The New York based designer talks to D’NA about traveling to Dubai and how it inspired her latest collection.
Last fall I had an incredible trip to Dubai. It was my first time there and I fell in love....more specifically, I fell in love with the abaya, the traditional black cloak worn by women in the region.
As someone who loves art directed living, I found the visual cohesion of seeing the chic Emirati women walking about in their abayas incredibly elegant.
From a distance, it was the aesthetic continuity I responded to. Yet I soon discovered no two abayas are alike. At closer view, I marveled at the great originality of every garment and the distinct details that made each one unique.
To me this is the essence of great design. Every woman had a certain detail that made her abaya distinct and special, whether it was a print hidden in the lining or an incredible lace trim.
I was impressed by the endless interpretations of a garment that to the unfamiliar eye could appear uniform, but is in fact a wonderful canvas for invention and individuality. I brought several home for myself and found inspiration in them for my Autumn-Winter 2011 collection.
