A Lebanese Muslim woman is breaking Western fashion stereotypes, showcasing her popular designs at Rome's upcoming fashion event of the year.
Ella Zahlan will stage her Autumn/Winter collection in Rome on July 12, marking the first time designs by an Arab Muslim woman have appeared at a major fashion event in the West.
Zahlan, who has been well-established in Lebanon for a number of years, has promised a series of floating, satin creations, with sinuous, subtle lines.
The centrepiece of her collection will be a tribute to the Egyptian-born French-Italian singer, Dalida. Named after a famous Dalida song, 'Je suis toutes les femmes du monde', the outfits will mix white chantilly lace with taffeta, in a series of contrasting colours: midnight blue, red, pink and gold, and burnished silver.
Zahlan, who trained in Europe and the Middle East and holds a Masters in Business Studies, launched her own label and boutique in Beirut in the mid-1990s.
She is already highly successful in Lebanon, where she has dressed numerous celebrities, including Haifa Wehbe, one of the country's most popular singers.
After appearing in the Rome Fashion Week, Zahlan will fly to the US, in the hope that commissions for the 2008 Academy Awards will help her crack the American market.
A firm believer in the equality of men and women, and women's abilities to enjoy a successful career, Zahlan is an official member of the Council of Arab Businesswomen.
Although Milan is Italy's fashion capital, Rome also has a lively haute couture scene.
The Rome Fashion Week (Alta Roma Alta Moda) is the highlight of the capital's design calendar and has a reputation for breaking with tradition.
It has long focused on exciting, up-and-coming Italian designers, as well as stylists from non-Western countries, while Milan's parallel event tends to concentrate on industry big guns, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and Versace.
In recent years Rome has spotlighted designers from India, China, Dubai, Montenegro and Egypt.
It has also broken the mould in other ways, featuring designs created by women prisoners, blending sport with fashion, and bringing a 90-year-old model to the catwalk.
This year's event, which runs from July 8 to 12, will also pay tribute to up-and-coming designers from the Netherlands, with a section entitled Dutch Touch Rome.
