Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              08 Nov. 2018

3rd Annual Grazia Style Awards under the theme 'Celebrating Qatar' held recently at the St Regis Doha with over 15 awards presented to Qatari and Qatari-based talent in fashion, art, and education. Among the awardees include Sheikha Asma Al Thani (Woman of the Year),  for becoming the first Qatari to ski to the North Pole; The Ambassador of Italy to the State of Qatar, Pasquale Salzano (Man of The Year) for the great contribution he has made in encouraging dialogue and cooperation between Italy and Qatar in the past 12 months; Aisha Al Naama, Yasmian Al Sharshani and Nada Zeidan for Grazia Cover of the Year; while the inspirational Dana Al-Anzy (Youth Advocate of the Year) for her work with Education Above All.

New York, US  based Reem Acra, renowned international designer, known for her breathtaking ready-to-wear and bridal collections was Guest of Honour  at the evening. She was specially flown for the gala event from New York with courtesy of Qatar Airways.  She arrived at the venue in style with Grazia’s Editor in Chief in a super luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom, courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Doha. She was awarded 'Lifetime Achievement Award' on her services to fashion . Dana Al Fardan, last year’s Woman of the Year handed over the award to the Chief Guest.

Bianca Brigitte Bonomi, Editor in Chief of Grazia Arabia said 'The Awards are all about offering a platform to emerging and established names in the worlds of fashion, art, and culture, and honouring those individuals that have made a tangible impact on our experience here in Qatar – enriching our lives with their inspired thinking and shedding light on new facets of culture. By putting this talent in a global context, competing alongside international powerhouses, we aim to demonstrate the tremendous growth that the creative industries have witnessed in recent years in Qatar, and the exciting potential that will continue to flourish and be realised in the future.”

Highlights this year included an art installation, curated by Fahad Al Obaidly, which showcased the link between fashion and art; a beauty majlis featuring Aldo Coppola, Maison 21, L’Occitane, and N Bar Qatar; and a Salam Stores fashion forward activation showcasing AW18 highlights, as well as gorgeous floristry courtesy of top Qatari florist HENKS.

On theme of the event 'Celebrating Qatar', Bianca Brigitte Bonomi said in her address 'It’s a theme we are passionate about because at Grazia, we celebrate Qatar in every issue, every month. From inspirational Qatari women achieving huge feats to Qatar-based designers and creatives breaking boundaries, Grazia’s DNA is about putting female achievement first and platforming women with something to say. These women may speak in different languages and operate in different fields, but our voices have something in common. We are speaking in unison to an international audience and showing them what Qatar has to offer. Four years ago, when I first arrived in Doha, I heard the whispers of these voices. Today, I am proud to hear a chorus of them. They demand to be heard and the world is listening.”

The Grazia Style Awards was supported by Exclusive Hotel Partner The St Regis Doha, Exclusive Fashion Partner Salam Stores, Exclusive Automobile Rolls Royce Motor Cars Doha, Exclusive Airline Partner Qatar Airways, Exclusive Florist Partner HENKS, Creative Partner The Creative Union, Art Partner Fahad Al Obaidly, Talent Partner Trinity Talent Qatar, and Beauty Partners Aldo Coppola, N Bar Qatar, Maison 21 and L’Occitane.