DUBAI: Jihane Boumediane, the designer behind Moroccan brand Jyann, is garnering significant attention as a finalist for Qatar’s Fashion Trust Arabia Award in the accessories category, ahead of the ceremony in Marrakesh on Oct. 24.

Founded in 2021, her brand is known for its handcrafted bags and hats. It draws deeply on Morocco’s rich heritage of wool felting — a craft that dates back thousands of years and is integral to the country’s cultural identity.

 

 

 

 

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Wool felting, an ancient textile-production method, is a labor-intensive process that involves manually pressing together wool fibers using water and soap.

This technique has been passed down through generations of Moroccan artisans, particularly in the Atlas Mountains where Boumediane sources her wool.

“The wool from this region has so many wonderful properties — it’s resistant, the fibers are not too long or short. It checks all the boxes — sustainable, versatile and beautiful,” explained the designer.

 

 

 

 

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For Boumediane, fashion is not just about aesthetics, it is about preserving and elevating traditional crafts while creating a positive impact throughout the supply chain.

“Our approach is to create an impact on all levels — from the sheep raisers in the High Atlas to the artisans who meticulously craft each piece,” she said.

Her commitment to sustainability and ethical production can be seen in her sourcing of local materials and desire to optimize water usage in wool processing.

 

 

 

 

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Each of her handbags can take anywhere from five to seven days to create and transcend seasons — making them last for years.

The Fashion Trust Arabia Award is a significant milestone for Boumediane and her brand. “Being recognized by such a platform validates the years of research and experimentation we’ve put into our craft,” she said.

Winning this award would enable her to scale her operations, recruit and train new artisans, and further her mission of social innovation. “It’s not just about making beautiful products; it’s about safeguarding ancient techniques and ensuring they thrive in the modern world.”

 

 

 

 

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The FTA 2024 Advisory Board selected 18 finalists from applications submitted by emerging talent from across the Middle East and North Africa region.

They are competing in six categories: ready-to-wear, eveningwear, jewelry, accessories, fashion tech, and for the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award.

The board includes British celebrity-loved designer Erdem Moralioglu, jewelry designer Gaia Repossi and US designer Kelly Wearstler.

The winners will receive a financial grant of between $100,000 and $200,000, depending on the size of their business.

LAHORE: A widely acclaimed art curator has transformed the third edition of the Lahore Biennale into an artistic engagement with ecology and the environment, selecting historic public spaces across Lahore for art installations to attract a wider audience and spark conversations about sustainable living.
Originally from Hong Kong, John Tain’s career has spanned several countries, including the United States, Taiwan, and India, where he digitally archived art before taking over curatorial duties in Pakistan.
The Lahore Biennale Foundation has been working since 2014 to preserve the city’s rich legacy of arts and culture, a heritage that stretches back thousands of years. This year’s theme, “Of Mountains and Seas,” reflects the pressing concern of how the Global South is disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.
Pakistan itself has witnessed a series of catastrophic floods, heatwaves and droughts that have claimed countless lives, caused massive financial damage and raised concerns about food security.
This is despite the fact that the country contributes less than one percent of global carbon emissions, yet remains one of the most severely affected by the impacts of climate change.
“[This year’s event] looks at the themes of ecologies and sustainable futures, but not from the perspective of the problems that we’re all facing, but really from thinking about what are the possible solutions,” Tain said while speaking to Arab News on Friday.
“Specifically, what are the solutions that we can find in a place like Lahore, Pakistan, and thinking about what resources are available locally and in the indigenous culture,” he added.
The event, which kicked off on October 5, will culminate in a Climate Congress next month, featuring international scholars, academics and artists, coinciding with the notorious smog season in the city.
Tain maintained that Lahore was the ideal location to carry out the biennale since it had been significantly impacted by the worsening climate.
“Working with 61 artists who come from over 30 countries, it’s really not about importing answers and knowledge from elsewhere,” he said. “It’s really about looking together for resources and what we can do together to find solutions for sustainability.”
Pointing to the paintings lining the walls of the Shalimar Garden, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1641, he highlighted works on melting glaciers and fossil fuels by artists like Hamra Abbas and Niamat Nigar.
“Lahore Biennale as a project is not located in art museums or elite spaces,” he said. “We’re really in the city. So, here we are at Shalimar Gardens, where families are playing football and taking strolls.”
Tain mentioned that art installations had also been placed at other public locations, such as the Orange Line metro system, which people use daily.
“So, it’s really meant to bring art to the people, rather than make people come to the art,” he added.
Asked about the Climate Congress at the end of the biennale, he said a lot of research on the environment had been done by experts and researchers, though it had not been properly communicated to the general public.
“The biennale is trying to think about how art and exhibitions can be vehicles for communicating these kinds of messages,” he continued, suggesting that the Climate Congress would be a continuation of the same effort.
While it has only been a week since the biennale installations were opened to the public, Tain said he was happy with the response.
“I think there was a good attendance on both of the opening days [of the inauguration],” he said, encouraging people to attend the event, which is open until November 8.