Jordanian designer and 2015 DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize nominee Nafsika Skourti takes us behind the scenes of her Fashion Forward Dubai presentation. Go inside for model fittings, last-minute shoe buys, and details about the music lineup.
During the model fittings. I thought these two models looked great together. They had that understated cool factor – and it really communicated the subtle, sly humor that the Nafsika Skourti label has become known for.
The plan was to order the shoes for the show online. We chose everything and then realized it was too risky as the shoes would probably arrive late. We had five hours to get shoes. We ended up finding these crystal slingbacks that we died for. Me and my sister Stephanie are shameless about getting things done. We will camp out on your shop floor if necessary.
Initial lineup. This is where I need to remove any emotional attachments from all the pieces and just think about the story as a whole. It’s important that the narrative is translated onto the runway – more so than showing every single piece from the collection.
Show day: Going through the lineup (again!) with the lovely Nina. We were shuffling things around a bit so that the girls had more time to change between looks.
Music! After rehearsals we realized that the set we prepared was a bit too short, so we had to put another song on at the end. Hussein was manning the music (and his hair is just great). The references for the music are too R-rated to explain, but it was sexy, retro lounge music. We also had some voiceovers from a famous YouTube dominatrix.
Testing out the lighting with the photographers. I really wanted it to be more moody and dark but it just didn't translate that well on photos.
The models during rehearsals. They were such a young, playful bunch. I told them to channel their inner Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts’ breakout film) and look bored during the show. We were going to give them gum to chew but decided that might be a bit much.
For the set, I wanted something that communicated both the internet and a motel room. I thought moving LED lights were the perfect choice because they reminded me of the stock market exchange as well as cheap Chinese restaurants. They also had that digital touch that made me think of MSN Messenger and texting. We borrowed the furniture from a hotel and it was perfectly dated and ordinary.
Backstage, you could tell that all the girls (and me!) were so into the sparkly shoes. I’m happy that one of the models was my size so now I have a pair.
Post show, on the set. The adrenaline is wearing off and we’re not sure what just happened. I imagine this is what a wedding must feel like. You plan, plan, and plan, and then, just like that – it’s over.
I’m so crazy into crystal embellishment, I really had to hold back to not use more. The internet has always been and will forever be a reference for me when designing. For this top, I was inspired by how all the people in Dubai put so many funny symbols and emojis on their ads – a lot of them don’t come up so you get these fun cross squares instead.
Although we don’t live in Dubai, I feel like we have some really great friends here. All the girls in this photo are so special and it’s always good to see them. This was at a housewarming party and we had the best time.
The day after. We met up with friends and had some meetings, so this shirt worked perfectly. It’s from the new collection. I really wanted something that was fashion, but classic at the same time.
Watch the Nafsika Skourti Fashion Forward Dubai livestream show here
