Farida Temraz to Direct Fashion Communication Certificate at AUC
In partnership with the Global Affairs and Public Policy Executive Education at the American University in Cairo, Temraza Fashion Studio is set to offer a fashion communication certificate at AUC.
Led by AUC alumna Farida Temraz, the certificate will be composed of the first-of-its-kind field of knowledge modules in Egypt.
After graduating from the Integrated Marketing Communication major at AUC, Temraz went on to get an MA in fashion communication and then completed a leadership program at Harvard related to the fashion industry.
This all led up to Temraza Fashion Studio forcefully penetrating international markets.
The fashion communication certificate brings Temraz to a full circle: from showcasing her collections at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, to her designs making an appearance at the Oscars and the Grammys, to finally returning to where it all started.
“AUC gave me the initial education. It helped me implement a real business model and a marketing strategy to have my brand where it is right now,” said Temraz.
“[The modules] will teach students what to offer their audiences in terms of content, photo-shoots, as well as handling the branding and marketing of brands,” she added.
The certificate also aims to tackle brand equity, a term referring to the derivation of the value of a brand from its name, using visual communication and marketing tools.
“One of the fiercest strategies of any fashion brand is how the brand is perceived. Therefore, this course will teach students how to make their brands, or brands they will work for, perceived in the best light probable,” added Temraz
Comprised of six two-hour classes, the certificate is fashioned to guide students who hope to create their individual brands, as well as those who want to work for and with other brands.
The certificate is offered to AUCians and non-AUCians, stretching from undergraduates, to graduate students, for EGP 25,000.
Director of GAPP Executive Education and Adjunct Associate Professor of Management Dina Wafa acknowledged that a large portion of the youth today is showing a growing interest in fashion.
“After Temraz conducted a lecture together with Associate Professor of Marketing Ahmed Tolba at AUC, it became clear to us how students are awfully absorbed in fashion. The room space was not enough for the countless students that were in attendance,” said Wafa.
Fashion design has also increased in popularity in the Middle East in recent years with Arabic reality TV embracing a regional version of the American show Project Runway.
“I’m graduating this fall, but my interest in fashion would definitely lure me into registering the course and going back to the university for its sake. Having followed Temraza and her work for years, I honestly think this is an opportunity not to be missed,” said 21-year-old Economics Student Rony Al Ashkar.
Twenty-two-year old Mass Communication Student Mai El Tagoury agrees that it is a long-overdue step that needed to be taken.
“This is very exciting. I think this will not only bring about students with an interest in fashion to take their passions to the next level, but it will most definitely add to the value of AUC, as well as Egypt as a whole,” said El Tagoury.
Temraz believes that education is key to highlighting the significance of fashion communication in Egypt and will empower a new generation with fashion awareness which will enable them to put Egypt on the global fashion market.
“Whenever I travel anywhere in the world, one of the reasons I found that hinder the success of Temraza is that it comes from a third-world country. No one overseas has heard of Egyptian Haute Couture,” said Temraz.
If the certificate takes off, there is potential to expand the modules into a diploma.
“Since this certificate is aimed particularly at younger generations, developing it into a diploma will certainly put older generations seeking shifting careers and molding into the fashion into consideration,” explained Wafa.
“The diploma will allow for the utilization of more tools. There are so many sides to fashion that are ought to be taught by a number of different professionals in different sects of fashion,” added Wafa.
Deadline to register for the certificate modules is November 10, and is set to begin on March 5.
