Arab Fashion Council launches $500,000 fund to support emerging designers

Trade Arabia

15-04-2025

The Arab Fashion Council (AFC) has unveiled a new initiative set to reshape the future of fashion in the region and beyond: the AFC Fashion Fund, a $500,000 biennial commitment to support emerging designers.
Unlike traditional awards or cash prizes, the AFC Fashion Fund is a four-season brand-building accelerator designed to scale a visionary ready-to-wear (RTW) designer into a globally recognised force.
A future-first model
With only one designer selected every two years, the fund ensures unparalleled depth of support and personal investment. The chosen talent embarks on a two-year transformative journey, guided by global mentors, empowered by strategic market access, and supported by world-class production, retail, and media platforms, said the council.
What sets this fund apart
While most fashion funds offer a moment, the AFC Fashion Fund builds a movement — transforming designers into enduring global brands through a 360° framework that includes:
* Four seasons of global runway and market access: The fund provides designers with three fully produced runway seasons by AFC, encompassing every aspect—from casting and styling to content creation, public relations, and social media amplification. It also ensures showroom representation in Paris during pre-season markets, aligning seamlessly with the Resort and Pre-Fall calendars. Additionally, designers benefit from exclusive introductions to key buyers in strategic markets.
*Strategic e-commerce and regional expansion: To strengthen market reach, the fund supports tailored capsule collections, especially for key cultural moments like Ramadan and Eid in the Middle East. It also facilitates integration into prominent retail networks and platforms across the GCC, while developing bespoke e-commerce and digital marketing strategies to grow direct-to-consumer sales.
* Global collaboration challenge: One season is dedicated entirely to an exclusive collaboration with a globally recognised brand. This initiative, co-strategised by the AFC, is designed to enhance the designer's credibility and open up significant commercial opportunities, positioning them for long-term success.
* Continuous mentorship and brand strategy: Participants gain access to an elite advisory board made up of industry-leading editors, investors, buyers, and creative visionaries. The fund offers ongoing business coaching, guidance on pricing and collection planning, and support on intellectual property—ensuring designers grow not just creatively, but strategically.
Biennial format
Opening only once every two years, the AFC Fashion Fund is deeply selective and intentionally structured to create a high-impact journey for one designer at a time. This approach allows for meaningful investment, personalisation, and the cultivation of a prestigious alumni network that continues to shape the future of fashion.
Applications for the first cycle of the fund will open in June 2025, with the winner announced in October 2025. The selected designer will then begin their two-year journey, culminating in four runway seasons and global visibility by 2027.
'This is not a prize. It's an evolution. The AFC Fashion Fund is about turning a promising designer into a sustainable, export-ready brand that carries the spirit of our region onto the global stage,' said Mohammed Aqra, Chief Strategy Officer, Arab Fashion Council.