Dubai Fashion Week Starts With a Bang With Zeena Zaki's Show

The Dubai Fashion Week started with a bang on Saturday evening, opening with Iraqi couture designer Zeena Zaki’s fashion show, showcasing her Fall/Winter 2025-2026 collection.

Zaki’s show was titled ‘From Shadow to Light’, which was “about the journey—to embrace the void, to wear the fire, to step boldly into the unknown and find ourselves whole.”

“In every thread, in every step, we honor the night that made the dawn.”

 

 

 

 

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The show opened with the star of the reality Netflix show ‘Real Housewives of Dubai’ Sara Al Madani, who wore a black mermaid dress. The Emirati entrepreneur’s look stood out for her unique neckpiece, featuring sapphire stones.

Image source: @dubaifashionweek.

Zaki’s latest collection featured some black evening dresses representing the darkness of the shadows. These dresses were accentuated by sleeves, from simple velvet ones to ruffled chiffon ones.

Another look that stood out from this part of the collection was an all-black leather with a ruched bodice and bishop gloves.

Image source: @dubaifashionweek.

The darker looks also featured gradient dresses, moving from black to beachy hues of orange and yellow, reminiscent of beautiful dawns and sunsets, representing a shift towards the light.

Some of the looks included metallic evening wear; two looks featured ruched bodices and capes, while another look featured a draped gown with a scarf around the neck. These metallic looks represented a mix of strength and femininity.

On the other hand, the collection also featured softer looks including a beige dress with a ruched bodice and a flowy ruffled skirt. Another look was reminiscent of nature including a green lace dress with ruffled straps, creating a look out of a fairytale. These looks symbolized a move towards the light.

The only formal menswear look from the collection was worn by Dubai-based TV presenter Nour Al-Din who wore a beige suit and looked dashing as always.

Image source: @dubaifashionweek.

The show ended with the only bridal look of the collection, which included a beautiful train and veil, which symbolized new beginnings.

Zaki's show made a strong start to the fashion week ahead. 

The Dubai Fashion Week is running until Thursday, Feb. 6.