M7 threads Qatari creativity on global fashion scene with debut international showcase

Sheikha Al Mayassa praised the regional designers as “truly remarkable” for showcasing their creativity on the global stage during M7’s inaugural international fashion presentation.

The M7 creative hub has displayed original pieces designed by some of the region’s finest talents during a presentation at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts – the first of its kind for the Qatar Museums (QM) subsidiary.

Qatar’s design, fashion, and technology incubator showcased the creations of three Qatar-based brands: Yasmin Mansour, Ghada Al Subaey’s 1309 Studios, and the Arabesque-Japan inspired Shirotsu.

Yasmin Mansour established her eponymous label in 2014 – two years after the Egyptian designer earned her Fashion Design degree. Her designs seamlessly uphold the region’s cultural heritage while creating new paradigms within the fashion industry.

So far, her pret-a-couture namesake is etched among Forbes Middle East’s list of 50 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands for 2023.

Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti, the Director of M7 (pictured centre), joined Yasmin Mansour (pictured left) for a panel discussion chaired by American Vogue columnist, Sarah Mower. Source: @almayassabnthamad, via Instagram.

On the sidelines of the event, a panel discussion took place which was chaired by renowned fashion critic and American Vogue columnist, Sarah Mower

She was joined by the director of M7, Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti, and Mansour.

Al Sulaiti discussed Qatar’s rapid development over the past few decades and described M7 as a creative outlet designed to meet the evolving demands brought about by these changes.

For her part, Mansour described her ultimate goal as creating a lasting legacy.

“I always say: ‘I don’t want to die and my name dies with me’. I want to have a brand name that inspires a lot of generations…with timeless pieces that people appreciate to [have] in their closets,” she said.

Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, the chairperson of QM, also lent her support by attending QM’s debut international fashion presentation.

The Qatari royal described this latest feat for the region’s fashion designers as a “proud moment”, and said that it was “truly remarkable” to witness the drive of Qatar’s emerging talents promoting original region-inspired designs on the world stage.