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Tribune News Network
In a spectacular grand finale taking place live from Dubai Design District (d3) Lebanon's Alaa Najd emerged victorious as the winner of the first season of 'Project Runway ME' on MBC4 and MBC Masr 2. Over the course of 13 episodes, Najd won the hearts of the jury and viewers alike with his colourful and unique designs.
Each designer showcased their final collections as part of the performances of the singing stars Wael Kafoury, Samira Said and Mohamed Hamaki. The live studio audience included Arab celebrities and socialites, members of the press, fashion bloggers and social media influencers. Meanwhile, guest judging this episode alongside international designer Elie Saab and Tunisian fashion icon and media personality Afef Jnifen was Algerian-French actress and former fashion model Farida Khelfa.
As the curtain falls on the debut season of the show which gathered 15 designers from all over the Middle East the rise to the top certainly wasn't easy. Competition was fierce between the four talented finalists: Rayan Atlas from Algeria, Selim Chebil from Tunisia, Issa Hesso from Syria and of course, Najd. Understandably, he couldn't contain his emotions as he was crowned the winner by show host Jessica Kahawaty, under the eyes of the"mentor" Faris Alshehri.
FOLLOWING THE SHOW
Commenting on his win, Najd thanked MBC Group along with the entire 'Project Runway ME' team, including the members of the jury, led by Elie Saab, who was the head of the judging panel.
He described Saab as"a father figure, an inspiration to us all, and the perfect mentor. We couldn't have asked for someone better to leads us all."
Meanwhile, head of the jury Saab congratulated Najd on his win, stating that he was satisfied with the result, adding that humility, hard work and varied inspiration was key to his future success as a designer.
"Throughout the season, the show has showcased some tremendous talent and creativity, not to mention a great competitive spirit between the designers. I've always said that I want to promote fashion and design in the Arab world, and thanks to MBC Group becoming the incubator and optimising that goal, we've been able to enter every Arab household - thus enabling all family members, not just the fashion enthusiasts, to enjoy the show."
Elie Saab made sure to point out that"the door would always be open" for all of the contestants on 'Project Runway ME' should they wish to be part of the House of Elie Saab's team. However, he acknowledged that he respected the designer's independence in order to establish themselves as their own brand.
Afef Jnifen said:"All of the 15 contestants have proven that they possess immense talent. Alaa Najd's win was down to several factors, most notably how he has developed his craft and attention to detail as the season went on. He also demonstrated an effortless simplicity in his presentations, no matter the theme."
On his part, MBC Group Official Spokesman Mazen Hayek noted the importance of the collaboration between the House of Elie Saab and MBC Group, praising the constructive role played by Saab and Jnifen, as well as the guest-star judges over the whole season. Hayek extended thanks and appreciation to Dubai Design District - d3 for their support of the programme as well as their efforts in promoting the fashion industry in the Middle-East region.
"In parallel to the programme's success in terms of the viewership not to mention the premium production value and directorial practices presented to the highest standard led by Samar Akrouk and her team 'Project Runway ME' has achieved its strategic objectives, building on the success of MBC Group's roster of talent and reality television entertainment and promoting the fashion and creative industries in the region."
LOOKING AHEAD
In addition to being named the very first winner of 'Project Runway ME', Najd has received US$50,000 towards his first fashion show, courtesy of Maybelline New York. He's also walked away with a year's membership with the Dubai Design and Fashion Council, plus his very own creative space in the emirate.
But that's not all. The designer's creations will be the star of Harper's Bazaar Arabia's very first issue of 2017, where his designs will feature on the January cover as well as in a special multiple-spread feature.
