The prize itself was conceived after the redesign and redisplay of the V&A's Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art, which opened in July 2006 and has been running every two years since 2009 – organized by the V&A and the Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI). Designed to complement the Gallery and the V&A collection (one of the most important collections of Islamic art in the world), the prize also provides a showcase function for new art and design that reflects the Islamic traditions of the past on display in the museum whilst engaging with a wider debate about Islamic culture in general and its role today. Organised under the patronage of world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, the Jameel Prize has been previously awarded to Afruz Amighi (2009) and Rachid Koraïchi (2011). 

In addition to the Jameel Prize, the initiative also includes an exhibition of the ten shortlisted entries, all of which, again, are inspired by the diversity of Islamic tradition  - here the works on display engage with Arabic typography and calligraphy, social design, video installation and miniature drawings. The Jameel Prize 3 exhibition, featuring the work of its 10 shortlisted artists and designers is currently on display at The Porter Gallery of the V&A Museum, London and will be open through 21 April 2014 (entrance is free). For opening hours and more information please visit the V&A website.

Raised in Bursa, Turkey, Ece and Ayşe Ege’s aesthetic is deeply rooted in the tradition of their country, and one of their sources of inspiration is of course the extraordinary city that is Istanbul. Dice Kayek recognises that Istanbul is a city of contrasts, combining elements of the East and West within its multiple layers of history. The duo's 2010 Istanbul Contrast collection contains 26 garments inspired by the city’s wealth of cultural influences, from Ottoman-era royal attire to the golden wings of Byzantine angels seen in the mosaics in Hagia Sophia.

Before being shortlisted for the Jameel Prize 3, the Istanbul Contrast collection was shown in Paris (2010), Istanbul (2010) and Amsterdam (2011). On the occasion of the current V&A exhibition, a limited-edition book has been released, which tells the story of how the collection was created as well as the inspiration behind it.