| Issue 6
Doha Fashion Fridays
Dress to impress
Doha Fashion Fridays showcases street portraits of guest workers in their best dress
each Friday – their day off. We talk to photographer Aparna Jayakumar about the
unique platform she contributes to.
F
rom henna-haired men to the bright silk saris of
Indian women, Doha Fashion Fridays provides a
vivid picture of modern Doha.
It is an Instagram showcase of guest workers in Doha,
dressed up for their day off work. The street portraits of
the workers tell the story of individual cultures in the
Doha melting pot.
It is the brainchild of Sudanese political cartoonist
Khalid Al Baih, who was inspired by seeing guest
workers gather on the Corniche to relax.
Doha Fashion Fridays (DFF) photographer Aparna
Jayakumar explains: “One day, while walking in the
Corniche, Khalid noticed how fashionable the guest workers
are when they get together on the Corniche on Fridays.
“He wanted to turn it into a project that talks about their
stories via fashion, a project that is a cross between a
street fashion blog and Humans of New York, and was
looking for a photographer to collaborate with. When
he told me about the idea, I got wildly excited and that’s
how DFF began.
“I go to the Corniche and photograph men and women
who catch my eye. I’m always on the lookout for the most
fashionable – those who are bursting with personality
and have something interesting to say.”
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Aparna, who comes from Mumbai, says that she
has been struck by the individuality of those she
photographs, many of whom wear the traditional
workers’ blue jumpsuit during the working week.
“One who stands out is Moses Mintah from Ghana with
his dapper brightly coloured suit and velvet bow-tie, or
the Nzume couple from Cameroon who always try to
wear matching outfits.”
She believes that DFF, which has a growing following,
can build a sense of community in Qatar. “The idea is
to create awareness about the diversity of life here in
Qatar,” she says.
“It is also to celebrate those members of society who
might otherwise go unnoticed through the work week.
If these pictures are able to transcend class barriers and
celebrate diversity, that is the sense of oneness we are
hoping to build.”
One group stands out: “We interact the most with Nepali
migrant workers,” she says. “In Nepal, it is part of the
culture to be fashionable.”
The project has been well-received internationally, with
an exhibition in Russia and media attention worldwide.
But it is creating a sense of community from the individual
tales of their fashion-conscious subjects that matters most