Tamkeen Launches Fashion Design Program for Talented Bahrainis

• This program comes in partnership with ESMOD Dubai and +973 Artisanat Creative Entrepreneurs incubator  
• Opportunity for 30 Bahraini fashion designers to attend specialized training in skills required in fashion such as fashion design, pattern making, fashion marketing, and more  

The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) signed a partnership agreement with the French Fashion Institute ESMOD Dubai and +973 Artisanat Creative Entrepreneurs incubator to provide a comprehensive fashion design training program to Bahraini designers looking to launch or expand their own fashion brand. This initiative builds on Tamkeen’s ongoing support to the rapidly growing creative industries sector which offers diverse high potential opportunities to Bahrainis to launch new creative business ventures and excel.  

The program will provide comprehensive fashion design training designed specifically to cater to the needs of Bahraini designers looking to launch a new fashion brand or expand their fashion business. The program will focus on the skills required to achieve this endeavor such as fashion design, pattern making, fashion marketing, and more, and will cater to designers at various professional stages. Running for 19 months, the program will include a series of workshops focused on skill building and brand management, followed by mentorship for the top 15 candidates to enhance their concepts and support them in launching them in the market.  

Commenting on this initiative, Her Excellency Ms. Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, Chief Executive of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) stated: “The fashion design field offers unique opportunities to creatives to turn their passion into a rewarding career. That is where initiatives like this come into play to provide Bahraini talent the skills and mentorship required to access the opportunities available in this sector and succeed in it by launching their own fashion brands.”   

This support comes in alignment with Tamkeen’s 2024 strategic priorities focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars: increasing economic participation through new employment opportunities for new entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity and adoption of technology.     

On her part, Dr. Shaikha May Bint Sulaiman Mohamed AlOtaibi, Founder of +973 Artisanat Creative Entrepreneurs incubator hailed Tamkeen’s ongoing support to develop Bahraini creative entrepreneurs under the umbrella of the +973 Artisanat project, highlighting the impact of this support in fostering creativity and innovation for Bahraini youth.  

She stated: “this program is a first of its kind in the Kingdom and selected participants will undergo intensive training in fashion design at the hands of experts from various specialties related to the fashion industry”  

The French Fashion Institute ESMOD Dubai is a prominent fashion design school located in various fashion capitals around the world such as Paris, Tokyo, and Dubai. It is part of the ESMOD International Fashion Schools network, which is known globally for its excellence in fashion education. The program will be offered in partnership with +973 Artisanat Creative Entrepreneurs incubator, the first and only non-profit initiative in the Kingdom of Bahrain aimed at encouraging and empowering local talent.  

Applications are now open through the program’s website www.plus973.com/fashion-program-2024/  for fashion designers who are interested in joining the program and fulfil the eligibility criteria.