Dubai Fashion Week Set to Make its Comeback on October 9th 2023

Dubai Fashion Week (DFW), organized by Dubai Design District (d3) in collaboration with the Arab Fashion Council (AFC), is making a comeback from October 9th to October 15th, 2023, at d3. The event will showcase the Spring/Summer 2024 collections, featuring diverse calendar of activities, including fashion shows, exclusive events, book signings, a trunk show in partnership with Mall of the Emirates, capsule launches, brand activations, and industry discussions.

DFW, which was officially launched this spring, has swiftly become a prominent fixture in the region's fashion scene, building upon the success of Arab Fashion Week and aligning with the global fashion calendar. This autumn, it continues to offer an international platform for designers, both emerging and established, to expand their brands, solidifying Dubai's position among the world's foremost fashion capitals like Paris, New York, London, and Milan. Not only will regional designers get to meet and do business with international buyers and distributors, but the seven-day event will also serve as a gateway for international talent and brands to continue expanding their global footprint through the regional market. The upcoming edition will also have a strong sustainability focus, aligning with the UAE’s Year of Sustainability and the upcoming COP28 in Dubai.

Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3) – TECOM Group, said: “The global fashion compass is heading east to Dubai. The city has always been a haven for creative talent on this side of the globe. It is now drawing a remarkably diverse and innovative assortment of talent shaping the fashion industry's future. The latest edition of Dubai Fashion Week will be a truly momentous occasion in the global fashion calendar and prove that extending platforms for creatives can bring unexpected and extraordinary talent to the fore. Dubai Fashion Week reflects d3’s commitment to empowering designers, fuelling the creative economy and driving greater creative investment in line with the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy and Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”

The Designer Roster

Dubai Fashion Week will witness more than 25 designers, representing over 12 countries, including a yet to be revealed world-renowned New York-based designer, reflecting Dubai’s flourishing status as a global fashion capital.

The schedule will see Dubai Fashion Week Members showcase original collections, including homegrown designers Mrs. Keepa, Dima Ayad and Lama Jouni, as well as Victor Weinsanto.

Further names on the Dubai runway include d3-based designers Michael Cinco, Pipatchara and The Giving Movement, who will return to the global fashion event, alongside new names Viva Vox, Anaya, Yaspis and Rizman Ruzaini. Dubai Fashion Week will bring together talents from the GCC and Levant, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North and South America. The works of the late Russian couturier Valentin Yudashkin will be presented in the upcoming edition, marking the brand’s first appearance in Dubai.

Also featuring on Dubai Fashion Weeks events calendar will be IGDS World Department Store Summit, the world’s largest event for department store leaders and their business partners. The event, which will be the first event organized by IGDS in the Middle East, will be staged on 11-12 October 2023 in Dubai.

Furthering its agenda to facilitate new opportunities for international talent, Dubai Fashion Week will also host The Designers Showroom, a multifunctional platform committed to cultivating a creative community and promoting talent. This new initiative will be a staple of the Fashion Week, providing regional and international buyers, shoppers and media a common space to engage and explore the craftsmanship of designers. See the complete list of designers here.

This season Dubai Fashion Week will further grow its support to fresh talent by dedicating multiple slots on its calendar to young designers. Dubai Fashion Week will feature the Graduate Fashion Foundation who will springboard new fashion talent during Graduate Fashion Week with runway shows highlighting innovative presentations by graduate students worldwide from over 30 universities.

The d3-based FAD Institute will also showcase their student’s work during a dedicated show. Prestigious Italian fashion school Polimoda is not only showcasing emerging talent with a runway show by one of their star students but is also joining hands with the AFC to launch a competition during an intimate dinner at DFW. This competition will be officially announced during the event, offering the incredible opportunity for the winner to earn a Polimoda scholarship.