DUBAI: The Arab Fashion Council and Dubai Design District (d3) anounced the launch of Dubai Fashion Week at an event in the city on Tuesday night. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle The first iteration of the fashion week will take place from March 10-15. Organizers have billed Dubai Fashion Week as the definitive fashion fixture in the region, featuring men’s, women’s, ready-to-wear and couture collections. Senior Vice President of d3 Khadija Al-Bastaki praised Dubai’s progress as a fashion capital in a released statement. “Where there was Paris, Milan, London and New York, there is now Dubai. From economic activity to tourism and creativity, Dubai has carved its own space among the world’s cosmopolitan capitals, and fashion is one industry boosting its status. All eyes are on the Middle East for fashion and creativity, and now the sky is the limit,” she said. For his part, CEO of the Arab Fashion Council Jacob Abrian noted the city’s contribution to the global fashion industry, saying: “Dubai has arrived on the global fashion stage. Emerging and established creatives have shaped a distinct identity for the region that resonates far and wide. Our region"s fashion industry is entering a new chapter as we become increasingly active contributors to the global fashion narrative.” “Fashion is a cultural expression fueled by tradition but also by the zeitgeist. I strongly believe that Dubai has now the capacity to become a global fashion hub addressing today"s questions of sustainability, technology and diversity,” Serge Carreira, head of the Emerging Brands Initiative, at France’s Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, added in a released statement. The announcement was made in the presence of Abdulla Belhoul, chief executive officer of TECOM Group which d3 is a part of, Issam Kazim, chief executive officer of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, Ammar Al-Malik, executive vice president – commercial, TECOM Group, Khadija Al-Bastaki, senior vice president of d3 and Jacob Abrian, CEO of the Arab Fashion Council.