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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
The month-long Shop Qatar festival, which is in its third week, continues to attract high footfalls, a top Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) official has said.
"The festival is progressing well. There has been a very high participation in various activities. There is a lot of interest among people in the activities organised as part of the festival," QTA Head of Tourism Events and Festival Organisation Section Alshaima Alshaikh said on Tuesday.
"This year we have more malls participating and the shopping area is larger. We also have shops outside these malls that are participating in the festival," she said.
The pop-up shops in various malls showcasing different cultures are also a big success.
"The pop-up shops are being set up in coordination with Qatar Development Bank (QDB). Every week, different designers have been showcasing their talent. The QDB is giving a chance to Qatari designers to display their works," she added.
On Wednesday, International Fashion show will take place at the Mondrian Doha showcasing over 100 different looks from all over the world. Imran Abbas will make a celebrity appearance at the show. Maya Ali too will be present.
Spanish celebrity designer Alejandro Resta, who has been hosting master classes, will display his designs. Other designers to be featured include Fouad Sarkis, Maria B, Imran Rajput and Thaher Baqer.
Resta said the three-day master classes have been a success."We have been trying to teach the creative process from the beginning like sketching and cutting. The students are interested in knowing crafting and sewing techniques. We are happy and satisfied," he said.
AT the fashion show, Resta will showcase his latest collection of glamorous gowns known as 'Candy collections'. He said that he was fond of abaya as a female attire and would present his new collection during the fashion show.
For his part, Sarkis said that he will showcase a glamorous collection at the fashion show.
Another designer Nour Fathallah said she would showcase 10 pieces from her SS18 collection."We feel honoured to be given this platform to showcase our designs," she said.
Organised by QTA, the Shop Qatar festival has been showcasing the country's vibrant retail sector with diverse offerings that include fashion shows and concerts.
Those interested to attend the fashion show on Wednesday can register online via 'www.talentresources.org/fashion-show-registration'. The event is for free and seats will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis.
