BoF’s Imran Amed, Elie Saab Jr, Al-Ostoura’s Najla Maatouk and former Harper’s Bazaar Arabia editor-in-chief Louise Nichol joined international and local fashion professionals for the inaugural event, exploring the industry’s future in Kuwait and the Middle East.

Designers in the region struggle to navigate a fragmented market of competing fashion week events with ambiguous agendas and mixed results.

Gucci and Tiffany are among the brands investing in the Southeast Asian market with an increasingly wealthy and cosmopolitan consumer class.

Dakar’s reputation as a regional fashion hub has persuaded brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss to expand to the capital of the West African nation as it upgrades its retail infrastructure.