In an attempt to accelerate the growth and development of regional designers, Fashion Forward Dubai has teamed up with Samsung to launch an initiative called Epic – the Empowerment Programme through Industry Collaboration.
Supported by Dubai Design District (d3), and endorsed by the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC), the initiative includes a year-long calendar of events and workshops open to up-and-coming designers in the Middle East.
“Epic aims to answer the challenges faced by regional designers when entering the fashion and retail landscape,” says Ramzi Nakad, chief operating officer and co-founder of Fashion Forward Dubai (FFWD). “Technology has a large role to play and we hope to bring new approaches that will enable regional designers with greater opportunities to streamline their path to commercial viability.”
Fashion Forward will mark its eighth season in Dubai with its Spring/Summer 2017 show, which runs from October 20 to 23. Participating designers will be eligible to apply for Epic’s schemes, which include the chance to exhibit in a showroom space at Paris Fashion Week, from September 30 to October 5. Another initiative will select one designer a season to complete a two-month master’s scholarship at Domus Academy in Milan.
Closer to home, Epic has teamed-up with Galleries Lafayette to offer an in-store pop-up shop for select designers from September 8 until October 23. It will also organise a series of workshops and one-on-one sessions with leading hair and make-up specialists to help optimise runway presentations.
Other aspects of the fashion industry will be explored during sessions covering buying behaviour, trends, sales strategies and maximising a digital presence.
The final pillar of Epic’s programme is geared towards exposure to and engagement with key regional social-media fashion influencers – many of whom will be sitting front row at shows during the FFWD show in October.
“Season 8 actually looks like it will be one of our best ever,” says Nakad. “We have the most number of designers registered, and are looking into making it a four-day event rather than three.
“With Epic, to start with we’re focusing on FFWD designers and select d3 fashion creative partners – of which we have about 200 on our database. With the council [DDFC], we’re discussing ways of putting in place some kind of membership programme so that more designers can be involved. But for now, this is a great trial period for us and we’re learning how to perfect it for the years to come.”
Apparel designers who will send their creations down the ramp at FFWD this season include Dubai-based couturier-to-the-stars Furne One, from the Philippines, and Hussein Bazaza, from Lebanon. Emirati talent is represented with the eponymous label of Sheikha Madiyah Al Sharqi, and Zareena Yousif, of fashion house Zareena, which makes a return to the runway.
“I think Epic is a great initiative and I’m really pleased to see how industry players are pushing emerging designers from the region towards the international market,” says UAE-based French-Algerian designer Faiza Bouguessa, who will show her latest collection at FFWD.
“As designers, we are being listened to, and the industry is improving the approach it has with us. The mentoring Epic will provide will probably appeal the most to me, as it will allow me to better understand how to structure my business and find areas of development.” Fashion Forward will once again be staged at d3 – which is all part of the master plan, according to Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, the chief operating officer of Dubai Design District.
“We are always keen to support programmes that are geared towards enabling local and regional designers to reach their full potential globally,” he says.
“By inspiring them to flourish through programmes such as this, and through building the supportive infrastructure they need at d3, we will help the growth of the industry and assist in the vision of the diversification of Dubai’s knowledge economy. It’s our responsibility to support designers by listening to what they need from their work environment and wider industry in order to help them achieve the levels of recognition and commercial success they deserve.”
• For more information about Epic, application terms and conditions, and FFWDS8 updates, visit www.fashionforward.ae
rduane@thenational.ae