Fashion Forward: At Starch, watermelon shirts, anyone?

Several of Jo Baaklini's pieces featured fruit prints. Courtesy Getty Images

“We need to cultivate our own fashion heroes — our own regional brands,” stressed Fashion Forward’s honcho Bong Guerrero in a press con two weeks ago.

Aptly, the slot for this season’s opening runway show was given to two newbies: Jo Baaklini and Timi Hayek, whose talents were scouted by Starch, a group dedicated to launching emerging Lebanese designers.

Between the two, Mr Baaklini had a stronger showing.

Several of his clothes featured fruit prints: there were watermelon shirts for the chaps and lemon crop tops for the women. What a joyful opening collection it was.

There was also an utterly adorable aquamarine bomber jacket and well-cut stripy shorts. All the looks were paired with jelly rubber sandals (yes, really); the collection was practical but still provocative.

On the other hand Ms Hayek’s line featured a lot of crop tops and skirts of varying lengths. The whole thing was severely commercial — no doubt these clothes will sell — but they failed to make an impression.

Nonetheless Ms Hayek — who came out for curtain call by hopping and dancing on the catwalk — has a knack for clean lines and clever prints, so we’re keeping an eye on her.