DUBAI: Lebanon’s Roni Helou is a regular at the region’s definitive fashion platform Fashion Forward Dubai (FFWD), which kicked off on Thursday. The designer is a graduate of Creative Space Beirut, and has shown at FFWD twice before. This time he is showing along with Hazem Kais at a presentation that showcases talents from his alma mater. As one of the few designers from the Middle East to address the issue of sustainability, his show — slated for Thursday — is one that the industry is watching.
The collection he will show at FFWD uses dead stock materials and discarded fabrics. (Supplied)
An avid human and animal rights activist, the designer said: “Ensuring the Roni Helou brand is as sustainable as possible is an ongoing mission for me. I’ve always believed in the importance of ethical practices and social justice, and I try to be careful when it comes to leaving environmental footprints behind.”
The collection he will show at FFWD uses dead stock materials and discarded fabrics. “The campaign images were shot at a landfill site to emphasize the significance of the issue. Lebanon’s garbage crisis peaked in 2015, and it’s still very much an issue… Given that the fashion industry has a detrimental impact on the environment as a whole, I decided to face the issue head on by digging through markets and sourcing high-quality vintage fabrics and trimmings instead of using newer, chemically-treated and dyed materials,” Helou said.
The designer is an avid human and animal rights activist. (Supplied)
The Hesitation Shirt/Skirt is the piece the designer is most proud of from the collection. “As you can probably guess from the name, it is a shirt than can also be worn as a skirt. I love this piece because it was both challenging and satisfying to turn a shirt into a wearable, practical skirt; I also like the fact that it is designed to be worn in three different ways, which means it’s a timeless piece.” It is made of three fabrics all sourced from surplus stocks.
It is no surprise to hear this 27-year-old ‘s ultimate goal is for his eponymous label to be one of the leading luxury sustainable brands in the region. Just a few months ago Roni had the opportunity to exhibit his FW19 collection at London proving he is on track for his career goal. While the young designer believes he still has “lots to learn,” Roni Helou is indeed a label to look out for.
