Project Ruway comes to the Middle East

Dubai - Hosted by Heidi Klum, Project Runway has turned fashion consultant Tim Gunn into one of the most feared fashion gurus in the world.

One of the most successful reality television shows has been Project Runway-which is now in its 16th season in the United States. Hosted by Heidi Klum, it has turned fashion consultant Tim Gunn into one of the most feared fashion gurus in the world. Each season a group of aspiring fashion designers compete to win, and hope to become fashion's next discovery. And while there have been numerous spin offs, it is only this season that this region gets its very own Project Runway.
The Arabic show will air on MBC4 and MBC MASR 4 starting September 17th for, and to welcome the show to the Middle East, Dubai Design District (D3) hosted a dinner on Sunday night for the design and fashion industry, as D3 will be the location for season finale, which is slated for December 10thand Project Runway's Middle East's first winner will be chosen. The show is a partnership between Elie Saab, (the world famous Lebanese's designer will head the judging panel) and the MBC group. The second judge is Tunisian model and actor Afef Jnifen and taking Tim Gunn's role as mentor is Saudi Arabia's creative expert Faris Al Shehri. The list of guest judges that will appear on the show include supermodel and actor Milla Jovovich and former editor in chief of French Vogue, Carine Roitfeld.
Dubai's role is crucial as the winner will receive a one year contract for their label at D3 and also a one year membership to the Dubai Design and Fashion Council. They will also receive a cash prize of US$50,000 courtesy of Maybelline. The only disappointment is that of the list of 15 designers who will participate, there is not one that has been selected who is Dubai based. Represented in the list are Egypt, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

• Style In The City