HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani with international and regional celebrities and industry leaders at the 2024 FTA Prize.

Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) hosted its sixth annual FTA 2024 Prize at the iconic El Badi Palace in Marrakech, Morocco, as part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture, bringing together international and regional celebrities and industry leaders to honour seven exceptional designers.

Qatar Museums chairperson and FTA co-chair HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani welcomed guests alongside FTA co-founder Tania Fares. They reiterated their commitment to supporting the next generation of fashion talent from the Mena region.

The evening, hosted by the renowned international actress Angela Bassett and Egyptian actor Ahmad Helmy, was attended by notable guests such as Alton Mason, Aya Nakamura, Balqees Fathi, Carla Bruni Sarkozy, Da’vine joy Randolph, Evan Ross, Farida Khelfa, Halima Haden, Hande Erçel, Helena Christensen, Imaan Ammam, Jameela Jamil, James Blake, Jodie Turner-Smith,Isabelle Huppert, Lucien Laviscount, Nadine Njeim, Natalia Vodianova, Nicky Hilton, Paloma Elssesser, Paris Jackson, Precious Lee, Richard E. Grant, Taraji P Henson, Yasmine Sabri among others and Sophie Ellis-Bextor took the stage to perform her biggest hits.

The winners were chosen by a jury, consisting of industry experts. The 24 designer finalists showcased their collections and competed in various categories: Ready-to-Wear, Eveningwear, Accessories, Jewellery, the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award, the Guest Country Award (in partnership with Spain), and the newly launched Fashion Tech Award.

The winners of the 2024 FTA Prize: Ready-to-Wear designer: Nadine Mosallam; Eveningwear designer: Yasmin Mansour; Accessories designer: Reem Hamed; Jewellery designer: Noura Abdulaziz al-Saud, Sara Naif al-Saud and Mashael Khalid al-Saud; Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award: Sylwia Nazzal; Fashion Tech Award: Batoul al-Rashdan; Guest Country Award – Spain: Francisco Barroso & Javier Garcia.

Each winning designer receives a cash prize ranging from $100,000 to $200,000, as well as a personalised, one-year mentorship programme provided by FTA’s Retail Partners and a global network of industry professionals.

This comprehensive support covers vital topics in fashion business development, including sustainability through mentorship from Maison De Mode. Additionally, the winners of the Ready-to-Wear, Eveningwear, Accessories, and Jewellery categories will have their collections carried at Harrods internationally and Ounass in the Mena region.

Yasmin Mansour, the Qatar-based designer who won the FTA Prize in the “Evening Wear” category, said: “This is my first time visiting Marrakech, as part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture events, and it was an honour to receive the award from Princess Lalla Hasna.

“I want to thank Qatar and HE Sheikha al-Mayassa for their constant support and encouragement, not just for me, but for all creatives in Qatar and the Arab world. I’m also happy to show the public my work that I completed in Doha, this was a message I’ve been working on for a while, and finally we see ‘Made in Qatar’ within this fashion category.”