Shubbak Festival 2025 Celebrates Arab and SWANA Art in London

On its opening day, the Shubbak Festival 2025 unveiled a vibrant tapestry of Arab creativity and innovation. Shubbak—Arabic for “window”—is London’s largest biennial celebration of contemporary Arab culture.

Launched in 2011 by the Mayor of London and now run as an independent charity, the festival showcases visual arts, film, music, theatre, dance, architecture, and fashion. It connects London audiences with contemporary Arab expression while celebrating the diversity of Arab and SWANA artists.

Revolution on the Runway: The People’s Catwalk

The festival debuted its first-ever People’s Catwalk—a mini fashion show curated by 3EIB in collaboration with Creative Space Beirut, nöl collective, Trashy Clothing, and nafs space.

Senior students from Creative Space Beirut, including Iftikhar Kanawati, Mostafa Al Sous, Jihan Azzam, and Patile Tachjian, showcased three standout looks from their graduation collections.

This event marked a fresh chapter in the festival’s fashion programming. Models of all ages, sizes, and abilities took the stage with confidence and ease, while SWANA-based independent brands joined through pop-up stores, each adding their own voice to the evolving story of contemporary Arab fashion.

The Creative Space, Beirut’s Young Talent in Pursuit of a Future Reimagined

On the second day, the festival screened the short documentary ساحة الإبداع: The Creative Space, Beirut’s Young Talent in Pursuit of a Future Reimagined.

Filmed two years ago by Pia Brynteson and Ramzi Hibri, the film offers an intimate look into the lives of CSB students. It contrasts their experiences before and after joining Creative Space Beirut, capturing their journeys over five years marked by the Beirut port explosion, economic collapse, and daily hardship.

At its core, the documentary centers the students—their struggles, hopes, and ambitions. It brings us into their world and reveals that CSB is more than just a fashion school. It’s a community, a family, and a safe haven where creativity thrives and education is treated as a right—not a privilege.

A Journey of Transformation: Mostafa al Sous

Mostafa al Sous recalled his time at Shubbak Festival 2025 as a turning point in his life. It was his first trip abroad, a journey that opened his eyes to a broader world.

A defining moment was when he presented his senior project on “rape”, a subject that his community often dismisses as “3eib,” a term used to shame those who question traditional norms.

By showing his work in London well before its scheduled debut in Lebanon, Mostafa embraced a new chapter in his creative journey. That experience filled him with a quiet inner strength, leaving him more determined than ever to share his personal story as he returned home.

The Force of Creative Expression

Shubbak is more than a festival; it’s a testament to the power of creativity to disrupt, redefine, and inspire. It proves that fashion is not just about garments, film is not just about stories, and art is not just about aesthetics, it’s about voices being heard, perspectives being challenged, and futures being imagined.

A heartfelt thank you to Moustafa and Iftikhar for their invaluable insights.

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