Utruj Spring 2018 preview. Courtesy of Utruj
Vogue is synonymous with access-all-areas in the worlds of fashion and culture. With that in mind, Vogue.me will be livestreaming all Fashion Forward shows exclusively from Dubai. So if you cannot jet in from Jeddah or Beirut to the UAE fashion capital to see the shows in person, we’ve got your front row digital tickets sussed here.
Now in its 10th season, Fashion Forward promises an ever exciting lineup. Among the 28 brands presenting collections are numerous new additions – Saudi Arabian emerging brand Utruj being one of the newcomers to FFWD. The label produces abayas with contemporary design twists. “The concept emerged from the desire to take the norm and reinterpret it in a way that represents modern Muslim women worldwide,” Utruj’s designers tells Vogue.me. “Utruj’s design direction gives the staple abaya a fresh twist, one that is suitable for today’s Muslim woman; a garment that the modern millennial will be proud to wear and that is something that represents both faith and creativity.”
Utruj Spring 2018 preview. Courtesy of Utruj
Utruj may have launched in January 2017 but its mission statement is loud and clear: to make the abaya a universally relevant garment, much “like the kimono or kaftan,” Utruj explains to Vogue.me. While the flagship store is in Jeddah, even after a mere 10 months of trading, the brand is available in Ush Boutique Dubai and Minbart Abu Dhabi, alongside its ecommerce platform. Ambition and plans for expansion ooze out of the brand’s HQ.
Utruj Spring 2018 preview. Courtesy of Utruj
“Our fourth collection, ‘Authentic Structures,’ depicts stories that merge imagination with reality,” Utruj tells Vogue.me. “Each piece is a visual representation of our current social construct. These structures reflect our society and mirror our inner selves as well.”
Utruj Spring 2018 preview. Courtesy of Utruj
“The collection portrays the intricate shapes and forms of traditional art and architecture that embellish the rural regions of Saudi Arabia,” adds Utruj. “It signifies a confident woman, who values her traditions but can also break free.”
Utruj Spring 2018 preview. Courtesy of Utruj
“Color has always played a role with our brand, but in a minimal and subtle manner,” Utruj’s founding designers tell Vogue.me. “It is for the working woman who doesn’t need to parade her fashion because her personality and intellect speak for her.”
Above, Vogue.me shares a sneak preview of the Spring 2018 collection that will be showcased at FFWD Season 10 on Friday October 27 at 9pm, in a presentation at the event’s new location in the Design Quarter of Dubai’s Design District. Watch this space for the livestream link so you don’t miss the swish of a single hemline.
Designer interview by Khulood Ahmed.
