The Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) Prize 2023 winners have been revealed. The prestigious awards ceremony, originally planned for a star-studded event in Doha at the end of October, took a turn this year due to the ongoing bombardment of Gaza, transforming into a two-day online deliberation session between co-chairs HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, Tania Fares, and an esteemed panel of judges and advisory board members, including Olivier Rousteing, Amina Muaddi, Zuhair Murad, and more. Ultimately, out of the 24 finalists who presented their collections on Dec. 12 and 13, seven designers came out on top.
Syrian couturier Amir Al Kasm and Renaissance Renaissance designer Cynthia Merhej shared the award for eveningwear; Beirut-based fashion designer Ahmed Amer was the ready-to-wear winner; British-Lebanese jeweler Katarina Tarazi took home the jewelry prize; Egypt’s Omar Taha and Lily Max were granted the accessory designer prize; and Moroccan Adam Elyasse scooped up the Franca Sozzani debut talent award. This edition’s guest nation was Nigeria, with designer Adeju Thompson taking home the first prize.
Each winner received a financial cash grant ranging from $100,000 to $200,000, in addition to mentorship and internship programs. The ready-to-wear, accessories, and jewelry category winners are set to embark on a one-year mentorship journey with MATCHESFASHION, who will also carry their collections for a complete season. Meanwhile, the eveningwear category winners will have the opportunity to sell their creations at iconic retailer Harrods.
Below, meet this year’s 2023 Fashion Trust Arabia prize winners.
Amir Al Kasm (Evening Wear)
Hailing from Damascus, Amir Al Kasm’s designs often draw inspiration from his Syrian heritage, seamlessly integrating cultural motifs and traditional craftsmanship into contemporary fashion trends. His collections often feature sustainable materials and ethical production methods, reflecting his dedication to creating fashion with a conscience.
Cynthia Merhej (Evening Wear)
The Lebanese designer behind Renaissance Renaissance launched her label in Beirut in 2016 after studying Visual Communication at the Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins in London. Growing up in Lebanon surrounded by multiple generations of female couturiers, Merhej naturally developed a passion for the industry.
Ahmed Amer (Ready-to-Wear)
Ahmed Amer is a Beirut-based fashion designer and illustrator known for his minimalist and organic illustrations adorning his gender-fluid ready-to-wear collections with sustainability at the core.
Katarina Tarazi (Jewelry)
Hailing from Lebanon, Katarina Tarazi became fascinated with creating jewelry that holds secret messages and interacts mechanically with their wearer after collecting Victorian toys and trinkets as a child. The jeweler launched her namesake brand in 2021, offering tactile jewelry that taps into our superstitions and desire for play.
Omar Taha and Lily Max (Accessories)
Egyptian accessories designers Omar Taha and Lily Max serve as the co-designers and co-creative directors of A BETTER FEELING, along with Xander Ghost who is the founder. The brand, which is based in Cairo, has been worn by the likes of Rosalia, Burna Boy, Pink Pantheress, and more.
Adam Elyasse (Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award)
The Central Saint Martins graduate launched his menswear brand Adam.é in 2021 with a graduate collection that sought to converge the concept of dual identity and sustainability. In his designs, the young designer seeks to engage with the dynamic of power and pain and how it shapes the human condition.
Adeju Thompson (Guest Country Award)
The Nigerian designer founded Lagos Space Programme in 2018 as a conceptual non-binary design label. Through multidisciplinary collaborative projects, the brand offers intellectual, high-end ready-to-wear collections.
