Cartoon Network Arabic, Heriot Watt University Dubai campus conclude 5-month project with fashion show in The Dubai Mall

The fashion show provided the platform where the student's discovered who's designs were selected for special prizes presented by campaign partners and Cartoon Network Arabic. Students have been working on different categories including Street wear, Avant-garde, Menswear and T-shirts.

The Street wear category has been supported by Swarovski Elements and students and spectators alike got a star-struck surprise as Swarovski Elements Branding Partner and designer to the stars, Furne One, made an exclusive appearance to present the Street wear award.

Other project partners include Splash Fashions who completed the models look on the night and presented the award for the T-shirt category. Splash Fashions are offering the group of students who won the best t-shirt category the chance to see their design produced and sold in their stores across the UAE.

Splash also hosted a retail based competition with a third project partner, Hamleys Toy Store that saw the voted for 'Powerpuff Girls Models' hit the catwalk with the professionals.

Throughout the campaign the students have been receiving fortnightly visits from project mentors Simone Heng and Marwan Parham, aka DJ Bliss, who both hosted the evening. These regular sessions have been supported by further visits from Splash Fashions Stylists and Swarovski Elements Branding Partner Michael Cinco, who dropped in on the students for a special crystal implementation work-shop.

The prizes for the winning designs echoed Cartoon Network Arabic's stance when it comes to supporting and growing young local talent in the Middle East. The T-shirt category winner will see one of their designs manufactured on a commercial scale and sold exclusively in Splash stores. The winner from the Street wear category will receive an internship with Swarovski Middle East. Winners from the Avant-garde and Menswear categories will be offered internships through Turner's local licensing partners.

Alan Musa, the General Manager from Turner Broadcasting System Arabia sees these opportunities as vital as they address the challenges that the students will face in their burgeoning career. 'The Powerpuff Girls Fashion Project offered the students a career-building opportunity and has helped create pathways to advance their involvement in the fashion industry. We would like to thank all our partners that have given the students an opportunity to see all their hard work be displayed on a professional catwalk. We are delighted to have contributed to the region's emerging talent and hope to see them act as ambassadors to others in the future.'

Heriot Watt University have a long history in facilitating actual work-like experiences for their students, believing that a healthy mixture of classroom and real-life challenges goes a long-way in preparing students for the world ahead.

Head of School of Textiles and Design, Vanessa Northway, said, "The fashion show was a great way to end an amazing project. It is essential for students to gain industrial and live experience whilst studying. The Powerpuff Girls project has given the students an opportunity to work with a real client and to work on a specific brief with deadlines."

"It has been an exciting and challenging project for students who have been given valuable input from mentors and industrial partners," added Northway.

The star-studded fashion show would not have been complete without an appearance from the girls themselves. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup took their own piece of the limelight as they paraded the catwalk with the winners from the retail competitions. So as one action-packed fashion came to an end a group of lucky and talented students took a step further to realizing what life would be like as a fashion designer in the real world.