Paris Fashion Week is coming to a victorious end. In fact, it has been an exciting week in fashion. On Wednesday, visually impaired women tackled stereotypes during the second Blind Fashion Show on the final day of Paris Fashion Week. And just a day after the fanfare in Paris drew to a close, Arab Fashion week opened in Dubai.

Visually-impaired women hit the runway at Paris Fashion Show

The models may be visually impaired, but they all walked without a cane or a dog. Instead, a nylon line guided them. Most were walking for the runway for the first or second time.

“It’s really exciting because it’s different than any other kind of modeling anybody else does. It’s to prevent for the blind and to help them,” said Savannah Lufriu, model.

The organizers, a nonprofit association called “Give Them a Chance,” have made it their mission to spread awareness, break down stereotypes, and celebrate diversity. And unlike all the other shows in Paris this week, this one was about the people rather than the couture.

Emirati designer stages the opening show

And just a day after Paris Fashion Week closed, 25 designers from all over the world begin to showcase their collections at the five-day Arab Fashion Week.

Emirati designer Lamya Abedin was one of the designers selected to show her collection on opening night. Her latest collection, Le Voyage de Carnival, was inspired by vintage carnivals and fairgrounds.

Abedin started off designing abaya, a robe-like dress worn by some women in parts of the Muslim world. But she said modest wear is not only reserved for Muslim women.

“So the way you dress modestly can be of any nationality, of any race, of any religion. This is what I like to encourage because modest wear is for everyone it is not just for one person or one identity,”  Abedin said.

“But it is getting a lot of recognition right now and talking about the abaya since I started my career as an abaya designer, the nice thing is that international designers are actually getting inspired from our abayas and they are coming up with their own selective collection.”

Even big brands like Dolce and Gabbana have launched special abaya collections in order to tap into the Gulf market.

But Jacob Abrian, chief executive of Arab Fashion Week, wants the event to be known for more than clothing that appeals to an Arab or Muslim audience. He is open to modest-wear on the catwalks, but hopes for the event to have global appeal, and to be as competitive as the shows in fashion cities like Paris and Milan.