The Dubai Ladies Club is set to announce the opening of submissions for the fourth annual Oriental Red Carpet Emirati Designers Competition at an upcoming bridal show in Dubai.

This is the first year that club has chosen to launch the competition at the annual The Bride Show Dubai, which runs from March 30 to April 2 at the Dubai International Conference and Exhibition Centre.

The runway show will feature designs from last year’s competition winners and will take place at 6 pm on the closing day of the bridal extravaganza.

Entrance to the competition is open to all local Emiratis who run fashion-based businesses from their homes.

The three winning designers will gain a year of marketing support from the Dubai Ladies Club so that they can launch their business on a larger scale.

Daphne Cota, exhibition manager of The Bride Show Dubai said that the well-trafficked event is a natural setting for an Emirati fashion talent competition.

“The Bride Show Dubai is focused on Arab fashion with an international flair.  Each year established and emerging Emirati and regional designers come to the show to exhibit traditional and contemporary wedding gowns, abayas, jalabiyas and accessories,” Cota said.

“Many of the young Emiratis who will enter the contest have no doubt attended The Bride Show Dubai in the past, and perhaps even sought inspiration from some of the exhibiting designers,” she added.

Oriental Red Carpet winners are chosen by a panel of judges from various factions of the fashion industry.  Judges will choose three top designers in August 2011 after meeting a shortlist of 20 aspiring designers.

Fatima Al Hammadi, events manager of Dubai Ladies Club, said: “Our objective in hosting and organising this competition is to encourage young Emirati female entrepreneurs and designers to come forward and unveil their latest designs to an elite audience and clientele.”

“We are confident that this year will bring to the foreground the works and talent of new and promising Emirati designers,” she added.

Al Hammadi continued: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young emerging designers to showcase their creative skills, push boundaries and take fashion to another level.”

“Since we hosted the first competition three years ago, interest has continued to grow with a record number of entries submitted for last year’s competition. In 2011, we look forward to impressing our audience by introducing new talented designers with a unique and innovative style that reflects the mix of modern and oriental designs,” she concluded. – TradeArabia News Service