Fashion Forward: Changing the face of the local design scene

Fashion Forward designers are changing the face of the local design scene.

Fashion is a funny thing. What's on trend today can be out of style and dated after one groundbreaking show. For an industry that might seem fickle to many, it's one of the most lucrative in the world, one of the most creative and definitely one of the most cutthroat. And Dubai is getting its fashion fingers on the pulse of that multi billion-dollar industry.
Many people's impressions of Dubai and the people who live here are a caricature of you're a typical fashion obsessed individual. A city of malls dedicated to the biggest fashion houses and international brands. People, it's assumed, are walking the streets dressed from head to toe in the latest runway looks, fresh off the catwalks of Paris, London and New York. This might have been the case ten years ago, where a paint by numbers idea of what fashion is, was prevalent in a city that was still finding its feet in the international creative community. But, things have been changing. Fashion Forward (FFWD) is back for it's sixth season from October 22 - 24 at Madinat Jumeriah.
It's no secret that Dubai loves fashion. However, the pivotal question must be asked. How does Dubai become a fashion capital of the world?
We've mentioned before that platforms such as FFWD are starting an important dialogue with the world. The industry event has been laying the groundwork of placing our designers under the ultimate microscope of intenrnational fashion validity.
"The level at which our designers have reached three years later is astonishing and remarkable," Bong Guerrero, FFWD founder, says. "I think the quality and level and attention to detail from our designers have increased extensively."
Global perspective and attention on local talent is obviously a great thing. But it isn't the only thing. The do's and don'ts of what to wear everyday are easy to Google, but how to build a truly sustainable and growing fashion industry isn't as straightforward. In a city of budding fashionistas, bloggers and hungry followers of fashion what should we be doing?
First and foremost, we need to learn and support our homegrown talent. Yes, it's that simple. Building a fashion capital is as much about looking globally as it is about thinking locally. We need to have the strictest of confidence in the talents of our local designers and show our support during an event such as FFWD.
The idea of our local designers parading under the spotlights and beamed across the world through streams of social media and international fashion journals across the globe is, yes, exciting and vital. It's equally important though, that consumers in the region give the support needed for these brands to build themselves organically. This is how a sustainable fashion industry is built in a city like Dubai that has all the tools and geographical advantages to truly make it as a fashion capital of the world. And it's here that FFWD acts as a vessel for this course of action.
maan@khaleejtimes.com