The Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC) has announced its mandate and upcoming initiatives for the coming year at its inaugural community event attended by key design and fashion industry experts and journalists from across the world.
Aiming to ‘make Dubai the emerging design capital of the world’, the council would continue to work towards its goal to ‘create global opportunity and invigorate a world-class design community in Dubai’.
Attended by the DDFC CEO Nez Gebreel, Cyril Zammit (Fair Director for Design Days Dubai), Zayan Ghandour (Lebanese designer and owner of Sauce boutiques) and the French fashion talent Roland Mouret, the event conducted presentations and discussions on the potential, benefits and challenges of the Dubai’s design industry.
Addressing the event, Gebreel says, “The establishment of the Dubai Design and Fashion Council signals a strong commitment by the country’s leadership towards making Dubai the emerging design capital of the world. There is a tremendous amount of creativity and positive energy in the region’s industry and we are here to help support and mentor these upcoming designers to realise their potential and achieve their dreams.”
“We are here to create global opportunity and invigorate a world-class design community in Dubai. We want to establish a framework for the industry, one that will position Dubai as an international hub for design, offering excellent infrastructure for brands to make the most of the significant consumer base here. This is our promise, and we will do everything in our power to make it happen,” he adds.
Drawing from his own experience of establishing a brand and gaining international recognition, the celebrity-favoured designer Roland Mouret talked about the importance of having a solid business case and gave tips on how to thrive in the design industry.
“I am delighted to be here in Dubai at the first event held by the Dubai Design and Fashion Council. For designers such as myself, Dubai is a key market due to the vast number of consumers and their significant spending power, therefore the Council’s presence is vital. It has been really interesting to meet the next generation of designers in Dubai and hear their plans on how to achieve their dreams,” stated the 53-year-old Mouret.
“I was in their position once and I feel a sense of responsibility to pass on my knowledge and any help I can provide, to those looking to follow a career in design. It is a challenging industry, you need thick skin and a solid business model, as well as talent and creativity in design itself,” he explains.
“What Dubai, and the Council are aiming to achieve in cultivating and nurturing their design industry is exciting and ambitious but definitely achievable. Design is about organic growth, it is about following your emotions and being inspired every day,” opines the French fashion designer.
Following a decree announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, last year, the DDFC was established to raise the profile of the Emirate as a regional and global destination for design and fashion.
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