Middle Eastern Fashion Designers Meet Their Mentor

Harper’s Bazaar Café in Dubai Design District (d3) played host to an intimate gathering for regional designers and creatives in the company of Patrick Chalhoub, co-CEO of the Chalhoub Group, the Middle East’s leading luxury retailer, in partnership with Dubai Design & Fashion Council (DDFC).

Designers were able to ask Patrick Chalhoub for advice on how best to build relationships with store buyers and develop their businesses in the region. The Chalhoub Group employs more than 12,000 people across 14 counties and runs a network of over 650 stores, including joint ventures with Dior and Christian Louboutin and oversees retail operations for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Nina Ricci, Marc Jacobs and Carolina Herrera.

Patrick Chalhoub said of the session with entrepreneurs from the desin community, “We discussed the challenges budding designers face and how we can support and nurture our talent better. One particular area that was highlighted was the need to help designers build and strengthen their business acumen, for which we are launching a specialised mentorship soon in partnership with DDFC. It was also great to share insights on the retail industry, which I hope the designers found helpful. I look forward to being a part of their success stories”.

The Chalhoub Group, along with DDFC, is developing a mentorship programme that will be offered to local designers very soon. The initiative forms part of DDFC’s governmental mandate to make Dubai a global fashion capital by 2020.