Fashion Commission unveils finalists for year-long mentorship program with industry legends

Fashion Commission unveils finalists for year-long mentorship program with industry legends

RIYADH "” Saudi fashion designers and brands are set to commence a year-long mentorship program with support from some of the world's leading fashion experts after the Fashion Commission announced the finalists of its inaugural Saudi 100 Brands program. With more than 1,300 brands and designers competing for a coveted place on the scheme, applications were condensed to a shortlist of some 400 candidates. Those living in the Kingdom were invited over a period of 2 weeks to attend in-person interviews at hubs located in Riyadh and Jeddah, with virtual interviews conducted for those living abroad. The application process revealed an astonishingly diverse range of creative fashion design talent as well as the increasingly large number of established Saudi fashion designers already running successful businesses in both the Kingdom and in international fashion hubs around the world. Alongside a plethora of younger start-up brands, shortlisted candidates include a bridalwear designer from Al-Khobar whose fashion career spans four decades, and a third-generation family jewelry business based in Riyadh, as well as Saudis operating out of London and Dubai. More established Saudi fashion brands also made the cut, reflecting a positive response to this opportunity for ongoing, tailor-made, international-subject-matter-expert advice. Intensive sessions