Catwalk creates stir at Hotel Show 2009

Winning the prestigious annual Student Design Competition, Derya Dokumali Artukarslan, was selected from a number of highly talented young designers showcasing an original collection to an impressed audience of hoteliers and Hotel Show attendees.

The competition, held for the second consecutive year, was open to colleges and institutions featuring fashion design programmes. Each student was given a design brief and they were then judged on their originality and creative use of colours and materials.

Derya, from the Centre of Executive Education, particularly impressed Show Director, Maggie Moore, with her exciting use of colour in her reception range.

Derya said:

"I chose purple, along with black and white, which stands for royalty and wealth in the psychology of colour and also reflects Dubai's modern and glamerous image."

As winner of the competition, Derya's designs were shown during the daily catwalk programme and she will also now spend a week's internship with the UAE's design house, A. Ronai - suppliers of Simon Jersey.

According to competition judge, David Sperakes, the exceptionally high quality of entrants made judging difficult, but it was Derya's interpretation of the brief combined with her use of colour and the uniform's wearability that stood her apart from the rest.