Blueprint Beirut has been awarded “Best Curation” at the International Fashion Showcase 2016. Organized by the Arab British Centre and Starch Foundation, the exhibition, currently ongoing at Somerset House as part of the annual Fashion Utopias showcase [and already viewed by over 1000 people each day since its launch on February 18th, 2016], features the best of Lebanese design and showcases the work of eight Starch designers. Style.com/Arabia featured the exclusive preview of the designers’ one-off propositions here, and in the gallery above, you can now view the finished work, nestled inside Starch architect Elie Metni’s exhibition design, which is an interpretation of a traditional Lebanese home.
Speaking to Style.com/Arabia, Nadia El-Sebai, Executive Director of The Arab British Centre remarked, “The Middle East has been underrepresented in previous years [at IFS].” She stated, “We initiated the partnership with Starch Foundation because we wanted to show audiences in the UK the strength and diversity of the creative and cultural industries in the Arab world.” She added that what Starch does for emerging designers in Lebanon is ‘pioneering.’”
Tala Hajjar, co-founder of Starch, accepted the Best Curation award and the award for Best Designer went to Hala Kaikso from Bahrain, while Starch designer Timi Hayek also came highly commended for the same category. Egypt came highly commended for Best Exhibition, which ultimately went to Czech Republic.
The International Fashion Showcase featured the work of 80 designers across 24 countries. Indeed, to have two of the three awards go to the Middle East is a feat for the regional fashion industry to celebrate. Style.com/Arabia’s Managing Editor Caterina Minthe, who has critiqued the Starch designers for several seasons at Fashion Forward Dubai, commented, “The Starch designers—as is the case with many creatives here in the Arab world—have a fascinating way of transporting us to delve deep into their complex roots via their designs, while still producing work that feel utterly current. It’s wonderful to see our industry contemporaries not just acknowledge but honor their boundless talent with these prestigious awards.”
Blueprint Beirut is open to the public until tomorrow, 6pm at Somerset House, London.
Photos by Alex Maguire
