Fashion Trust Arabia Partners with Turkey for 2022 Awards
Entering its fourth year, the Fashion Trust Arabia Awards will take place on 24 October 2022, with a special advisory board of fashion heavyweights including stylist Patti Wilson, GQ's deput global editorial director Adam Baidwai, critic Alexander Fury, journalist Pierre M’Pele and designers Olivier Theyksens and Erdem Moralıoğlu selecting the 24 finalists. The non-profit organisation Fashion Trust Arabia have also announced a special partnership with Turkey as the guest country for this year's edition, spotlighting designers from across Asia and North Africa.
Launched in 2018, Fashion Trust Arabia offers mentorship and financial support to designers in the MENA region, placing them on an international stage, together with a one-year partnership with MatchesFashion and sustainability guidance from Maison de Mode. Applications for the Fashion Trust Arabia Awards 2022 are now open until 30 April 2022, and designers must have MENA heritage or part of their brand business activities based in the region.
Categories include ready-to-wear, eveningwear, accessories and jewellery, and those awarded the four prizes will receive a financial grant ranging between $100,000 and $200,000 for key areas of business development, depending on the size of their business and yearly turnover. Furthermore, the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award for a graduate designer who has earned their degree as far back as 2020, offers a grant of $25,000 to help jumpstart their business alongside mentorship. In an alliance between Fashion Trust Arabia and İHKİB (the Istanbul Apparel Exporters’ Association), the chosen finalists from Turkey will have their own dedicated award, recognising a women's ready-to-wear designer.
'The partnership with Turkey represents an opportunity for young designers from the MENA region and Turkey to be exposed to each other’s markets and exchange knowledge. Both regions share a rich culture of craftsmanship and artisanal work, which presents them with endless opportunities for further exploration', Fashion Trust Arabia told press.
