Dubai Design District (d3), the region’s premier creative hub dedicated to design, fashion and retail, today announced that preparations are in full swing for the upcoming 11^th season of Fashion Forward Dubai (FFWD), the progressive fashion platform for the Middle East. As host and strategic partner of the leading style event, d3 will offer the public a full four-day agenda that will engage the design community and fashion lovers.

Set to run from 30 October to 2 November at d3’s Design Quarter, 16 of d3’s creative partners and retailers will showcase their latest collections and participate in a series of inspiring and insightful social events, activations and workshops that are part of this season’s agenda.

FFWD 2019 will provide a platform for popular and brand new designers in haute couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories from the region and the wider globe. Celebrating style, talent, craftsmanship and innovation, d3’s pop-up space, d3 Central, will be a fully programmed meet-up point for designers and visitors alike. Meanwhile, The Garden will display an extensive selection of boutique accessory brands and retail concepts, including a store by homegrown in5 Design brands.

The much-anticipated forum d3 Fashion Talks returns to the destination, and will feature prominent fashion influencers and industry experts headlining inspiring panel discussions and seminars with the following topics: ‘PUCCI: Heritage and Innovation’, ‘Brand Storytelling on Social Media’, Pitching Your Brand to Buyers’ and ‘Sustainability in Fashion: How to Make a Difference’.

For the first time ever, FFWD 2019 is also set to host a social commerce marketplace, Shop The Show, a game changing platform that connects the audience directly with the designers’ customer representatives.

Participating d3 designers in FFWD 2019:

Arwa Al Banawi is an award winning Saudi Arabian designer who tailors urban-luxury ready-to-wear clothes for women. Her collection will be presented by Mercedes-Benz at FFWD 2019 as part of their ‘How To’ campaign.

Amato is an avant-garde brand founded by Furne One and Rashid Ali. The brand encompasses a symphony of style and creativity.

Michael Cinco is best known for his fabulous couture gowns and innate creativity. He has cultivated a dedicated audience following including celebrities such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Naomi Campbell.

Mrs. Keepa is a ready-to-wear brand founded by French-Egyptian designer Mariam Yeya that has been captivating audiences with its contemporary and exaggerated silhouettes. Yeya was named “one of the top 100 emerging designers reshaping the fashion industry globally” by Vogueworld.

Vinita Michael is an award winning  jewelry designer and gemologist who specialises in fine gold set with precious gems and sterling silver. Her pieces have adorned Bollywood celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Jacqueline Fernandez, to name a few.

Other highlights include:

Frame, the Japanese lifestyle culture shop, will set up an in-store pop-up, ‘Frame & FRIEND’ where visitors can catch a glimpse of their latest collections.

Tryano, the luxury department store, will host an activation space and talk on celebrity brand collaborations.

Archiade, the Italian interior and architectural design firm, will collaborate with eco-chic apparel brand, Gaia Kimonos, to introduce an exciting new collection.

Colab, the first purpose-built material library in the UAE, is set to host a four day workshop on sustainable fashion.

GOSSIP The Brand, the contemporary Emirati lifestyle brand, will host a delicious milk cake pop-up.

Sky 2.0, the famous Beirut nightclub, will host the opening party and also run an on-site pop-up during the event.

In line with the event’s theme, several d3 restaurants including One Life Kitchen and Café, Akiba Dori, Molecule and The Lighthouse, will serve up a variety of entertainment and culinary programming sure to keep the fashion-focused crowd engaged.