Sarah AlHashemi

Sarah Al-Hashimi is a young Kuwaiti with a passion for fashion designing and is a true lover of fabrics. She believes that the way people choose their fabric and clothes tells a lot about the personality of the person.

In 2018, she launched her fashion brand "Happy Hearts" and is also actively conducting workshops to help others launch their own clothing brand. Sarah's other hobbies are dancing and swimming.

We sat with Sarah this month to know more about her and her love for fabrics. Read the interview to know more about her.

MAKEUP: ANA LOPEZ (@ana.artista) DIRECTIONS: JAMEEL ARIF (@jameelarif) PHOTOGRAPHY: RIYAS (@riyas.photokw)

Hello everyone. I’m Sarah AlHashimi, a 31 years old fabric lover from Kuwait.

So Sarah, how did you get to where you are today?

I guess by deciding to hold on my dreams and insisting to make it my reality.

How did you fell in love with fabric?

I lived with my grandparents seeing my grandmother with her sewing machine most of the time. I started taking from these fabrics and making dresses for my Barbies and wrap it on me and assume as if people complement my dresses and love my designs. During high school I started asking my grandmother to take me to the fabric store and this is when I knew for a fact that I am madly in love with fabric. I started buying and trying to design. Trial and error taught me a lot about fabrics.

What sparked your interest in fashion?

I feel it fascinating how people can express themselves only by the choices of their clothes. You can tell a lot by the way someone looks.

When and how did you decide to start your own fashion line?

During the Ramadan of 2017, I bought a green fabric and everyone at first laughed at it, because it looked like the fabric we use in our culture to decorate the table of an engagement party. But I loved it! When I love something I just go all the way for it and I did it. I deigned a very beautiful simple dress and as usual I posted it on my personal Instagram account @ Chi7leb and in 2 days I bought all the rolls from the fabric shop because people started placing orders through my personal account and here is when I decided to start my brand.

Why did you name it "Happy Hearts"?

Well the name merge two stories. Surprisingly, everywhere I go I find something with a heart shape and I’m genuinely a happy a person. This is where the name “The Happy Heart” came, where I’m the “happy part” and “heart” is what I see everywhere and I wanted everyone to see a heart and relate it to my brand.

What was your biggest fear when going out and starting your own line?

I start because I love what I do and I enjoy every moment of it. I had no fear but rather excitement to create more.

How would you describe your designs?

"Wearable emotions", and by the way, this is my brand's slogan.

Where do you take your inspirations from?

I take inspiration from my feelings, my thoughts, what I go through and my life chapters. As you see I express myself through my brand. I created Sarah’s love emotion in pink jumpsuit, and Sarah the princess in colorful dress with ruffles, and Sarah’s thoughts on notebook and Sarah’s dream on brooch. What is your design process from start to finish?

I start with go to the fabric store, falling in love with a fabric, the fabric find itself in Sarah’s imagination being emotions or thoughts. Then I plan where the photo session will be and how the design feels like so I can give the collection a name and then I go to the tailor with the sketches and mood board to start making them alive.

What message do you like to convey through your designs How do you want women to feel when wearing your clothes?

My vision is inspiring others to express themselves individually. We are like snowflake, unique and have our own personality and taste, be brave and express it, own it, love it and don’t be a copy.

How has your work evolved since you began your own label?

In many aspects. First you can notice how it’s personality shows clearly with signature. In addition, now I only use high quality fabrics and also sewing the pieces with very clean finishing; my vision is to make the buyer inherit the pieces so after years their daughters can wear it and granddaughters too. It is like an art pieces. Finally, I created a character for the brand and called it “Happy” and happy became a notebook and brooch and paints.

Where is your collection available to see and buy?

They are available through my website www. TheHappyHeart.me and also on the Instagram account @TheHappyHeart.me

You also started conducting workshop to help people start their own brands. Why did you feel the need for such workshops and how has been the response?

I receive a lot of questions on my personal account daily regarding fabrics, tailors, how to start?, where to go?, I started but now I’m stuck..., I don’t know how to deal with the tailor..., I don’t know what fabric to choose for my designs and more. Therefore, I decided to collect my experience and knowledge and create a workshop on how to start your own clothing line. The workshop is with powerful intention of helping others to make their passion a career. Because I believe those who works with their passion are happy people and with what I’m doing I’m increasing happiness in this world. In addition, I created an account (@ TheHappydesigner.me)dedicate to help those who can’t pay for the workshop and provide tips that can help them to improve and start.

As an experienced teacher, what would you say is the most important thing when you

are learning to sew; what do you teach first?

Don’t be afraid to be bad at something new and also stop asking others if you are good enough, smart enough, creative enough to do what you love doing. Have a vision.

What is "Happy Talk"?

The happy talk is a YouTube channel where I talk about how to see life from different angles which make them smile while going through life challenges.

What is your favorite part about being a designer?

Being around fabrics and meeting new people. I love fabrics and people. They are similar in how each of them “people/fabrics” are so different yet if you learn to choose wisely, you can have the most beautiful experience and this is fascinating.

What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?

I love how social media merge the world and give us the chance to be updated and also to expose our arts and spread it all over the world.

What is a regular day like for you?

My day starts with gratitude for having a new day and new chance to live and then my coffee with music at 7 AM “I’m a morning person”. After that my meditation for 10 minutes and then writing down what I want from this day “love, wealth, new opportunities, joy”. Then of course the most important meal in the day!! my breakfast. After that you can find me at fabric store or the beach.

Tell us about some of your other hobbies.

I love dancing, I can dance for 3 hours nonstop. I also love swimming.

What advice would you give to young designers?

Ask yourself this question “what if I’m the only one existing in this world! Would I think twice before starting, before designing and before choosing? Would I be afraid if no one likes what I design? No. then do it now for yourself and enjoy the journey, enjoy the challenges.

Your message for us at CP magazine.

Thank you for the amazing interview and opportunity to be on your cover. Be ready for “The Happy Words” I’m so excited to be part of CP magazine team.

WORK FROM HOME

KINDA MAKEUP LOOK

Sana Mrad

“If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack.”

Don’t wear makeup because you have to, or for anyone but yourself.

SKIN CARE & MAKEUP LIST TO CREATE THIS LOOK .

SKIN CARE

-Advanced night repair eye supercharged complex

-Advanced night repair synchronized multi-recovery complex

-Revitalizing supreme +bright

FACE -Futurist hydra rescue moisturizing foundation spf 45 3n1

EYES -Sumptuous extreme lash multi- playing volume mascara in black

LIPS -Pure color illuminating shine 901 Sheer shine lipstick born flirt .

FormerlyMe.com presents “Therapy Sessions”

WHAT IS FORMERLYME?

Jim West

FormerlyMe is an online movement to motivate and inspire people to become the best version of themselves by showing them my journey and experience in trying a new workout and lifestyle regime every 30 days. Every post, update, and video is ‘formerly me’ as I endeavor to become the best version of myself and become FormerlyMe. Each month CP Magazine will showcase a part of my journey to becoming the best version of myself. I hope that in turn this inspires and motivates you to start your own journey as well. For this month’s story we will focus on the “Therapy Sessions” days of my journey.

During my last couple months of my first year of my FormerlyMe journey I started to develop tendonitis in my elbows. Weight training several days a week had started to catch up with me. I had seen many people use these massage guns for relief and I asked Geoff Taylor to help relieve the throbbing pain in my arms. He would use a massage gun and then wrap my arm in a rubber strap to “floss” the blood flow in my arm to alleviate the pain. I would feel immediate relief, but it was short lived.

Ready to try anything, I then visited STEMLYFT which specializes in many therapy treatments. I tried their compression therapy, cryotherapy, and even their oxygen tank. Although the sessions gave me some relief, it was unfortunately still temporary. I was beginning to think that I needed to take a long break from my intense workouts. Then I came to Kelechi Mbonu at Legacy Barbell who is certified in the Neufit system. I explained to him my pain issues in my elbow and forearm and he recommended I focus my Neufit sessions on my forearms. In just one session I had long lasting relief! I woke up the next morning with almost no pain and was able to resume my daily workouts. In fact I have continued to utilize the Neufit system regularly to continue strengthening my forearms to avoid any more issues. Now that I solved my tendonitis issues I was back at 100% in the gym!

The ultimate lesson I learned is that you have to listen to your body and pay attention to when it is trying to tell you to slow down and take some rest. In my case I found the right therapy treatment for my issue, but what worked for me may not work for everyone. I would suggest always reviewing therapy options with a trained and certified professional. To discover more about the Neufit check out their website: www.neu.fit

Follow my journey online at FormerlyMe.com and on the YouTube channel. Next month I will cover more unique experiences I had the end of 2020. Until next time that has been FormerlyMe! facebook.com/FormerlyMe twitter.com/MeFormerly instagram.com/formerlymeofficial

SOE

Glamorous-streetwear brand based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Since 2016 Sultan Ali Al-Najai, Saudi fashion designer, started his brand SOE. The latest chapter of his collection has been released just one month before Ramadan 2021. It is CHAPTER SIX: SABOTAGE 2021 - It's all about women's empowerment, Sultan Al-Najai designed these capes with the careful thought that the model abaya became a Cape. Abayas have been a part of our Saudi culture since a long time ago, the amazing thing when you think about it, a long time ago in the 50’s women wore the same cropped Abayas.! SOE just modified it a little bit. The Cape becomes suitable for every occasion, from working women to Girls hanging out together and everything in between, crafted with the finest washed silk and exquisite colors which show the personality of a strong new modern-day woman. One of the points is that That Cape can be very conservative in Ramadan and it’s easy to wear.

As the main message from SOE to women : “ Show the look... Express yourself in every moment... Make it EXTRA, and just have fun “ - soé

How do you see Saudi Fashion changes in the past 5 years, since you started your own brand? Saudi fashion has changed through the years. We live in a new modern age and from time to time I think that we have to go back to basics to appreciate the beauty of everything, I do this for the fashion community, I’m doing this for the culture, I’m doing this for us.