Every November, Fashion Trust Arabia (Instagram) transforms Doha into the beating heart of regional creativity, a place where rising designers meet the global fashion establishment, and new talent steps into its future. For its 2025 edition, taking place in November, FTA raises the bar once again. With a judging panel stacked with industry titans and sponsors who bridge continents and cultures, this year’s prize cements its role as one of the most influential platforms shaping the next generation of MENA designers.
A Jury Shaping Fashion’s Tomorrow
This year’s FTA Prize brings together a panel that reflects fashion’s most compelling voices, the avant-garde, the legendary, and the future-forward. The contest sees Twenty-one finalists from across the region presenting their collections across seven categories: Eveningwear, Ready-to-Wear, Accessories, Jewellery, Franca Sozzani Debut Talent, Guest Country: India, and Fashion Tech.
The 2025 judging line up reads like a roll call of contemporary influence. Daniel Roseberry, Gisele Bündchen, Veronica Leoni of Calvin Klein, Giambattista Valli, Zuhair Murad, Bethann Hardison, Remo Ruffini, Christian Louboutin, Rabih Kayrouz, Viktor & Rolf, Amina Muaddi, Stefano Pilati, Caroline Scheufele, Rabih Keyrouz and Guram Gvasalia are just a few of the names shaping this year’s conversation. With leaders from maisons, luxury retail, art, and global media, including Imran Amed, the panel mirrors the diverse worlds today’s designers must navigate. The full list can be seen here.
Their collective task goes far beyond selecting winners. FTA judges directly influence the careers of emerging talent, granting up to $200,000 in financial support, alongside international mentorship and game-changing retail exposure.
The Sponsors Powering a Regional Creative Movement
FTA’s impact is amplified by the partners who stand behind it. For 2025, Visit Qatar returns as the Diamond Sponsor, supporting FTA’s mission to empower regional talent and strengthen the cultural ecosystem of Doha, a city increasingly central to the global fashion map.
This year’s Guest Country, India, enters the spotlight through the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), honoured as Platinum Sponsor. The partnership marks a celebration of cross-cultural dialogue, craftsmanship, and the creative exchange between MENA and South Asia.
Gold Sponsors Place Vendôme Qatar, Galeries Lafayette Doha and Chopard also continue their support, reflecting a shared belief in nurturing young designers and widening their access to industry-defining opportunities.
Retail Partners Bringing MENA Talent to the World
Internationally, Harrods remains a key partner, stocking winning collections across several categories and hosting designers in Dubai. Regionally, Ounass returns as the MENA-based partner, championing winners on its platform and spotlighting them through exclusive regional activations.
With its global jury, cross-border collaborations, and a growing network of supporters, Fashion Trust Arabia continues to evolve as a cultural force, one that not only discovers talent but reshapes how the world sees fashion from the Middle East and North Africa.
For more stories of fashion from across the region, visit our dedicated archives.
