30 November 2015
After winning the Cadillac Design Challenge, H.E Shaikha Mai receives Bahraini designer Hind Matar
H.E Shaikha Mai bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa received on 30 November 2015 Bahraini Hind Matar, a young talented designer, to congratulate her on winning the 2015 Style.com/Arabia – DDFC Fashion Prize, featuring the Cadillac Design Challenge. On 24 November 2015, fashion luminaries, industry VIPs, and socialites gathered at the one and only Royal Mirage in Dubai to celebrate the groundbreaking inauguration of the Style.com/Arabia – DDFC Fashion Prize.
H.E congratulated the young designer on wining one of the most prestigious design and fashion awards while voicing her pride and excitement with regard to the success of promising young Bahraini talents around the world and especially in the Arab world. H.E said, “Hind Matar’s success in winning this award reflects the fabulous achievements made by Bahraini youth, which make us feel proud and push us to show support and encouragement.”
From Casablanca to Gaza, Tunis to Dubai, Riyadh to Beirut, and beyond, 200 designers from around the region applied; each submitted an excruciatingly detailed questionnaire and portfolio presentation as part of that process. Senior executives from Style.com/Arabia and Style.com, the Dubai Design & Fashion Council, Farfetch, and renowned regional and international fashion personalities reviewed each dossier, debating the merits of each and fighting for their favorites to make it to the final round—it was a tough decision. And after all of the deliberations, we are proud today to announce the 10 finalists, who will go on to produce a capsule collection to be presented in 24 November.
Following this hard work and build up, Hind Matar was declared the winner of the Cadillac Design Challenge. Overwhelmed, the designer was lost for words as she accepted her trophy to roaring applause. Matar’s fledgling womenswear line blends Arabic and Western influences, reflecting her nomadic childhood. Her label is known for its delicate blend of contradiction; elegant yet eye-catching designs that aim to explore fresh perspectives of femininity. Her signature styles include structured skirts, oversized jackets, and tailored trousers. Matar’s love for color and texture can be traced back to her Middle Eastern roots and her childhood in Bahrain. The designer credits her grandmother for introducing her to embroidery, which is also a key element in her designs. Hind Matar spend more than 6 months to prepare for this contest and was selected among the 10 finalists out of 200 competitors for this prestigious prize.
Hind Matar, for her part, expressed her gratitude and appreciation towards H.E Shaikha Mai for her constant support and encouragement shown during her participation at London Fashion Week. She also values high the chance given to her to design Bahrain pavilion Milan Expo 2015, which proved to be a world success. She added saying, “The minister of culture of Bahrain really believed in me and wanted to promote a Bahraini designer on an international level. We know her through family; she is doing amazing things for Bahrain, creating a lot of different platforms whether it is in music or art, really trying to broaden the horizons of the nationals.”
The Style.com/Arabia – DDFC Fashion Prize is an annual endowment granted to the most promising design talents from the Arab world. The endowment was formed by Style.com/Arabia, the Middle East’s first Condé Nast fashion and beauty publication, in partnership with the Dubai Design & Fashion Council (DDFC) and Farfetch. Award finalists and ultimate winners are selected — based on demonstrable talent and capacity for future success — by a Selection Committee comprising senior executives from Style.com/Arabia, the Dubai Design & Fashion Council, Farfetch, and both the regional and international fashion communities. The 2015 Style.com/Arabia – DDFC Fashion Prize will also feature the Cadillac Design Challenge, with the winning designer awarded a production budget and an opportunity to sell the winning design globally on Farfetch. Additional prizes of mentoring and/or business support may be awarded to other Style.com/Arabia – DDFC Fashion Prize finalists.
