FTA Whittles Down 800 Applicants To 24 Finalists
The charitable organization Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) announces the emerging design talent who have made the finalist list for the FTA 2021 Awards.
The FTA 2021 Advisory Board was responsible for selecting 24 designer finalists from applications submitted by emerging talent from across the MENA region, for a chance to win one of the 5 FTA Awards and the new Unique Edition Award.
We received a record number of over 800 applications and had an immense pool of talent this year. We feel that designers and businesses need assistance now more than eve. I wish all the amazing finalists the best of luck, they are all exceptionally talented.
— Tania Fares, FTA Co-Founder & Co-Chair
The finalists will present their work to the FTA Jury in Doha on March 25th, 2021.
The 6 winners will be announced during the evening’s FTA 2021 Awards ceremony, which will be a fusion of a physical awards ceremony and virtual reality, allowing viewers all over the world to participate in this unique event.
FTA has invited Colombia as a guest country to take part in the upcoming 2021 edition of the FTA Awards, through a separate sixth prize – the Unique Edition Award.
The FTA 2021 Jury members will be announced shortly. Below you will find a video of the FTA informing the designers of their nominations and a list of those nominees with their headshots.
FTA 2021 Ready-to-Wear Award Finalists:
Cynthia Merhej (Lebanon), Lama Jouni (Lebanon), Maram Aboul Enein (Egypt), and Zaid Affas (Iraq)
Cynthia Merhej 
Lama Jouni 
Maram Aboul Enein 
Zaid Affas
FTA 2021 Eveningwear Award Finalists:
Elie Mizrahi (Lebanon), Harith Hashim (Iraq), Laith Maalouf (Jordan) and Mohamed Benchellal (Morocco)
Elie Mizrahi 
Harith Hashim 
Laith Maalouf 
Mohamed Benchellal
FTA 2021 Jewellery Award Finalists:
Alia Bin Omair (UAE), Azza Skhiri Bouchamaoui (Tunisia), Julien Riad Sahyoun (Lebanon), Tania & Dima Nawbar (Lebanon)
Alia Bin Omair 
Azza Skhiri Bouchamaoui 
Julien Riad Sahyoun 
Tania & Dima Nawbar
FTA 2021 Accessories Award Finalists:
Billal Fellah (Algeria), Dania Shinkar (Saudi Arabia), Haya Al AbdulKareem (Kuwait), and Zakaria Bendriouich (Morocco)
Billal Fellah 
Dania Shinkar 
Haya Al AbdulKareem 
Zakaria Bendriouich
FTA 2021 Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award Finalists:
AbdelGader El Tayeb Al Sadig (Sudan), Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd (Iraq), Mina Tahi by Mintallah Tahir (Egypt) and Roudha by Roudha Ahmed Almazroei (Qatar)
AbdelGader El Tayeb Al Sadig 
Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd 
Mintallah Tahir 
Roudha Ahmed Almazroei
FTA 2021 Unique Edition Award Finalists:
Alado by Alejandro González and Andrés Restrepo, ANEW CROSS by Agustin Rivero, Laura Laurens and Priah by Juanita Garcia
Alejandro González & Andrés Restrepo 
Agustin Rivero 
Laura Laurens 
Juanita Garcia
