Feathers, capes, tennis balls take centre stage at Dubai World Cup Style Stake

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Feathers, capes and even tennis balls took the centerstage at the fashionable Style Stakes event on the sidelines of the Dubai World Cup. Men and women showed off their impeccable yet unique fashion sense as they strutted down the runway on Saturday (March 28) at the Meydan Grandstand. 

The top honours of the day went to those who brought their outfits together thoughtfully. Teacher Sheila Waweru beat off tough competition to win the coveted title of Best Dressed woman at the event pairing purple with gold.

When the Kenyan expat first decided she was attending the Dubai World Cup a few weeks ago, she picked out a hat from a local milliner. Her children then put together an outfit for her, tying it all together with a tie she borrowed from her husband. “I didn’t buy a single new item of clothing for this competition,” she said, adding that this was the first time she participated in the contest. 

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Meanwhile, Dubai resident Becky Page attended the event for the very first time and walked away as the winner in the Best Hat category.

The marketing professional who has been living in the UAE for over three years sported a Vivienne Sheriff hat and said her win felt poetic. “I spent about a week playing with the colors of the outfit and it came together beautifully,” she said.

“We have had a tough month and the last week was all rainy and grey. Today, the weather is beautiful and the sky is clear. My win felt poetic, like as if it was a sign that difficult times will pass and the sun will shine again."

South African couple Nelisa and Thaabe Ramabina won the Traditional Dressed competition with their unique Lesotho wear. Nelisa wore a dress made of the Seshweshwe material and sported gold neck rings while her husband Thaabe donned a Seana Marrna blanket. 

'A learning process'

Dubai resident Maria Petrova caught everyone’s attention with her unique hat that had several tennis balls stacked on it. “I have been in the tennis industry for over 30 years and I wanted to wear a hat that paid homage to that,” she said. She arrived at the competition wearing an all-black ensemble and carrying a tennis ball Kate Spade bag. 

She admitted that her decision to make her hat was a last-minute one. “I was at the tennis court when I got the idea,” she said. “I spent 17 hours over two days making the hat. I first made one but I didn’t like it so I remade it. It was a learning process for me.”

The Style Stakes is one of the most keenly awaited features of the Dubai World Cup. It gives prizes to the best dressed men, women and couples in addition to recognizing the best traditional wear and most beautiful hat. 

One of the judges at the events was Evelyn McDermott, a former winner of the competition and now a milliner. She explained what she will be judging on. “I was looking for elegance,” she said. “The contestants should have a well put together outfit and most importantly they should be enjoying themselves. We have had a difficult month and it is great to see everyone dressed up and looking good.”

Azerbaijan national Aida Abdullah came dressed in a Korean hanbok dress to participate in the traditional dress category. She hoped that she would get third time lucky. “This is the third year that I am participating in the competition,” she said. “In the previous years, I wore Chinese and Japanese traditional clothes.”

Meanwhile, for Joanne Lucas, the decision to participate was a decision she took after she arrived at the event. She was at the Dubai World Cup because her horse was competing. “When I came in, people started telling me that I should participate,” she said. “So I registered as a last minute thing.”