Fashion, Design, Identity

AKSOB 903, Beirut campus

The Department of Design is hosting a symposium titled “Fashion, Design, Identity” as part of the Beirut Design Week, which includes two panels and a reception.

The first panel, “Fashion Mediation”, will discuss the cultural translation of fashion and dress identities within and beyond the region and will be lead by Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Design Yasmine Taan. Speakers include Ritu Upadhyay, Middle East correspondent, Women’s Wear Daily; Johnny Farah, founder and designer, Johnny Farah; and Sarah Beydoun, founder and creative director of social enterprise Sarah’s Bags.

The second panel, “Faith and Fashion”, will discuss fashion politics, religious and regional taste cultures on the international market and will be lead by Reina Lewis, professor of Cultural Studies, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, London. Speakers of this panel, which starts at 6:00 p.m., include Cynthia Chamat, creative director at Urban Sense and owner of Boutique Hub, Beirut; Shelina Janmohamed, vice president, Ogilvy Noor, Islamic Branding Practice at Ogilvy & Mather and author of Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World; and Kendall Robbins, fashion programme manager, British Council UK and regional expert.

A reception will follow the panels from 7:30 till 8:30 p.m.