Words by Sophia Miller
Founded in 2018 by Lebanese-born fashion writer and entrepreneur Tania Fares alongside Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar, Fashion Trust Arabia is a charity that supports, mentors and platforms emerging designers from the Middle East and North Africa. Selected by a panel of experts – who have included Zuhair Murad, Giambattista Valli and Amina Muaddi – a series of award winners receive a financial grant towards their businesses, as well as the opportunity to be stocked at Harrods and mentored by our buyers.
“Fashion is a growing industry in the Middle East,” Fares told us at the 2024 awards ceremony. “There are more young designers, and there is Saudi Fashion Week now, too. When we started, there were just 200 applicants for the Fashion Trust Arabia awards. Now, there are 1,000.” Why is it important? “You’re connecting a whole community from the Arab world to the international world,” Fares says. “That’s very powerful.”
Read on to find out more about the four award-winning designers as they land in-store and online at Harrods.
Jewellery Award
Designed between Barcelona and Riyadh and manufactured in Italy, APOA – short for A Piece of Art – is a global brand with a Saudi heart. Its sculptural, surrealist jewellery is inspired by the likes of Schiaparelli and Saint Laurent, and designed with a specific woman in mind: elegant with a daring edge. “We always try to take risks with the design and really push it,” explains co-founder Mashael Khalid Al Saud.
Eveningwear Award
Her signature concertina-pleated creations may have already graced the cover of Vogue Arabia, but after winning the Eveningwear prize, Qatari designer Yasmin Mansour is on an unstoppable trajectory. “Fashion is definitely my calling,” she says. “It’s not something I would say I consciously chose; it’s just always been there, like a natural extension of myself.”
Accessories Award
Translating to ‘sand’ in Arabic, Ramla aims to revive the rich culture and heritage of Egyptian craftsmanship using sustainable materials. Founder Reem Hamed employs women unable to leave their homes due to cultural issues or illness, and uses surplus materials to create truly special pieces. “Now I’ve won the prize, my plan is to build a team and find a warehouse,” she says. “I live with my parents, and everywhere in the house is full of shoes!”
Ready-to-Wear Award
Egyptian-born, London-based Nadine Mosallam started her eponymous label in 2020. “I come from a generation of women who never got to dream,” says the designer. “My clothes tell the story of where I come from, what my grandmother taught me, why I do what I do, why I love Egypt so much and why living beautifully is important.” Expect tonal textures and sensual shapes that celebrate the female form.
Coming soon to harrods.com
