Fashion Trust Arabia, the non-profit that supports emerging talent across the MENA region, just concluded its seventh edition. Held at the National Museum of Qatar, we saw seven designers across seven categories receive grants, access to mentoring programs, and the opportunity to have their designs showcased at Harrods and Ounass. The night was a moment of celebration, honouring creativity within the future of fashion. And if you missed it, here all all the highlights of the night.
The chief guest of the night was FTA Honorary Chair Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. Whereas guests were welcomed by FTA Co-Chairs Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Tania Fares. And the ceremony itself was hosted by American rapper and songwriter Queen Latifah alongside Egyptian actor Aiman Kaissouni.
The guest list for the night was nothing short of spectacular. From the industry’s end, we saw designers like Christian Louboutin, and Jonathan Anderson, among others. Plenty of Hollywood stars also made the trip to Qatar, from actors Emma Roberts, Lindsay Lohan, Lori Harvey, and Adrien Brody, to supermodels Gisele Bündchen, Tyra Banks, and Farida Khelfa, showing us that this wasn’t just a night for regional fashion but for fashion globally. Naturally, regional stars also made an appearance, from actresses Huda El Mufti and Saja Kilani to musicians Balqees Ahmed Fathi, Zeyne, Elyanna, and Saint Levant, the latter who closed the night in an electrifying performance in a dapper Prada suit.
The looks for the ceremony stayed true to a desert night, with most guests opting for bedazzled black and others opting for sandy tones and gold accents. One of our favourite looks for the night was Tyra Banks, who wore a gold corsetted gown, made modest with sharp-shouldered cape sleeves, which in her words, “felt like wings”. Another favourite was Tunisian-Egyptian actress, Hend Sabry, who arrived at the red carpet in a molten brown gown by Maison Valentino. Paired with a matching cape, the look felt fluid yet opulent, ideal for the region as well as the night.
Fashion Trust Arabia 2025 Award Winners
The award ceremony began with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser awarding Saudi-based designer Ziyad Albuainain in the Evening Wear category. The full list of this 2025 edition includes:
Evening Wear – Ziyad Albuainain | Ziyad Buainain
Ready-to-Wear – Youssef Drissi | LATEFORWORK
Accessories – Leila Roukni | Talel
Jewellery – Farah Radwan | FYR
Debut Talent – Alaa Alaradi
Fashion Tech – Fatema & Dalal Alkhaja | TOUCHLESS
Guest Country India – Kartik Kumra | Kartik Research
Whereas Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad received the Trailblazer Award for his role in elevating Arab fashion on the global stage.
And finally, Muiccia Prada was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising “her profound impact on style, culture, and innovation”.
The winners of this season were decided by a diverse panel of jury members. Industry experts included Viktor & Rolf, Guram Gvasalia, Creative Director of Vetements, Rabih Kayrouz, Duran Lantik, Creative Director of Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Louboutin, Zuhair Murad, Stefano Pilati, former head designer of Yves Saint Laurent, Francesco Risso, Creative Director of Marni, Daniel Roseberry, Creative Director of Schiaparelli, Veronica Leoni, Creative Director of Calvin Klein, Arnaud Vaillant and Sebastien Meyer, Co-Founders of Coperni, Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini, Co-Founders of The Attico, Giambattista Valli, and designer Amina Muaddi. Whereas the remaining jury members include supermodels Gisele Bundchen, Natalia Vodianova, and Paloma Elsesser; model and activist Bethann Hardison; multimedia artist Alex Israel; fashion buyer Roopal Patel; and fashion editor Imran Amed, among other influential figures.
