Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA), a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing design talent in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has unveiled its plans for the 5th edition of the FTA Awards. The prestigious FTA Awards initiative, which includes the judging process, awards ceremony, and finalists showcase, will take place in Doha during the week of October 23rd, 2023.
Established in 2018 by Tania Fares, co-founder of Fashion Trust UK, along with co-chair HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and under the patronage of Honorary Chair HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, FTA aims to provide opportunities for emerging design talent in the MENA region to gain recognition on the international stage.
One of the key components of the FTA Awards is the Advisory Board, responsible for selecting the 24 designer finalists from a wide pool of applicants across the MENA region. These finalists will have the opportunity to present their work to the FTA Jury for a chance to win at the 2023 Awards.
The Advisory Board for this year’s edition comprises a stellar lineup of industry experts and tastemakers, including individuals such as Imruh Asha, Fashion Director at Dazed, Nadia Dhouib, Managing Director Paco Rabanne, Nina Garcia, Editor-in-Chief of ELLE US, Sara Maino, Creative Director Fondazione Sozzani, Educational and Scouting Advisor Vogue Italia and many more personalities.
In addition to the awards and mentorship opportunities, FTA’s Guest Country Award aims to foster global connections and promote dialogue between cultures. After hosting Colombia in 2021 and Turkey in 2022, FTA has selected Nigeria as the Guest Country for the 2023 edition, showcasing the country’s emerging design talent.
The FTA Awards offer substantial financial grants ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 for the winning designers, depending on the size of their business. Additionally, winners in the Ready-to-Wear, Accessories, and Jewelry categories will participate in a one-year mentorship program provided by MATCHES, while Harrods will carry the Evening-Wear category winner’s collection.
Maison Pyramide will offer showroom representation and PR consultancy to the winners, while The Bicester Collection will provide mentorship opportunities. The Ready-to-Wear category winner will also have the chance to intern at Huntsman in London, creating a capsule collection to be sold on the retailer’s e-commerce platform.
Luxury ethical fashion retail platform Maison De Mode will offer tailored mentorship to all six winners, emphasizing the importance of sustainability and ethical fashion practices.
The winners of the previous year’s Fashion Trust Arabia Awards include Artsi Ifrach, Siham and Sarah Albinali, Fatma Mostafa, Eilaf Osman, Kazna Asker, and Burç Akyol.
For more regional and international fashion news, visit our dedicated pages.
