Designing with the stars

DHS500,000 AND THE chance to showcase their collection on online fashion site Namshi.com are the prizes on offer for the winner of Dubai One's reality competition Fashion Star beginning on the channel tomorrow evening at 10pm. For aspiring designers it represents the opportunity of a lifetime and you get to share every step of the journey over the next ten weeks.

Every Wednesday you'll witness 12 contestants from all over the Middle East and North Africa design, create, display, but ultimately learn during the gruelling contest, which will see just one participant triumph.
Under the tutelage of Lebanese designer Reem Acra, Tunisian model Hanna bin Abdel-Salam, and Kuwait-based fashion buyer Ramzi Tabiaat (pictured, cover), the 12 will attempt to surmount the set challenges with tasks including conceptualising and putting together three designs in two days. At the end of each episode, three designers will be placed in the 'Danger Zone' following which one will exit the show. Tunisian actress Leila bin Khalifa is the programme's lead presenter.
"We've done a lot of research and we've noticed the demand for these format shows," said Director of Dubai One, Sarah Al Jarman. "Most of our viewers are Arabs, so the show is bilingual," she revealed.
Al Jarman's reasoning behind choosing to put a fashion reality show into production on the channel was two-fold.
"Firstly, Dubai is coming up very fast in the fashion industry," she said. "And I wanted to premiere with a programme that hasn't been done.
"Singing contests have been done a lot and we didn't want that. We thought fashion was a good step forward. We had the original American version a while ago and it did quite well. We thought 'let's do the Arabic version.'"
The talent scouted for the show had to be of a high standard, Al Jarman stated. There was no direct call put out in casting the show, rather a team of professionals went out to sign-up existing successful designers who perhaps had not been given sufficient exposure.
"We handpicked the contestants because it's a new concept so we didn't want to open the door to beginners or amateurs because we want everyone to be able to compete fairly. Every contestant here has studied and has experience - some have their own lines and even their own shops.
"Reem Acra in particular was very impressed with the standard. It makes a better show when everyone is performing at a high level."
Al Jarman said if this, the first season of Fashion Star is popular, we will be able to look forward to another where the playing field may be a little more open.
"Once they (the audience) see season one, people will want to participate."
Ultimately the winner's line will be available to buy as soon as that person is announced. Given Fashion Star has already been taped, the collection is currently in production and will be released on Namshi.com the second we learn who has been successful.
Such a tie-up has never been attempted in the region and is an example of the multi-platform essence of the show.
"The episodes will be available online and on demand at the website after they have aired," Al Jarman said. "People can watch it through the Dubai One app. The show also has a micro site. You can get to know more about the designers and each stage. There will be behind-the-scenes clips and teasers.
"The contestants are also active on social media, although they can't reveal too much."
Whatever you follow online, however, cannot compare to watching the episodes as they come out says Dubai One's Business Development and Programs Production Senior Manager Mai El Khalifa.
"The viewer experience starts from episode one. They live the contestants' stories and see their dramas. You get to see them go from professional designers to great professional designers."
She added: "The show doesn't go into their personal lives but you get to see their personalities. There's the drama queen, the know-it-all and the humorous one. There's health issues, someone goes to hospital, it really is drama from the beginning!"
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LOCAL TALENT
Sujata Assomull catches up with Namshi.com's Marketing Director, Ian Smith, on why the online portal decided to partner with the region's first fashion reality show, Fashion Star and how it will encourage a mutually beneficial relationship
What was it about the show that made you want to be a part of it?
Fashion Star will definitely help grow fashion and talent in the region. The calibre of the contestants was excellent, and internationally acclaimed fashion designer Reem Acra adding her name to the programme made it a no brainer for Namshi to be involved. We all hope that by giving a platform to local talent we can nurture fashion in the region and take what is already a burgeoning scene to the international table.
 How will Namshi promote the talent of the show?
We will promote the winner across all of our platforms in all. We have got a number of content and marketing initiatives planned but they will only be unveiled once the programme has begun. Also, having the opportunity to work alongside the winning designer will be a great initiative for growing a specific section of the website which is focused around local designers.
 What makes you sure that show will find a talent that is worth commercially backing?
One of our strategies at Namshi is to promote and nurture local talent. It's a brand that was borne out of the Middle East and we are really proud of that. With Fashion Star and Reem Acra working with local designers to find a 'Fashion Star' we felt as a brand that this was an ideal opportunity for us to get involved and to help support this movement.
david@khaleejtimes.com