- Unique object costume & garment design exhibition showcases students’ ingenuity, promotes Dubai as a fashion hub
French Fashion University Esmod (FFUE), the UAE branch of the pioneering international fashion institution and the only dedicated French fashion school in the region, recently hosted an ‘object costume’ exhibition created by the students after a creative design workshop overseen by renowned French designer Alain Germain.
The exhibition is currently running at the FFUE campus in Dubai International Academic City and is open to the public from 10 am to 6 pm daily. On display are garments and stage costumes made up of common objects such as paper, glasses, plastic cups, ceramic plates, kitchen objects and even shoes. A week prior to the exhibition, students participated in an intensive workshop supervised by Germain to come up with creations that challenge conventional design and use everyday objects. The famous haute couture designer is the inventor of the Costume Objects concept and is also well known as a writer and stage designer.
“In many ways the UAE is already one of the world’s top fashion destinations. However, we feel that this status can only be really achieved if we provide a platform for talented young designers to showcase their work and thus be internationally appreciated while adding to the glamour and prestige of this country. We were impressed by the quality and talent revealed during the workshop, and we will continue to initiate such activities so that we can nurture the growth of the fashion industry in the Middle East,” said Tamara Hostal, Founder & Director, FFUE-Dubai.
As part of its commitment to continuously broaden the scope of fashion studies, FFUE has also invited Nils-Christian Ihlen-Hansen, Owner and Rector of Esmod-Oslo who is the best pattern drafter in northern Europe where he has won all the haute couture awards. During his stay at Esmod Dubai, the fashion designer who is fully dedicated to haute couture is helping the students develop their skills through passing on his lifetime experience to the infant fashion minds in the region.
FFUE Dubai recently hosted the Hektik Ethnik Fashion Show, one of the largest student fashion shows in the Emirates. The event showcased 70 creations inspired by 33 local and international traditions and folklore at the institution’s Academic City campus. FFUE Dubai has also held fashion shows at several local schools and intends to organize more events to display the creative fashion designs of its students. The fashion school’s creative, technical and marketing programs for part- and full-time students are attracting more nationalities, especially Iranians and Russians, who continue to surprise their mentors with their designing skills.
Founded in Paris in 1841 by Frenchman Alexis Lavigne, Esmod was the first institution to standardize couture by inventing what are now considered as essential tools by designers, such as the mannequin and the measuring tape. The school maintains branches in 20 countries and has trained generations of professionals who have worked for international stylists such as Dior, Saint-Laurent, Kenzo, Paco Rabanne, Gaultier and Givenchy. Esmod opened its Dubai-based French Fashion University, presently the only dedicated fashion institution in the UAE, in October 2006.
FFUE Dubai offers a wide range of creative, technical and marketing programs for students who wish to pursue a successful career in the fashion industry. Among the subjects it teaches are fashion illustration, pattern drafting, knowledge of textiles and history of fashion, and make-up. French-trained instructors also deliver a number of courses such as a three-year full time bachelor’s course and a three to six-month fashion workshop open to the public.
