“Everyone worldwide eats Middle Eastern food,” says the Lebanese-born fashion philanthropist Tania Fares. “But no one knows a thing about its fashion designers.” Until now, that is. This week, Fares launched Fashion Trust Arabia — a non-profit mentorship and financial prize programme for emerging designers across the whole of the Middle East and North Africa, which aims to give winning designers international exposure. “There is a lot of talent in the region, but there’s a lack of support,” says Fares. “We’re creating a structure within the industry there from scratch.”
“全世界的人都在享用着中东美食。”出生于黎巴嫩的时尚伯乐塔妮娅•法雷斯(Tania Fares)说，“但是，中东的时尚设计师却鲜为人知。”至少到目前为此是这样。不久前，法雷斯发起成立了阿拉伯时尚信托基金(Fashion Trust Arabia)——这个非赢利性的基金会为整个中东及北非地区的设计新锐提供导师指导以及奖金支持，旨在提升获奖者的国际知名度。“中东有很多才华横溢的设计师，但对他们的支持度不够。”法雷斯说，“我们白手起家打造这个业界平台。”