Arab Fashion Week 2020 Hosted Online
By: Yasmina Hage/ Arab America Contributing Writer
The Arab Fashion Council (AFC) is the largest non-profit fashion association representing the 22 member countries of the Arab League. Its objectives are to promote Arab fashion designers internationally, disseminate fashion culture in the region, and position the Arab world on the international fashion map. This includes Arab brands but also talents in the broadest sense of the fashion industry, designers, models, photographers, hair and make-up artists, and artistic directors. Founded in 2015 by Lebanese architect and accessory model Jacob Abrian, who has been at the helm since the age of 22, the AFC sponsors Arab Fashion Week, one of the five main fashion weeks along with those in New York, Milan, London, and Paris.
AFW follows the lead of the fashion weeks in London and Milan, which announced that they would also take place online due to coronavirus restrictions. Key fashion events such as the Met Gala and the final for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers have been canceled. The AFW is the latest major fashion event to go virtual as nations worldwide try to curb the spread of COVID-19 through lockdowns. In fact, organizing the event online will help to avoid crowds and will allow the event to be held in complete safety for all participating members and viewers to respect the precautionary measures recently put in place by the local authorities. For the first time, the entire event will, therefore, be hosted virtually but still retain its traditional program thanks to value-added innovation.
How AFW Was Conducted from June 24 to June 26, 2020
The Shows and Beyond the Shows roundtables were held live on the AFW website: https://arabfashionweek.org/, allowing a wider audience than ever before to follow the shows from the comfort of their homes! In addition, AFW was broadcast live to hundreds of thousands of viewers in partnership with leading social media platform Tiktok Arabia.
“As the leading short-form video platform, TikTok really does offer something for everyone, and we have seen many content creators offering very engaging and creative fashion-related content. In line with our mission to inspire creativity and bring joy, the platform has been the meeting place for fashionistas in the Mena region to present the latest trends in beauty and fashion. That said, it is a natural step for us to work with Arab Fashion Week to bring the 11th edition of the event to our community of content creators who have shown great interest in fashion-related content,” said Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Design at TikTok MENA.
A series of conferences and talks parallel to the parades were also held under the title “The Shows Beyond the Shows” and were broadcast live to several hundred million viewers, thanks to partnerships with major social media platforms.
While the runways and the panel discussions air live on AFW’s website, viewers were able to buy their favorite pieces online.
How Could The Public Buy What They Like at The AFW?
Broadcasting the runway show on their website and social media allowed buyers to order collections via a “360-degree online showroom” and customers to purchase anything that caught their eyes with a “see now; immediate shopping experience in partnership with designated luxury online stores.
The public was also able to directly buy the runway collection on shop.arabfashionweek.com, setting a new trend in consumer behavior to wear the collection at least six months before distribution. In addition, offline consumers were still able to buy the collection on the shelves in a dedicated Pop-up at the 1422 Concept Store in Citywalk.
A Desire For Change
Mohammad Aqra, CSO of the Arab Fashion Council, “Today more than ever, the traditional fashion system is in crucial need of revolution and innovation in its plans and timing. What we now appreciate, the way we perceive luxury, the way we relate to things is totally different from the fashion codes that have been in place since the last century. The new standards induced by Covid-19 have been key accelerators in the decisions that were needed to bring about change”.
“We are thrilled to be able to revolutionize the traditional calendar by adapting a new digital experience that best fits the global financial and digital trend,” CEO of Arab Fashion Council Jacob Abrian said in a released statement. “We consider this move as a victorious step to shape the future of the fashion system into a more consumer-conscious platform and sustainable culture.”
In this quest for change, The Arab Fashion Council was the first to announce, last April, the adoption of the virtual format for the 11th edition of its fashion week. In addition to being revolutionary in form, this initiative foreshadows imminent upheavals. Moreover, it will surely revolutionize the traditional fashion show format.
A New Partnership
Arab Fashion Week has teamed up with Italy’s number 1 make-up brand, KIKO Milano, as its official make-up partner! “To be the number 1 make-up brand in the fashion capital Milan, Italy. We are delighted to be named official make-up partner of the Arab Fashion Week, the region’s most important fashion event that highlights our commitment to foster the growth of regional talent and provide expertise on the latest trends in the cosmetics industry,” said Jonathan Lantoine, Managing Director of KIKO Milano Middle East.
Sources:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1681231/lifestyle
Arab Fashion Week revolutionizes format by going virtual
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