Modest and magnificent

GULFWEEKLY’S Camille Jones has an eye for trends and we’ve let her loose around the towns and villages of Bahrain, the malls and the tiny independent outlets, looking to inspire our family of readers.

Lalahelena Abayat recently released its Ramadan and Eid collection, ‘Spirit of Elegance’, with unique pieces that promise the modest woman an exclusive outfit of style and grace. 

Huda Mirza, a 28 year-old Bahraini fashion designer, is behind the coveted fashion line and has many followers all over the GCC.  This 25-piece collection uses patterns, motifs, appliqués and lux fabric with a colour palette relevant to the culture and current trends.

She said: “I release a new collection every three months because women often need to change their abayas due to regular use. I never use the same fabric twice and use embellishment and detail that reflects a modern, yet traditional style.”

In this capsule collection you will find exclusive cuts and contrasting fabrics with rich embroidery on the neckline and cuffs. There are caftans with polka dots on sheer fabric and metallic with sashes that cinch the waist in empire elegance.

Interesting regal outlines in jacquard, damask and paisley are found in satins and silk, while taffeta in gold, red, purple and blue are stitched together in forms that are flattering but still modest enough to reflect cultural norms. 

FashionWeekly’s favourite is a royal blue and black piece that is made with velvety fabric with floral designs draped head-to-toe with exquisite detailing.

Huda’s passion for fashion started at a young age and she often found herself taking apart items of clothing she had bought and reworking them to create her own authentic style. Friends and family liked her designs so much they started asking her to make them abayas and jalabiyas. What started as a hobby soon ended up as an ambitious business venture with the opening of her shop in Sanad.

She said: “I wanted to settle my life first, and once I became the director of human resources at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa I found I had the opportunity.”

This highly-educated woman believes she inherited all essential entrepreneurial attribute of perseverance from her mother who is a doctor in Bahrain and she hopes to inspire other young women to follow their dreams. She said: “Never give up. When there is a will there is a way. I overcame all my obstacles and did not give up. My mother is my inspiration and is very special to me, without her as my rock I could not have carried on.”

Her work is admired and appreciated across the kingdom and in Kuwait, Doha and Qatar and her client base has grown. The luxurious fabric and attention to detail used in her collections has given her a bold name in the industry.

“I want to eventually expand worldwide but still keep an exclusive feel. My price range is reasonable - from BD40 to BD300. I want everyone to afford my work.”

For more information follow her @lalahelenaabayat on Instagram.