Nakheels Dragon Mart to host Chinese Fashion Show

Chinese designers will be showcasing their latest collections at Dragon Mart during a fashion show on 25 August

• Top fashion designers to showcase their latest collections

Dubai, August 20th 2008

Nakheel, a Dubai World company and one of the world's largest and most innovative real estate developers, is showcasing the talents of Chinese fashion designers at Dragon Mart with a Fashion Show on Monday 25 August. This is the climax of the programme of activities hosted at Dragon Mart as part of the mall's support of the Beijing Olympic Games.

The designers who will be showcasing their latest collections include Liu Yang, who was named as one of the top 10 fashion designers at the 2007 China Fashion Week and is Art Director of China's leading fashion brands, Beijing Shanshan RoseW Co., Ltd. Liu describes his creations as a blend between East and West, "weaving the elegance from the East with the romance from the West is the eternal soul of my design."

Other designers include Wu Wan Zhen who is renowned for the intricate embroidered designs she creates. The designers will be joined by China's top 10 models who will present the collections on the catwalk. In addition to the Chinese collections on display there will also be an array of Arabic Abayas for the audience to view.

Hanady Amin, General Manager of Dragon Mart:

"We are extremely excited to host China's top fashion designers and models at a prestigious event at Dragon Mart and to be working so closely with the Beijing Olympic Games committee. The special events we've held at Dragon Mart in the time leading up to the Olympic Games have helped to create an 'Olympic fever' in Dubai reflected by the strong support for our own athletes competing. The events have been well received by shoppers and merchants alike and are an ideal opportunity to promote the close ties between the UAE and China."

The fashion event will start with a reception at 19:30 and will be followed by an hour catwalk show between 20:00 – 21:00 in the main atrium of Dragon Mart. The event is open to the public and admission is free.

The Fashion Show not only celebrates the remarkable skills of the Chinese designers, but also symbolises Dubai and the UAE's growing partnership with China. Dragon Mart has been sanctioned as an official venue to host events related to the Olympic Games, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee. Over the past four weeks Dragon Mart has hosted a number of sport demonstrations to raise further awareness of the Olympic Games and the UAE's own Olympic team.

Operated by Nakheel Retail and built in the shape of a giant dragon, the 1.2km long complex is the largest commercial centre for Chinese products outside the Chinese mainland. Dragon Mart has attracted millions of visitors since opening in December 2004.

Dragon Mart, which has previously hosted special Chinese exhibitions titled "An Ode to China" in August of 2007 and "Art in the Mart" in April of this year, is establishing itself as the key cultural centre for China in the Middle East. Nakheel offers Arabic lessons to the Chinese merchants at Dragon Mart and there are many members of the Nakheel Retail staff who speak Chinese or have taken courses in the language.