Junk Kouture, the world’s largest sustainable youth fashion programme, is delighted to unveil its sizzling judging panel for the UAE Final of Junk Kouture, set to take place in Abu Dhabi this June. Fatema Aref Almulla from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Syrian-born fashion designer Rami Al Ali, YouTuber and presenter Haifa Beseisso and Co-Founder of CTZN Cosmetics, Aleena Khan will join the glamorous and exciting event and share their expertise with the nation’s budding young fashion designers and circular engineers of tomorrow.
Since launching in the UAE in September 2021, Junk Kouture has been working with a number of schools and kids from across the UAE shining light on the importance of climate change and sustainability. By challenging young people to make striking outfits out of recyclable materials and items that are often labelled as waste materials, the programme promotes creative expression amongst young people, whilst also encouraging them to become the circular engineers of tomorrow.
Over the past few months, numerous schools across the nation have been working hard on crafting mesmerising and imaginative designs out of unwanted items, and now they know who they will have to impress when they showcase their incredible eco-friendly fashion outfits up on the big stage. All submissions must be finalised and entered between March 17 to 31 on the Junk Kouture app in order to give the prestigious judges time to assess each creation and decide who will make it through to the much-anticipated final.
With each judge specialising in different areas, their combined knowledge will ensure that each entry is thoroughly assessed and measured. The four different personalities also have strong synergy with the ethos and message of Junk Kouture. For instance, Fatema Aref Almulla embodies the mission of Junk Kouture perfectly. As one of the key figures behind the UAE’s efforts to become a more sustainable and environmentally conscious nation, she is the ideal person to inspire the circular engineers of tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Rami Al Ali, founder (and creative director) of luxury fashion brand Rami Al Ali has been chosen for his expertise and knowledge of this sector and he will doubtless have lots of useful advice and priceless tips to pass down to the students.
On the other hand, Haifa Beseisso, the Palestinian-American travel vlogger, has a passion for breaking stereotypes and is most known for her hit YouTube show, Fly With Haifa. A great role model for young people across the world, she believes in promoting mindfulness empowerment and conscious conversations.
Finally, both Aleena Khan and Junk Kouture are determined to help make the world a more inclusive place, and encourage entrepreneurship in people from all backgrounds. The successful business leader co-founded the ground-breaking, inclusive beauty brand CTZN Cosmetics along with her two sisters. Born to Pakistani heritage in the US and raised in the UAE, their make-up range caters to all skin tones and ethnicities and is made ethically using 100 percent vegetarian and animal-cruelty free ingredients.
Fatema Aref Almulla said: "All of us at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment were absolutely thrilled when we found out that Junk Kouture was launching its sustainable youth competition here in the UAE. Young people really are the key to our future and we want to do all we can to help them understand the importance of sustainability and encourage them to come up with their own solutions and creative ideas for combatting climate change. I look forward to meeting the leaders of tomorrow at the City Final in Abu Dhabi, and seeing what amazing and ingenious ways of recycling they have come up with. The fashion industry is responsible for producing so much waste every year and if projects like Junk Kouture can help make it more eco-friendly, our planet will be affected for the better."
Rami Al Ali, commented: "Fashion has always been a passion of mine and my creative release, and it’s a pleasure to be able to help young people from across the UAE discover it’s magic for themselves. The world of styling is challenging yet rewarding, and I want to help Junk Kouture’s participants discover who they are and express their personalities through their art. I will certainly share with them all the tips and tricks I’ve learnt throughout the years, and mentor them in any way I can. I’m now counting down the days until the final submissions start rolling in."
Haifa Beseisso said: "I am incredibly excited to be part of the first ever Junk Kouture UAE judging panel and I can’t wait to see the spectacle of designs and performances the students present. The previous entries from past years are all truly inspirational, and I look forward to meeting students who hold such passion for creativity, sustainability, and self-expression. Just like these young designers, I try to use my videos to bring about deeper discussions and generate change. Programmes like Junk Kouture are helping to shape the leaders of tomorrow and encouraging teenagers to embrace their individuality. I think it’s absolutely wonderful and seeing these fabulous designs on the catwalk at the City Final in Abu Dhabi will be an amazing experience. I’m certain that they will all be utterly sensational and that, as judges, we will have a very tough decision on our hands when it comes to picking the winner."
Finally, Aleena Khan added: "My sisters and I created CTZN Cosmetics when we noticed that none of the models in make-up campaigns actually ever looked like us, and we knew many people of colour shared this sentiment. Our mission is to guarantee a perfect match for every skin tone with every collection we launch, thus empowering citizens of the world to feel truly considered. It is therefore an absolute honour to work with Junk Kouture who are also using its platform to empower young individuals around the world who may previously have not felt like they fit in to our society’s expectations. By helping creative young people find their tribe and showing them that their talents are valuable and appreciated, they have created such an inspiring movement that will positively impact so many people’s lives.
Founded in Ireland in 2010, Junk Kouture has so-far engaged with over 100,000 participants, produced 15,000 distinctive designs and amazed packed crowds at 60 sold-out arena shows. Now, after 11 incredible years in operation, Junk Kouture has gone global.
The Junk Kouture World Tour has launched in five of the world’s most dynamic cities: New York, London, Abu Dhabi, Milan and Paris. It has also revealed a goal of reaching 13 cities by the end of 2023, and a 10-year goal of impacting the lives of 1billion young people across the globe by 2032. With over 800 schools actively participating in the programme, the message of Junk Kouture is already spreading rapidly, and the World Tour will allow it to expand even further, giving more young people the chance to express their creativity and impact climate change, no matter where they live or where they come from.
For updates on the UAE finalist announcements and ticket sales for the upcoming live event, please visit www.junkkouture.com and keep an eye on the Junk Kouture social media platforms on Instagram and TikTok.