By men?

For THe Women

Is the fashion industry driven by male fashion designers? Do they know the fine art of dressing a woman better?
By deBrinA ALiYAH
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GL AM guyS

LeBAneSe FASHion deSiGner ABed mAHFoUz

My passion is designing for woMen and i love to see woMen in My creations. Understanding the feMale forM shapes better with tiMe, however, yoU need to be avid aboUt it.

he backbone of the fashion industry lies in the voracious female appetite for ever changing trends and evolving styles that constantly keeps us on our fashionable toes. But while the industry is driven by womenswear, the design process is dominated by male creative directors an intriguing debate that has plagued the industry in recent years. GLAM caught up with a few award-winning male fashion designers from the region who have gained international acclaim to hear their thoughts on dressing women, and more importantly, are they doing a better job at it? Fashion powerhouses Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Givenchy are all

currently being helmed by male designers who have achieved superstardom in their own right. Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, Alber Elbaz, and Nicolas Ghesquihre are celebrated for their exquisite womenswear collections and idolised as the contemporary godfathers of fashion. At the CFDA awards fashions Oscars last year, 18 male designers took home awards compared to three female designers. If female designers are designing clothes for their own form, something that should inspire naturally, why are male designers becoming the preferred gender in terms of creative directorship? The handful of successful female designers in the industry
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QATAr LUxUrY GroUP deSiGner JUAn HernAndez dAeLS

are mostly spearheading their own brands Diane Von Furstenburg, Donna Karan, Carolina Herrera, Miuccia Prada rather than having been appointed to direct a fashion house. Qatar Luxury Group designer Juan Hernandez Daels puts it, while the public sees male artistic directors at the forefront of a fashion house, it is the women who work behind the scenes to complete the final collections. I think this is definitely a female dominated industry. If you enter a major Parisian fashion house, the designers behind the label are predominantly women. During my years at Antwerp Academy the majority of fashion students were women. Fashion, inherently is perceived to be a womans establishment. However, the reason that explains why there are more men in any other work sector, equally applies to why there are more male designers in the industry. Lebanese designer Abed Mahfouz agrees that the relationship between both genders brings out the best in fashion creations, Without the
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i think this is definitely a feMale doMinated indUstry. if yoU enter a Major parisian fashion hoUse, the designers behind the label are predoMinantly woMen.

likes of Coco Chanel, Diane von Furstenberg and historic fashion icons Luisa Casati, Eleanora Duse and todays Dolly Parton and Sarah Jessica Parker, where would fashion be

today? Male designers aspire to see a woman floating in their designs and embellishing herself with their creations which is why I believe male designers are increasing in numbers. Of course, one should not forget to mention the great talents of Paul Poiret, a man, who transformed the fashion silhouette to straight and slim in the late twentieth century; a silhouette that we still sense and see today. Conversely, designer to the stars Tony Ward strongly believes that no one knows how to dress a woman better than a man. The talented Lebanese designer whose couture creations are sought after by the likes of Giuliana Rancic, Ashanti, Mariah Carey and Carrie Underwood, feels that the touch of a man on the silhouette of a woman is key to creating perfect garments. Designing clothes for women is a very challenging task and it takes close observation and study of the female form to bring out the best by emphasising her beautiful assets.

GL AM guyS

LeBAneSe FASHion deSiGner TonY WArd

A dIFFerenT perSpeCTIve

So does this ring true that the view of a woman through the eye of a man is perhaps the most attractive perception of all, resulting in them creating garments that brings out the best in female form? Both Ward and Mahfouz feels that while male designers do not necessarily have a better grasp of the female form than their female counterparts, it is the constant quest to understand and beautify the female form that gives them the extra edge It all depends on how well you understand a womans figure and silhouette and how well you understand your fabrics and cuts to suit them to the various female figures. My passion is designing for women and I love to see women in my creations. Understanding the female form shapes better with time, however, you need to be avid about it, Mahfouz explains. Both Ward and Mahfouz are established couturiers whose designs revolve around lavish and luscious interpretations to

designing clothes for woMen is a very challenging task and it takes close observation and stUdy of the feMale forM to bring oUt the best by eMphasising on her beaUtifUl assets.
highlight the best of the female form. While they seek the special connection and spark with the seductive female body, new-age designers like Daels who create garments

with a cross-influence of both genders straight jackets, square shoulders, shirts puts it down to the science of ergonomics when designing for women. Being a male designer for a female clothing line, you tend to create a dynamic perspective of what you would like to see which is very different from what you would like to wear. It is purely based on aesthetics and function. Designing clothes for women is not very different from working in any other design industry, it is all essentially based on ergonomics, Daels says. But in the head of every designer is the ultimate woman the muse, of which they all secretly dedicate their entire lifetime of work. For Ward a fulfilled, cheerful and full of life woman who embodies the ultimate form of beauty. For Mahfouz the perfect woman who has the perfect proportions. And for Daels a strong woman with a bold presence and daring sophistication.
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