RIYADH: A fashion show in Riyadh by a renowned French designer will include Saudi traditional designs created by Herfah, a Qassim-based first multipurpose women cooperative. The ‘private' fashion show ‘defilé couture privé' to be held at French Ambassador's Residence here Tuesday will display more than 60 dresses by French designer Eymeric François. “The private fashion show will include some traditional designs created by women from Herfah, a Qassim Women Cooperative,” the French Embassy said. The winner of Chaillot Prize 2010 award Herfah was established in 2009 in Qassim. It is the first multipurpose women cooperative that supports the handicraft created by women. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was presented to the United Nations General Assembly at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, and was adopted on Dec. 10, 1948. To celebrate the declaration, the delegation of the European Union in Saudi Arabia, which besides the Kingdom also covers Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE has launched the Chaillot Prize, which is open to any Gulf country's institution, civil society groups, individuals, private and public entities in recognition of their work in areas of human rights promotion. François, 29-year-old designer, started his career with Thierry Mugler and Christian Lacroix. The designer's first personal fashion show was held in Paris in 2000. Francois shot to international fame with his first dress “brodée d'épingles” which he maintained as his trademark. Invited by theatres and operas to design costumes, François also works as a scenographer. With the opening of his showroom in 2006 in Paris, he entered the exclusive world of the best French Haute Couture designers. Since then, his tremendous collections have been shown in renowned places that include Château de Versailles, salle Pleyel, Avignon Festival that received praise by the world of fashion. His work covers a large range of clothes, from trouser suits to wedding gowns including sheaths, evening dresses, trench-coats, jackets, corsets, tutus. The black color is the dominating factor of his collections. Banque Saudi Fransi and Air France are the sponsors of the fashion show.
