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Catching up with Fashion Forward Dubai co-founder Bong Guerrero

More than 25 years ago, Bong Guerrero moved to Dubai and helped set up a fashion house. But he moved from design to events and set up Brag, along with his friend Ramzi Nakkad, a respected advertising and marketing professional in the region.
The duo led BRAG to become one of the region's leading experiential agencies, and it is this combination of fashion and events that led Bong and Ramzi to start Fashion Forward Dubai (FFWD), the region's definitive fashion platform. It's been five years and 10 seasons since the first FFWD and the 10th edition starts on Thursday, October 26, and concludes on Saturday.
"I remember sitting at another Dubai-based fashion platform in 1999 feeling there was a need for something like Fashion Forward. Something that celebrated and focused on home-grown fashion," Bong  said. When that short-lived platform folded, Bong along with his business partner started FFWD. "We were always in it for the long run. And what has worked is that though we have one focal direction yet we have grown organically." He admits, though, that there have been 'growing pains'.
"Sometimes it is hard to live up to the expectations within the reality of the industry," he explains, pointing out that fashion is a young industry. Though only 10 seasons, FFWD is older than fashion's apex body - Dubai Design and Fashion Council - set up in 2013.
Three seasons ago, the DDFC endorsed FFWD and that gave it the credibility to be seen as the fashion platform for the region. "You do not have to be called a fashion week to be the industry platform," said Bong.  Many of the designers from the region like Hussein Bazaza who went on to be the first winner of the Style.com/Arabia DDFC Fashion Prize and Taller Marmo, last year's regional finalist for the International
Woolmark Prize, first caught the industry's eye thanks to FFWD.
As FFWD enters its 10th season, a landmark moment, Bong recalls the reasons that led to its success. "We listen to the community, and we responded to their needs.  It was not a set and rigid format," he said. For instance, after two seasons they introduced the presentation format - which meant that young designers had a more approachable format. Smaller in size, and not dictated by the constraints of the catwalk, designers could show smaller collections in a more informal setting. And many designers such as Bouguessa and Arwa Al Banawi made their fashion debut at FFWD through the presentation format.
"For us it was always bringing a combination of established and emerging designers together. And there are no rules to fashion, and that is what makes it such an exciting industry."  This season, FFWD has a new venue, this is its third home. "Moving from a hotel to the Hai at Dubai Design District (D3) meant FFWD was at the heart of the industry and now we move within D3 to the Design Quarter, the heart of fashion within D3."
Another feather in the FFWD cap are the D3 Talks - at the first FFWD they had Steven Kolb, the President and CEO of the Council of American Designers, and since then, the talks section has been one of FFW's strongest points. Be it blogger Scott Schuman and Huda Kattan, Business of Fashion's Imran Ahmed, supermodel Yasmin Le Bon, or Level Shoe's Rania Masri, it has always been about content. Bong attributes it to the fact that there is a dedicated team that work just on the talks because "it's never about the names or the celebrity factor, it's about choosing people that have something to share." This season's headline speakers include British fashion designer Mary Katrantzou and veteran fashion critic Godfrey Deeny.
Of course, one of the most important stakeholders at a fashion platform are the buyers. Here Bong admits they have some problems. "If you can't get the buyers to you, then you go to the buyers." Which is why three seasons ago they started the Paris Showroom which is part of FFWD EPIC programme. EPIC is a series of empowerment initiatives propelled through industry collaborations that hopes to tackle key business development challenges faced by regional fashion designers and is something that Ramzi drives for FFWD. The Paris showroom has attracted buyers from marquee stores around the world such as Paris' Galeries Lafayette and Turkey's Beymen. "I do wish the larger retail groups were more visible and active during FFWD, but I do feel things are getting better and go forward.

Tenth season highlights
The show to watch out this season is Amato. "He has participated in every edition of FFWD so it is only fitting for him to be the finale designer for the 10th edition," Bong said. Amato always put on a show full of drama that has a couture approach to fashion. "Fashion is about an emotion, so drama is important," he adds. But the game changer for him is the first-time inclusion of international designers. Anna K, Eldon Choi, Jiao Rollo; Nabil Nasal and Sid Neigum will make their FFWD debut, and represent London, Canada, Portugal and Ukraine.  "We wanted to focus on home-grown talent when we started, as that was important. We always received international interest and now we feel it's time to open FFWD doors." This means FFWD is ready to move from being a regional to an international event. "I can't wait to see how FFWD evolves in another 10 seasons," says Bong as he prepares for the 10th season of FFWD.

October 26
*Arwa Al Banawi, Runway presentation, at 3:30pm
*Essa, Fashion Show, at 4pm
*Hussein Bazaza, Runway show, at 10.00pm
Talks: In Conversation with Mary Katrantzou and The Modist, D3 Fashion Talk at 7:30pm

October 27
* By Sauce X Shoestova, fashion show, at 5pm
*Varion Marwah, Menswear presentation, at 6pm
*Nabil Nayal, International Guest designer, Runway, at 10pm

October 28
*Life of a Front Row critic: Godfrey Deeny, D3 Fashion Talk, at 7.30pm
*Cinema Akil Presents,Iris by Albert Maysles, Fashion Film
*Amato, Runway show, at 10pm
sujata@khaleejtimes.com