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Middle East fashion raises the bar

As the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival came to an end a few days ago, we had a complete overdose of red carpet fashion. The analysis of what Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Fan Bingbing and Eva Longoria wore has dominated every fashion website for the 11 days of the festival. With L'Oreal being the title sponsor of Cannes Film Festival, these women as the brand ambassadors are the real leading ladies of the event. The cinema, the jury and the award winners seem a lot like the supporting cast.

So, what were really those clothes? Was the fairy tale like Michael Cinco dress worn by Bollywood film actor and long time L'Oreal Ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan a Cinderella moment, or too much like a pantomime costume? How about the sparkling diaphanous Ralph and Russo that the always-daring supermodel Bella Hadid wore. Was that just too naked? Many critics think so.

Talking about Middle East, the region was well represented by the very elegant Queen Rania of Jordan and fashion influencer Farhana Bodi. Yet, they did not receive the same kind of attention that the three Indian beauties and faces of L'Oreal - Deepika, Sonam and Aishwarya - did. Which is odd. L'Oreal should be looking at the Middle East very seriously - since this region is the world's fastest growing beauty market. Today no red carpet event is complete without Beirut-born Elie Saab. No wonder, he is one of Sonam Kapoor's go-to designers for Cannes. Saab was Rita Ora's designer of choice, too, for one of her Cannes red carpet appearances.

While Sonam also wore designs by Indian designers Anamika Khanna, Abu Jani, Sandeep Kapoor and Masaba Gupta, it was the Elie Saab that had everyone talking. Thanks to the dramatic sleeves and perfect fit, this dress ensured that Sonam's first appearance at this edition of the Cannes Film Festival did not go unnoticed despite the fact it was perhaps too safe a choice for this fashionista. And the dress that made Aishwarya one of the most talked about women of Cannes was the couture masterpiece by Michael Cinco, a Dubai-based designer of Filipino origin. For once, perhaps, Aishwarya managed to steal Sonam's thunder with her Michael Cinco blue off shoulder ball gown. (Only Deepika Padukone, who made her debut at Cannes as L'oreal Ambassador chose to stay away from designers from this region wearing Brandon Maxwell and Marchesa for two big nights in Cannes.) Aishwarya's Cinco dress looked like it had come straight off the sets of Disney's Frozen - and took a whole entourage of helpers to assist the actor up the staircase at the red carpet. For me it seemed like Aishwarya was finally admitting to the fact that she is Indian cinema's Ice princess - but there were many in fashion, who loved the choice. Thanks to a Dubai-based designer, Aishwarya found herself on many best-dressed lists. (The actor is well known for her numerous fashion faux pas at Cannes). And the fact that Sonam and Aishwarya turned to designers from this region to make their entrance at Cannes a fashionable one just proves that this region is one that understands how to mix glamour with grace. The Middle East is truly making a mark on the international fashion map, thanks to the fact it's a region that loves to dress up.

Sujata Assomull is a Consulting Fashion Editor ?at the Khaleej Times