British brand, Ascots & Chapels has devised a unique way to support locally based artists from the UAE. The ‘Artist of the Month’ CSR campaign, which was launched recently during the ‘art month’ in Dubai, aims to showcase the heritage and diversity of the nation’s arts and culture community.
As part of the campaign, the brand will collaborate with local talents including artists, designers, illustrators and graphic designers and commission them to create a bespoke piece of art that will adorn the lining of a custom suit jacket.
When selecting upcoming artists for the campaign, the brand paid particular heed to celebrating the UAE, and for its maiden collaboration, it picked contemporary Emirati artist Khalid Al Banna.
The creation of Sharjah-based Al Banna is now part of a limited-edition jacket as an ode to his work in contemporary fine arts. The piece includes etching, which is a signature in his practice and incorporates motifs and collages that celebrate the Emirati heritage.
“It is an honour to collaborate with Ascots & Chapels on this project. By transforming my print artworks to fabric, my vision becomes more accessible and mainstream, and this was fascinating to see come to life in a tactile and fluid form. It also adds a more artistic value to the suit and completely brings it to life,” said artist Khalid al Banna.
The project brings together two different worlds and aims to introduce mixed media artists to the wider public. The goal is not to merely collaborate with established artists such as Al Banna, but also up and coming talent, that might struggle to find the appropriate platform to showcase their work to a wider audience.
This collaboration will run throughout the year and is expected to feature a diverse roster of artists spanning cultures, disciplines and walks of life.
