Tribune News Network
Doha
The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) presented ‘Isfahan Abayas & Caftans Fashion Show’ at the MIA courtyard, a distinctive fashion show featuring 15 talented designers who have explored creative designs inspired by MIA’s ‘Fashioning an Empire: Textiles from Safavid Iran’ exhibition. These designers have not only drawn inspiration from the exhibition but have also embraced sustainability by using eco-friendly materials in the production of their final designs.
‘Unveiling Isfahan Fashion’ is a series of events ranging from film screenings, fashion, workshops, lectures, and curator-led tours under the umbrella of the ‘Fashioning an Empire: Textiles from Safavid Iran’ exhibition that is taking place at the MIA where one can immerse themselves in the rich legacy of Persian textiles and witness exquisite fusions of culture, innovation, and artistic prowess.
The artists whose designs were featured on the runway are Qatari and Qatar-based designers Hind Al Mutawa; Mariam Al Muttawa; Mashael Al Noaimi; Al Anood Jassim; Innas Soufan; AlHanouf Binmagbel; Mensa Maryam; Rabab Abdulla; Aisha Al Noaimi; Wadha Mohsen Al-Athba; Zain Eljabri; Fayroza Tarek; Nora Ait Taleb; Noora Abdulaziz Al Mulla and Iranian designer Mahnoush Teymourzadeh. The venue entrance was lined by designer mood boards put together by each designer, which was studded with various elements such as textile pieces and jewellery that inspired the outfit they created.
‘Fashioning an Empire: Textiles from Safavid Iran’ will be on view in MIA’s Sheikh Saoud Gallery until June 22, 2024, continuing to highlight the significance of silk in the vibrant social, economic, and artistic life of the Safavid Empire (1501-1736). ‘Fashioning an Empire: Textiles from Safavid Iran’ was first conceived by and presented at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, D.C., and shown as part of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture.
The ‘Fashioning an Empire: Textiles from Safavid Iran’ exhibition includes a final section that embraces contemporary fashion designs, with five Qatar-based designers showcasing their bespoke designs inspired by objects displayed in the exhibition. Under the leadership of Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, M7 continues to collaborate across entities within Qatar Museum to shine the spotlight on the local design community and amplify their work.
One of the world’s premier institutions of Islamic art and the first world-class museum in the region, the reimagined MIA provides a more accessible, engaging, and educational experience for guests. Around 1,000 objects – many newly conserved or acquired – are displayed in the museum’s permanent galleries for the first time, alongside the masterpieces for which MIA has long been recognised.
