Matchesfashion just launched the collections from winning Fashion Trust Arabia 2020 designers both online and in their London store. The designers include Ammanii (jewellery), Andrea Wazen (footwear) and Omer Asim ( rtw).
“We are so proud to continue our partnership with Fashion Trust Arabia. Championing global design talent has always been at the heart of our business and Fashion Trust Arabia has opened up a great opportunity to shine a light on new and innovative designers from the MENA region.”
The designers who each cashed in on the 200,000 $ FTA prize are also part of a yearlong mentorship program with the Matchesfashion buying team and have participated in digital workshops with the business leaders in content, communications, branding, logistics and e-commerce.
To celebrate the launch, Matchesfashion and FTA will host a series of digital activations with the winning designers plus special guests between 10th June and 16th June 2021.
Amany Shaker founded Ammanii in 2015 with a vision of creating jewellery that transcends cultural barriers, having left a career in global conflict resolution spanning eight countries over two decades. Drawing on her Egyptian heritage, she combines ancient motifs and precious stones with contemporary settings cast from gold vermeil to create an aesthetic that feels opulent and symbolic in equal measure. Meticulously handcrafted in Hong Kong.
Andrea Wazen grew up in Beirut and returned there to found her eponymous footwear label. She honed her craft at the Istituto Marangoni in Paris and London’s Central Saint Martins, as well as under the tutelage of Rupert Sanderson and Christian Louboutin. As the winner of Fashion Trust Arabia’s 2020 Accessories Designer of the Year award, she supports local Lebanese production by designing and producing her pieces in the same area.
A meticulous focus on shape and construction defines Omer Asim’s eponymous label. It was founded in 2011 following the designer’s education in architecture and psychology, teamed with stints at Vivienne Westwood and Maurice Sedwell of Savile Row. A focus on innovative pleats and drapery is inspired by the folds of the Sudanese thobe – a garment that wraps around the body, made from a single 4.5 metre piece of fabric – later recognised with a Fashion Trust Arabia award in 2020.
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