Fashion designers apply last-minute touches to Runway Art designs

The eight finalists in the professional category include successful fashion designer Buffi Jashanmal, who has designed costumes for major events and companies in Dubai. Buffi, who made her mark at last year's Runway Art event by winning the runner-up award in the Amateur Category, runs her own clothing company, Quiet Riot.

Last year's runner-up in the professional category, Jolly Cabrera, as well as last year's winner in the Amateur Category, Rollan David L. Manuel, will once again showcase their designs on the catwalk, both in this year's Professional Category.

The eleven finalists in the amateur category include French Fashion University ESMOD International students Amna Khalid Sheikh Mubarak, Elmira Borubaeva, and Fatma Farhan.

Sabina Khandwani, Head of PR and Marketing, BurJuman, said:

"We have been privileged to receive hundreds of inspiring designs from all over the UAE and choosing the finalists was not an easy task. The finalists reflect a diversity of designs and creations and they have embraced the theme of Freedom."

The difficult job of choosing the winners in both categories - the Amateur Category is open to all emerging talent and the Professional Category is open to designers with at least three years of fashion experience - will fall on the four independent judges. This year's judges will be Bong Guerrero, the director of Dubai-based event management company, 9714; Louise Foster, the editor of Grazia magazine; Mandi Kingsbury, an award-winning designer currently working as a freelance fashion stylist/designer in Dubai; and Peter Richweisz, the creative director and photographer for Dubai-based concept-driven fashion magazine, Desert Fish.

Runway Art will take place in the Observatory at BurJuman and will be open to the public. The first fashion show will take place from 7:30pm to 9:00pm on December 18 and the finale, judging event and award ceremony will take place from 7:30pm to 9:00pm on December 19.