Fashion Trust Arabia 2025 winners bring global fusion to the runway at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI

Fashion Trust Arabia 2025 winners brought a fusion of global influences to the runway at Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India, marking a milestone in India’s growing collaboration with the Arab world. The showcase followed the announcement that India would be FTA’s Guest Country for 2025, strengthening cross-cultural ties and opening doors for emerging designers.

Among the showcased designers, Salim Azzam’s collection celebrated Lebanese mountain life with intricate embroidery, butterfly-inspired silhouettes, and rich textures of silk and denim, the FTA announced in a press release. Azzam’s handcrafted approach revived rural craftsmanship, with golden and silver-threaded detailing enhancing the collection’s ethereal aesthetic.

Kazna Asker presented a fusion of Middle Eastern heritage and contemporary outerwear, reinterpreting traditional Yemeni garments with track suits, cargo trousers, and woven textiles. Digital prints, flocked detailing, and Bedouin influences lent a modern edge to the collection, reflecting migration identity and cultural evolution.

Yousef Akbar’s collection embraced surrealist influences, with voluminous silhouettes, shimmering gold orchids, and dramatic draping in tulle and taffeta. Akbar’s designs catered to the red carpet and presented a fusion style take on eveningwear.

“I am thrilled to welcome India as Fashion Trust Arabia’s Guest Country for 2025 with the support of Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre,” said FTA co-chair Tania Fares in a press release. “Their commitment to showcasing India’s rich artistic heritage and supporting local talents will ensure that this partnership is a huge success.”

The FTA initiative, introduced in 2021, aims to foster international creative exchange, offering mentorship, financial support, and industry access. The FTA’s Guest Country initiative will culminate in Doha in November 2025 and signals a deeper creative and commercial synergy between India and the MENA region.