1 INDEX WHO / ORGANISERS Page 3 WHAT IS THE FASHION WEEK? Page 4 WHY ‘ARAB’ ? Page 5 WHERE? Page 6 ARAB FASHION WEEK PROGRAMME Page 7 EVENTS Page 8 ARAB FASHION WEEK Page 8 SPACE TRANSPORTATION TIMING CALENDAR ARAB FASHION WEEK FAIR Page 11 MAP Page 12 ARAB FASHION WEEK DIAMOND NIGHT Page 13 CONTACTS Page 14 BACK COVER MAP Page 15 2 WHO / ORGANISERS The Arab Fashion Council (AFC) is the first and the world’s biggest non-profit Organization that represents the 22 Arabic Countries for the aim to develop and protect the Fashion Industry in the Arab World. The Council is funded by the members association, commercial sponsors, patrons and generous donations of personalities that totally believe in the importance of having an official body that represents the Arab Designers around around the globe. The AFC takes into reference the long history of the previously established councils in the big four fashion capitals, New York, London, Milan & Paris, and establishes international relations with reputable institutions in order to strengthen the ties between the West and the Arab World. In order to follow the International Calendar of the Fashion events and serve its aims of positioning the Arab World among the big four fashion capitals; the AFC endorses the Arab Fashion Week Programme as a platform to celebrate the excellence and creativity of the Industry, and to be organized by the Italian Fashion Consulting Firm ''Casa Italiana Del Lusso'' and Emirati Company Al Sindbad Group. 3 WHAT IS THE FASHION WEEK? It was held for the first time in New York city, in 1943 and since then the Fashion Week became the most important event in the industry of fashion and beauty. It lasts for 4-7 days allowing the famous designers to show their collection for its distribution in the market at least 6 months in advance. The Fashion week takes place mainly in the four big fashion capitals: New York, London, Milan and Paris according to the listed order twice a year, promoting for the Fall/Winter and the Spring/Summer collection. Moreover, during the fashion week, only a limited number of STAR DESIGNERS and CREATIVE TALENTS are admitted to show their collection under the official calendar of the event. Finally, the Fashion Week is a biannual landmark that is mostly attended by the industry's personalities, celebrities, and international press. 4 WHY ‘ARAB’? The Arab world is composed of the 22 countries in and around North Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. The total superficial area that covers the Arabic countries is 13,333,296 km2 or 5,148,048 sq mi, 3 times bigger than the area of the European Union, with 356,785,231 inhabitants. The information mentioned above is statistical facts; and, aiming to produce the most successful fashion week to stand beside the 4 world capitals of Fashion, we name it Arab Fashion Week, one title involving 22 Arab Countries. In addition to the above we mention QATAR that will be hosting the FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 and DUBAI the famous contemporary metropolitan housing the tallest skyscraper in the world, and proudly will be the first city in Middle East to host the WORLD EXPO 2020. Not to speak yet about the ancient cultures where Byblos, Lebanon is the oldest city in the world that gave the bible its name and the education its alphabets... or Petra, in Jordan where the greatest combination of Nature and Man could be found or Egypt the legend of civilization and mystery …etc. Economically, the Arabs are well known worldwide for their potential in attracting the talents and the designers, as well as for their prospective behaviour in consuming the most luxurious and high-end products. To speak Fashion, the Arabic countries have been the motherland of many top fashion designers who show their collections in the world’s capitals of Fashion such as New York, London, Milan and Paris. 5 WHERE? The Arab Fashion Week has launched on their website from 1st Oct 2013 till the 30st Nov 2013 a voting campaign that candidates the 22 Arabic countries for hosting the event. The elections have received more than 7 million votes that accordingly selected the TOP 5 cities to be Amman, Beirut, Doha, Dubai & Jeddah. All the finalists have been considered as very interesting locations; however, Dubai is the finalist city to host the event on October 2015. DUBAI through the ARAB FASHION WEEK enters the history of Fashion and positions the Arab World on the international framework of the Fashion System. Dubai is the land of marvelous futuristic development which is notable for ''creating to wonder''. It is a city that offers tourism, luxury, leisure, education, safety and much more. 6 ARAB FASHION WEEK PROGRAMME The Arab Fashion Week is the new landmark of the Arab Worldw, celebrating the culture of Fashion, and inviting all the designers who shows particulary in New York, London, Milan & Paris to show their exclusive compilation in Dubai, and the privileged tourists and stars who attend the main four fashion weeks, to attend also the ARAB FASHION WEEK in Dubai. The ARAB FASHION WEEK takes place twice a year through a series of events, once by the end of October, and again by the end of March, in order to promote respectively for the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collections, positioning the Arab World on the international calendar for the Fashion Weeks. See schedule on page 10. Arab Fashion Week, is not only to promote the International famous names for the Middle East market, but also introducing to the world what could be the new future of the industry. 7 EVENTS ARAB FASHION WEEK ARAB FASHION WEEK FAIR ARAB FASHION WEEK DIAMOND NIGHT ARAB FASHION WEEK LOCATION The location of the Arab Fashion Week is a very important aspect which is considered carefully by the event management. The location with a distinguishable ASPECT will enter the history of the fashion industry from the map of the Arab World, it is not only a venue for a runway, but it is a landmark to be remembered. It is a way to show the attendees and viewers the city through assigning for the event distinctive locations each in a different part of the city. The location of the Arab Fashion Week venues is studied from a touristic point of view. Dubai has been chosen for hosting the event, a city with many landmarks, all together to become one pioneering milestone for the world of fashion. Dubai is a qualified place to host millions of tourists thanks to its strategy management. 8 The event organisation will assist the participating brands with a list of selected locations that meet the criteria and quality, and then each brand will have the freedom to select one of the locations or propose a new one. TRANSPORTATION The city gives the tourists the safety and freedom to move from part to another and puts under their service one of the best transportation systems in the world and a metro with panoramic view that through its windows the tourists will enjoy looking and knowing better the city while moving from one venue to another. Moreover, the Arab Fashion Week with its Automobile Car partner puts under the service of the attendees exclusive cars with premium luxury to transport them to the show venues. EVENTS AND TIMING According to the concept mentioned in the point above, it should be dealt with this attentively through a flexible schedule and good timing otherwise it might be risky of causing the attendees to be jammed in a big traffic and miss some of the shows. The Arab Fashion Week, through the experience of following the long history of the fashion weeks previously and currently organized in New York, London, Milano, and Paris, will have on its calendar of 4 days a series of events divided into 26 fashion shows not counting the presentations, celebration parties, as well as a big opening and closing ceremony including a speech of important public figures. ARAB FASHION WEEK starts after the PARIS FASHION WEEK with the opening ceremony on the evening of the night before, and followed the day after in the early morning with the first fashion show of a notable brand name in the fashion industry. Each fashion show will last for maximum 30 minutes and should be followed by the next fashion show an hour later and this allowing the attendees and press to comfortably move into the next venue. 9 Attaching a reference example of the schedule of the Arab Fashion Week will highlight the importance of this event, re- adjusting and re-acknowledgment, for Fashion and Beauty. CALENDAR The first Edition of the ARAB FASHION WEEK will take place From the 20 October 2015 till the 24 October 2015. 20 OCT 21 OCT 22 OCT 23 OCT 24 OCT 09.00 - 10.00 Designer A Designer H Designer O Designer V 10.30 - 11.30 Designer B Designer I Designer P Designer W 12.00 - 13.00 Designer C Designer J Designer Q Designer X 14.30 - 15.30 Designer D Designer K Designer R Designer Y 16.00 - 17.00 Designer E Designer L Designer S Designer Z 17.30 - 18.30 Designer F Designer M Designer T Designer Za 19.00 - 20.00 Designer G Designer N Designer U Designer Zb 21.00 - 00.00 OPENNING party A party B party C DIAMOND NIGHT The second Edition of the ARAB FASHION WEEK will take place from the 22 March 2016 till 26 March 2016. To check the last update of the calendar please visit the official website www.arabfashionweek.org or Scan the QR Code below to be directed 10 ARAB FASHION WEEK FAIR A complimentary event for the Arab Fashion Week as an extension of the live shows into a luxury trade show with live performances, runways, and live production illustration happening over a period of 7 full days that takes place at the exhibition Landmark, Dubai World Trade Centre.