The sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week will take place on board of the recently opened Queen Elizabeth II floating hotel from May 6-12, making it the first floating official fashion week in the world.
Docked permanently at the Mina Rashid marina, the historic and newly refurbished Queen Elizabeth 2 is the Middle East’s first floating hotel, offering passengers culinary, nightlife, heritage and art experiences.
The announcement is in line with a new partnership between the force behind the event, Arab Fashion Council (AFC), and Dubai-based investment firm MBM Holding.
AFC is a non-profit fashion organization which represents 22 countries and acts as a support platform for regional designers, offering emerging talent with mentorship programs and more.
Saeed Al Mutawa, CEO of MBM Holding said: “In line with the role that Dubai plays on the international economic and creative scenes, we are confident that our joint resources will take the fashion sector in Dubai to the next level.”
Under the partnership, MBM will support the council in positioning the UAE as a global fashion player, particularly in pushing for ‘Made in the UAE’ labels and manufacturing, and attracting foreign investment into the sector.
“This agreement highlights Dubai’s support of the Arab Fashion Council’s quest to develop the creative sector in the UAE by giving access to foreign brands and talent to invest in the country, providing them with the right tools and platform,” said Jacob Abrian, CEO of the Arab Fashion Council.
Abrian added the council will unveil a strategic plan at a later date.
Last month, the council made history by hosting the first ever Arab Fashion Week in Riyadh.
AFC was founded in 2014 in London and has since been working closely with international experts to position Arab Fashion Week alongside New York (NYFW), London (LFW), Milan (MFW), and Paris (PFW).
It claims to be the only official fashion week to promote Ready Couture and Pre-Collections.
This season will see designers from 13 different countries participate. These include the UAE, Russia, UK, Venezuela, Lebanon, USA, KSA, China, Taiwan, Portugal, Italy, Armenia and Egypt. Some of the brands are Amato Couture, Anastasia Raykova and Aiisha Ramadan.
It will also see the launch of an eco-friendly collection under the name of AFC Green Label.
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