Tamara Al Gabbani on Kenzo's Collaboration

Tamara al Gabbani takes a breather from her very hectic schedule to tell us about Kenzo collaborating with her local fashion brand, House of Glamo for limited edition T-shirts, designed exclusively for Dubai Film Festival 2010. This funky T-shirt is not for sale, but wait for it…. One lucky winner will get to own this exclusive piece in our competition soon. Simply follow us on Facebook and Twitter to participate ;)

How strategic is it for House of Glamo to collaborate with an international high fashion brand like Kenzo?

It was an absolute pleasure to work with a longstanding established brand such as KENZO for this sponsorship. They spent 40 years gathering inspiration from cultures around the world, which they creatively infused into all of their collections. House of Glamo on the other hand, is a young local T-shirt brand, just recently celebrating their first year. Yet in this very short time, has come far by tapping into a global audience by raising awareness on local and international causes with their catchy slogans and iconic campaigns. 

The House of Glamo thought it only appropriate to collaborate with a western brand when asked to sponsor the Dubai Film Festival, in order to materialize the theme of the festival: 'Bridging Cultures, Meeting Minds'

As a UAE based brand, collaborating with KENZO is a testament that local talent can be taken seriously. If you work hard enough, the sky is the limit.

Where did the inspiration of the T-shirt design come from?

Antonio Marras, KENZO Creative Director, designed an exclusive print based on a collage of elements representing several arab icons. The result is a creative project where fashion meets art and cinema to celebrate the 7th Annual Dubai International Film Festival. 

What was the involvement from both parties towards the final product?

KENZO was involved by designing the collage image while the House of Glamo took care of everything else from manufacturing & printing the T shirts, to preparation and logistics.

Malone Fashion (UAE's first retail industry blogger)

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In Profile: Reem Kanj as PUMA Ambassador

Reem Kanj, a budding fashion designer has recently been chosen by PUMA to be their Middle East brand ambassador as part of their global initiative. A first of its kind, not only is this exciting news for the Middle East, it also portrays the importance of embracing the culture you have a presence in. We at Malone could not be more happier to see international brands collaborate with Middle Eastern talent to promote their brand. It is about time other brands follow suit and grow towards this direction to appeal to its local customer. Reem Kanj, kindly talks to us about her experience with PUMA during her stay in Dubai.

When did all this happen?

I was approached  by PUMA 2 months ago to represent them as a brand ambassador. I have been a die hard PUMA fan ever since I was a child, so being given the chance to represent them was an absolute honour. I was over the moon with excitement, because for me, it was a chance to showcase my creative side as someone who had a background in fashion and textiles.

Tell us about your experience at the PUMA creative factory.

The entire project was so much fun and refreshing to begin with. Meeting the other 15 ambassadors and working together in the same room felt like being in a chemistry lab at school. Only thing is, we were allowed to go wild with our ideas and inspirations, so the room was buzzing with energy and positivity. Fun is definitely the word I would use to describe this experience; it was the perfect way to end the year for me.

What inspired you to come up with the design of the sneakers?

We were called to the factory at such short notice. At first, I found it a bit daunting when I realized I had to design the shoes from scratch, as I was unsure of the design procedures PUMA followed. However, upon seeing the array of different fabrics, colors, cuts and shapes, I knew what I had in mind.

Essentially, it was important for me to come up with a design that represented my personality as a person and a fashion designer for my brand, House of Rena. Always think of the basic elements that identify you and then build on from there. The colors pink, white and grey represented my brand, so I knew what colors I wanted to use. Not to mention how fun and feminine these colors were, so I was definitely pleased with the look.

Moving on to the fabric, I mixed it up a bit. The feel of suede was very appealing to me. I used suede for the front and side part of the sneakers, and incorporated leather on the back for durability. The look was finished off with white laces to give the sneakers a fresh and crisp look.

What responsibilities do you have as the brand Ambassador for PUMA.

In addition to being directly involved in the design process, part of my duties will naturally be to partake in press opportunities and public appearances for PUMA. I am very pleased to have been picked as an ambassador, and I see this as an ongoing supportive relationship between the both of us.  

You can connect with Reem via the following links:

Twitter 

Facebook 

Malone Fashion (UAE's first retail industry blogger)

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One on One with designer Karolina Gniewek

What made you start Poca&Poca.

    

The idea of creating Poca&Poca came from the passion for history hidden in the prominent brands of our decade, which made me interested in creating something that could be continued by my generations. For few years, I have been looking for the passion for something that would fascinate me so much that I could follow it breathlessly. One year ago, I discovered my passion: beautiful and timeless clothes that would stand for/represent individuality and unique style of the person wearing them.

Describe your style.

Poca&Poca corresponds to the style of “precious simplicity” with a touch of charm and charisma. Poca&Poca style is feminine and girly at the same time.

The charming style of Poca&Poca is created by beautiful and soft fabrics in pastel colors that, when tailored precisely, they are transformed into distinctive and exceptional creations. To accent the polish character of the brand, Polish stunning scenarios are used for the Poca&Poca ad campaigns.

Does your design appeal to the Arab lady?

Certainly. Arab women are very stylish and they love things that are

classic yet sophisticated and stand out. They like to be chic, and wear

outfits that highlight their femininity.

Where do you sell your items.

Poca&Poca items are available at the multi – brand boutique: Chocolat

and Pickles located in Wafi, and the online store AuraB.

I also showcase at the Dubai Designer Market which is organized every

second Saturday of the month and where I am personally present to

introduce my collections directly to the public. 

I get a lot of requests from the Emirati ladies interested in private viewing,

and custom made outfits, therefore I am always contactable through

email. Visit my website for contact details www.pocaandpoca.com

If you would like to see creations of poca&poca brand and meet the founder, Karolina Gniewek  personally,  you are welcome to come to the Dubai Designer Market on Saturday, October the 9th, at Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai, opposite Jumeirah Park 2.