FFWD Announces Programme for S/S ’16 Edition

Fashion Forward Dubai (FFWD), the region’s definitive fashion platform today announced its full programme for the S/S ’16 event, taking place this October 22nd-25th. The twice-annual event comprises of several elements: 33  catwalk shows and presentations by the region’s best couture, ready to wear designers; the ‘d3 Fashion Talks’ to generate debate and discussion on issues facing the region’s fashion industry, featuring iconic names from the international fashion industry, including Karen Buglisi Weiler, Global Brand President of M·A·C Cosmetics, Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist, and Imran Amed, Founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion; the Day at d3, a dedicated day for buyers and media hosted on site at Dubai Design District (d3). A new element added for this season is a re-imagined space for fashion jewellery and accessories designers – The Showcase.

Dubai Design District (d3) has been the strategic partner of FFWD since the inception of FFWD in 2013, aligning the platform with d3’s vision and mission to maximise the potential of the region’s design and fashion industry. d3 nurtures the region’s design talent and provides them with a dedicated creative home, whilst also bolstering the growing regional fashion industry, with Dubai as its hub. Working together on vital parts of the FFWD programming such as the ‘d3 Fashion Talks’ and Day at d3, FFWD continues to grow its partnership with d3.

“Now in its sixth season we are once again proud to support Fashion Forward Dubai which has become a true highlight in the Dubai’s fashion calendar and the definitive fashion platform in the Middle East,” said Maitha Al Suwaidi, Head of Business Development, d3. “Celebrating individual talent whilst engaging the international community, we are delighted to be hosting another set of thought-provoking talks and discussions as part of the d3 Fashion Talks, led by global industry experts and esteemed fashion academia. 

“At d3, we are dedicated to establishing Dubai as a global design hub for the region’s creative community and so I am pleased by the number of our local designers that are showcasing their work at Fashion Forward S/S ‘16. Our vision is to craft a creative community, which inspires and encourages collaboration, to foster the growth of our design collective. With the support of innovative platforms like Fashion Forward, I am positive we will be able to nurture the development and evolution of our design and fashion industries together.’

The Showcase:

New for S/S ’16 at FFWD is The Showcase, a curated exhibition and retail space featuring a limited selection of premium Middle Eastern jewellery and accessories brands that were chosen for their creativity and originality. The Showcase offers an intimate and stylised space for these brands to present their latest pieces to guests, buyers and media. All of the brands showing in The Showcase are based in the Middle East or of Middle Eastern origin. 

Brands include:  Alessa Jewelry; Athena Akhavan; Bil Arabi; Bint Thani; Coup N.P; EXOCET; Grin; Janan; Kismet by Milka ; Lala queen; Madiso; Maryam Khazali; Narinee; Nathalie Trad; NS by Noof; Precious by Francois Ayoub; Rosa Maria Jewellery; Roula Dfouni; Rula Galayini; Rym Jewelry; Sarah's Bag; See ME; The O Jewelry; Vanina; Vik Jethwani Fine Jewellery; Vinita Michael; Yasmineh Kafai.

Marking the launch of The Showcase will be the unveiling of a bespoke art installation at FFWD – Summer Rain. Designed by artist Ana Margarida Castro from design firm BIA, the piece represents the pure symbiosis of Art & Fashion and, embracing the Spring/ Summer theme of FFWD, the piece reflects the lightness and colourfulness of the season’s vibes.

The Showcase will be open for visitors and buyers from October 22nd-24th at Madinat Jumeirah.

Azza Fahmy:

Renowned jewellery designer and Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC) member Azza Fahmy has partnered with FFWD since 2014. This S/S ’16 will see the exclusive opening of the Azza Fahmy Jewellery’s Exhibition: ‘A Journey Through Cultures’, at FFWD. The Exhibition celebrates the revival of global heritage and world cultures through Azza Fahmy's iconic jewellery revealing both the past and the present. Featuring various cultural themes, the exhibition is presented to inspire regional and international aspiring artists and designers to identify the importance of heritage and research and their substantial value and effect on design.

The d3 Fashion Talks:

Alongside the catwalk and presentation schedule, visitors to FFWD will be able to attend a series of talks and discussions, centring around some of the most pressing issues facing the fashion industry in our region, and internationally.

FFWD brings to the stage entrepreneur and renowned beauty blogger, Huda Kattan and her sister and business partner Mona Kattan. With nearly 7 million Instagram followers, Huda Beauty is one of the most talked about beauty bloggers in the world. Mona and Huda will share their story on building a Dubai-based brand that has a global cult following.

Building a Brand, the Huda Beauty Story - Huda Kattan; Mona Kattan; Moderated by Ritu Upadhyay - WWD (Thursday, October 22nd, 3pm)

Joining the FFWD programme from New York is the Global Brand President of M·A·C Cosmetics, Karen Buglisi Weiler. From overseeing M·A·C Cosmetics’ global business, to championing the M·A·C AIDS Fund and the brand’s unrelenting fundraising though the VIVA GLAM Lipsticks, Buglisi Weiler has been instrumental in the rise of the global cosmetics brand.  What truly sets Buglisi Weiler apart is her boundless energy, endless enthusiasm and ceaseless dedication to the beauty and fashion community.

 “At M·A·C, we believe in and support the fashion community on every level. From providing backstage artistry at over 850 fashion shows globally to student educational programs, fashion institution partnerships, and designer product collaborations, no other cosmetics brand is more intrinsically involved in this industry than M·A·C.  I am honoured to attend Fashion Forward Dubai to share the M·A·C story and our passion in the Middle Eastern market with the fellow industry leaders.”  -- Karen Buglisi Weiler, Global Brand President, M·A·C Cosmetics.

In Conversation With… Karen Buglisi Weiler (Friday, 23rd October, 4.30pm)

Guests at FFWD will also have a chance to hear from renowned New York-based fashion photographer and blogger, Scott Schuman. Schuman began his blog, The Sartorialist, in 2005 with the idea of creating a two-way dialogue about the world of fashion and its relationship to daily life. Since then his work has been acquired for the permanent collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and has been featured in many monthly publications. In 2012 he was awarded the CFDA Media Award and has published three books of street photography with Penguin.

“I’m looking forward to coming back to Dubai. My previous visit piqued my curiosity so I look forward to visiting again and spending more time in such a rapidly evolving city," said Schuman.

Meet the Sartorialist (Saturday, October 24th, 4.30pm)

Attending FFWD for the first time is the Founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion (BoF), Imran Amed. 

Bringing a unique understanding of the creative and commercial sides of fashion, Amed has emerged as one of the global fashion industry’s leading writers, thinkers and commentators.  Amed has been named in Fast Company’s annual list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business, British GQ’s list of the 100 Most Influential Men in Britain, Indian GQ’s list of the 50 Most Influential Global Indians, and Wired UK’s list of the 100 most influential figures in Britain’s digital economy. Previously, he was a management consultant at McKinsey & Co. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.Com from McGill University.  BoF is a next generation fashion media company conceived for today's global and hyper-connected world. Founded in 2007, BoF is known for its authoritative, agenda-setting point of view on the global fashion industry and is an indispensable resource for fashion executives, creatives, students and entrepreneurs in over 200 countries. It has been described as “The Economist of Fashion," “A Daily Destination for Fashion’s Power Players” and "The Industry Bible." 

In conversation with Imran Amed - Founder and CEO, The Business of Fashion (Saturday 24th October, 7.30 pm)

Additional topics to be explored through the d3 Fashion talks include:

Accessories: The Next Big Thing –Hamdi Kulahcioglu – GM of Tryano, Chalhoub Group; Shourouk Rhaiem -  Shorouk; Nadine Kanso – Bil Arabi; Moderated by Sofia Guellaty, Editor-in-Chief of Style.com/Arabia  (Thursday, October 22nd, 6pm)

Workshop: Fashion Styling for Today’s Media – John William – London College of Fashion (Friday, October 23rd, 1.30pm)

Designing to Sell: Balancing Creativity with Commerciality – Barbara Trebitsch – Domus Academy (Saturday, October 24th, 1.30pm)

Trade Shows: Entering the International Marketplace – Muriel Piaser (Sunday, October 25th, 11am)

The Architecture of Fashion – Khulood Thani – Bint Thani; Moderated by May Barber (Sunday October 25th, 2pm)

Workshop: Reflecting Heritage in Design – Alexandra Pisco – Maison Du Mode (Sunday, October 25th, 3.30pm)

Bloggers Mean Business: How to Engage with Influencers – Mahmoud Sidani –Mr. Moudz; Anum Bashir – Desert Mannequin; Nadya Hasan – The Fierce Diaries; Moderated by Katrina Judd – In Addition;  (Sunday, October 25th, 5pm)

*Schedule and timings subject to change. Please check the FFWD website for the latest version.

The Partnerships:

FFWD’s partnerships with international media outlets have helped bolster global visibility, season after season. New for the S/S ’16 shows, NOWFASHION will be featuring each of the FFWD runway and presentation looks on their portal in real time. As with previous seasons, all catwalk imagery will be shot, edited and hosted by Getty Images and each catwalk show will be live-streamed on Style.com/Arabia, the first Condé Nast fashion and beauty publication in the Middle East. In addition, all runway, presentation and The Showcase imagery will be featured on Fashion GPS’ portal -GPS Radar, which is accessed by over 33,000 members of the global fashion community.

For more information on the designers, speakers and full programming for FFWD’s S/S ’16 event, please see the FFWD website. 

FFWD is an industry-focused event, with priority access given to members of the regional and international fashion community. A limited number of passes is available to members of the public and those wishing to attend must register online, in advance, through the FFWD website.