Arab Fashion Council names new chairwoman

The Arab Fashion Council (AFC), which represents and governs fashion across the 22 nations of the Arab League, has appointed Amina Taher as its new chairwoman, as it looks to usher in a new era for fashion design in the region.

Taher brings more than two decades of leadership across aviation, fintech, media and sport to the role, as she held leadership roles at brands, including Etihad Airways, where she helped position the airline as a partner to the fashion weeks of New York, London and Paris while strengthening its collaboration with the Arab Fashion Council, and served as chief marketing officer at Wio Bank.

The AFC describes Taher as “one of the region's most respected figures in brand, communications, and public affairs,” and as the right person to continue to drive “Arab design from the margins of global fashion to its centre”.

Jacob Abrian, founder and chief executive officer of the Arab Fashion Council, said in a statement: “Few leaders move with equal fluency across government, industry, and culture, and fewer still bring that fluency to the service of design.

“The Council has already placed Arab creativity where it belongs, at the centre of the global conversation. Amina Taher's appointment is not a change of direction. It is a recognition of the standing the Council now holds, and a commitment to hold it with even greater seriousness.”

The AFC was founded in 2015 and is the world's largest non-profit fashion council, representing the 22 member nations of the Arab League. Over the last decade, it has been working to establish the fashion infrastructure of the Arab world, to nurture and promote the region's designers, and to position Arab fashion on the international stage.

To help with global recognition, the AFC co-founded Dubai Fashion Week with Dubai Design District, which showcases regional fashion alongside international guests twice a year.

Commenting on her appointment, Taher said: “The Arab Fashion Council has played a defining role in positioning Dubai as the region's leading fashion hub and creating a platform for Arab designers to gain global recognition.

“Over the past decade, it has built the institutions, partnerships and international credibility that have transformed the region's fashion industry. I am honoured to build on that strong foundation.”

Looking ahead, Taher will formally present her vision for the organisation at an invitation-only gala in September, where she is expected to unveil a manifesto to advance the region's designers, its fashion economy, and its place among the capitals of world fashion.

Taher added: “Together with our partners across government, industry and the creative community, we have an opportunity to further strengthen the Council's impact, support the continued growth of the creative economy, and create even greater opportunities for the next generation of Arab designers to thrive on the global stage.”