Meet the Winners of the 2021 Fashion Trust Arabia Prize - Vogue

In her speech introducing the winners at the Award ceremony, HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani emphasized the importance of “glamour and sustainability coexisting.” A good example is the work of Mohammed Benshallah. “I started in 2015 and from the very beginning and out of necessity I’ve always used deadstock, leftovers, and recycled fabrics,” he said. “I’m a one-man company, I do everything myself, from the design to the shipping. I didn’t have the means to afford expensive fabrics so I had to be clever and reuse materials, and I’ve kept it that way. At this point, I don’t even know what to do with a yard of expensive silk!” Benshallah’s collection was a virtuoso exercise in controlled extravagance; his air mesh gowns can be folded into the smallest suitcase and pop back up in perfect shape.

Zaid Affas takes a completely different approach. is work is resolutely minimal and functional, with no indulgence of decoration. “My father is an architect. I see myself more as an industrial designer than a fashion designer,” he said. “For me what’s important is the pure form, a concept of timeless luxury.”

Zaid Affas was the winner of the ready-to-wear category

Photo: Courtesy of Fashion Trust Arabia

Gherardo Felloni, the creative director of Roger Vivier, praised the winners’ individuality. “Their approaches to common issues—sustainability, environmental responsibility, the love for craft, no-gender identities—entail rather distinctive narratives, which is beautiful. The belief is there, embraced by all the designers—and it feels honest. I hope that their storytelling remains at the core of what they do.” Fabio Piras, MA Fashion Director at Central Saint Martins, agreed. “You can see the designers’ honest attention in celebrating their provenance, to collaborate with and enhance local expertises—to create special pieces, not only a ‘product.’ There’s authenticity and honesty in their artistic practices and in the way they present themselves. I find it promising.”

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