UK fund gives Syria designer emergency grant

Syrian designer Nabil Nayal is among 37 designers set to receive emergency funding support from the British Fashion Council (BFC) as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nayal, who was born in Aleppo and moved to England aged 14, will receive part of a £1 million ($1.2 million) grant designed to help British-owned fashion labels survive the economic fallout of the global pandemic.

“Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen an astonishing amount of applications come through from British designer businesses all over the country, asking for help to survive the crisis. The need for support is immense,” Chief Executive of the BFC Caroline Rush said in a statement.

“Our hope is to reopen the fund for future rounds, to help as many businesses as possible, and ensure the future growth and success of the British fashion industry,” Rush added.

The Syrian-born designer is known for blending Elizabethan craftmanship with modern techniques, using the backdrop of historical references to create dramatic pieces. In 2010, Nayal pioneered the use of 3D printing in fashion, and he recently completed a research doctorate on the crafts’ application to design.

Since launching his eponymous label, Nayal has attracted the attention of industry heavyweights such as Karl Lagerfeld, who reportedly exclaimed “I love it! I love it! I love it!” upon seeing the collection.

Nayal has also won a series of awards, was shortlisted for the LVMH prize in 2015 and 2017 and made his London Fashion Week debut in 2011.

Now, the Syrian-born designer is also involved in the Inara foundation, designing t-shirts with proceeds going to Syrian refugee children in need of medical assistance.

In an interview with Vogue, Nayal says he got involved with Inara after his dad returned to Aleppo for the first time since the start of the civil war and visited the old family home, which had been turned into a textile shop.

Nayal says his dad’s trip triggered childhood memories and said he “felt an urgency and a need to do something to help in any way possible and be part of something positive in the face of so much negativity.”

Another recipient of the inaugural BFC grant is Paria Farzaneh, a menswear designer who draws on Iranian-heritage in her creations, and sources textiles from Iran to use in her garments

Though British-born, Farzaneh is known for sourcing textiles from Iran to use in her garments, and even held a traditional Iranian marriage ceremony, conducted in Farsi, during a fashion event in early January.

Both designers are set to receive up to £50,000 ($61,000) of the BFC grant, with the organisation hoping to roll out the program to help more labels ride out the pandemic wave.