Arab Fashion Council

The Arab Fashion Council (AFC) (Arabic: مجلس الأزياء العربي ) is the world's largest non-profit fashion council and an INGO for the Arab world, representing the 22 members of the Arab League. It is based in Dubai with the main goal to promote Arab fashion designers internationally, disseminate fashion culture in the region, and position the Arab world on the international map of fashion. It includes Arab companies and talent within the fashion industry, in particular fashion designers, models, photographers, hair stylists, make-up artists, and art directors. Likewise, it regulates the modelling agencies by creating standards to protect models working in the Arab world. Finally, it regulates the schools of fashion registered under the laws of Arab countries.[1]

Arab Fashion Council
Arabic: مجلس الأزياء العربي‎
AbbreviationAFC
FounderJacob Abrian
PurposePromote Arab fashion Industry worldwide and establishing an economy based on creativity and knowledge.
HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
Region
Arab World
FieldsFashion Industry
Official language
Arabic & English
chief executive officer
Jacob Abrian
Websitearabfashioncouncil.com

Its first Honorary President was Cav. Lav. Mario Boselli[2] the former president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. On 18 December 2017, the Arab Fashion Council has announced from London the opening of its office in Riyadh and organised the first fashion week in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the name of Arab Fashion Week.[3][4]

On 7 December 2015, Jacob Abrian has been elected as chief executive officer for the Council, being the youngest appointed CEO for a Council.

On September 2017, the Arab Fashion Council has signed a strategic long-term partnership with Meraas, a Dubai-based holding company.[5] that aims to position Dubai as a fashion capital and celebrate the Arab Fashion Week in a citywide activation in the emirate.

On April 2018, the Arab Fashion Council has signed a partnership with MBM Holding, a Dubai-based Royal family office and investment holding company with activities in investments, strategic advisory and social and community development.[6]

A 2021 partnership with the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode yielded the first ever Arab Fashion Week for Men, a three day virtual event based in Dubai. The event is scheduled to occur twice annually in coordination with other men's fashion week events.[7]

Vision

The Arab Fashion Council sets its 2030 vision aiming to create an Arab economy based on creativity and knowledge, by building an industry infrastructure in the region known as the Arab Fashion System. This system anticipates to divide the Arab countries into 3 main clusters; the North African Arab countries to fit under the raw materials resourcing and textile cluster, the Arab Levant countries under the manufacturing cluster, and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf countries under the retail and merchandise cluster.[8]

Structure

Based in Dubai, the Arab Fashion Council operates through partnerships in the entire region, its structure is based on 4 main pillars gon]] represented by a different department.[9]

– Higher Management is formed from the board of Chief Officers, directors, and managers having the duty of running the daily business of the council.

– Advisors is formed out of nominated individuals to support the higher management in their strategic decisions and planning.

– Honorary Pioneers are those public notable figures whose work has given the important contribution to the civil society, charity, and the Fashion industry. Among the pioneers are Ralph Debbas the founder of W Motors, Marc Ledermann the CEO of Domus Academy, and Ronnie Jackson.

– Ambassadors are those people who represent the image of the Arab Fashion Council, only admitted through invitation by the higher management.

Activities

A landmark activity of the Arab Fashion Council is to organize the twice-yearly the prestigious event Arab Fashion Week. It is the only official Fashion Week in Dubai and the Arab World that is recognized on the international calendar next to the other big four fashion weeks, such as, New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, and Paris Fashion Week. It is considered as one of the world's 5 most important fashion weeks. The Arab Fashion Week represents all 22 Arabic countries and is hosted in Dubai at The Meydan Hotel, promoting both Arab and International designers into the global market where notable fashion brands show their Ready-Couture collection along to the Arab designers.[10] On its 4th edition, the Arab Fashion Week became the world's main platform for the Pre-collections and Ready-Couture.[11] The Arab Fashion Week has also been organised in Riyadh on April 2018 becoming the first fashion week in the history of Saudi Arabia.[12]

On the 11th edition on June 2020 and the 12th edition on October 2020 the Arab Fashion Council hosted the Arab Fashion Week virtually as precaution to the spread of Covid19.[13][14]

On September 2020, the Arab Fashion Council hosted the first Arab designers showroom on the official calendar of Paris Fashion Week in partnership with the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.[15]

Similar Activities

Other fashion weeks similar to the event organized by the Arab Fashion Council are the New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.

Education

In partnership with leading fashion schools and UNESCO Office in Doha, the Arab Fashion Council promotes the Fashion Education and support the Arab talents by providing a fully covered scholarship for an Arab student after entering an annual competition to study bachelor's and master's degrees in Dubai.[16]

Charity and peace

It is the first fashion association to work on a health and pension strategy to protect its members after reaching the age of 65.[17] In addition, it tries to achieve peace in the Middle East[18] through fashion inspired by the purposes United States Federation for Middle East Peace.

The Arab Fashion Council has joined forces with Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Design District to launch #thread4cause, an initiative of which the Arab Fashion Council's members of designers, brands and companies have produced Personal Protection Equipment to support the health care sector amid the spread of COVID-19.[19][20][21]

On 13 August 2020, and following the 2020 Beirut Explosion at the port of the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon which caused at least 204 deaths, 6,500 injuries, and US$15 billion in property damage, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless, the Arab Fashion Council in partnership with the international fashion magazine Marie Claire Arabia has launched a charitable project titled Beirut Fashion Relief Initiative to aid and support the Lebanese fashion designers who were affected by the blast.[22]

Countries covered by the Arab Fashion Council
  •  Algeria (Arabic: الجزائر‎ al-Jazāʾir) (Tamazight: National Language) (Darija: Vehicular Language)
  •  Bahrain (Arabic: البحرين‎ al-Baḥrayn)
  •  Comoros (Arabic: جزر القمر‎ Juzur al-Qamar) (Comorian and French are the other official languages)
  •  Djibouti (Arabic: جيبوتي‎ Djībūtī) (French is the other official language)
  •  Egypt (Arabic: مصر‎ Miṣr)
  •  Iraq (Arabic: العراق‎ al-ʿIrāq) (Kurdish is the other official language (minority))
  •  Jordan (Arabic: الأردن‎ al-ʾUrdun)
  •  Kuwait (Arabic: الكويت‎ al-Kuwayt)
  •  Lebanon (Arabic: لبنان‎ Lubnān)
  •  Libya (Arabic: ليبيا‎ Lībyā)
  •  Mauritania (Arabic: موريتانيا‎ Mōrītānyā)
  •  Morocco (Arabic: المغرب‎ al-Maġrib) (Berber is the other official language)
  •  Oman (Arabic: عمان‎ ʿUmān)
  •  Palestine (Arabic: فلسطين‎ Falastyn)
  •  Qatar (Arabic: قطر‎ Qaṭar)
  •  Saudi Arabia (Arabic: المملكة العربية السعودية‎ al-Mamlakah al-ʿArabiyyah as-Suʿūdiyyah)
  •  Somalia (Arabic: الصومال‎ aṣ-Ṣūmāl) (Somali is the other official language)
  •  Sudan (Arabic: السودان‎ as-Sūdān) (English is the other official language (minority))
  •  Syria (Arabic: سوريا‎ Sūryā)
  •  Tunisia (Arabic: تونس‎ Tūnis)
  •  United Arab Emirates (Arabic: الإمارات العربيّة المتّحدة‎ al-ʾImārāt al-ʿArabiyyah al-Muttaḥidah)
  •  Yemen (Arabic: اليمن‎ al-Yaman)

See also

References
  1. "focus on". arabfashioncouncil.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  2. "Honorary President". Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. "Arab Fashion Council Riyadh". Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  4. "Saudi Arabia Takes Lead Role at Arab Fashion Council". Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  5. "Meraas".
  6. "MBM HOLDING".
  7. Portee, Allyson. "The Arab Fashion Council To Premiere Its Inaugural Fashion Week For Men This January". Forbes. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  8. "AFC Vision". arabfashioncouncil.com/. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  9. "AFC Structure". arabfashioncouncil.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  10. "Arab Fashion Week". arabfashionweek.org. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  11. Backus, Emily (22 February 2017). "Arab Fashion Week Shifts Dates to Raise Profile". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  12. "Arab Fashion Week touches down in Riyadh". Emirates Woman. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  13. "Arab Fashion Week goes virtual". Harper's Bazaar Arabia. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  14. "Arab Fashion Week 2020 will go ahead online". Esquire Magazine. 18 October 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  15. "Paris Fashion Week to Host Showroom Dedicated to Arab Designers". Vogue. 28 September 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  16. "AFC Scholarship". Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  17. "Pension Programme for the Arab Designers". rabfashioncouncil.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  18. "Arab Fashion Council peace strategy". arabfashioncouncil.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  19. "Arab Designers to Now Produce Protective Equipment for UAE Healthcare Workers". Vogue. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  20. "Arab Fashion Council calls on designers to make masks, gowns and sanitisers amid Covid-19". Arabian Business. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  21. "HOW DUBAI DESIGNERS HAVE TURNED THEIR ATTENTION FROM HAUTE COUTURE TO HEALTHCAREdate=18 May 2020". Grazia. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  22. "ماري كلير العربيّة ومجلس الأزياء العربيّ يبعثا الأمل لمصمّمي لبنان". Marie Claire Arabia. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
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