2020 edition of Arab Fashion Week goes virtual

 

For the first time ever, the entire event will be hosted virtually, maintaining its traditional program through added value innovation. The Shows and Beyond the Shows panel discussions will air live on the AFW website: https://arabfashionweek.org/ and will be broadcasted live to hundreds of thousands of audiences in partnership with leading social media platform Tiktok Arabia.

 

“As the leading short-form video platform, TikTok truly offers something for everyone and we’ve seen a lot of content creators come up with very engaging and creative fashion related content. In line with our mission to inspire creativity and bring joy, the platform has been the go to for fashionistas from around the Mena region to showcase the latest trends across beauty and fashion. With that being said, it is a natural step for us to be working with Arab Fashion Week to broadcast the 11th edition of the event to our community of content creators who have shown a great interest in fashion related content,” said Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Creative at TikTok MENA.

 

Whilst this season the public will be able to watch all the shows, they will also be able to shop the runway collection directly through shop.arabfashionweek.com setting up a new trend in the consumer behaviour to wear the collection at least 6 months before distributing it to retail. In addition, offline consumers will still be able to buy the collection off the shelves at a dedicated Pop-up in 1422 Concept Store in Citywalk.

 

Although the shows will be streamlined and available to the public of consumers and fans, it will give designers the opportunity to showcase their talent directly to a higher number of industry professionals. In partnership with Le Showroom platform managed by Bureau Des Créateurs, the designers will benefit from unprecedented exposure to the B2B buyers in a 360 Showroom which hosts a private access to over 2,700 retailers globally.

 

In addition to the fashion shows, presentations and panel discussions; Arab Fashion Week has partnered with the Number 1 Makeup brand in Italy, KIKO Milano as its Official Makeup Partner. KIKO Milano will publish The Makeup Trend Book FW20/21, at the end of the fashion week, to highlight the latest trends of the season.

 

“Being the number 1 makeup brand from the fashion capital Milan, Italy. We, are thrilled to be named the official makeup partner of the Arab Fashion Week, the most important fashion event in the region which highlight our commitments to foster the growth of the regional talent and providing our expertise on the latest trends in the cosmetics industry," said Jonathan Lantoine, General Manager of KIKO Milano Middle East.

 

Below is a glimpse of some of the designers showcasing:

 

• Amato: Amato is the UAE’s first global designer brand that has earned itself an international cult following – from Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks to Beyonce, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, and Shakira; all loyal patrons of the paradigmatic couture house.

• Sophia Nubes: Italian designer that has showcased in Dubai for five editions and has not missed a season. Elena Pioli, the founder of Sophia Nubes is a women’s rights supporter visible through her collections. It is demonstrated through the elegance and beauty represented in each new collection.

• Fashion Farm Foundation: Fashion Farm Foundation (FFF) is a non-profit organisation established in 2012, founded by a group of enthusiastic fashion entrepreneurs and fashion educators in Hong Kong bring each season to the Middle East the best of Hong Kong avant-garde designers: this season FFF will present:

- FromClothingOf : Founded in 2015 with the aim of breaking away from conventional ideas about women’s fashion and aesthetics. While minimalist and monotone at first glance, the pieces are meticulously tailored and structured, characterised by layering and fine details that possess a powerful yet feminine style.

- YEUNG CHIN was invited to join New York Fashion Week and Singapore Design Centre Exhibition in 2015. The brand joined the Fashion Friday Runway show in the same year. YEUNG CHIN’s philosophy has always been challenging the accepted aesthetic. To build up a new aesthetic, old aesthetics must first be broken.

• AAVVA Fashion: A Dubai-based fashion brand that brought architectural insight into fashion, distinctly known as the brand that blends Arabic and Latin American roots into the UAE’s rich cultural environment. AAVVA is met with considerable popularity by discerning aficionados from the style conscious society of Dubai.

• Nueve: Turkish Brand that will be showcasing for the first time in the Middle East. Their focus is on twisting known concepts of art and fashion into unexplored and unique creations.

• Mada’En: Creative director, Jordanian British couturier Farah Bseiso will present Mada’en with a Fall-Winter 2020-21 collection which evokes the glamour of the 50’s New Look. By presenting an image of radical femininity achieved by waspy waists, soft and dramatic shoulders, full embellishments, volumes and A-line cuts, emphasising the feminine body, by using raw silk, taffetas, tulles and sequenced fabrics.

• Saad Collection: in collaboration with Mada’En and Nueve is presenting on the runway a jewelry collection that explores marine life and sea creatures. The collection is created as a tribute to the beauty of nature as water is the essence of life. The jewelry pieces are made of 22 karat gold and rhodium plated bronze encrusted with highest quality cubic zirconia and freshwater pearls.

• Baravia: Gulnora Mukhedinova, the entrepreneur and creative director of Baravia presents

“Space Star”.

• Joweh: present ing a geometrical collection in black and white dominated theme in the form

wearable contemporary art.

• FAD: Additionally, and in light of the global pandemic, The Arab Fashion Council will be sponsoring 9 graduating Designers from FAD Dubai, the Institute of Luxury Fashion and Style. After showcasing twice at Arab Fashion Week through smart collaborations and epic media coverage from Dubai, FAD was quickly taken to London Fashion week and Milan Fashion Week. This season FAD Dubai is committed to its ongoing support for young regional designers and this season will unveil eight of its students and their collections at the first ever digital fashion week in the region.

 

“It is another historical benchmark we have achieved and a clear break through to the future of the fashion industry paving the way to revolutionize the traditional calendar by adapting a new digital experience that best fits the global financial and digital trend. We consider this move as a victorious step to shape the future of the fashion system into a more consumer conscious platform and sustainable culture”, said Jacob Abrian, Founder and CEO of the Arab Fashion Council.

 

“Today, regardless the challenges that Covid-19 has imposed on the global market, we have proven the Arab Fashion Week’s consistency and commitment to continue fostering the growth of the regional talent on an international level in line with our vision to build a creative Arab economy. With the introduction of the digital experience, our focus is shifted toward the reputation and business of fashion by enhancing the designers’ exposure, strengthening their business relation with the retail buyers through digital showrooms and establishing a direct relation with the end customer through e-commerce," said Mohammed Aqra, Chief Strategy Officer of the Arab Fashion Council. - TradeArabia News Service