Etihad Airways and celebrated British designer Julien Macdonald OBE hosted an intimate celebration of fashion last night at the UAE national airline’s state-of-the-art Innovation Training Academy in Abu Dhabi. Etihad Airways is a sponsor of 17 annual Fashion Weeks around the world, in partnership with WME | IMG.
The exclusive
event, which showcased some of Julien Macdonald’s creations, was also attended
by renowned stylist Karl Plewka, fashion and lifestyle media,
up-and-coming Emirati and Arab fashion designers, regional social influencers,
corporate partners and Etihad Airways employees.
The airline took the opportunity to screen its new promotional
fashion film, titled ‘Runway to Runway’, which was launched on 7 September on
the opening night of NYFW: The Shows in New York. Featuring 17 of Macdonald’s
couture outfits, and WME | IMG models, the short inflight film draws parallels
between the production of a high-end fashion show and the preparation that goes
into ensuring a safe and comfortable flight. The film was directed by award-winning
director Paul Butterworth and also features unique
integrations with global brands IWC Schaffhausen and BMW.
One of the highlights of the evening was a catwalk show presenting
outfits created by talented local fashion designers and brands including
Endemage, Twisted Roots, Taller Marmo, Noora Hefzi, Kage, Effa, Bambah, Jelena
Bin Drai, Baruni, Dima Ayad, Madiyah Al Sharqi, and Sem Sem.
All
invited guests were awarded top tier Gold Status founding membership with
‘Runway to Runway’, the airline’s unique rewards program specially
designed to support the fashion community’s international travel requirements.