International fashion celebrities to meet next generation of talent at 3rd Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience

Thursday 29 October 2015

Dubai - MENA Herald: The third edition of Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience (VFDE) organised by global property developer Emaar Properties in partnership with Vogue Italia and supported by the Dubai Design & Fashion Council, kicks off today (Thursday, October 29, 2015) with a bevy of international fashion celebrities arriving in Dubai for an unprecedented celebration of fashion talent over two days.

Differentiating itself with equal emphasis on highlighting the newest fashion trends by world-leading brands as well as providing a credible platform for emerging talent, VFDE 2015 will host the celebrities this evening at the Catwalk Fashion Show in The Dubai Mall.

VFDE 2015 will also be highlighted by the first edition of Who is on Next? Dubai, a talent scouting initiative mainly focused on emerging designers from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Twenty-five talented designers have been selected who will showcase their collection during the event.

Further, to strengthen a culture of fashion education, VFDE 2015 will feature Fashion Lectures hosted by the leading names in fashion. The Fashion Lectures will be held on Friday, October 30, from 3pm to 6pm at Fashion Avenue in The Dubai Mall with sessions led by Christian Louboutin, Founder & CEO of Louboutin; Miroslava Duma, Founder of Buro24/7; and Silvia Venturini Fendi, Creative Director for Accessories & Men’s Lines & President of Alta Roma. The sessions will be moderated by Jessica Michault, Editor-in-Chief of Nowfashion.

All three events are open for free to the public. They can also revel in the in-store activations by the leading fashion outlets in The Dubai Mall, which have lined up an incredible array of activities to mark one of Dubai’s most awaited fashion events.

Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties, said: “The first two editions of Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience have established Dubai as a fashion capital that offers a world-class retail infrastructure and welcomes luxury shoppers from around the world led by its central geographic location. The Dubai Mall, the world’s most visited retail and leisure destination, today is the hub for luxury retail, and has been a driver for growth for the fashion scene across the region. VFDE further serves as the nurturing ground for new talents, several of whom have evolved as international fashion professionals. With the enthusiasm that the event has generated internationally, we are confident of VFDE 2015 setting new benchmarks and adding to the pride of Dubai as a creative hub.”

Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia, said: “Right from the first edition of VFDE, we have been placing a firm emphasis on the event to serve as a magnet for new talent and creativity. VFDE has not only positioned Dubai and The Dubai Mall as referral points in the global fashion dialogue but also serve as a platform to nurture emerging talents. VFDE 2015 will provide spectacular showcases of global fashion trends and highlight the skills of emerging designers from around the world, who have great potential to make their mark internationally.”

Nez Gebreel, CEO, Dubai Design & Fashion Council, added: “More than a celebration of fashion, VFDE 2015 gains international relevance in its commitment to scout, nurture and promote emerging designers. The event complements the vision of Dubai Design & Fashion Council to nurture the next generation of design and fashion professionals in Dubai, which in turn will add to the city’s creative economy.”

Among the fashion celebrities expected to attend the event are: Carla Bruni, Italian singer, songwriter and former model; Christian Louboutin, CEO of Louboutin; Peter Dundas, Creative Director of Roberto Cavalli; Silvia Venturini Fendi, Creative Director for Accessories & Men’s Lines & President of Alta Roma; Philipp Plein, Creative Director; Alberta Ferretti, Creative Director; Carlo Capasa, President of Camera Moda; Federico Marchetti, Chief Executive Officer, Yoox Net-a-Porter Group; Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine; Imran Amed, founder of BOF.com, and Miroslava Duma, founder of Buro 24/7. Supermodels Mariacarla Boscono and Eva Herzigova, as well as a number of surprise VIP guests are also expected to make their appearance.

The Catwalk Fashion Show at 7pm at the Fashion Avenue of The Dubai Mall will showcase the collections of eight international designers who have been selected from across the world. The chosen designers include: Studio One Eighty Nine, The Kayys, Reem Al Kanhal, Arthur Arbesser, Krikor Jabotian, Melitta Baumeister, Xiao Li and L72.

The 25 talented designers chosen for Who is on Next? Dubai are: Absence, Adriaan Kuiters + Jody Paulsen, Anita Quansah London, Beyond Closet, Brother Vellies, Byungmun Seo, CA&LOU, Cynthia & Xiao, Dent de Man, Elio Abou Fayssal, Faissal El-Malak, Hussein Bazaza, J Moon, Jourden, Maryam Omaira, Matter Matters, max.tan, MaXhosa by Laduma, Nathalie Trad, Sindiso Khumalo, sulvam, Susana Traça, Ujoh, Yirantian and Youjia Jin. Their collections will be evaluated by a panel of globally-renowned fashion experts.

They will have amazing opportunities to showcase their collections at a number of high profile events in 2016, including: Pitti Uomo, Florence; Altaroma, Rome; Milan Fashion Week; Palazzo Morando during the September edition of Milan Fashion Week and have the opportunity to sell on yoox.com, the world’s leading online lifestyle store for fashion, design and art.

Who is on Next? Dubai has been launched by Vogue Italia and Emaar Properties, in collaboration with Altaroma and with the support of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Pitti Immagine and yoox.com, online retail and media partner. The project covers three categories: womenswear, menswear and accessories.

The second edition of the Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience, held in 2014, welcomed over one million visitors across three days. In-store activities organised by over 200 fashion retailers in The Dubai Mall also contributed to the significant boost in footfall, further underlining The Dubai Mall’s credentials as the ultimate destination for luxury shopping. The official partners of VFDE 2015 are Sephora, Pepsi, Emirates Airline and OSN.

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