The first Arab Fashion Week organised by the Arab Fashion Council, the Dubai-based association representing 22 Arab countries from Morocco to Lebanon, will be held from 30th October to 2nd November in Dubai. Mario Boselli, long in charge of the Italian Fashion Chamber (CNMI) and now its honorary president, is also honorary president of the Arab Fashion Council.

"I'm happy to be engaged in this project aimed at creating jobs in the northern part of Africa: by setting up a textile, apparel and fashion industry," Boselli explained, as he presented the Arab Fashion Week in Milan. "We can try to prevent people, the wars notwithstanding, from being forced to emigrate to seek work."

On a political level, "the pan-European and Mediterranean area can play a significant role in the globalised world to keep the various macro-systems balanced. These days, competition isn't between individual countries," Boselli said, "but among macro-areas: having a pan-European and Mediterranean area where goods can be manufactured cheaply and then sold on markets such as the Arab Emirates, means creating a bi-lateral economic system, with suppliers and customers, beneficial both for Italy and southern Europe."

The Dubai show will chiefly feature Arab designers, though international guests have been invited too.

Dubai already hosted a Dubai Fashion Week, organised by communications group Capital Group, while the Arab Fashion Week will be organised by the Arab Fashion Council, an association of designers from 22 Arab countries.