From animal print ensembles to lacy hoodies and flared silky slacks, Arab men on Thursday got their first-ever Arab fashion week, with the three-day event showcased virtually online.

Designer Furne One of Amato Couture, loved in Dubai for his ethereal designs, opened the unprecedented event with a fall/winter 2021-2022 collection entitled “The First Temptation”.

The 13-piece AMATO Couture’s men’s capsule collection represents men in quest of power and success with a fashion film titled ‘The First Temptation’, directed by Pradhyumansinh Solanki of Crossover Studio.

The fashion film, set in a remote abandoned desert village, features the landscape’s mysticism forging a link to AMATO’s design aesthetics using the highest quality of materials such as linen, crepe and lace matched with bespoke prints and hand-stitched embroideries.

The critically-acclaimed Dubai-based fashion house AMATO Couture’s latest men’s collection is supported by trending celebrity agency YUGEN Group.

YUGEN Group also produced the worldwide trending Arab Fashion Week in 2018 of South-East Asian Superstar Maymay Entrata, the first Filipina to open the Arab Fashion Week and co-produce Nicole Rodrigues and Mae Bakhtiari.

The film premiered at the virtual Arab Fashion Week – Men’s Collection on Thursday, 28 January 2021.

About Amato Coutour:

Launched in 2002 UAE, Amato, which means ‘beloved’ in Italian, is the brainchild of the much-awarded creative designer Furne One, who partnered with textile expert Rashid Ali this Avant Garde label.

From the very first collection, Amato coutour touched a chord with the region’s fashion elite. Inviting UAE’s beautiful women to a style renaissance, Amato broke the glass ceiling through a symphony of style and creativity.

Words like ‘inspiring, intriguing and innovative’ are only a few of the compliments showered by Amato’s discerning clientele on Creative Director Furne One.

Furne fearlessly shows out-of-the-box, unconventional yet outstandingly chic collections with an inherent passion for couture.

Not a trend follower, he uses his fabric as a canvas for creating ensembles that are not only fashionable but also artistic. 

From his first collection “Unveiled Soul” in 2004 until “Love is a Battlefield” in 2015, every ensemble is a tribute to women’s silent strength.

“My creativity is inspired by my mother and grandmother’s quintessential style that coloured my vision. I have always tried to create exquisite and ethereal designs tempered with a silent touch of strength. My collections aren’t for the faint-hearted woman, but one who is comfortable in her skin; her clothes are but a foil to reflect her inner persona.”

Amato started as a dream between two creative entrepreneurs, based on three core values – cutting edge creativity, fashion as an art form and innovation.

In keeping with couture traditions, Amato textures its own fabrics, fashioning luxurious materials, detained with rare embellishment techniques.

Using signature cuts, Amato has a visual directory that goes from romantic Shakespearean tales of a different era to the sensual styling of Mata Hari meeting modern Space Sirens – their creative team seeks to push the style envelope.

“We want to create a visual and sensory experience for our clientele,”

Rashid and Furne explain.

Reflecting this aspect of the label consistently pushes parameters, evolving from being a Dubai-based label into a global one.

Working the fashion week circuit in Los Angeles, Dubai, London, Miami and several other events worldwide, Amato has been winning accolades for every presentation. 

Amato is UAE’s first global designer brand that has earned itself an international cult following; from royalty to international celebrities.

Loyal patrons of the paradigmatic couture house include super-model Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks to singing sensations such as Beyonce, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Shakira, Nicole Scherzinger and Jessie J. 

About Furne One:

Born in the creative capital of Asia – Philippines, Furne One found his mother and grandmother’s muse through their personal style.

His love for the unique and inherent quintessential edginess inspired the designer to sketch dresses as early as when he was just 10 years old.

Even though he didn’t train in fashion, Furne’s natural affinity for artistic design pushed him to participate in the country’s prestigious design competition: MEGA Magazine’s Young Designer of Philippines Award 1994 which he won.

The competition was judged by international fashion players. One of whom was lingerie designer – Josie Natori. She was so impressed with Furne’s work and understanding of design that she offered him an internship in both her design studios in Paris and New York.

“I went from thinking like a designer, but I emerged with a full understanding of the business of design,”

says Furne.

“When it comes to fashion, of course, I don’t like to be just like everybody else. Having my own identity is very important to me.”

Paris honed his sense of style; New York tweaked his design sensibilities. Training at FIT, New York, doing several courses on design Furne’s own signature style emerged.

Deconstruction at a time of structure, subtle style with rare texturing was the alternative signature Furne showcased when representing the Philippines in Japan 1994.

He took home prestigious Japan’s Women Wear Award, becoming a finalist at manila’s fashion Designer Award. Having achieved this, he returned to New York when he stopped in Dubai and fell in love with the city.

“It was just a small town, with a great promise then” Furne reminisces. Making Dubai his base; he commenced his career working at a local atelier. Meeting Rashid Ali, a textile boutique owner, who shared similar design ideology and dreams, Furne teamed up his creative genius with Rashid’s in-depth knowledge of the fashion business to create Amato in2002.

I was actually very nervous at my first fashion show “Journey to a Star” – I was determined to show everyone something different, new and unique.”

About Arab Fashion Week:

Presented in partnership with Facebook, Inc. The Arab Fashion Council is inviting viewers across the world to tune in to Instagram’s Live handle @arabfashioncouncil from 28-30 January 2021, view and shop the collections and be part of a moment of history in the making.

View the full schedule here: www.arabfashionweek.org

“The world around us is changing, so too are attitudes towards fashion and nowhere more so than in the Middle East. Arab Fashion Week-Men’s presents the breadth of menswear beyond formal attire and streetwear and paves the way for men in the Middle East to embrace a more adventurous wardrobe.”

Mohammed Aqra, Chief Strategy Officer, The Arab Fashion Council. 

Click here to view the live schedule and read about the designers. 

Watch the collections LIVE .

About Arab Fashion Council:

The Arab Fashion Council ©️(AFC) is the world’s largest not-for-profit organization that aims to establish a fashion system (infrastructure) by uniting the 22 Arab countries under the umbrella of creative economy, based on knowledge and production; by making use and sharing collective know-how, experience and resources of the industry. The AFC was formed in 2014 to represent the fashion industry in the 22 Arab Countries and is a trademark registered under UAE federal law. It is funded by industry patrons and commercial sponsors. It leads the industry through creative influence and is strategically taking the necessary steps to position Arab fashion industry in the global fashion economy.

The AFC’s strategic pillars are; economy based on the creative knowledge, made within the Arab Fashion System, reputation, education, sustainability and fashion for humanity.

AFC works to establish a coherent fashion system in the region with an important focus on education and cultural development, an initiative that contributes to the promotion of cultural diversity and support to creative industry, which is in line with activities that UNESCO Office in Doha is also undertaking.

The AFC has redefined the terms of the current luxury market by defining a new term in the fashion dictionary, Ready-Couture ®️, which represents over 70% of the luxury market share.

In addition, the Arab Fashion Council ©️ endorses & coordinates the Arab Fashion Week, which is the main fashion platform that represents the Arab countries, enabling Arab brands to promote their creative work globally.

PROUDLY, THE ARAB FASHION WEEK (AFW) IS THE WORLD’S ONLY PLATFORM PROMOTING THE ‘READY-COUTURE’ COLLECTIONS, WHICH IS KNOWN ALSO AS ‘DEMI-COUTURE’, ‘PRÊT-À-COUTURE’ OR ‘COUTURE-À-PORTER’.

The first edition of the Arab Fashion Week (AFW) was held in Dubai from 31 October till 2 November 2015; while, the second edition was held in Dubai from 16-19 March 2016 & the third edition from 6-10 October 2016.

The fourth edition was held from 16-20 May 2017 at The Meydan, Dubai. In partnership with Meraas, the 5th edition of the Arab Fashion Week was held in City Walk from 15-19 November.

In April 2018 AFC organised the first-ever fashion week in Saudi Arabia’s kingdom with the support of the General Entertainment Authority in Riyadh from 10-14 April, 6th edition of the Arab Fashion Week was hosted in Dubai from 18-21 May 2018 at the Queen Elizabeth II cruise.

It became the first floating fashion week, the 7th edition of the Arab Fashion Week was hosted in Dubai from 21-28 November 2018 at both Citywalk and Dubai Design District,  the 8th edition for the first time at the AFC Head Quarters 1422, from 24-29 April 2019 and the 9th edition from 9-14 Oct 2019. 

The 10th, 11th, and 12th editions were hosted digitally in response to the Covid 19 pandemic. 

Arab Fashion Week is now considered one of the world’s five most important fashion weeks in the world, as featured in Vogue Italy and other important press.