Doha Design District has opened a fashion exhibition featuring 13 original looks by Moroccan designer Artsi Ifrah, bringing craftsmanship, cultural memory and garment longevity into focus at Msheireb Downtown Doha.The exhibition, titled Designed to Last, opened to invited guests on 27 October before welcoming the public the following day. Organised by the district, which is powered by Msheireb Properties, it will remain on display in the main atrium until 5 November.
Ifrah, founder and creative director of Marrakech-based Maison ARTC, attended the opening gala and delivered a talk about his artistic approach. Designers, fashion enthusiasts and members of Doha's creative community were among the guests.
The display combines 13 one-of-a-kind outfits created and styled by Ifrah with examples of his photography. It examines how clothing can retain significance beyond seasonal trends through construction techniques, personal associations and references to cultural heritage.
The designer draws particularly on Moroccan traditions, incorporating craftsmanship and memories into contemporary fashion pieces. Maison ARTC describes its creative approach through the principle, “We Move Culture. We Are Culture.” The exhibition places that approach alongside practical demonstrations intended to show visitors how garments are developed. The organisers say the presentation considers durability in terms of emotional and cultural value, rather than treating longevity solely as a question of fabric quality.
Dana Kazic, director of Doha Design District, said the exhibition encourages visitors to consider the qualities that make clothing worth preserving and the role fashion can play in expressing identity and maintaining connections with heritage.
“We are pleased to bring Artsi Ifrah's distinctive work to Doha and give the public opportunities to engage directly with the creative processes behind fashion,” Kazic said.
She said the programme of practical activities and discussions was intended to encourage greater appreciation of craftsmanship and more conscious approaches to design. The organisers have scheduled talks, embroidery activities and live draping sessions alongside the central display.
The Cutting Studio programme includes a participatory embroidery activity on 28 and 29 October, running from 3pm to 8pm in the main atrium. Visitors can offer a word or symbol describing what culture means to them, which two embroiderers will incorporate into a collective artwork.
The activity connects individual contributions through a traditional textile technique, while allowing participants to observe the work involved in translating an idea into stitched decoration. It forms part of the exhibition's emphasis on making processes rather than finished garments alone.
A discussion titled The Stories We Wear was scheduled for 28 October at Sada, the district's first-floor event space. Participants included Ifrah, Tara Desjardins, senior curator of decorative arts and design at Lusail Museum, and Innas Soufan, founder of the Qatar-based embroidery and design studio Hazati.
Their discussion focused on the relationship between clothing, personal experiences and cultural identity, examining why particular garments acquire meaning for their owners beyond their practical use or appearance.
Further demonstrations are scheduled for 31 October and 1 November, when fashion designer Nuha Errayes will show how fabric can be draped directly on a mannequin to develop shapes and silhouettes. Each session runs from 5pm to 6pm at Sada and is limited to 10 participants, with advance registration required.
Another discussion, A Designer's Perspective, is scheduled for 3 November. It will bring together three designers working in Qatar: Abdulrahman Alhamad, founder and creative director of The Project; fashion and costume designer Saadia Khabab; and Samah Sulyman, fashion designer and founder of Denim.
The participants are expected to address how craftsmanship, heritage and design decisions affect the lasting relevance of fashion. The discussion is scheduled for 4pm to 5pm at Sada, with registration available through the district's event programme.
Ifrah received a Fashion Trust Arabia Award in 2022. His work has also been exhibited at London's Victoria and Albert Museum and at 10 Corso Como in Milan, providing an international context for the pieces now displayed in Doha.
Doha Design District operates within Msheireb Downtown Doha as a venue for exhibitions, studios, educational activities and exchanges among designers and other creative professionals. Its programme combines displays with opportunities for visitors to observe or participate in design work.
The Designed to Last exhibition is open to the public in the district's main atrium through 5 November. Entry to the scheduled draping demonstrations requires registration because of their limited capacity. Other public activities include walk-in embroidery sessions.
Topics
Qatar