Latest news with #ArabFashionCouncil
Hi Dubai
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
Dubai Fashion Week Returns This September with Global Lineup and Bold Vision
Dubai Fashion Week is set to return from 1–6 September 2025, bringing its Spring/Summer 2026 edition to Dubai Design District (d3) with a powerful international presence and renewed creative energy. As the first major fashion week on the global calendar—preceding New York, London, Milan and Paris—DFW continues to assert its growing influence in the industry. This season will spotlight more than 30 designers from across the UAE, France, India, Italy, Lebanon, Libya and the UK, offering a platform for diverse cultural expression and forward-looking values in sustainability and ethics. The event, co-founded by d3 and the Arab Fashion Council, follows a successful Autumn/Winter 2025/26 showcase held in February, which drew international attention with appearances by major designers including Manish Malhotra and Paolo Sebastian. The previous edition also featured immersive experiences, citywide activations and attendance from global media, creatives and top-tier retailers. Strategically positioned ahead of the traditional fashion capitals, DFW provides early exposure for designers looking to access global markets and connect with international buyers. A growing Buyers Programme and a series of private viewings, exclusive presentations and collection launches across the city aim to drive business growth and creative exchange. Now entering its eleventh year, d3 has become a cornerstone of Dubai's creative economy, housing over 1,100 businesses and 20,000 professionals. With applications now open for participating designers, DFW is once again set to shape trends and elevate emerging talent from the heart of the Middle East. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Dubai Fashion Week set to return this autumn
DUBAI: Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) is set to make its return this autumn with its series of Spring/Summer 2026 shows, running from Sept. 1 to 6 at its longtime home in Dubai Design District (d3). For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ A post shared by Dubai Fashion Week (@dubaifashionweek) As the first event on the international fashion calendar — ahead of New York, London, Milan, and Paris —DFW's upcoming edition builds on the momentum of February's Autumn/Winter 2025/26 showcase, which drew widespread attention with headline-grabbing appearances by international models and a grand finale by iconic Indian designer Manish Malhotra. The season also spotlighted emerging regional voices, such as Les Benjamins, a correspondent member of the Arab Fashion Council, alongside global names like Paolo Sebastian.
Emirates Woman
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Emirates Woman
Dubai Fashion Week is back this September—here's everything you need to know
Mark your calendars: Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) Spring/Summer 2026 is set to return from 1–6 September 2025, o fficially opening the global fashion season ahead of New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Taking place once again at its vibrant home in Dubai Design District (d3) , the city's creative hub, the six-day showcase promises a celebration of the region's rising influence on the international stage, global voices, and bold statements. Following a high-octane AW25 season—complete with runway appearances by supermodels and a headline-making finale from Manish Malhotra—DFW is raising the bar even higher. Expect over 30 standout brands from France, Italy, India, Lebanon, Libya, the UAE, the UK, and beyond, each bringing their own lens on culture, sustainability, and innovation to the runway. BLSSD; Dubai Fashion Week AW25 As always, the event is co-founded by d3 and the Arab Fashion Council , and continues to be a gateway for regional talent to shine while giving international names a platform to connect with buyers and tastemakers from across the globe. This season, DFW expands its Buyers Programme , drawing top names from Europe, the U.S., and other fashion capitals for showroom previews and curated brand experiences that are as business-savvy as they are buzz-worthy. But the runways are just the beginning. The energy of DFW spills far beyond the catwalks at d3, with exclusive presentations, after-hours launches, private dinners, and citywide activations that cement Dubai's role as a fashion-forward metropolis. With d3 celebrating over a decade of design excellence , this season is also a nod to how far the city's creative economy has come—and where it's headed next. Michael Cinco; Dubai Fashion Week AW25 Designer applications are now open, and every submission undergoes a rigorous review by the DFW Selection Committee, ensuring only the most compelling creative visions make it to the stage. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Supplied
Trade Arabia
15-04-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Arab Fashion Council launches $500,000 fund to support emerging designers
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.
CairoScene
15-04-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Arab Fashion Council Launches USD 500,000 Fund For Emerging Designers
Arab Fashion Council Launches USD 500,000 Fund For Emerging Designers This four-season brand-building accelerator redefines what it means to nurture emerging talents in the fashion industry. What does it actually take to go global? Not a viral moment. Not a pop-up in Paris. Not another 'next big thing' headline. What it takes is money, time, and ruthless infrastructure - and that's exactly what the Arab Fashion Council is now offering with the launch of the AFC Fashion Fund. The Fund will award a single emerging designer half a million U.S. dollars - yes, you read that right - and offer a full, two-year brand acceleration programme designed to do one thing: create an Arab label the world can't ignore. Forget the lip service. This isn't a prize you frame. It's a four-season, deep-end plunge into the chaos of fashion building - from raw concept to international retail. We're talking runway shows, one-on-one mentorship from industry heavyweights, full-scale production hookups, global media placement, and access to a vetted network of buyers who don't just attend for the photo op. At the core is one big idea: stop exporting watered-down versions of Arab creativity and start building something with longevity. 'Export-ready' here doesn't mean diluted. It means rooted, but loud. Each season begins with creative alignment sessions - think less classroom, more war room - followed by a fully produced runway show, tailored intros to key buyers, and a final season built around a high-visibility collaboration with a major international fashion house. It's not just prestige - it's commercial power, with the receipts to back it. And then there are the drops. Capsule collections engineered for real cultural impact, timed around pivotal moments like Ramadan and Eid, making sure the designer's work doesn't just float on international shelves, but lands hard in regional markets too. Let's be clear - this isn't a benevolent pat on the head from the industry's upper echelons. It's a calculated investment in cultural power. The Arab Fashion Council, which represents all 22 Arab League countries and stands as the largest non-profit fashion body in the world, is betting big on one designer. One voice. One shot to rewrite the narrative from inside the region out. Because maybe the real flex isn't getting into the global fashion conversation - it's forcing the world to listen when you start your own. Applications open in June 2025. The designer will be announced in October.
