The 18 participating designers showcased Designers’ Prét, Haute Couture, Kaftan, Abaya and ready-to-wears collection. Some of the prominent designers participating were Umer Sayeed (Pakistan), Sckali Design (Qatar), S. Signature  (Qatar),  Gazal Mishra  (India),  Sakba Mohammed (Kuwait),  Jo Lamode (Qatar),  Abaya Lounge  (Kuwait) and finale by La Boutique Blanche (Qatar).
On the second day, Shaima Royal (Bahrain), Manal Al Sharhan (Dubai),  Hamsa Couture (Kuwait),  Reishma Couture (London),  Les Amis Boutique (Qatar), Thaher (Kuwait), Brism Couture (Qatar),  Angel Line Abaya (Qatar) and Yousef al-Jasmi presented their collections.
Fashion as an industry offers tremendous opportunities in Qatar and the future is definitely very promising. The Government of Qatar has made strategic investments within the international fashion space including acquisition of the Valentino couture house and stakes in LVMH and Tiffany Jewelry among others, said Shaaban.
In addition to the business side of it, he added, Qatar also offers a range of academic programmes targeting the fashion and design sectors.
“We have seen a growing number of young homegrown talents who are confidently making a mark for themselves locally and within the region,” said Shaaban, adding that this trend will continue to evolve beyond the short term and strengthen the foundation for a strong and sustainable industry, which has expanded greatly in terms of fashion, merchandising, buying etc.
“More people are open to shopping at fashion stores for brands and the customer has become more discerning and educated compared to a few years ago,” said NBK Manager.
FashionTV was the official media partner of the two-day show. Blue Brush as the official hairstylist, while Nara saloon was the beauty partner. The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Doha was sponsored & partnered by Damac Properties, Zai Fashions, The Luxury Network, VLCC, Evian, Nazih Qatar, Century Talent Qatar and What’s going on Qatar & Nasser Bin Khalid (Mercedes-Benz Qatar).