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Bahraini fashion designer Haya Khalifa AlFadhel isn’t letting the Covid-19 business challenges bring her down as she turns to teaching the art of her colourful trade online and focussing on her 2021 collections.
The 28-year-old, who finds inspiration in history, culture and life experiences, is the creative director of her family business which she works on with her mum, Nabila Alaissaoui.
Their brands, Naseem AlAndalos and Nesma Studio, boast luxury Moroccan caftans and ‘slow fashion’ which involves the use of eco-friendly materials, with the goal of preserving crafts and the environment.
Their designs were especially popular during Ramadan but due to the Covid-19 crisis, the business, like many others, has taken a hit.
“Ramadan was our busiest season and we have been constantly travelling to exhibitions around the GCC,” explained Haya, who has a diploma in Art & Design as well as a Bachelors of Arts in Fashion Design from Royal University for Women. “However, due to Covid-19, all events were cancelled and our regional sales dropped by more than 50 per cent. We also had to close our showroom in Riffa for a couple of weeks which took a toll on local sales too.”
The sudden changes reignited Haya’s interest in teaching and gave her a chance to refocus her energy on the business as a whole.
She said: “We’re taking the time to reorganise and strategise for the upcoming seasons. We’re usually too busy moving from one collection to the other to focus on the company’s growth so we’re taking this time to do that as well.
“I was always interested in teaching and sharing my knowledge and passion with others so I’ve grasped the opportunity. I started with introductory online workshops in fashion design and I’m now looking into offering full courses soon.
“We’re currently also working on our collections for 2021 and sourcing material and fabrics, like we usually do every summer. We have a few added projects that we hope to share soon.”
Fabrics such as Italian silk organza, French laces and French brocade are used in the designs as well as natural materials like organic hemp linen and silk linen blends. Some creations are also made using repurposed fabrics that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Almost all of their production processes take place in Bahrain, apart from sourcing raw materials. The silk trims and handmade belts are made in Morocco. Their luxury pieces are snapped up by brides across the GCC and couture pieces created for special events are also popular.
Haya, who was influenced by her mum’s designs and business skills when she was growing up, views fashion as another form of art.
She said: “I believe that fashion is art and art is a way of storytelling, so we have to express that through clothes.”
Check out the latest ready-to-wear collection fby visiting https://shop.naseemalandalos.com/ or from @naseemalandalos on Instagram.
