Reem Acra showcases new-season collection and enjoys tête-à-tête with Dubai's design and fashion community

April 1, 2015, Dubai, UAE: Lebanon born, New York based fashion designer, and Board Member of the Dubai Design and Fashion Council, Reem Acra took part at a 'DDFC Talks' giving her views on  the opportunities and challenges emerging talent in the fashion and design industry face.

Hosted by the Dubai Design and Fashion Council, at The Lounge at Fashion Avenue, The Dubai Mall,

Reem opened the discussion by showing an exclusive of her new collection to a room full of, emerging designers and industry specialists. Reem then outlined her career so far, explaining the issues she faced and how she overcame them, particularly highlighting the difference between establishing a fashion line in New York City versus the Middle East. She also discussed the current state of the fashion industry, focusing on the Middle East, and gave her predications on what she envisages the future of fashion might be like in the next couple of years.

Throughout the interactive session, Reem detailed how she turned an interest in fashion into an obsession and a career, outlining the biggest challenges she faced as an entrepreneur entering the fashion world, the struggles she had to go through to launch her own brand, and the dilemma she had of being both a creative woman and business woman, having to set up her own firm in New York City.

Reem also gave her thoughts on the design standards in Dubai and the UAE, offering several tips and suggestions to the aspiring and seasoned designers who are looking to succeed in the design and fashion world. She also pointed out on how she firmly believes that every designer should carve their own style that compliments their own character, rather than blindly following trends and mimicking fashion of others.

Reem Acra said: "I truly believe in the potential of the design industry here in the Middle East. This region has a rich and deep history of fashion and I think there are many angles and elements that have not yet been explored and that is very exciting. Our designers have a fresh slate to draw from their cultural heritage for inspiration that will result in innovative and unique designs that could capture global attention.  It is a gold mine in my eyes. We don't need to look far for inspiration that will put our region firmly on the map of international fashion, it is in front of you."

Nez Gebreel, CEO of the Design and Fashion Council said: "As part of our commitment to drive and support the UAE's creative and design sector, the Dubai Design and Fashion Council's role is to nurture regional design talent and the DDFC Talks series is a the manifestation of this ambition.

"Designers from the UAE and throughout the region should be awarded the opportunity to listen to advice on all topics related to the creative industries so that we may help as many of them as we can to achieve their potential. We understand that to facilitate and drive the growth of the design community, we need to engage with the entire design community to identify the challenges they face and work with them to overcome each barrier."

The DDFC Talks series are monthly talks on a wide range of industry-relevant topics. Future events will focus on Strategy and Business Planning for Design Businesses, Social Media and Marketing Strategy, Company Registration and Legal Contracts and seminars on Design Thinking, Interior Design and Fashion Criticism. The DDFC Talks series provides an interactive environment for designers to learn vital skills that will add value to their design work and provide them with proper tools to develop their business.

The world's most-visited retail and lifestyle destination, The Dubai Mall is at the forefront in positioning Dubai as the region's fashion capital through initiatives such as the Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience with a global talent scouting competition, organised in partnership with Vogue Italia, the dedicated Fashion Catwalk, host to international fashion and celebrity events and Fashion Avenue, with over 80 luxury global flagship brands. 

MEDIA CONTACTS: Nicola Hooper: +971 55 8862254 / nhooper@bellpottinger.com

About Dubai Design & Fashion Council
The Dubai Design & Fashion Council was established in late 2014 by the Dubai government to position Dubai as a global hub for design and fashion in the Middle East region and to nurture regional talent. The Dubai Design & Fashion Council aims to position Dubai as the emerging design capital of the world, and raise its profile as a regional and global destination for design and fashion.

Chaired by Dr. Amina Al Rustamani, Group CEO of Tecom Investments, and run by CEO Nez Gebreel, the Dubai Design and Fashion Council's board members consist of 15 individuals who represent a mix of key stakeholder groups, including government, academic, not-for profit and private sector experts, such as Laila Suhail, CEO at Dubai Festival and Retail Establishments; Holding; Khalid Al Tayer, CEO - Retail of Al Tayer Group; Patrick Chalhoub, CEO of Chalhoub Group; and fashion designer Reem Acra.

© Press Release 2015