Discover the talented up-and-coming designers who have earned a spot in the 2024 Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) finalists selection.
Photo: Mazen Abdulrahman. Vogue Arabia, January 2024.
Fashion Trust Arabia is back, with its awards ceremony taking place in Marrakech, Morocco on October 24, 2024. Ahead of the grand event, which is known to bring together some of the world’s most illustrious names to the region, the Fashion Trust Arabia 2024 Advisory Board has revealed its 18 finalists. On the day of the awards ceremony, designers are scheduled to present their work to the jury which includes Adam Baidawi, Ana Khouri, Beka Gvishiani, Carlos Nazario, Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, Caroline Issa, Carmen Busquets, Erdem Moralıoğlu, Gabriella Karefa Johnson, Gaia Repossi, Law Roach, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Michael Ward, Nadia Dhouib, Nina Garcia, Peter Dundas, Saif Mahdhi, Sara Sozzani Maino, Sarah Andelman, Sofia Guellaty, Susie Lau, Kevin Tekinel & Charles Levai, Ugo Mozie, Kelly Wearstler, LaQuan Smith, and Delfina Delettrez.
The finalists hail from various parts of the Middle East and North Africa region and will compete to win in the six categories: Ready-to-wear, eveningwear, jewelry, accessories, fashion tech, and the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award, and the Guest Country Designer Award.
Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia
Ready-to-Wear Award: Saudi designer Kawthar Alhoraish of Kaf Kaf, Egyptian designer Nadine Mosallam, Tunisian designer
Naïma Trabelsi.
Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia
Eveningwear Award: Moroccan designers Hamza Guelmouss & Valentin Nicot of Khol, Iraqi designer Tara Babylon, and Egyptian designer Yasmin Mansour.
Jewelry Award: Lebanese designers Karl Toufic Yazigi of GDF, Emirati designer Noura Alserkal, and Saudi designers Sara Naif AlSaud, Noura Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Mashael Khalid Al Saud of Apoa.
Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia
Accessories Award: Jordanian-Palestinian designer Dara Hamarneh, Moroccan designer Jihane Boumediane of Jyann, and Egyptian designer Reem Hamed.
Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia
Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award: Iraqi designer Mahmood Al Safi, Lebanese designer Mira Maktabi, and Palestinian-Jordanian designer Sylwia Nazzal of Nazzal Studio.
Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia
Fashion Tech: Jordanian designer Batoul Al-Rashdan, Egyptian designer Hazem Samy Ali of Eârtha, and Palestinian designer Sarah Salameh of Salaemeh Studio.
Guest Country Partnership: This year, the organizers have invited Spain to participate in the FTA Awards, where the selected Spanish designers will undergo the same judging process as the other finalists. They are, Acromatyx (Francisco Barroso & Javier Garcia), Ernesto Naranjo, Juan Vidal, and Leandro Cano.
What will the seven winners of the 2024 Fashion Trust Arabia Award receive?
The finalists of the FTA are competing to win a financial grant of US $100,000 to $200,000 cash prize, which will depend on the
size of their business, while the winner of the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award will receive US $50,000. What’s more, FTA’s retail partner Harrod’s will also carry the winning collections of the Eveningwear, Ready-to-Wear, Accessories, and Jewelry categories.
Other benefits include a year-long mentorship with The Bicester Collection, and a London internship offered to the Ready-to-Wear category winner by the Huntsman. The winner will also create a capsule collection which will be sold on the retailer’s e-commerce platform. All seven winners will receive a mentorship from luxury ethical fashion retail platform Maison De Mode, focusing on the importance of sustainability and ethical fashion practices. The winning designers will also take part in a two-day bespoke FTA mentorship program in London in partnership with The Bicester Collection, Brand x Society, and the British Fashion Council.
Who will attend the 2024 Fashion Trust Arabia Awards?
Per tradition, the jury members of the FTA will be present at the awards ceremony, alongside special celebrity guest judges who will be revealed closer to the event. The 2022 ceremony was attended by Bella Hadid, Huda Kattan, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, Naomi Campbell, Ed Westwick, Olivia Culpo, Poppy Delevingne, and many more.
