Before New York, London, Milan, or Paris could set the tone, Dubai stole the spotlight. From 1st to 6th September Dubai Fashion Week (Instagram) drew back its curtains on the Spring/Summer 2026 season, once again proving why the city has become a fixture on the global fashion calendar.
For six days, Dubai Design District transformed into a hive of energy where established regional names shared the spotlight with rising international labels. The runways told stories of craftsmanship, culture, and modern femininity, while the city itself buzzed with private showcases, after-hours gatherings, and creative exchanges.
More than a fashion week, this felt like Dubai announcing loud and clear that its style influence extends far beyond the region.
Lili Blanc SS26: Power Dressing Finds Its Poetic Side
Lili Blanc’s SS26 show at Dubai Fashion Week felt like a love letter to women who own their power with ease. Titled She Boss Aura, the collection moved seamlessly between structure and softness with sharp crepe suiting and mikado tailoring contrasted with fluid silk and airy organza. Sequins and vegan leather gave looks a bold punch, while denim kept things grounded and modern. The palette anchored in black, off-white, silver, pink, and deep blue hit that perfect balance of strength and grace. Sabrina Mouhieddine’s vision was clear: this wasn’t just fashion, it was a mood…elegance as power, confidence as a lifestyle.
Mrs. Keepa SS26: A Dreamy Escape at Peacock Alley
If wanderlust had a wardrobe, it would look like Mrs. Keepa’s SS26 collection, The Getaway. Mariam Yeya turned Peacock Alley at the Waldorf Astoria into an intimate runway that felt equal parts secret garden and surreal adventure. Crochet textures met fluid tailoring, while mushroom motifs and botanical-inspired details made each look feel whimsically alive. Earthy tones grounded the collection, iridescent pops added a little magic, and architectural shapes balanced softness with a quiet strength. A collection that whispered freedom, individuality, and a desire to roam, essentially the ultimate escape in six dazzling minutes.
Dima Ayad SS26: Glamour That Celebrates Every Body
Dima Ayad’s SS26 showcase at Skooni was a lesson in effortless glamour with a purpose. The collection moved like liquid, with fluid silhouettes, metallic sheens, and dramatic draping that felt both comfortable and unapologetically striking. Every piece radiated confidence, modern femininity, and inclusivity, proving that style doesn’t come with limits. Ayad’s vision of fashion for all bodies was palpable in every look, balancing elegance with wearability, and reminding everyone front row and beyond that true glamour is about feeling as powerful as you look.
Rizman Ruzaini Redefines Culture Through Couture
Rizman Ruzaini set the tone for Dubai Fashion Week with the debut of RIMBA, a demi-couture collection celebrating the Maison’s 20th anniversary. Inspired by Southeast Asia’s ancient rainforests, the show unfolded as a lyrical tribute to nature’s beauty and resilience. Deep greens, earthy tones, and flashes of bold colour captured the vitality of flora and fauna, while intricate embroidery mirrored the textures of vines and wildlife. Silhouettes struck a balance between softness and strength: sheer, flowing gowns contrasted with sharply tailored pieces, echoing the rainforest’s duality. More than a collection, RIMBA was a cultural homage, reaffirming Ruzaini’s ability to translate heritage into couture with striking clarity and emotional depth.
Krésha Bajaj SS26: A Debut That Feels Like a Diary You Can Wear
Krésha Bajaj chose Dubai Fashion Week for her first international runway outing, and it was a debut that didn’t disappoint. The Archive of Hidden Things brought the Indian designer’s signature craftsmanship out of the bridal salon and onto a global stage, proving her artistry resonates far beyond occasionwear. Divided into three chapters, Revelation, Obsession, and Liberation, the collection felt like an intimate diary, with clothes charting the push and pull between secrecy and self-expression. Fluid, romantic silhouettes gave way to sculptural, architectural lines, each look underscored by Bajaj’s couture-level attention to detail. A palette of blush, charcoal, antique gold, and burnished copper added emotional depth, while her commitment to sustainability grounded the spectacle. It was a thoughtful, layered debut and, more than a collection, it was a statement of intent.
Lama Jouni SS26: Minimalism with an Edge
Lama Jouni closed the Dubai Fashion Week runways with a masterclass in luxe practicality. Her SS26 collection leaned into muted monochromes, delivering sleek dresses and waist-defining separates that felt equally at home on the street or in the boardroom. The silhouettes spoke of quiet confidence, blending contemporary elegance with a subtle nod to utility. Every piece balanced form and function, proving that minimalism doesn’t have to be boring, it can be bold, versatile, and utterly modern. Jouni’s showcase was a reminder that strength and sophistication live beautifully together.
Les Benjamins SS26: Ottoman Soul Meets Mexican Spirit
Les Benjamins SS26 collection was pure runway storytelling magic. Inspired by proto-Turkish migrations and Mexican folklore, the collection fused Ottoman motifs with Mariachi flair, Day of the Dead skeletons, and cowboy fringes in a way that felt both fantastical and wearable. Highlights included carpet-patterned shirts and trousers, Mariachi-trimmed pieces, a floor-sweeping tiered skirt, and even a Mexican wrestler–inspired black-and-silver look complete with mask. Every outfit was a character—dream chasers, rug weavers, lumberjacks—turning the show into a vivid narrative of culture, identity, and imagination. Bold, whimsical, and utterly unforgettable, this was storytelling with serious style.
Emergency Room Beirut Closes a Chapter with Golden (R)age 2.0
Emergency Room Beirut returned to the runway at Dubai Fashion Week with Golden (R)age 2.0, the final chapter in a journey deeply tied to memory, material, and the legacy of their grandparents. This season, the Beirut-based label steps into new territory with Timberland Middle East, reimagining two of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes, the Original Yellow Boot and the 3 Eye Lug Boat Shoe, through the lens of its distinctive design language. The collaboration highlights the interplay of heritage and contemporary style, where Emergency Room’s storytelling-driven approach meets Timberland’s timeless classics, forging an aesthetic dialogue between craft, nostalgia, and modern wearability.
Tara Babylon Unveils SS26: A Dreamscape of Heritage and Modern Femininity
Tara Babylon captivated audiences with the debut of her SS26 ready-to-wear collection, a kaleidoscopic fusion of cultural storytelling and contemporary femininity. The runway bloomed with hand-painted florals, watercolour prints, and abstract roses, an ode to Iraq’s national flower, rendered in soft gradients of turquoise and Middle Eastern blues. With a playful tea-party aesthetic, the collection embraced versatility, offering mix-and-match separates that balanced elegance with whimsy. Adding to the spectacle, a couture capsule flown in from New York unveiled exquisite embroidery inspired by ancient Babylonian motifs and Middle Eastern artistry, reaffirming the Maison’s signature blend of heritage and modernity. Known for her ability to merge Western glamour with deeply rooted cultural narratives, Tara Babylon presented a collection that was at once visually poetic and symbolically profound.
From dreamy silhouettes to bold tailoring, DFW SS26 reminded us why Dubai is rapidly becoming a true fashion capital. Designers brought stories, culture, and personality to every look, making each runway a mini world of its own. The city’s energy, creativity, and luxury backdrop elevated every collection, from intimate showcases to full-scale spectacles. If the coming seasons are anything like this, get ready for a style rollercoaster that’s equal parts fearless and fabulous.
Dubai Fashion Week didn’t just kick off SS26, it set the tone, and we are here for every single moment.
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