• The inaugural show will take place from 10-15 March 2023
  • Shows will spotlight Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer collections by emerging and established designers from around the world
  • Dubai Fashion Week evolves from Arab Fashion Week, and aims to facilitate new business opportunities between talent, brands and buyers  

Dubai, UAE, 8 February 2023: In a significant move to cement Dubai as a global fashion capital, Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, and the Arab Fashion Council (AFC) has launched the official Dubai Fashion Week. The first show of the new fashion calendar will take place from 10-15 March.

The event evolved from the successful legacy of Arab Fashion Week, which in October 2022 saw its 21st edition. Dubai Fashion Week will be the definitive fashion fixture emerging from the region, featuring Men’s, Women’s, ready-to-wear, and couture collections. It underscores TECOM Group’s commitment to cementing Dubai as a global creative capital and builds on Dubai’s status as a global hub for business growth and investment.

The announcement was made last night at an exclusive event at Dubai Design District (d3) in the presence of Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of TECOM Group, Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism,  Ammar Al Malik, Executive Vice President – Commercial, TECOM Group, Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), Jacob Abrian, CEO of the Arab Fashion Council, among other dignitaries, including government officials and high-profile fashion and culture media.

With shows planned in line with the global fashion calendar, Dubai Fashion Week will provide an international platform for emerging and established designers to grow their brands. Not only will regional designers get to meet and do business with international buyers and distributors, but it will also serve as a gateway for international talent and brands to continue expanding their global footprint through the regional market. 

Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group, said: “Where there was Paris, Milan, London and New York, there is now Dubai. From economic activity to tourism and creativity, Dubai has carved its own space among the world’s cosmopolitan capitals, and fashion is one industry boosting its status. All eyes are on the Middle East for fashion and creativity, and now the sky is the limit. Dubai has the vision, ambition and innovation to elevate the impact and reach of creatives globally. Our evolving partnership with the Arab Fashion Council will strengthen our networks with international and regional partners and boost the industry’s contribution to the creative economy.”

Jacob Abrian, CEO of the Arab Fashion Council, said: "Dubai has arrived on the global fashion stage. Emerging and established creatives have shaped a distinct identity for the region that resonates far and wide. Our region's fashion industry is entering a new chapter as we become increasingly active contributors to the global fashion narrative. Arab Fashion Council is proud to amplify this voice and partner with d3 and TECOM Group to launch Dubai Fashion Week, the official industry platform. Presenting Dubai as a global creative hub, Dubai Fashion Week will boost fashion exports and attract world-class investment.”

Serge Carreira, Head Emerging Brands Initiative, Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode added: “Over the last years, Dubai became one of the most dynamic places for arts and creative industries. The Arab Fashion Council and Dubai Design District have been successfully promoting and supporting talents from all the regions focusing on creativity, values and excellence. Fashion is a cultural expression fuelled by tradition but also by the zeitgeist.  I strongly believe that Dubai has now the capacity to become a global fashion hub addressing today's questions of sustainability, technology and diversity.”

Expanding Dubai’s creative impact

Dubai maintains an indisputable reputation as the region’s fashion capital. Alongside successful events like Arab Fashion Week, the city’s prolific retail landscape has contributed to its status as a luxury shopping hub. Dubai’s business-friendly framework and strategic location attract major fashion houses such as Dior, Prada and Valentino, which are based in d3 alongside regional labels. Platforms such as TECOM Group’s in5 Design further enable homegrown creative entrepreneurship to reduce the barriers to entry for new talent.  

Dubai Fashion Week aims to strengthen the city’s influence on the global creative stage under its D.U.B.A.I. pillars: Diversity; Unity; Business; Ambition; and Innovation, and further enable the development of the fashion industry value chain. d3 provides an established platform to launch the program as a global creative ecosystem where leading fashion, design and art brands from around the world converge.

Leading up to Dubai Fashion Week, the official calendar will enable brands, designers and industry players to activate their own program of runway shows, presentations, exhibitions, pop-ups, special celebrations, and workshops in d3 and across Dubai. More details about the inaugural edition will be revealed closer to the date.

Dubai Fashion Week builds upon the many milestones of Arab Fashion Week, which, over seven years and 21 editions, include:

  • Presenting hundreds of different creative designers from over 50 countries
  • Attracting industry icons from around the globe and more than 250,000 fashion enthusiasts and international fashion media since its inception
  • Working with an array of prestigious international partners, including the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (French body that coordinates Paris Fashion Week), to deliver new opportunities to exchange talent on both calendars
  • Launching the first menswear fashion week in Asia, Middle East, and Africa
  • Launching the diversity program and appointing the region’s first curvy model on the runway

Dubai Design District (d3) is part of TECOM Group’s business district portfolio, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Science Park and Dubai Industrial City.

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About Dubai Design District

Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, is a global creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture and art. In line with Dubai’s position as the leading business destination for the region and beyond, d3 is an industry-pioneering concept that enables people and businesses to grow and co-create whilst simultaneously providing a strong platform for creativity. Strategically located in the heart of Dubai, d3 is one of the city’s lifestyle and business district that challenges thousands of people to rethink the regular.

With state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to meet the needs of the industry and a business-friendly framework, the community offers creative talent the tools for collaboration and growth, further reinforcing Dubai’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design. d3 is a cutting-edge retail district offering a variety of multi-brand boutiques, fashion brands, art galleries and showrooms. In addition, d3 is home to leading companies and talent including architects, interior designers, photography studios, product and fashion designers. Some of the region’s most popular events take place in d3 and attract international artists and audiences to cultural and fashion exhibitions and gatherings such as Dubai Design Week, Dubai Fashion Week and Sole DXB. The district also regularly hosts a roster of industry talks, workshops and educational programming, accessible to people of all ages.

d3 is home to TECOM Group PJSC’s business incubator – in5 – that aims to support the fashion and design industries by offering students and entrepreneurs the opportunity to transform their ideas into successful commercial ventures. This ecosystem is further supported by the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), the region’s only university exclusively dedicated to design and innovation, which offers a curriculum crafted with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and The New School's Parsons School of Design. The district also features the city's first canal side recreational development, The Block. The open-air destination offers a range of different outdoor and leisure areas including a basketball and volleyball court, a skate park, outdoor gym and climbing wall.

For more information, please visit: dubaidesigndistrict.com

About TECOM Group PJSC

TECOM Group has been developing strategic, sector-focused business districts across the emirate of Dubai since 1999. TECOM Group is well-positioned to continue playing an integral role in cementing Dubai’s status as a global business and talent hub.

The TECOM Group portfolio consists of 10 business districts catering to 6 vital knowledge-based economic sectors, including design, education, manufacturing, media, science, and technology. The Group provides a varied and tailor-made leasing portfolio – which includes offices, co-working spaces, warehouses and land – to over 7,800 customers and more than 100,000 professionals.

TECOM Group offers additional value-added services to deliver a competitive and attractive environment for businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive in and to facilitate engagement between the districts’ community members. Government and corporate services are made available through an integrated smart services platform, “axs”, which enhances ease of doing business and provides community members with a seamless experience.

TECOM Group also provides industry specialised facilities, including media production studios, laboratories and higher education campuses. in5, its enabling platform for entrepreneurs and start-ups, offers innovation centres supporting tech, media, and design start-ups and SMEs. Its future-focused co-working spaces D/Quarters deliver stimulating work environments for tenants, and the “GoFreelance” package serves approximately 2,400 freelance talents.

For more information, please visit: tecomgroup.ae