When Doha met Toronto: Fashion week’s buzziest collab

In January 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney made the first-ever visit by a sitting Canadian prime minister to Qatar, a small but globally connected Gulf country, most recently known as the 2022 FIFA World Cup host. He announced a new strategic partnership spanning trade, investment, AI and defence—and cited culture as a key pillar of the relationship. Although 10,000 Canadians already live and work there, the country is also poised to elevate its influence here in Canada through the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Years of Culture, a high-profile annual cultural exchange program that hosts events across design, sport, food, entrepreneurship and art in all partner countries.

In Toronto, international style setters will experience the Years of Culture initiative through the debuts of three Qatari or Qatar-based designers at Fashion Art Toronto (FAT). Now in its 21st year, FAT is the city’s longest-running fashion week, known for its boundary-pushing, inclusive programming and dedication to highlighting the city as a global fashion destination. This makes it a natural fit for this exciting crop of emerging designers: Noof Almulla, Samah Sulyman and Rayan Alami, who come to Toronto thanks to M7, Qatar Museums’ hub for fashion, design and technology, established to support emerging regional designers as they expand into new markets.

“Fashion and art are soft power cultural tools for building bridges between nations,” says Qatar’s Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency Mr. Tariq Ali Faraj Al-Ansari. “As Qatar and Canada deepen their partnership, initiatives like this Fashion Art Toronto highlight the importance of the creative economy as a bridge between our two countries. Supporting designers to explore new markets and build international connections is an investment in the future of cultural and economic co-operation. These connections help both countries to define the Year of Culture and for sure would leave a lasting impact on how our nations understand one another.”

Though each designer’s approach is distinctive, there is a common thread: they all balance global sensibilities with a strong sense of place, and each will make their Canadian debut at FAT. Almulla’s LIN offers a modern, minimalist take on traditional silhouettes. Sulyman’s eponymous line upgrades recycled denim through everything from unconventional draping to 3D printing. Alami’s Authentic Roz combines Arab heritage, Brazilian energy and Western modernity.

Each designer is a strong fit for the Years of Culture’s larger goals. Running since 2012, the initiative encourages cultural exchange between nations, promoting dialogue, deeper understanding and social and economic development in each country’s respective creative industries. For this delegation in particular, the goal is to showcase the richness and diversity of Qatari culture, provide an opportunity for young designers to build their own platforms, and support long-term collaboration beyond the official year of programming.

“This visit to Canada reflects our commitment as a regional design hub to creating meaningful opportunities for creative talent to connect across borders,” says M7 Director Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti. “Through Years of Culture, we can build platforms where designers can showcase their work globally and exchange ideas, explore new markets and have a direct impact on cross-cultural understanding.”

To find out more about the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Years of Culture, visit yearsofculture.qa.