M7, Printemps Doha announce season 2 of 'The Collective'

Qatar’s epicentre for innovation and entrepreneurship in design, fashion, and technology, M7 and Qatar’s largest luxury department store, Printemps Doha, announced the launch of the second season of ‘The Collective’ Retail Incubation Programme.
The aim is to empower and equip emerging designers with the necessary tools and knowledge to develop a successful retail business, a statement said Sunday.
Season two sees the expansion of the programme to a diverse cohort of seven Qatar-based and Arab startup designer brands across categories including abaya design, menswear, kidswear, footwear, and fashion accessories.
M7 director Maha Ghanim al-Sulaiti said: “At M7, one of our main priorities is nurturing the innate creative talent of our local community, and driving growth in the creative industry in Qatar and the region. We are proud to continue our partnership with Printemps Doha in highlighting and supporting rising talents. The Collective embodies our dedication to not only empowering designers but giving them the necessary resources and dedicated mentorship to become the talents of tomorrow.”
The seven designers and brands on this season’s programme are: Tagreed Omer with her namesake eveningwear brand, featuring unique hand-painted textile designs with unusual prints and patterns. Jassim Aljaber and Mohammed Alghanim with Vittorio, an elegant and high-end fashion menswear brand.
Noof Almulla employs fabric as a captivating tool and stylish medium to complement and mirror individuality within the realm of fashion in her abaya brand, Lin. Alanoud al-Hedfa, an abaya designer, whose brand Drizzle focuses on timeless, elegant, and minimalist pieces.
Fatma al-Mohannadi, a sustainability-focused kids wear designer who provides high-quality, eco-friendly clothing which is both stylish and comfortable under her brand NINTH. Maryam al-Malki and her self-named footwear brand which is brought to life through skilled artisans in Italy.
This season also includes a standout regional Moroccan designer Nadia El Ouaoui, with her bespoke eyewear brand, Regard Sombre.
Over five months, designers will be immersed in an intensive coaching curriculum, covering essential aspects of the retail spectrum, including but not limited to design and development, production and supply chain, marketing and communication, sales, distribution, and retail management. In addition, one-on-one coaching sessions will be conducted to further equip and provide support to these designers.
Guiding these aspiring talents is M7's dedicated team, with Roni Helou, a seasoned fashion designer from M7's programmes department, at the helm. The coaching sessions, conducted by industry experts, are designed to provide an in-depth understanding of each facet of the retail journey.
The industry leaders holding sessions as part of The Collective include: Laetitia Lumbroso cofounder and co-CEO of Destree (a Parisian women's ready-to-wear and accessories brand); and Chucri Cavalcanti a senior strategy and operations advisor, both of them will hold the Sales & Distribution workshops; designer and creative director Holly Fulton, who is teaching Sustainability in Fashion; Leen Akkad, a marketing and e-Commerce specialist, who will be teaching Marketing and Communication for Fashion Brands; Missak HajiAvedikian, an international fashion designer and consultant teaching Collection Development (process and design); and Nayla al-Mulla a fashion brand manager, who is teaching a workshop about Designing the Business Brand.
Printemps Doha general manager Thierry Prevost said: “Printemps Doha is proud to continue its collaboration with M7 on The Collective. We are committed to creating an environment where emerging designers can flourish, and this programme is a testament to that commitment. We look forward to presenting the next collection in our dedicated space here at Printemps Doha this November.”
Throughout the programme, designers will refine their concepts, sharpen their business acumen, and elevate their design prowess. The culmination of this journey will see the exclusive capsule collections showcased at a dedicated M7 x Printemps Doha concept store in November 2023.