QFS offers advice to emerging fashion designers in Doha

Emerging fashion designers in the country may soon find themselves taking their passion to greater heights with Qatar Fashion Society’s (QFS) guidance on establishing and growing their business.“Qatar is one of the biggest consumers in the luxury segment and we want to nurture more young fashion designers here,” QFS founder Fahad al-Obaidly said at Shop Qatar’s Design District, located at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.QFS is a non-profit initiative which aims to provide fashion entrepreneurs and brands key practical advice on building and sustaining a business in Doha. It now has 42 members.Citing Virginia Commonwealth University – Qatar’s (VCUQ) capability in providing the know-how and technical expertise to its students and graduates, al-Obaidly said QFS, for its part, is trying to equip them with the skills to market and expand their business.VCUQ, which produces around 22 graduates annually from its Fashion Design programme, occupies the largest space at the Design District. It offers students an opportunity to share their latest creations, connect with a like-minded community and establish a customer base.“What we see is that students are interested in the business side, so we collaborate with production houses, public relations agencies, retailers and department stores, as well as other institutions, so they will really understand what is the next step for them to reach their goals,” al-Obaidly said.The Qatari artist moderates Fashion Speakers’ Corner sessions at the District, which offers fashion enthusiasts “a wide variety of artistic expressions” and the latest trends in the industry.A unique “360-degree immersion experience” also awaits visitors at al-Obaidly’s ‘Fashion Meets Art’, a special interactive art installation which combines art and fashion. He lauded the District for being one of the best platforms for Qatari designers to further enhance their skills and showcase their works.“Such initiative gives local designers the opportunity to promote and to put standards in the fashion industry as well,” he added. Al-Obaidly recounted that the past four days since the District’s opening on January 5 have inspired participating designers “to step up and compete the way they present their collection.”Being featured at Shop Qatar for the first time, the District is a hub for the shopping festival’s fashion-forward events and activities, hosting a series of fashion shows, workshops and masterclasses until January 12.Al-Obaidly, who curated a number of fashion exhibitions and moderated fashion conferences related to the industry in Qatar, finds the District “educational and an inspiring space for designers.”“Designers not only see the space (allotted to them) as a plain booth or stall to sell their collections but a platform for storytelling,” the QFS founder stressed.According to al-Obaidly, these spaces aim to connect designers to their consumers and help them reach the next level of their business.About keeping the Arab touch in most of the designs, al-Obaidly said local designers continue to enrich their patterns in their collections such as in abayas, kaftans and shoes, among others, reflecting the country’s culture and heritage.