Renowned social media influencer, Karen Wazen is no stranger when it comes to using her voice, reach, and influential platform to give back to communities and support talents in need. Yesterday, the Lebanese-born and Dubai-based influencer announced to her 7.6 million followers via Instagram stories that she is honored to join the board of advisory executives for Fashion Trust Arabia.
A cause the influencer strongly believes in and has been seen time and time again aiding creatives, support groups, and investing in various initiatives from people to businesses, Karen Wazen couldn’t have been a better pick to aid aspiring designers in the MENA region.
What is Fashion Trust Arabia?
Fashion Trust Arabia in short, is a non-profit initiative whose main mission is to support the MENA region’s creative forces. A first-of-its-kind initiative in the Arab world, Fashion Trust Arabia was launched in 2018 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser as honorary chair, with co-chairs H.E Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani and Tania Fares.
Since its inception as a once-in-a-lifetime prize, the support of up-and-coming fashion designers within the MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) region, provides invaluable resources to assist local designers in shining a light on the Arab world’s fashion scene, its creatives, and business incentives as well as showcasing internationally the region’s great global significance.
Why is Karen Wazen a suitable candidate to join FTA’s committee?
Besides the fact that she has a major reach across the Middle East and is an influential figure within the fashion, beauty, digital and entrepreneurial sectors; Karen Wazen has extensive business experience when it comes to supporting others
Firstly, Karen Wazen and her husband Elias Bakhazi together launched her Karen Wazen Eyewear line in 2018. An instant hit amongst fashion consumers in the gulf and Middle Eastern regions, which enabled them to expand their investing business portfolios through their founding company KEPartners, which runs and manages Karen Wazen Eyewear and a plethora of big luxury names within the fashion retail industry.
Their company, KE Partners, focuses on start-up investments to help innovative leaders and bold entrepreneurs carve their way through the cut-throat business market of Dubai.
The launch of KE Partners comes after 5 years of carefully laying the foundation for building out an impactful, diverse portfolio of ambitious startups and companies, that reflects the passion and potency of the partnerships themselves. For us, investing is just that — nurturing real partnerships, and supporting founders throughout their journeys, with the particular resources, connections, and expertise we each bring to the table.
Quoted by Karen Wazen on KE Partners’ company mission
KE Partners is on a mission to elevate daring entrepreneurs, people who aren’t afraid to think big, and have the drive, conviction, and tenacity to make their (often disruptive) plans come to larger-than-life. At the end of the day, we invest in what we believe in. We believe in people, in their creative originality, and in their relentless pursuit of mastery, innovation and progress. And we believe in people who want to make the world a better place, who want to find new ways to add value to societies and communities, and that make an impact on ameliorating real peoples’ lives.”
In addition, Karen is also a committed partner with UNHCR Lebanon, another non-profit organization to help refugees, and victims of war, and manages disaster relief programs to aid people of suffering in Lebanon.
“I’m honored to be a member of FTA’s strategic development committee. As an entrepreneur myself, based in the Arab Region, I first handedly know how essential the work and the mission of the FTA is. I am proud to use my platform and network to continue supporting up-and-coming fashion designers in the region and look forward to embarking on this journey with the FTA.”
As stated by Karen Wazen on her Instagram stories, publicly announcing joining FTA.
Her connections, voice, and knowledge will not only be an immense help in guiding regional designers on their path to success but her insights and tips to manage digital channels, marketing, and long-term sustainable business strategies make her a perfect fit to highlight the importance of Middle Eastern fashion and supporting talents through non-profit organizations. Hopefully, an initiative for other regional influencers to follow too…