Beauty meets elegance at 9th Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition

The eagerly-anticipated Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition, Qatar’s most popular showcase of abayas and traditional Arabic attire, will return for a ninth edition between 2-6 June 2016 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. The exhibition is organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in partnership with Design Creationz and will welcome visitors daily from 10am to 10pm. 

The exhibition will include Gulf-designed abayas, kaftans, jalabiyas, veils and gowns, in addition to accessories, including belts, bags and shoes. Over the course of five days, fashion enthusiasts, designers and potential customers will convene to enjoy daily fashion shows, hands-on workshops and fashion forums led by industry experts. 

‘Heya’ presents the perfect B2C opportunity as it connects designers of approximately 260 brands directly with their customers, allowing them to purchase their preferred styles on the spot. 

According to the Owner of Design Creationz, Heya represents a fusion of art, couture and luxury, offering residents and tourists a unique experience of Arabian cultural heritage. 

“We are delighted to partner with QTA once again to deliver the ever-growing Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition. This event provides a high-profile platform for reputed and up-and-coming local and Khaliji designers to display their latest creations to a fashion-savvy audience, and serves as a perfect springboard for articulating design trends in the region while acting as a business hub.”

QTA supports Design Creationz in the delivery of Heya as part of its efforts to empower the private sector to attract and host global events. Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy seeks to triple the number of business events tourists by 2030, thereby contributing at least half of the country’s revenue from tourism spending. Events such as Heya present great potential to growing the country’s MICE sector, especially as the Islamic fashion market is expected to be worth $327 billion by 2020, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy report (2015).

Design Creationz is a fashion-focused event management and marketing company based in Doha, Qatar. It aims to promote female entrepreneurship in the fashion industry and enable women to build powerful reputations for their brands. According to Demenjon, “Design Creationz was born to set a benchmark for high-profile fashion events with an Arabic flavour both in Qatar and the region. As a niche consultancy our mandate is to encourage a cross-pollination of business locally and internationally whilst showcasing the best talent from the region and abroad.”