Dubai Design Week, announced earlier this month, is just one of the initiatives the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC) has launched in its bid to establish the city as the emerging design capital of the world. “Together the council is working upwards from the grass roots to lay a strong, sustainable foundation,” Nez Gebreel, the council’s CEO, told me as she outlined the elements key to the first phase of DDFC’s five-year plan.
“As a government body, we have the privilege to hold an umbrella for everyone that has a proven track record and provides excellence in what they do,” she said.
“We see success as a collaborative effort with the various public and private organisations and individuals in the region. We want to encourage people to contribute to the good of Dubai.”
DESIGN EDUCATION
To understand the gaps in the regional design education market, the DDFC roped in Deloitte, the international auditing and enterprise advisory, to create a “Design Education Study”. The study, which was conducted across regional and international design markets, and students and recent graduates, aimed at developing a workforce planning strategy and implementation model for schools.
Findings of the study, which have been shared with partner institutions, have opened a dialogue on design education. “We are also working closely with KHDA to include design education awareness as well as workshops with school students on design subjects,” she said about the education outreach initiatives being taken by the council.
“Engaging parents and counsellors to educate everyone on education and career paths in design related fields is important,” she said, while adding that meetings with international academic institutions to explore partnership opportunities and curriculum development for design programmes were already underway.
MENA DESIGN OUTLOOK
“The objective of this report is to highlight the key trends and market forecasts in the MENA region for the design sector, focusing on the UAE, which is leading the region in terms of design market share,” Gebreel said. Aimed at building a bridge between global markets and local design, the study, in association with The Future Laboratory — a trends and insight consultancy — will help us understand the global macro trends that will shape the MENA design industry and transition towards “knowledge-based economies” where creativity and innovation are incentivised.
DUBAI FASHION WEEK
Bolstering Dubai’s position as a hub for regional fashion talent and a global fashion destination, the DDFC Board signed off on a concept strategy with an aim to launch its own fashion week in 2016. Envisioned as a city-wide gala, the event will have strong slant on the business of fashion, promoting creativity and educated reporting of fashion from the region, Gebreel said.
THE BIG PRIZES
On the lookout for the next generation of regional womenswear designers, the DDFC launched the Style.com/Arabia DDFC Fashion Prize in April. Jury members (Peter Dundas, Roberto Cavalli creative director; Patrick Chalhoub, CEO of Chalhoub Group; and designer Zuhair Murad, among others) had the envious task of shortlisting ten finalists from 200 designers from 15 Arab countries and 30 cities. “Through the annual endowment, the winning designer will receive a financial grant, mentorship, retail and marketing opportunities valued at over Dh918,000,” said Gebreel, who is one of the jurors.
As the regional nominating body for the International Woolmark Prize (IWP), the DDFC brings the regional finals — for the Middle East, India and Pakistan — to the UAE for the first time. “There is so much advancement around wool that it is even used on sportswear. Dubai welcomes that kind of innovation,” Gebreel said. The finalists, to be announced in July, will receive support and mentorship from the IWP and a Dh150,000 financial contribution towards their next collection. The finals will be held in 2016.
Pratyush Sarup edits the design site designcarrot.net. You can follow the site on twitter @DesignCarrot.
