If you haven’t heard, Fashion Trust Arabia is a non-profit organisation that provides financial support, guidance, and mentorships to emerging designers across the MENA region. This year, for their Fashion Trust Arabia prize, they released seven categories—ready-to-wear, evening wear, accessories, jewelry, debut talent, fashion tech, and a guest country, designers from India.
We take a look at each of the finalists to see how they are shaping the region’s fashion future.
Ready To Wear
Shahd AlShehail | ABADIA
ABADIA’s ethos is all about ethical luxury. Their creations are a fusion between genders; you can find swish feminine designs paired with masculine structure here.
Iman Coccellato | COCCELLATO
COCCELLATO is all about architecture and art. Whether it’s a shirt or a pair of jeans, their pieces are nothing short of wearable art that are sure to make a statement.
Youssef Drissi | LATEFORWORK
LATEFORWORK is Moroccan fashion redefined. With designs that blur lines, LATEFORWORK is meant to be a paradox between rigid officewear and limitless self-expression.
Evening Wear
Ziyad Albuainain | Ziyad Buainain
Ziyad Buainain is all about dressing the contemporary woman. With bold prints, striking silhouettes, and gravity-defying drapes, this Saudi-born designer creates collections that are playful yet dramatic.
Dana Almulla | Dana AlMulla
Rich textures and stunning gold accents are what you can find at Dana AlMulla’s designs. With creations that made their way to this year’s Cannes red carpet, Dana AlMulla is a designer to keep an eye out for.
Sharifa Alsharif Alhashemi | ONORI
ONORI is a label we can best describe as a girly girl’s go-to. You can find plenty of polka dots, tassels, and bling here!
Accessories
Sharifa Alsulaiti & Altaf Almudhayan | THUNA
Derived from the word ‘pair’, THUNA is a bespoke footwear brand that aims to elevate your standard shoe.
Duha Bukadi | DUHA
From luxury hotels to shoes, what Duha Bukadi won’t stop is designing. Her shoes are sleek, chic, and oh-so-feminine.
Leila Roukni | Talel
With a burning desire to go against any and all sorts of conformity, Talel’s designs are bold, unconventional, and as unique as the wearer themselves.
Jewelry
Patrick Boghossian
This Lebanese jewellery designer and gemologist creates bespoke bridal jewelry for his namesake label. His designs are still and almost geometrical, stemming from his love of architecture.
Clara Chehab
Handicrafted by artisans in Beirut, Clara Chebab’s namesake label creates pieces that are sensual and dramatic. The strong gemstone and soft designs juxtapose one another, creating a bling and allure you can’t look away from.
Farah Radwan | FYR
FYR’s pieces are strong and structural, often emeshing designer Farah Radwan’s heritage and global upbringing into each piece.
Debut Talent
Alaa Alaradi
Alaa Alaradi’s designs are soft and delicate but incredibly distressed. With intricate drapery enmeshed in the soft fabric, these designs are all about movement.
Fatma Elshabbi
Fatma Elshabbi’s pieces are a hybridisation between her Libyan and Swiss culture. Featuring prints, asymmetrical silhouettes, and silver accents, her designs are perfect for the modest dresser who likes a bit of edge.
Ayham Hassan
Palestinian designer Ayham Hassan has already been making waves with his collection. Bold and powerful, their designs are steeped deep in symbolism and rich in artistic expression.
Fashion Tech
Zahia Albakri | Zahya
Creating techwear, designer Zahia Albakri pushes the limits of traditional wear by blending 3D printing technology with timeless designs.
Fatema & Dalal Alkhaja | TOUCHLESS
Merging art and sustainability, TOUCHLESS creates 3D printed fashion to reduce manufacturing waste. The results are chic designs you can don on every day.
Assaad Awad
Collaborating with the likes of Hermès, Mugler, Balenciaga, and more, Assaad Awad is a computational designer, using tech to create a unique new world.
Guest Country – India
Kartik Kumra | Kartik Research
Building something that is new yet feels old, Kartik Kumra’s creations tap into nostalgia but are elevated with a modern feel.
Akhil Nagpal | AKHL
With intricate handcraftsmanship, we are treated to designs that simultaneously feature structure and softness.
Ankur Verma | Til
Til is more than clothes, it is about experiences that resonate. With pieces that reflect traditions, passions, stories, and of course, craftsmanship, Til’s creations are intimate beyond fabric.
