Shop Qatar’s first Design District has officially kicked off and is going to be displayed at the Doha Exhibition Convention Center from the 5^th of January to 12^th of January, 2019. The idea is to have an urban city with 5 different avenues; art, tailor, fashion, design, lifestyle and beauty, all under one roof. The district is open from 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM every day. With pop-up shops, fashion shows, cafes, masterclasses and workshops, Design Distract promises of an engaging dialogue under one room.

In addition to this, the District has a Speaker’s corner set up along with the 60 pop up shops showcasing a wide range of fashion, home and clothing accessories amongst other things.

Mashal Shahbik from Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) commented, “We are very excited to be launching this new concept for the first time in Shop Qatar. Whether you are a fashion enthusiast or you are simply seeking a fun time out, you are invited to experience and enjoy the truly unique line-up of indoor and outdoor activities this District offers.” She added, “In each new edition of the festivals we organise in collaboration with public and private sector partners, we are always keen to provide exciting platforms for local entrepreneurs and home-grown talent to meet, learn from and engage with their industry peers from around the world.”

 

 

2019 Qatar-India Year of Culture

In line with the 2019 Qatar-India Year of Culture, Shop Qatar’s Design District will prominently feature Indian culture through the five participating Indian fashion designers. From saris to couture to pret-a-porter beachwear, the latest designs of Raghavendra Rathore, Raw Mango, Tarun Tahiliani, Namrata Joshipura and Wendell Rodricks will grace the Design District’s catwalk and visitors can buy their collections at their pop-up stores too. All Indian fashion shows will be ticketed at QAR 200. And, as part of Shop Qatar’s entertainment programme, India’s Bollywood singer Arjit Singh will take to the QNCC stage on Friday, 18 January to serenade his fans.

Noor Al Thani explained, “India is a key visitor source market for Qatar. Following on Bollywood Week’s great success in the 2018 edition of Shop Qatar, we are excited to have Indian culture so prominently represented – whether it is the fashion designers participating or the food outlets – at the Design District providing some of the first platforms for cultural exchange for this special year.”

Qatar is the most welcoming country in the region and Indian travelers can visit visa-free. As part of QNTC’s efforts to promote Qatar as an attractive destination for Indian travellers, it opened its India representative office in Mumbai in early 2018.

 

 

 

Platforms for Local Artistic Expression

In a special interactive art installation titled ‘Fashion Meets Art’ by Qatari artist Fahd AlObaidly, the District’s visitors are invited to a 360-degree immersion experience that combines art and fashion.

And, at the Art Avenue, visitors will find prominent local artists Yasser Al Mulla who is known for his sketch drawings, Muna AlBadr known for her canvas paintings and Mariam AlMulla & Radi AlHajri who will share an open space for poetry and art improv expressions.

In addition, Virginia Commonwealth University-Qatar will occupy the largest space at Design District, offering local students an opportunity to share their latest creations, connect with a like-minded community and establish a customer base.

 

 

Fashion Shows

20 designers from Paris to Mumbai showcasing their latest Spring/ Summer collections on the Design District’s runway. With as many as three fashion shows taking place every day, most are free and seats will be made available on a first-register-first-serve basis. Registration can be done through the Shop Qatar mobile app, Qtickets.com or at the District’s registration desk.