By Lojain El Shawaf
Fashion Forward Dubai or FFWD for short is a biannual fashion event that has a huge effect on the development of fashion throughout the region. It’s a great platform to showcase new designers, new designs from famous brands, runway shows by regional designers as well as workshops.
To our surprise, FFWD was originally an industry-only event, but now all shows and events are open to the general public, and the four-day event will be taking place from October 31 to November 2 at its new home, Dubai Design District (D3).
This year’s edition will be like no other as the developers created a ‘shop the show’ opportunity, which basically means that you can purchase any of the catwalks’ looks during and after the shows, which is a great and unique addition.
This year’s FFWD edition will include 21 regional and international designers, here are some of their names with a small description.
Amato
This is the brand of the highly creativeFurne One, the brand was launched in 2002 in the UAE. It partnered up with textile expert Rashid Ali and Amato has been able to dress a lot of legendary celebrities including Lady Gaga and Mariah Carey. The meaning behind the Name “Amato” is beloved in Italian and the designer succeeded in breaking the glass ceiling.
Ezra Santos
Santos, who started up his massive couture label, Ezra, in 2004, is one of the few UAE-based designers to have received international acclaim, he has dressed plenty of stars like Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, and Lady Gaga.
The Filipino designer launched his brand in 2004 and it’s considered as one of the major influences in the fashion industry in the region as it bridges the past, the present, and the future. It is located in Villa 746 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 3, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Hass Idris
HASSIDRISS is the couture label empowering women around the world with unique designs. After graduating from Central Saint Martins and shadowing the greatest from David LaChapelle to Alexander McQueen, Hass decided to take on the fashion scene by a storm when he started to create some of the finest pieces that scream elegance mixed with simplicity.
He made his first debut as a designer back in 2009 during London Fashion Week. He’s currently based in Beirut, working only with the finest qualities of the world.
Michael Cinco
The Filipino designer launched his eponymous fashion line in Dubai back in 2003, and the world has since witnessed one of the greatest designers of all time. Cinco’s massive success since landed him among some of the biggest stars including international celebrities like Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Chris Brown.
Tanya Skaff
This designer is born and raised in Africa and always aspires to tell a story through her designs using textiles and technology which is a huge development in traditional fashion story-telling techniques.
“In 2017, Tanya was awarded the jury prize “Elie Saab internship for commitment to excellence and craftsmanship”.
THYM
Rebecca Zaatar the owner of the THYM clothing line was discovered by Elie Saab before joining his creative department team for 7 years. Zaatar’s biggest inspiration is women, and the designer loves to showcase women’s delicacy and tenderness through her sense of playfulness.
SADEEM
It is a pret-a-couture fashion brand by Saudi designer Aljawharah (Sadeem) Alshehail. The designer embraces ethical practices, collaborating with companies that share the same principles. SADEEM’s fabrics are non-toxic and are sourced from companies that employ sustainable practices.
Behnoode
BEHNOODE is a luxury fashion brand founded by Behnood Javaherpour, in Italy. The Persian fashion designer’s brand has grown significantly and is now globally recognized across Europe and the Middle East. The vision behind the designer’s collection was to create pieces of art through his tailor-made garments.