JEDDAH — Dar Al-Hekma University hosted the fourth fashion show at an exclusive event in the city at the weekend. The fashion show titled "Port 17" was in collaboration with WOJOOH, Kabret, mermaid salon, 120 GRAFIX, Manuel Supermarket and my event to celebrate and showcase the graduation projects and designs of Dar Al-Hekma University Fashion Design 2017 class. Dar Al-Hekma University graduates created their collection based on research. The collections were either meant to serve a particular target group, to use a new technology, or to be ecofriendly. Most fashion design programs in most international universities do not offer "Fashion Show Production" course, and if they did they do not use external jury members. The experience Dar Al-Hekma University's students receive during this course takes a long time to achieve otherwise. Moreover, presenting the collections to the jury members prepare Dar Al-Hekma University's graduates to deal with the public which prepare them for the real world. Before the fashion show Dar Al-Hekma University's graduating students presented their four-piece collection garments to the jury members. The jury members in "Port 17" fashion show were: Dar Al-Hekma University's alumna the Saudi fashion designer and style expert Aram Kabbani, the founder and creative director of THE SOCIALITE — Fashion Consultancy and Production House - Samar Edrees, the fashion designer Lama Taher, and the clothing, textile and fashion design specialist who is also a member of the Jeddah Chambers of Commerce and Industry's Committee of Fashion Designers Hiba Mojaddadi. After the presentations, the students ran their full-scale fashion show with the Master of Ceremony Rania Sulaimani, where the models showcased the collections designed and executed by the university's graduates. "There are many successful fashion designers, but a degree in fashion design from Dar Al-Hekma University adds the skill and knowledge to the talented designers. They become professional designers with all the needed drawing, cutting, and sewing techniques plus they learn to be entrepreneurs. The study of fashion design is a professional study that prepares graduates for the labor market in this field and provides them with everything they need to become business owners," said Dina Kattan, the chair of the Fashion Design Program. According to Kattan, the big difference between studying fashion design and relaying on talent alone is understanding the theories and concepts instead of learning the hard way from making mistakes to become a fashion designer. Many designs prove difficult to transfer visions into reality or the details in the design are not executable; the designer end up relaying on the ability of the executer to understand the design vision. The graduates of Dar Al-Hekma University are capable of managing their own businesses because they know how to judge competent talents to enrich their work. This way Dar Al-Hekma University fashion designer can depend on herself to manage her fashion house.
