Emirati abaya designer takes the spotlight

The winner of the inaugural Swarovski Abaya Design Awards was declared last night on the final day of The Bride Show Abu Dhabi.

Eiman Al Marzouqi took to the stage at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre when she was announced the winner of the competition for her Abaya which featured AED1,000 worth of Swarovski crystals and elements beautifully embellishing the traditional national dress.

"The last two months have been extremely busy preparing for the Awards. All final designs are so beautiful, I am completely speechless and so very surprised," said Eiman, who lives in Abu Dhabi. "I feel like I’m living in a dream just now and it’s so hard to describe how honoured I am."

The finalists’ designs have been on display during The Bride Show Abu Dhabi, alongside more than 200 regional and international exhibitors in the fashion, beauty and travel industries. Visitors to the event have been voting throughout the four-day Show for their favourite Abaya; those votes counted for half of the final decision, after a panel of esteemed judges in the fashion industry examined the Abayas in terms of design, technique and innovative use of Swarovski elements.

The Awards came to an exciting culmination when each design, made by amateur fashion designers from across the UAE and Oman, was professionally modeled on the catwalk. Werner Baumgartner, General Manager of Swarovski Middle East, was welcomed on stage after the fashion show to announce Eiman Al Marzouqi as the 2008 winner.

Eiman was chosen from ten finalists, who were selected from more than 50 aspiring fashion designers who initially entered the Awards, the first of its kind in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

"Eiman did a wonderful job, her Abaya is very unique and skillfully constructed," said Daphne Cota, Exhibition Manager at The Bride Show. "I am very pleased for her, she deserves this recognition, as do all the finalists who have been working very hard in the last two months to have their designs completed.

"We have received excellent praise from visitors who can’t believe such professionally designed creations have been made by amateur designers in such a short space of time. I’d like to thank the supporters of the Awards, the Abu Dhabi Ladies Club and the Family Development Foundation, both of which have remarked on the high quality of each design."

The first and second runner ups, Mahawish Fatima and Khadija Al-Lamki respectively, were also praised by the judging panel, which included Adel Abu Haleeqa from Abu Haleeqa Stores, Bansri Gagwani from Swarovski Middle East, Judith Duriez from Arabesque Sheilas & Abayas and Maitha Al Amiri from the Abu Dhabi Ladies Club.

The Bride Show Abu Dhabi, organized by IIR Middle East, ran from 5–8 February at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The four-day event included fashion shows from renowned names Arabesque Sheilas & Abayas, Beenas Collection, Ghanati Couture, Houchaime and Rahmanian Haute Couture as well as high end shopping for brides-to-be and their families.

- Lindsay Johnston, Total Communications Dubai, also photo