DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize – Jury

Manuel Arnaut is the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Arabia.

Manuel Arnaut is a Portuguese journalist and editor graduated from Lisbon's Higher School of Media and Studies and the Complutense Mr. University of Madrid, with a specialization in Social History of Fashion.

Mr. Arnaut began his professional career at Vogue Portugal, where over a period of seven years he interviewed fashion’s leading figures such as Tom Ford, Peter Dundas, Marc Jacobs, Emanuele Ungaro, and Diane von Fürstenberg, among others. After a three-year stint at GQ Portugal, where he held the position of Editor, Mr. Arnaut moved to Dubai to successfully launch Architectural Digest Middle East. Within a short period of time, Mr. Arnaut secured covers with international icons such as Zaha Hadid, Donatella Versace, and Elie Saab, and was granted exclusive access to royal palaces from across the Gulf, in an unprecedented regional coup. Mr. Arnaut is active in philanthropic work in the region: while at Architectural Digest Middle East, he organized charity events to benefit Dubai Cares and UNICEF MENA.

Mr. Arnaut has also contributed to some of the world's top publications including the Brazilian editions of Vogue and GQ, Architectural Digest Mexico, Madame Figaro (Maxima), and Wallpaper. Aside from fashion and writing, music is one of the accomplished cellist's passions.

Shashi Menon is the Founder and CEO of Nervora, one of the Middle East’s premier publishers of luxury and lifestyle content and the publisher of Vogue Arabia.

Born and raised in the USA, Mr. Menon has lived or done business in 20+ countries across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Mr. Menon has been in the Middle East since 2007, initially as a management consultant, then in a strategy and business development role with the UAE government.

In 2009, Mr. Menon founded Nervora. In 2012, Nervora partnered with Condé Nast to launch Style.com/Arabia, its first fashion and beauty publication in the Middle East. One year later, he spearheaded the launch of Style.com/Arabia/MEN. In 2015, Nervora expanded further with the launch of PopSugar in the Middle East. In Fall 2016, Nervora launched Vogue Arabia, in a historic, digital-first launch, followed by a print launch in Spring 2017.

Caterina Minthe is the Features Director of Vogue Arabia.

In her role as Features Director, Minthe oversees features content for Vogue Arabia, covers in-depth interviews with industry heavyweights, advocates emerging talent across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and reports live during international and regional fashion weeks.

Minthe was previously the Managing Editor of Style.com/Arabia, which she joined from its inception. Prior to Style.com/Arabia, Minthe worked at two Dubai-based fashion magazines and also lived in Mexico, Egypt, and Uganda, where she operated as an emerging market cultural correspondent for The Times and The Washington Post. A polyglot, TedX speaker, and violinist, Minthe is based between Paris and Dubai and lives with her husband, their two young children, and a boisterous Italian greyhound, Emile.

Born in St Petersburg in 1966, Karina Dobrotvorskaya began her career as an executive professor in Western European Theatre at the Saint Petersburg National Academy of Theatre Arts, where she also earned her Ph.D. after completing a doctoral thesis on the Theatre Culture of Art Nouveau. She has written over 200 articles on theatre, cinema and history of art for Russian newspapers and magazines.

After working as Deputy Editor of Vogue Russia and founding Editor in Chief of AD Russia, Karina was named Editorial Director of Condé Nast Russia in 2006, followed by President of Condé Nast Russia in 2008, maintaining her Editorial Director responsibilities. Under Karina's leadership, the Russian company launched a significant number of new titles (Tatler, Brides, Condé Nast Traveller and Allure) and moved into digital publishing with the launch of five websites (vogue.ru, cntraveller.ru, allure.ru, admagazine.ru and tatler.ru), including tablet and mobile editions.

In October 2012, Condé Nast International appointed Karina Dobrotvorskaya as President and Editorial Director of Brand Development, overseeing the editorial excellence of titles across 29 markets. Based in Paris, Karina was responsible for global editorial strategy, providing editorial consultancy to print and digital titles, new launches and international events.

In May 2015, Condé Nast International combined the activities of its Paris-based Brand Development department and its London-based New Markets department. Karina Dobrotvorskaya was appointed President of Condé Nast International New Markets and Editorial Director, Brand Development, based in London. Karina’s primary focus is the launching new products and supporting existing brands in emerging markets as part of a broader responsibility for brand development at Condé Nast International. Under Karina Dobrotvorskaya’s supervision, Condé Nast International launched Vogue Arabia online in 2016 (the first Vogue to launch digital first), followed by a print edition in 2017, marking Condé Nast’s long awaited move into the Middle Eastern market. Vogue Poland, the 23rd edition of the title, will launch in 2018.

Karina Dobrotvorskaya has written two books: Blockade Girls (2013, Novoe Izdatelstvo) and Has Anybody Seen My Gal? 100 Letters to Seriozha (2014, AST) and has two two children, son Ivan (20), and daughter Sonya (15).

Jazia Al Dhanhani is the Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC), a governmental entity established to develop and nurture a sustainable design industry in Dubai. She is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the organization and establishing an overall framework for DDFC.

DDFC’s mandate is to raise the profile of Dubai as a regional and global destination for design and fashion, ensure the contribution of the creative industries to the sustainable development of the Emirate, stimulate trade and tourism, develop local talent, and attract companies operating in the fields of design and fashion to Dubai.

Prior to becoming CEO, Jazia was part of the core DDFC team where she led the development of DDFC’s strategic plan to ensure alignment to the objectives of the Council set out by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. During this time, Jazia was instrumental to the successful launch of DDFC’s key initiatives, among which was the inauguration of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation – a major milestone for the regional design industry.

Jazia has over 22 years of experience within the creative industries, having held a variety of strategic positions with SmartCity, Emaar and the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), and Emarat – Emirates General Petroleum.

Patrick Chalhoub is the Joint CEO of the Chalhoub Group, the Middle East’s largest luxury fashion group. Headquartered in Dubai, the Chalhoub Group manages over 400 stand-alone retail outlets and department stores within the fashion, beauty, and luxury gift sectors.

Mr. Chalhoub began his career in 1979 when he decided to become involved in the realization of his father’s vision to build a bridge between the East and West and be the ambassador of luxury lifestyle in the region. For nearly 30 years, Mr. Chalhoub has spearheaded the strategic development of the business; he continues to expand the group’s distribution, retail business, marketing, and communications activities. Today, Mr. Chalhoub oversees the retail operations of fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Nina Ricci, Marc Jacobs, and Carolina Herrera within the UAE and wider Gulf region.

At the age of 42, the French government awarded Mr. Chalhoub with the medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite.

Reem Acra is a powerhouse in couture design. Born in Lebanon, Acra learned her trade from her grandmother, who had a skilled hand for creating handmade silk flowers. With an appetite for design, Acra studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and its Paris counterpart École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (ESMOD).

After her studies, she moved to New York, and in 1997 launched her eponymous maison, which rapidly garnered success and international recognition thanks to her elegant bridal collections meticulously constructed from luxe fabrics with ornate details and embroidery. Six years later, Acra launched a prêt-a-porter collection and her gowns became a red carpet favorite among stars including Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez. Her designs have even made their way into the world of politics with the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, wearing Acra’s gowns during her international tours. Reem Acra collections are now carried in more than 100 of the most exclusive retailers across the globe.

Edgardo Osorio was just 25 when he launched his luxury footwear brand, Aquazzura, in 2011. Perfecting the balance between modern design and impeccable craftsmanship, he rapidly caught the attention of the style cognoscenti and A-list with his client list including European royalty as well as Hollywood stars from Jennifer Lawrence to Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, Rihanna, and Beyoncé.

Although he was born in Colombia and raised between Miami and London, it was Italy that ignited Osorio’s passion for footwear – the Aquazzura headquarters are situated in the historical Palazzo Corsini in Florence.

After cutting his teeth in the industry aged 14 when he interned at fashion companies in Colombia, Osorio moved to the UK when he was just 16 and joined the prestigious London College of Fashion, before attending Central Saint Martins. While still studying at Polimoda fashion school in Florence, the designer’s skills were recognized and he became the head of shoes at Roberto Cavalli. Today, Aquazzura is stocked at over 350 stockists worldwide.

Anya Ziourova grew up in Saint Petersburg. At the age of 18, she moved to New York to begin her career as an intern in the accessory department of American Vogue. Not long afterwards, she was offered a full-time position as Fashion Assistant and subsequently Fashion Stylist at Japanese and Chinese Vogue. During this period, Ms. Ziourova was also asked to contribute to Condé Nast's newly launched Russian Tatler, and in 2009 she was announced as its Fashion Director. She went on to be named Creative Fashion Consultant for Allure Russia in 2012, and she was announced as Executive Editor at Large for online retailer Farfetch earlier this year.

Ms. Ziourova has contributed to an array of international editions of Vogue (Spain, India, Australia, America, Japan, China, and Ukraine), Vanity Fair, Muse, and Glamour. Up until now, she has also worked alongside a diverse group of international fashion photographers including Patrick Demarchelier, Norman Jean Roy, Arthur Elgort, Guy Aroch, Regan Cameron, Pamela Hanson, Raymond Meier, Giampaolo Sgura, Paola Kudacki, Kenneth Willardt, Russell James, and Maciek Kobielski.

A consultant for various fashion brands, Ms. Ziourova has a portfolio that spans Neiman Marcus, Ben Sherman, Lancaster, and Sally LaPointe, as well as Coca Cola and one of the UK's largest department stores, John Lewis. She has also worked with celebrities Sharon Stone, Amanda Seyfried, Tina Fey, Marina Abramović, Sofía Vergara, Diane Kruger, Mia Wasikowska, Katy Perry, Monica Bellucci, and Camilla Belle.

With a retail career spanning 27 years, Tanya Atkinson was appointed Senior Vice President - Department Stores, Jewelry, and Home within Al Tayer Group’s retail business in 2015, overseeing commercial operations for those categories.

Having spent five years with Australian department store giant David Jones, Tanya relocated to Dubai from her native Australia in 2005, where she was part of the management team responsible for launching and operating luxury department store Harvey Nichols – Dubai, initially as Operations Manager and later as Store Manager and General Manager, before assuming her current role.

Tanya has a Bachelor of Commerce in Management from the University of Western Sydney, a Masters of Commerce in Employee Relations from the University of Western Sydney, and later completed a Graduate Diploma in Business & Technology at the University of New South Wales.

Tanya resides in Dubai and is married with two young children.