Grand parade in grand style in grand old cars Valentine's Day at Coral Beach Resort, Sharjah

A unique fashion parade of vintage cars and costumes was held at the hotel on February 14. It was the first time that such an event is being organized at a hotel in the UAE.

Jean Pierre Simon, General Manager, Coral Beach Resort, Sharjah, said:

"Fashion and automobiles make a perfect fit. There is huge sense of romance associated with vintage cars and classic costumes and we felt, Valentine's Day was the ideal time to showcase these ethereal dreams."

The gathering was as glamorous. Present among the dignitaries was the German Consul General Mr Johann-Adolf Cohausz and his wife Beatrix. A lot of guests came dressed for the occasion in Vintage style outfits.

Jean Pierre said, "There was a lot of excitement among the attendees. It was wonderful to see this beautiful mood and the elegance of bygone era."

The event was sponsored by Sharjah Old Cars Club and Museum - home to over 200 unique collector's pieces.

Mr Ahmed Mohamed Al Jarwan, Manager of the museum said, "We have an awesome collection of yesteryears' cars which are sheer marvels of technology. Audiences of the Vintage Valentine's Show had the opportunity to see some of these smashing vehicles from across the continents. These were cars that put the world on wheels and built the fortunes of automobile companies."

The cars were paired up with equally romantic dresses by well-known fashion designer Francois Desroches.

He said, "Linking fashion concepts with automotive designs had been on my mind for a long time. And I don't mean just for the over-killed thrill of a stroll down Memory Lane. It was like stepping back in time and bringing alive the elegance and art de vivre our forefathers lived by, from the turn of the 20th century right down to the 1970s."

"I fell in love with the cars at Sharjah Old Cars Club and Museum the moment I saw them and wondered why not marry off the then futuristic lines of a 1930's sparkling sedan with a spectacular evening gown to resuscitate with panache and glamour the sartorial grandeur of the Art Deco epoch... Or dress up a model in the architected, sleek ensemble typifying the austere World War II fashion and make her drive off in a 1944 flamboyant Citroen?" he added.

This Vintage extravaganza was organized by MPJ - Marketing Pro-Junction under the patronage of HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings.

Hina Bakht who is the Vice-President of the company said, "We felt featuring iconic cars and outfits was a quirky way of celebrating Valentine's Day. Audiences were smitten by the gorgeous vehicles and dresses which were purring reflections on style. We felt proud to present these romantic classics that appealed to both fashion and automotive aficionados alike. Francois had come up with an amazing collection that mirrored the car and fashion craze of each decade of the century starting from 1900 to 1970. It was indeed a beautiful spectacle."


The major highlights of the show were the following:

1) 1900: The parade opened on a couple, celebrating the awakening of a new dawn: the mighty 21st century and the carefree mood that characterized the era. While a pioneering (though wood-wheeled) automobile made its way into the pathway, the two protagonists sport outfits that evoked the Impressionists paintings, the Parisian gayety, and ever so famous French CanCan. Madame was in her "Moulin Rouge"-inspired garb, while Monsieur flaunted the attire of the male street vendors of those days.

2) 1910: Sartorial elegance and profusion of fabric for her echoed that dandy look and perkiness about him... The times celebrated the culmination of "Art Nouveau". New technologies were mastered while electricity had long been domesticated. The streets were starting to be invaded by cars, which were soon to dethrone the horse-pulled picturesque carriages. Among the most famous brands was the Italian Fiat. As women flaunted a wasp waist, the coveted hour-glass figure was the fashion dictate, courtesy of the corset.

3) 1920: Leaving behind the sombre years of World War I and the body-cinching corset, decadence was the new ...dance! The "Roaring 20s" brought the elegant Plymouth. Now called "Flappers", and chopping their hair off in page boys' style, women sipped their newly acquired sexual liberation, while the most extravagant, outrageous, fashion finds were displayed in VOGUE magazine. Orientalism was the new rage for ladies, and men incorporate sport into their daily lifestyle. Not at all left out, the car industry included the notion of pleasure into the mere driving sensation, while owning a convertible car was the apanage of the rich and famous.

4) 1930: This era of extreme sophistication was marked by a fashion that turned women into divine creatures sashaying their way towards effortless seduction. Slinky cuts, sloppy satin, sequined appliqués and fur galore were the "must haves" that adorned those every day's deities. As for gentlemen, the look "du jour" meant adopting a surrealistic sophisticated machismo, with their gel-sleeked hair shinier than their patent-leather pumps! Comfy interior, plush upholstery, gigantic chassis and sparkling chromed-bumpers, the 30's car was built for the intimate pleasure of cruising along, but also the need to impress and impose.

5) 1940: Restrictions, restrictions! Fake stuff came to the rescue of World War II's couturiers. Austerity meant less fabric, higher hem-lines, and a curious mishmash of colours. Exaggerated, razor-sharp shoulder-pads were a common tailored trait that chiselled both male and female silhouettes, to better emphasize the smallest possible waist line. Men were expected to look like gangsters in their double-breasted, pin-striped suits and trench-coats. Women looked taller, perched on the first ever platform shoes made of plywood and rubber borrowed from recycled car-tyres. Automobiles the size of a bus and built to last forever, took to the streets which were never congested due to the scarcity of petrol. The spectacular convertible Railey was reminiscent of Hollywood.

6) 1950: These "rainbow years" were marked by a new appetite for life, infatuation for jazz, interest for arts and all things that come from America. Free again, both at home (thanks to an array of home appliances available now) and at work (since 2 pay checks are juicier than one) the 1950's woman re-sculpts her body at the gym. Body-hugging fabrics such as "lycra" and "jersey stretch" allow a sexier wardrobe. Men favour comfortable knitwear and practical loafers. The look, for both, was to resemble eternal students. Cars were unmistakeably designed to out-stage the American models, in the funkiest shades and equipped with red or white leather interior. The most famous was undoubtedly Mercedes - synonymous with luxury and advanced technology.

7) 1960: Hairspray, eyeliner, and stilettos are the panoply a girl disposes of before partying. And Barbie Doll sets "the" undisputable new canons of beauty. Acidic pink, pastel shades, and pearly make up finish off the look created with polka dotted twin-sets, teeny-weeny bikinis and starched petticoat. More straightforward, guys have opted for the rockabilly image as Elvis is also the King of fashion trends. Bikers' jackets and tight blue jeans become the strongest fashion staple of all times. And cars looked as if they have stepped out of a sci-fi sitcom: metallic paint, rutilant accessories, the convertible model is de rigueur at Triumph, Alpha Romeo, or MG.

8) 1970: The "Flower Power" decade wanted us to make peace, not war! Chanted by non-violence adepts remembered as "Hippies", the mood of the 1970s was in favour of unisex fashion, heavily influenced by India and Nepal. Fluorescent prints, kaleidoscopic patterns, lace, ribbons, nature-inspired accessories, bell-bottom pants, tunics, crocheted tops, and the balance-defying platform shoes were still remembered (and owned, we bet) by the incurable nostalgic of this era. As for cars, the queen of the road was the Mustang, a legend that lives on!