The Story of a Life Time, at Dubai’s Empty Quarter gallery explores the Arab world’s long love affair with fashion.Amongst portraits of models lounging in Ottoman-era palaces in Beirut or in front of the pyramids at Giza, one will find a stunning display of vintage haute couture gowns from the private collection of Parveen Shaath.
In 1958, while on holiday in London, Shaath was having tea at The Dorchester with a friend when she stumbled upon a private fashion sale in one of the ballrooms. She made her first orders then and there and continued to travel for the next forty years to the couture shows in London, Paris and Rome.
In 1958, while on holiday in London, Shaath was having tea at The Dorchester with a friend when she stumbled upon a private fashion sale in one of the ballrooms. She made her first orders then and there and continued to travel for the next forty years to the couture shows in London, Paris and Rome.
In the early 1960’s she opened her legendary boutique, Azizati, in a
sumptuous Riyadh villa, and soon began attracting the Saudi capital’s well heeled. Over the decades, Shaath kept many of the items that were never sold, thus amassing 40 years worth of fashion history.
The exhibit also marks the first time that works by some of the fashion world’s noted photographers, have made the journey to this side of the Gulf. These include images by the likes of Lillian Bassman, Albert Watson and Norman Parkinson.
No comments:
Post a Comment