Sunday June 26, 2011 – Université Pierre Marie Curie
For Spring 2012, the Qasimi man is a debonair militant, with a penchant for going against authoritarian restraints. Duly titled “Seizure”, the collection is in many ways the ‘rebel incarnate’ of this year’s ‘Arab Spring’. Those uprisings served as a platform for Emirati designer Khalid Al Qasimi to not only showcase his latest work but to highlight his generation of bold creative minds.
Season after season, there has always been undertones of a united Qasimi tribe that Khalid wants to preserve. Last season, it was quite literally a collection chock full of tribal tattoos and facial markings but this season the tribe turned into a platoon of fashion revolutionaries.
That message was resoundingly clear as evidenced by the ice-blue baroque print face mask. jade suede jacket and laser cut shirt., Army bombers with woven trim parachute straps exuded manly modernity. A baroque print suit with a dorsal cross image seemed to indicate that the fabric may have made it through a protest or two. The same print was providently used in a few pieces ranging from face masks to shirts and even a few tank tops. Military accents were in abundance by way of camouflage print ties, worn with sleeveless cotton shirts; the careful juxtapositioning of strong elements against delicate pieces is a Qasimi signature. To top it all off, Khalid had artist Nika Neelova create a backdrop installation with washed out flags to reinforce the rebellious mood.
Visit qasimi.com
See our photos below:
Photos and Video JT stylerumor.com
Stylist: Anders Sølvsten Thomsen
Makeup: Ayami Nishimura
Hair: Shon
Hats: Noel Stewart
Shoes: Underground
Bags: Chris & Tibor London
Art Installation by Nika Neelova