Doha: Front Row Live, the three-day fashion and beauty celebration by Doha Festival City, in collaboration with Harper’s Bazaar Qatar, concluded on Saturday with a spectacular finale that united innovation, artistry, and a sense of community. Featuring immersive experiences, masterclasses, and inspiring conversations, the showcase further cemented Doha Festival City’s status as Qatar’s leading destination for style expression and coveted trends.
Front Row Live featured an inspiring mix of global and regional talents, including Mona Kattan, Co-Founder of Huda Beauty and Founder of Kayali; Leonie Hanne, international fashion icon; Maha Al Sulaiti, Director of M7; and Renaud Salmon, Creative Director of Amouage. Other notable contributors included Mashael Alnaimi, Amira Al Jaziri, Haneen Al Saify, Jawaher Al Fardan, Alanoud Jassim, Abdelaziz Alsafadi, and Mariam Khairallah.
Highlights included runway shows from brands such as Maje, Sandro, Ava, and Hera, as well as List Roma, Aura, Alma Nova, and Luisa Spagnoli. A catwalk dedicated to Harvey Nichols Doha showcased their luxury womenswear brands, while a sustainability exhibition curated by Gills Manjulakshmi, introduced collections from the likes of Mhefhef, Mohammad Al Baker, Washy Line, SR by Sonali Raman, Aadima and Witr. The initiative demonstrated a continued commitment to eco-conscious practices, while amplifying emerging local and international talent.
Reflecting on the success, Noreen Nasralla, Executive Director, Marketing, Al-Futtaim Real Estate, said: "As an incredible closing to a series of events this year celebrating our new positioning and an era of limitless, expressive fashion and activities, Front Row Live has been a vibrant celebration of creativity, individuality, and collaboration. This represents our vision of being a space where people come together to explore, express, and connect over their shared passions."
Director of Leasing at Al Futtaim Real Estate Jonathan Park said, "Events such as this are hugely important because they reflect the needs of our customers. There's obviously a growing population within the fashion, health and beauty sectors that is locally driven, and what we want to do is explore that and give an opportunity for those events to take place.
And as time goes by, give opportunities to those brands to enter into permanent locations within our malls to satisfy that demand."
"Across brands we are speaking to globally, there is continued demand for space in high-profile malls in Qatar, where foot traffic remains strong due to growing populations, tourism, and business activities. Retailers are particularly focused on locations that can attract both local residents and international visitors. We are pleased to be able to deliver this at Doha Festival City with our strong mix of brands that is only going to grow in the coming years."
"At Al-Futtaim Real Estate, we achieve the balance between long-term strategic goals and short-term leasing objectives by staying closely attuned to what customers and brands are telling us. Through consistent market research, listening to tenant feedback, and maintaining an adaptive approach, we are able to respond to immediate leasing demands while ensuring that we build sustainable, future-ready properties that align with the broader market trends and long-term vision for growth. This customer-centric, flexible strategy allows us to navigate Qatar’s dynamic real estate market successfully while keeping our eye on long-term success," Park added.
An In Conversation with Mona Kattan explored the entrepreneur’s unique insights on the beauty industry, while Leonie Hanne’s first-ever public dialogue in Qatar shone a light on her journey to global fashion stardom. Mariam Khairallah led a Mac makeup masterclass with exclusive demonstrations and Haneen Al Saify joined Charlotte Tilbury for live beauty guru advice on achieving the perfect glow. To top the stage line-up off, bespoke activations, like the Rise and Shine wellness session with Jawaher Al Fardan and Alo Yoga, offered unique, immersive experiences.
Bianca Brigitte Bonomi, Director of Harper’s Bazaar Qatar, spoke of the success of the partnership, emphasizing how the event united global fashion brands with local creativity. Reflecting on the impact of Front Row Live, she said: “Our collaboration with Doha Festival City has created a platform that showcases global, regional, and local innovation. Together, we’ve championed the incredible talent that enriches Qatar’s creative scene while fostering connections across fashion, beauty, and sustainability.”
The event was the culmination of months of activations curated in partnership with Harper’s Bazaar Qatar, all showcasing the mall’s refreshed strategic approach and growing emphasis on diversity, trends and choice. The Emerging Voices initiative in September highlighted sustainability and local talent, with a live talk on the fashion industry with regional fashion influencer and star Nour Arida.
Another pioneering collaboration with Harvey Nichols was staged in October—featuring captivating in-conversations headlined by Olympic and World champion high jumper, Mutaz Barshim, and Rhude Creative Director, Rhuigi Villaseñor, in the midst of interactive masterclasses and talks that celebrated international and local fashion leaders.
Front Row Live is part of Doha Festival City’s broader commitment to offering the community a fashion and cultural hub that inspires and connects diverse audiences. This celebration of creativity, individuality, and sustainability represents the beginning of more exciting initiatives to come.
