In the Syrian capital of Damascus, al-Mamoun International Center's fashion design department organized Damascus 2010 Summer Fashion Show.

Held at Sheraton Hotel on Sunday evening, the fashion show featured 88 evening dresses and wedding dresses created by 22 Syrian designers and presented by dozens of Syrian young models who walked down the T-stage.

George Shalash, the organizer of the event, told Xinhua that the show aims for encouraging Syrian young talents and providing the Syrian designers with the opportunity to show their works.

"We are sure that the show presents the bright image of Syrian designers' works," he said.

Syria during the past decade has been more open to the west, with more Syrian women adapting different dressing styles.

"My works were inspired by those fashioned by international designers, and I adopt both eastern and western styles in order to satisfy all tastes," Riham Zahreldeen, a Syrian designer said.

Women dressing style in the country has been recently influenced by urbanization and modernization. While blue jeans and T-shirts are now common outfits for the Syrian women, other women could be seen wearing headscarves and long robes that leave only their hands and feet exposed.

The striking differences appeared on Sunday's show when Syrian women with traditional dresses, robes and headscarves stood side by side with young models with their bare back wedding and evening dresses.

"I am very excited, this is a very rare event in Syria, and I hope it is a step in the right direction," said Syrian beauty expert Shamah Esana who was among the audience of some 150.

Sunday's show was a clear sign that the Syria fashion industry wants to catch up with the world, Esana said.

"The show aims for encouraging young Syrian talents and locally- made works," young designer Musaab Hureib said.

"The svelte models hit the catwalk in attractive bare back dresses with long hemlines. It is rare to see that in Syria," he added.

Dima, a Syrian model, said that if the sufficient support is given to the Syrian models, there is no doubt that they would rise to international stardom.

Syrian women are generally known to be quite fashionable compared to those of other Arab countries, particularly the conservative Gulf states. Syria's First Lady Asma al-Assad herself is something of a trendsetter, and was selected by French women's magazine Elle as the most stylish of international political female figures in 2008.

Damascus boasts a few private modeling agencies and a handful of annual fashion shows. Expensive designer boutiques have sprouted across Damascus, targeting an upper class that only few years ago used to travel to Lebanon for shopping.

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