Second edition of Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition kicks off at M7

HE Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani inaugurated Wednesday the Doha Dreams exhibition at the Qatar Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (M7) in Msheireb, with the participation of 7 designers. The event will last till Aug. 31, 2022. The exhibition is part of the second edition of Zuwara program, inspired by the exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, which was launched in November 2021. Zuwara is a flexible program and is held annually and seeks to stimulate innovation and strengthen the links between innovators in Qatar's innovations community. It invites innovators to explore exhibitions, archives, and collections, and respond with a design brief, as the program reviews the importance of storytelling and experimentation in design. The designers Mashael Al-Naimi, Mona Saad, Alia Al-Obaidly, Nada Al-Sulaiti, Maryam Al-Majed, Laila Al-Ansari, in addition to Haitham Sharouf will participate in this exhibition. M7 director Maha Ghanim Al-Sulaiti said in a statement that the exhibition presents works by seven talented designers from Qatar within the temporary Doha Dreams exhibition in the Zuwara program, noting that the works give visitors an opportunity to see the ways in which the designers drew their inspiration from famous names, such as Christian Dior mix and subsequently mix it with their own designs inspired by the local culture. In exclusive statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Qatari designers stressed the importance of dress and its cultural and civilizational content, pointing out that it reflects the identity of its owner and his pride in his culture and local heritage, in addition to the necessity of providing an element of decency and modesty in it, as the dress hides culture in its designs. The designer, Mashael Al-Nuaimi, told QNA about her work tagged with "Henna", that her design was inspired by the "New Look" style of Christian Dior, where the skirt was made by a craftsman in Georgia, from silk chiffon, and from the finest Types of wool, to create a tapestry depicting the desert and sand dunes, and decorated with a design of the national flower of Qatar (Qitaf). As for the upper jacket, it was decorated with henna inscriptions that dye the palms of women, and it is one of the most important cosmetic tools since ancient times, at weddings and even without occasions, in order to obtain that beautiful feminine touch, to become a painting that speaks of the authenticity of the Qatari women's dress. 

For her part, the designer, Mona Saad, highlighted in her work the importance of tradition and modernity in fashion culture. In a similar statement to QNA, Mona said: "Since I work in the energy field, this is reflected in my work, as I designed a jacket made of sheep's wool, leather and palm threads, in honor of the importance of agriculture as a profession in which families work, in addition to a corset made of metal and pipes. Transporting gas symbolizes the strength and determination of the State of Qatar and its people."     She explained that the chair, which she designed, resembles the shields of warriors, and represents strength and stability, which is indicated by the gas pipes, as this reflects the transition that her country has known between the past and the present. Alia Al-Obaidli told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that her work, entitled 'The Story of a Pearl', is a romantic wedding dress that tells the story of pearl diving, one of the most ancient and valuable traditions in Qatar. She pointed out that the dress encapsulates all the suffering experienced by the pearl divers and their families on their long journey, as she invested her knowledge and research in Qatar National Libraries, the Museum of Islamic Art and Qatar National Museum in order to enrich her thought and enhance her imagination.  As for the work of the designer, Nada Al-Sulaiti, for which she chose the title "Don’t Forget Me," she said in a statement to QNA: "When I thought about the design, I said to myself: If a woman asks the famous designer Christian Dior for a design, she requires that it emulate her heritage and preserve her modesty. As the dress does not stray from noble morals, as the skirt was long, and the jacket covered." She indicated that she is a jewelry designer and the first time she participates in the world of clothing design, stressing that designers have a great role and burden in society, as consumers view designers as role models, stressing that values and customs must be observed, whether in the artistic message or otherwise.