World of Fashion in Rome - Crossroads of an Encounter

On 13th July, 2014, the beautiful Salon Ritz ballroom at the historic St Regis Grand Hotel in Rome was once again alive with beautiful women dressed in the height of fashion, when tall and lithe models gracefully slid across the huge hall in rustling silks and chiffons as part of the Haute Couture show by World of Fashion. The one day event, held with the ALTA ROMA, takes place twice a year in January and July.

For centuries Italy has been hailed the fashion capital of the world, and not without reason. To this day, the fashion weeks in Milan and Rome set the trends for the rest of Europe and the world in general. The high-on-glamour World of Fashion event is only about haute couture, where accomplished designers from across the globe vie to participate as it offers an International platform that gives them global exposure and visibility. Additionally, the event sees a large turnout of celebrities and royalty, who come to shop for the latest and the most glam outfit for that special Red Carpet moment.

Blending fashion and art
The World of Fashion event was launched in 2008 as platform to create a dialogue between cultures. The intent was to blend the eastern world with west through the language of fashion and arts, where they could showcase the history and mutual traditions of their regions in the backdrop of beautiful apparel. With Nino Graziano Luca at the helm in his capacity as Director, and Habib Mestiri as consultant, the World of Fashion has held 14 chapters successfully, bringing together designers from several countries. The young designers participating in the event have presented their collections to the recitations of the poetry of Ibn Hamdis, a 11th Century Sicilian-Arab poet, of other litterateurs as Khalil Gibran, Ali Ballanubi, contemporary authors such as Fatima Mernissi, contemporary dancers Maria Strova and Julia Haussner; art works of the Lebanese artists Nijad Abdul Massih and Mohamed Ali Albadri Aboamira who just fled from the war in Libya, and four extraordinary artists Giusy D'Arrigo, Renato Meneghetti, Silvio Formichetti and Thomas Hodges.

Royal guest list
The incredible talent pool of designers from various regions that get invited to participate in the World of Fashion has generated a lot of interest amongst such luminaries as Sheikh Sceicca Haya Al Houti from Kuwait, Princess Noor Al Khalifa from Bahrain, Princess Shaima Al Mansouri from Dubai, Sheikh Amal Murad from Dubai, Sheikh Ali Khaled Al Sabah Ambassador of the State of Kuwait, Manuela Arcuri, Francesca Chillemi, Leila Ben Khalifa, Katia Ricciarelli, Claudia Gerini, Sarah Maestri, Ria Antoniou, Irene Ferri, Altaroma's President, Vice President and CEO, Prince Salman Al Mansouri from Bahrain, various members of the Al Saouad family from Saudia Arabia, Prince Al Subah from Kuwait, Prince Al Khalifa from Bahrain, and Arab Ambassadors. The film industry is also duly represented in the front rows.

Recognition
The World of Fashion has been awarded recognition by AltaRoma the Rome Fashion Week, Promoroma, the special agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome, the Fashion and Tourism Commission of Rome, Confartigianato, the craft council of Rome, the Italians in the World Foundation and several other agencies and individuals not necessarily connected with fashion.

ALTAROMA's Vice President Valeria Mangani, Nino Graziano Luca, Ria Antoniou and the film director Giampaolo Cugno
Media Coverage.
The fashion shows of the World of Fashion have been transmitted by the major Television channels not from just within Italy but also from the neighboring countries. These are Al Jazeera, Orbit, MBC, LBC, Dubai TV,Abu Dabi TV, Nil TV, Italian TV channels RAIUNO, RAIDUE RAITRE, Fashion TV Arabia, Fashion TV, La7, Cinquestelle, Swedish TV channel Babel, Luxe TV, RCN TV.
In the print media, the event gets coverge from the top fashion journals and publications like Collezioni, Book Moda, Rendez Vous de la Mode, Famiglia Cristiana, Corriere della Sera, Libero, La Stampa, L'Opinione, La Sicilia, Al Sharek Al Awsat, Al Hayat, Pashion, Zina, Heya.

This feature belongs to The Luxury Chronicle. Neelima Agrawal