Some of the fashion designers at the event.
Doha: M7, Qatar’s epicentre for innovation and entrepreneurship in fashion, design and technology, and Printemps Doha – the Parisian luxury department store’s first flagship outside of France and set to open in the third quarter of 2022, hosted a presentation day at M7.
This saw 11 emerging fashion designers present their collections to a jury panel for the chance to secure one of seven places in ‘The Collective’, a five-month retail coaching programme.
The Collective will equip participants with the necessary tools and expertise to take their ideas from concept to the retail market. On completion of the programme, participating designers will have the exclusive opportunity to showcase their brands and their capsule collections in a dedicated M7 x Printemps Doha concept space.
Maha Al Sulaiti, director of M7 said: “Collaborations with partners such as Printemps Doha provide a unique opportunity to discover incredible talent and elevate their brand. The Collective is the first platform in Qatar in which locally-based designers will receive mentorship from industry leaders to successfully produce, market and showcase their brands in one of the world’s top luxury retail department stores.”
During the presentation day at M7, the 11 designers presented their collections consisting of nascent and established brands of abaya, ready-to-wear and accessory designs to a panel of judges. Designers showcasing their collections during The Collective Presentation Day included Rawan Al Nassiri, Founder and Creative Director of SDN; Zulfa Al Thani, Founder and CEO of Poze womenswear brand; Japanese Fashion Designer Sayuri Kurotsu and Italian Designer Giovanni Innellaaref, Founders of conceptual design studio Shirotsu. Amna Ahmed Al Misned, Founder and Art Director of Trzi; Noor Aburish, award-winning Qatari fashion designer and Founder of the eponymous clothing label Noor Aburish; Abdulrahman Al Ahmad and Eid Al Sulaiti, founders of Qatar-based creative collective and fashion label THE /// PROJECT; Kaltham Al Majid, Founder of Kaltham’s Pavillion; AlAnood Al Hedfa, Founder of clothing brand Drizzle. Nowayer Al Hajri, Founder of Nowayer; Alanoud Almeghaisib, Founder of Aldukan; and Dana Riad, Founder of Dana Riad.
Judging panellists included M7’s Director Maha Al Sulaiti; Fashion Trust Arabia 2019 Prize winner, Roni Helou; M7’s Head of Marketing and Communication, Karen Nicolet; Head of Programmes Marrakech Arbuckle; Fashion Designer and Business Development Coordinator Aldana Al Mesnad; Printemps Doha’s General Manager, Thierry Prevost; Buying and Visual Merchandising Director, Jennifer Fall; Marketing & Communication Director, Albine Commissaire; and Visual Merchandising Manager, Aneta Lazinska.
Designers were judged based on their aesthetics, innovation and uniqueness, readiness of the brand, brand story, and retail potential.
Out of the 11 participants who presented their designs, the jury will select seven designers to participate in The Collective, to be announced in October.
