Share This Article
Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become fashion capitals thanks to UAE fashion designers blending Gulf heritage with international runway sensibilities. Here’s a rundown of some of the names shaping this scene. They range from abaya designers to Dubai-based couturiers who dress celebrities worldwide.
What Makes the UAE Fashion Scene Special
Designers from around the Middle East and beyond have made their way to the UAE. The country’s status as a hub for trading and tourism has helped draw them in. The UAE’s domestic Emirati designers help ground the industry with their local talent. Many Dubai fashion designers work across two markets. They create modest pieces and evening wear for regional clients. Alongside that, they design statement looks for the international red carpet and fashion week circuit. This helps explain why the labels have audiences well beyond the Gulf.
Emirati Designers Creating Their Own Labels
There are Emirati designers who have launched brands and created pieces. Their work gives updates to how clients interact with local dress.
Bouguessa created a label with an architectural take on modesty. This approach has gotten the label recognition beyond the region and helped it gain press and stockists.
At the intersection of structure and personal style lies a road less traveled. It’s a path that proves to be one of the most satisfying trends. This has been the case for sisters Waad and Sheyma Al Hammadi as they built their label, Gabi. It’s true too for siblings Muna and Maryam Saeed in launching Al Mraikn. It’s also true for Sheikha Madiyah Al Sharqi in her own label, Madiyah Al Sharqi.
Gabi began with an emphasis on structured tailoring for a one-size-fits-all concept. It has since become a go-to brand for elegant occasion pieces that offer comfort without sacrificing polish. Al Mraikn was founded on sisters Muna and Maryam Saeed’s expertise, built over decades of experience. The label has developed an impressive reputation for couture-level abayas that are, more often than not, constructed to perfection.
YNM, founded by creative director Yasmin Al Mulla, takes an approach to ready-to-wear abayas that is the opposite of excess. Understated abayas levied with a high level of hand finishing, are YNM’s defining detail.
Madiyah Al Sharqi, who is a member of the ruling family of Fujairah, brings a new element to the mix as the designer of her family’s fashion house. This fashion house is responsible for dressing internationally known celebrities and fusing contemporary tailoring with classic Middle Eastern fashion.
Dubai-Based Couturiers With Global Reach
While not every prominent name in Dubai’s fashion scene calls the UAE home, Dubai is the headquarters for several designers’ international careers.
- Designer Rami Al Ali is from Syria, but calls Dubai home. His evening wear and bridal collections have solidified his place on the runways of international and regional fashion weeks for years.
- Michael Cinco hails from the Philippines but works out of Dubai. He has cultivated his fashion empire through heavily embellished couture pieces. Celebrities wear his designs on the biggest and most important award show stages. This has earned Cinco’s name a high level of visibility among designers working in the UAE.
- As another Filipino designer based in Dubai, Furne One leads Amato Couture. He is a regular at Dubai Fashion Week, and a go-to for bold red carpet looks with his statement pieces.
- Julea Domani was launched by Khaled Khalil, an Emirati designer, to offer high-end, feminine, made-to-measure, advanced evening wear with a regional client base.
New and Notable Names
The UAE has a new generation of fashion designers and brands that are modernizing the face of the UAE’s fashion.
- Rawdha Thani creates a line of abayas using traditional abaya styles from the Gulf and Morocco called Illi, with a limited run to offer exclusivity.
- Odeem was started in 2018 by Fatma AlOtaiba and is based on luxury, everyday, contemporary womenswear with a focus on quality.
- Noora Shawqi focuses on fine jewelry, creating pieces that show her passion and love for travel with gold and diamonds in Dubai.
- L’Afshar is an accessories brand in Dubai that uses a combination of architecture and art for leather accessories, and in particular box bags.
This shines a positive light on the fashion industry in the UAE. Both practical and forward thinkers of the fashion in the region can appreciate these brands helping modernize the fashion industry of the UAE.
Conclusion
While there are two distinct groups, Emirati designers and a growing group of international designers, that make up the UAE’s burgeoning fashion scene, there is still a similar confidence in their creative identity. Whether you are more drawn to fan-favorite designer Michael Cinco’s bold style, prefer more minimalist designs like Bouguessa, or something even newer like Illi, there is something for everyone. Watch UAE’s fashion scene grow and see what these designers post on social media, or check out past Dubai Fashion Weeks to see what is to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
What UAE fashion designers are well known outside of the UAE?
Celebrity dressings have elevated Michael Cinco and Furne One to international fame, along with Rami Al Ali for his elegant bridal and evening wear.
What is the distinction between an Emirati and Dubai-based fashion designer?
An Emirati designer, such as Faiza Bouguessa and Fatma AlOtaiba, is a UAE national. Many designers, such as Michael Cinco and Rami Al Ali, are based in Dubai but have other nationalities.
Which fashion designers focus on abayas?
Bouguessa, Gabi, Al Mraikn, YNM, and Illi by Rawdha Thani.
Is Dubai a major fashion hub?
Definitely, with an emphasis on local and global designers, Dubai launched a fashion hub with events like Dubai Fashion Week.
Where can I buy UAE designer clothing online?
Most of the brands mentioned, including Bouguessa, Gabi, and L’Afshar, sell their clothes through their own Website or through several regional multi-brand retailers in the UAE.
