- Title: Lebanese, Iranian and Syrian designers showcase designs at Basra show
- Date: 29th September 2016
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRAQI DESIGNER, SALAM Al-ITHARI, SAYING: "Unlike us, the outside world has make a great progress in the culture of fashion and the culture of design, hence today when we bring different cultures together, we will definitely get a mix of cultures. Iraq differs from Iran, differs from Turkey and differs from Beirut. Each society has its own fashion line, own culture and way of life."
- Embargoed: 14th October 2016 12:55
- Keywords: Iraq Basra fashion designer catwalk style
- Location: BASRA, IRAQ
- City: BASRA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Fashion
- Reuters ID: LVA00251M8YTX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Six young fashion designers from the Middle East recently showed off their creations at a fashion show in the Iraqi city of Basra.
About 300 people attended the show held at the Basra Sheraton Hotel, which showcased a total of 60 pieces - mainly evening and wedding dresses - by four Iraqi designers, and one designer each from Lebanon and Iran.
Four designs by a Syrian designer who couldn't attend the show were also displayed.
Accompanied by Middle Eastern music in the background, models wowed the crowd as they strutted down the runway in a variety of dazzling dresses and more casual outfits.
Iraqi fashion designer Ziyad al-Ithari, who had more than ten designs in the show, described the event as a chance to introduce new fashion lines to the Iraqi public.
"Unlike us, the outside world has make a great progress in the culture of fashion and the culture of design, hence today when we bring different cultures together, we will definitely get a mix of cultures. Iraq differs from Iran, differs from Turkey and differs from Beirut. Each society has its own fashion line, own culture and way of life," said Ithari.
Another designer, Saif al-Obeidi from Baghdad, said this year's show reflected the different cultures of the participating countries.
"Basra fashion night is an important fashion event in Iraq due to the participation of a number of neighbouring countries, which differ from Iraq in their cultures, fashions and the designs they present. We have today a number of models from Iraq and also from Beirut, in addition to a designer from Iran and another one from Beirut," said Obeidi, whose collection included Baghdad Abaya and the Iraqi traditional dress known as Hashiimi, along with a collection of Haute Couture.
The finale of the show was a collection of wedding dresses by Iranian designer Iman Ali, who presented a total of 12 designs at the event.
Ali said she noticed a "sense of sadness" in Iraqi people's fashion taste and wanted to introduce joy through her designs.
"Through my designs I try to add something new to the Iraqi fashion. I noticed that the Iraqi people are more inclined to the sense of sadness, therefore through my designs I tried to add a sense of calmness and joy, as represented by printed flowers in most of my designs," Ali said.
Iraq has suffered from continuous conflicts for over a decade, and tens and thousands of lives have been lost and disrupted. The government's latest fight is against Islamic State militants, which seized large swaths of Iraq's north and west in 2014, but is now being driven back by an array of forces.
Organisers of the fashion show say they hope that Iraqi fashion, in the future, will be exported internationally. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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