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Golden Threads

With each edition of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize, a new chapter in Arab fashion unfolds. From sculptural handbags to deconstructed tailoring, the latest winners are shaping a new sartorial language

Photography Mous Lamrabat
Styling Lisa Lapauw

Rings by FYR. Top, stylist’s own

A person in a gray suit with a white blouse, white tights, and red shoes stands against a textured beige wall, holding a colorful bouquet of flowers—an image worthy of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize. Sunlight casts shadows from beams and two black wall lamps above.
Jacket, shirt and skirt by Late For Work. Rings by FYR. Socks and shoes, stylist’s own
A person with slicked-back hair, wearing a detailed, embroidered jacket over a collared shirt, looks confidently at the camera from a low angle against a bright sky—a style worthy of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize. Multiple rings adorn their fingers.

Jacket and shirt by Kartik Research. Rings and necklaces by FYR. Trousers and earrings, stylist’s own

A woman in a voluminous black dress poses barefoot on a beige architectural structure with arches and soft light, evoking a dramatic scene reminiscent of Fashion Trust Arabia Prize elegance.

Dress by Ziyad Buainain. Rings by FYR. Top, stylist’s own

A woman wearing a long, flowing pink dress, reminiscent of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize style, stands on stacked pink cubes in a courtyard with beige stone walls and arches, posing elegantly with her arms raised under a clear sky.
Dress by Ziyad Buainain. Top, stylist’s own
A person in a bright yellow, fluffy outfit holds a clear handbag decorated with large, colorful artificial flowers, standing against a textured, light-colored wall—a look worthy of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize.

Bag by Touchless. Cloak, stylist’s own

A person stands in a sunlit, beige courtyard wearing a white, furry outfit and a large, black patterned headpiece—an ensemble worthy of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize. The geometric shadows on the walls enhance the modern and artistic atmosphere.

Bag (worn as hat with fresh flowers) by Talel. Rings by FYR. Jacket, trousers and shoes, stylist’s own

A person with dark hair tied back wears a structured black jacket and a statement choker, sitting against a textured beige wall with sunlight casting shadows—a look worthy of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize.

Jacket, skirt and earrings by Alaa Alaradi. Choker by FYR. Top, stylist’s own

A person dressed in dark clothing, reminiscent of a Fashion Trust Arabia Prize runway look, lies on their back with arms raised above their head on an ornate blue and beige patterned rug, photographed from above on a light-colored floor.

Trousers by Late For Work. Rings by FYR. Top and shoes, stylist’s own

A woman in a dramatic black dress and large hat, evoking Fashion Trust Arabia Prize elegance, poses atop a white horse as she ascends sandy outdoor stairs framed by beige walls and a clear blue sky.

Dress and hat by Ziyad Buainain. Ring by FYR. Top, stylist’s own

Behind the Scenes

Model
Widjane Bouzergoun — Jay Jay Models

Make-up
Vessy Ves — MKS Milano

Make-up assistant
Connie Bandong

Stylist's assistant
Nada Baza

Lighting assistant
Abdoukadir Jikineh

Agent and producer
Marie Juncker — Phenomena

Local producer
Aziz Al Marri

A group of eight people stands spaced apart on a sunlit courtyard with modern white buildings in the background, all wearing modest, stylish clothing and sunglasses, embodying the elegance seen at the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize, under a clear blue sky.
Photo: Prod Antzoulis @prodantzoulis powered by Visit Qatar

From left to right:

Fatema and Dalal Alkhaja
Winner: Fashion Tech
Founded in Bahrain by sisters Fatema and Dalal Alkhaja, Touchless is an accessories label defined by its use of digital technology as both a design and production tool. With backgrounds in interior architecture and business, the sisters approach fashion through an unconventional lens. Working with 3D printing and flexible, sustainable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the brand produces lightweight, sculptural handbags that eliminate moulds and material waste. Touchless is now stocked by retailers including Selfridges London and Tryano Abu Dhabi.

Alaa Alaradi
Winner: Debut Talent
Born in Bahrain, Alaa Alaradi grew up between the Gulf and Switzerland before pursuing fashion studies with the encouragement of her sister. After internships at Saint Laurent and Acne Studios, she graduated in 2024 with a master’s degree from HEAD Genève in Geneva, where she developed a practice defined by fluidity and sculpture. Her graduate collection, Further Deeper Softer Closer, established a language of draped forms and sculptural volumes that feel both airy and raw.

Kartik Kumra
Winner: Guest Country India

In 2021, Kumra founded Kartik Research, an artisanal brand based in New Delhi. Rooted in the idea of restoring a sense of humanness to clothing, the label places handcraft at its core, from handloom-woven textiles to intricate hand embroidery. Drawing on India’s diverse subcultures, Kartik Research explores heritage and aspiration through references ranging from 1960s psychedelic rock to Indo-modernist art of the 1980s. The brand works closely with master artisans to revive overlooked crafts and reframe them for a global context.

Ziyad Albuainain
Winner: Eveningwear
Founded in 2021 by Saudi designer Ziyad Albuainain, Ziyad Buainain is an environmentally conscious luxury label shaped by the designer’s international education spanning Al Khobar, Tokyo, New York, Milan and London. The brand is known for exploring contemporary femininity through collections that balance structure and strength with fluidity and delicacy. Each piece is crafted in London using deadstock, recycled and responsibly sourced materials, reflecting a research-led, environmentally conscious approach that positions sustainability as an integral and meaningful part of contemporary luxury.

Leila Roukni
Winner: Accessories
Moroccan designer Leila Roukni founded contemporary luxury label Talel in 2019. Embracing disruption as a creative force, the brand works with bold shapes, volumes and structures to explore individuality and self-expression. It is particularly recognised for its sculptural triangle bags made from upcycled carpets. Talel was a finalist for the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize 2022 in the accessories category, and now has a portfolio of select international stockists that includes Kith, Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.

Farah Radwan
Winner: Jewellery
Farah Radwan is the founder and designer of jewellery brand FYR. Raised between Paris and Cairo, she studied luxury product design in Paris before returning to Egypt to specialise in body adornment and jewellery-making at The Design Studio, founded by pioneering jeweller Azza Fahmy. Radwan launched FYR in 2017, building a practice rooted in close collaboration with Egyptian craftspeople. Her collections explore themes of individuality, transmission and empowerment, expressed through pieces that balance raw materiality with refined, contemporary lines.

Youssef Drissi
Winner: Ready to Wear
Moroccan designer Youssef Drissi's fashion project Late For Work is defined by a sharp, irreverent approach to form and dress codes. Through exaggerated cuts and deconstructed silhouettes, Drissi questions the rituals of corporatism, proposing a sartorial vision where style reflects individual personality. His work embraces deconstruction, humour and contradiction – an approach that earned him the title of Best Young Designer in Africa at FIMA 2018 and continues to shape his evolving language today.

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Issue 000 Contents

FEATURES
NEWS

Contents

Neighborhood Guides

Contents

Features

The Fifth Pillar

The artist takes over the market

Sweet Fifteen

A place to live, not to leave

Fashion Trust Arabia: The new guard

The Road to MIA

Sneakers Unboxed

The Couture Sculptor

Moving Pictures

Architecture as memory: Lina Ghotmeh in Venice

NEWS

Crossing Borders
A Taste of Qatar at Le Meurice
A Gilded Narrative
Game On
A Universal Language

Harbour Master

  • WHAT'S ON
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