MAKING WAVES

When we think about the world’s most fashionable cities, it is usually Paris, Milan, London and New York that come to mind. Yet here in the Middle East, a host of designers are now taking Hollywood by storm

It is no secret that the fashion industry is big business throughout the Middle East. People have long travelled to the region to make designer purchases, while Arab Fashion Week has progressively grown in stature and has now become an important event on the international calendar.

With fashion shows regularly held in Dubai, and with Saudi Arabia holding its first-ever runway event in Riyadh in 2018, the eyes of the fashion world are beginning to be drawn towards the Middle East.

Yet even before events such as these brought new opportunities for emerging designers to showcase their work to a larger audience, a few names were already making waves in the international fashion industry.

THE GO-TO FEMALE FASHIONISTA

What began as a passion project to design kaftans and gowns for friends and family while managing a busy family life, Saudi Arabian couture designer Honayda Serafi decided to set up her own brand in 2017. Determined to work alone and make her own mark, Serafi has become the epitome of the modern woman, balancing life as a designer, artist and businesswoman while being a mother and homemaker.

Inspired by iconic women of the past and present, Serafi’s collections draw on the characteristics of personalities who have influenced her both in real life and from afar. From famous figures like the Queen of Sheba to the humble labourer in the fields or factory worker, she says that all play a part in the story that the brand has to tell, just as they have a role to play in society.

Today, Serafi’s eponymous brand ‘Honayda’, which means a sword’s sheath in Arabic, has grown from its home base of Saudi Arabia and now has boutiques across Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Egypt, France and Panama.

Contemporary cuts and fabrics help keep her collections appealing to all ages and cultures, and now she is dressing global figures the world over, from Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra to Rapper Eve, who wore one of her designs to the 2019 Grammy Awards. Olympic skater Lindsey Vonn dazzled in a Honayda look for the 2019 Oscars ceremony while actress Lupita Nyong’o, wore Honayda to the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, wearing a masculine-cut suit by the designer, showing she can keep things both edgy and classy, fusing femininity and power. The A-list goes on and includes the likes of Gigi Hadid, Ashanti, Patricia Clarkson and Mary J Blige. Priyanka Chopra in Georges Hobeika at Cannes Film Festival

A LASTING LEGACY

Khalid Al Qasimi left an indelible mark in the world of men’s fashion. The son of the ruler of Sharjah, he became the world’s first Emirati to truly make it to the upper echelons of a society new to the Gulf region.

Founder of his eponymous brand Qasimi, he moved radically away from the kandoura-wearing traditions of his tribal roots and plunged head-first into another world, one inspired by western street style and military vibes, a melding of poetry and politics with fashion. Such was his legacy that his casual collection is stocked in over 50 stores in 15 countries.

The designer’s death in 2019, aged just 39, was a tragedy at home and abroad. And while stepping into his shoes has been no easy task, his twin sister, Sheikha Hoor, has carried forward his legacy effortlessly. Last year, she debuted her first Spring/Summer 2021 collection, which was lauded for its military-style touches, with influences of the desert and sea felt in the colours.

THE NEW CROP

One of the most prominent figures to emerge in recent years is British-born Iranian designer Lilian Afshar whose bug-adorned bags began to be featured in prominent style publications around the world.

She created the initial buzz straight out of university by posting images of her latest creations on Instagram, which helped raise her profile. And before too long, some of the most influential figures in the world of entertainment were being pictured carrying Afshar’s creations.

Models Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner were both spotted carrying L’Afshar bags. Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor was pictured with the label’s Lineas clutch, while American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys carried the Pagoda bag to a pre-Grammys event. The final stamp of approval came when one of Afshar’s bags was pictured on the arm of one of the music industry’s biggest superstars, Beyoncé, which helped catapult L’Afshar to another dimension as now, every celebrity wanted to purchase one of the uniquely designed clutches.

Having gained an influential following, Afshar has continued to expand her range. But her key focus remains her signature marble-style clutch bags, which not only come in a broad range of colours but can also be customised and personalised. There are also a variety of unique textures, from crocodileembossed leather to clear crystal-cut acrylic.

Such has been the success of the brand that L’Afshar is now stocked at high-end boutiques and famous department stores, as well as on e-commerce sites such as Net-a-Porter and Moda Operandi.

Honayda Serafi

EMIRATI FASHION IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Lilian Afshar is far from the only success story in the Middle East. In fact, one of the most in-demand designers in the world is an Emirati national who completed his military service in the UAE, established a label in London and dressed Lady Gaga in Los Angeles in the space of just three years!

Ahmed Alkhyeli is one of a new crop of designers whose roots are in the Arab world. Having grown up in Al Ain and studied architecture at the American University of Sharjah, the young Emirati chose to enter the world of couture and has quickly established a famous following.

Having had to delay the launch of his brand, Khyeli, in order to complete his military service in 2016, Alkhyeli moved to London’s Knightsbridge and now has a showroom in Cavendish Square and a studio near Nottingham. And despite being a relative newcomer to the world of fashion, his designs have already garnered international recognition.

Lady Gaga first wore the label for her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in February 2019 and just a few weeks later, she stepped out in a black cape from the brand’s SS19 collection while attending an event in Los Angeles. Actress Lili Reinhart also donned a red tulle to the Golden Globes, while English Victoria’s Secret supermodel Leomie Anderson wore a pink taffeta with a cape to an AmFar dinner in New York.

Renowned for designing both elegant and extravagant dresses, Alkhyeli uses voluminous amounts of taffeta, dupion and satin, and is proud that his creations often nod back to his Middle Eastern roots. Certainly, his creations have proved popular and relevant with stars in both the Arab and western world.

People have long travelled to the region to make designer purchases, while Arab Fashion Week has grown in stature

DRESSING HOLLYWOOD

It’s not just creatives from the UAE who are causing a stir in Hollywood, with the label Death by Dolls being worn by a host of A-list celebrities. The brainchild of Saudi Arabian designer Sara Al-Saud, the brand has a huge following in the Middle East and often features on prominent fashion blogs in the region.

Thanks to a plethora of stars, Death by Dolls is becoming equally well known in the western hemisphere. Kendall Jenner appeared in a Chris Brown music video wearing a pair of the designer’s jeans, while Britney Spears wore a dress by Al-Saud when she announced she would be performing in Las Vegas.

But once again, it was Beyoncé who perhaps did the most to raise the profile of the brand when she was pictured in a Halloween costume that paid tribute to American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner.

Alongside these talented artists are a host of young designers whose clothes are being worn by global superstars. Yousef Aljasmi from Kuwait has designed dresses exclusively for the Kardashian family, while Lebanon’s Lama Jouni has become a favourite of model and it-girl, Bella Hadid.

Another regional favourite, Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika rules the red carpet almost every year at Cannes Film Festival, dressing the likes of Priyanka Chopra and Clotilde Courau. Zayan Ghandour is also a name to be reckoned with, thanks to her signature hand-embroidered motifs, custom illustrated prints and innovative cuts. Also hailing from Lebanon, the designer made her debut at Paris Fashion Week and recently established her first boutique in Dubai.

With this storied success and the fashion world now paying closer attention than ever before to designers in the Middle East, it will not be long before a new generation of creatives is making their mark on the world’s most fashionable figures and international runways.