Fashion Trust Arabia announces new advisory board and award for 2020

By

Robin Driver

Published
Oct 8, 2019

Following the inaugural edition of the Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) Prize this year, the philanthropic organization focused on promoting the development of the fashion industry in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region has revealed its program for 2020, announcing the addition of an advisory board and a new award for young talent.

The new board will work to compile a shortlist from all of next year’s prize applicants, and brings together fashion industry heavyweights including Colette founder Sarah Andelman, fashion e-commerce entrepreneur extraordinaire Carmen Busquets, and Dazed Media co-founder and CEO Jefferson Hack, among many others.
 
Judges for the 2020 edition of the prize are yet to be announced, but this year’s panel set a high bar, featuring designers such as Alexander Wang, Diane Von Furstenberg, Giambattista Valli, Olivier Rousteing, Pierpaolo Piccioli, and Victoria Beckham, as well as Berluti CEO Antoine Arnault, top model Naomi Campbell and Net-A-Porter founder Natalie Massenet.

Along with the five womenswear categories featured in 2019’s competition – eveningwear, ready-to-wear, accessories (shoes and bags), and jewellery –  next year’s edition will also see the addition of the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award for Arab fashion design graduates completing courses in 2018-19.
 
The new prize honors the late great editor of Vogue Italia and her commitment to the MENA region.
 
Applications for all of the FTA Prize’s categories are now open, to MENA-based designers only, on the organization’s website. Interested designers can complete their applications up until midnight on November 30.
 
2019’s winners include Salim Azzam and Roni Helou in the ready-to-wear category, Mukhi Sisters in the jewellery category, Krikor Jabotian for eveningwear, Zyne for shoes, and Sabry Marouf, who took home the bags award.
 
Each winner will receive up to $200,000 in financial grants, along with a range of support from FTA partners, including a year’s buying mentorship at MathesFashion.
 
Founded in summer 2018 by Tania Fares, in partnership with the organization’s co-chair H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, and under the patronage of honourable chair H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the FTA seeks to nurture MENA-based design talent by providing financial awards and industry mentorship, while also drawing international attention to the region’s growing fashion industry.
 
“This initiative is necessary because it provides a platform that isn’t otherwise available to enable young creatives from the MENA region to launch their careers and grow their businesses,” explained Fares in a press release. “It's time for ambitious, bright talents from the region to have their voices heard – and I'm thrilled that Fashion Trust Arabia can shine a light on talent from the Arab world.”
 
The FTA’s 2020 awards ceremony will take place at the recently inaugurated National Museum of Qatar on March 25, 2020.