A much-welcomed addition to the capital's fashion scene is Minbart in Al Muneera. The boutique, which was launched last year, houses an eclectic mix of local, regional and international designs, was the brainchild of Sheikha Alia Al Qassimi. In an exclusive interview with The National, she shares her passion for showcasing creative talents and talks about Minbart's new collections.
What gap in the market is Minbart filling?
We launched on April 5, 2014, with the intention of having a space that was creative, inspiring, and offering the latest collections. The name in Arabic means “platform” and we provide exactly that for well-known international and emerging regional designers. Our customers are fashion-forward, well-travelled, and are into art, music and design. We wanted a creative concept that reflected that, and that’s how Minbart came about.
What criteria do designers have to meet to be showcased in your store?
They need to be creative, original and produce authentic pieces of the best quality. We’re always on the lookout for new designers and we’re very active, attending fashion weeks around the globe. We also get lots of lookbooks, from France to Poland, and Britain to America.
Our collection before Ramadan introduced some really big fashion names to Abu Dhabi such as Tibi from New York, Carven from Paris and Richard Nicoll from the United Kingdom. Customers were really excited to see these well-established names in Minbart, alongside up-and-coming designers they might not have heard of before. That’s why, I believe, they consider Minbart a fashion gallery of sorts. It consistently offers a great mix of unique labels, cuts, fabrics and creations.
Highlight some of the key Emirati labels you house.
We care a great deal about local designers and regional ones. With every collection, we make sure we highlight one or two in particular. For example, our latest Ramadan collection brings local designers to Abu Dhabi, such as Dubai-based labels Bouguessa Official and Delight By Ahood. It also includes regional designers from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. With every new collection, we also transform the store, introducing new visual merchandise and themes to keep things fresh.
Describe the capsule collection for Ramadan.
We’ve collaborated with six ready-to-wear designers, who have produced beautiful kaftans and abayas. Some pieces are casual and some very high-end, suitable for Ramdan or Eid. We’ve also teamed up with three accessories designers – one based in Saudi Arabia and two from Dubai. The entire range is very Arabesque in feel, with many beautiful Islamic patterns. We’ve curated the whole collection, meaning we ask for samples from new and upcoming designers, and if the quality is up to our standards, then we’ll include them. In addition, we don’t simply introduce ready-to-wear pieces to our clients, but put together full looks and also offer styling tips.
What’s the colour palette this season?
This time around, we’ve worked with neutrals and some strong accent colours such as red, turquoise and orange – they are a wonderful mix. The looks are complemented by the work of Saudi’s Loomer Jewelry in shades of pink, coral and aquamarine.
Of your international designs, what prices do pieces at Minbart go for?
You can find a T-shirt for about Dh200 and prices might go up to about Dh8,000 for a couture skirt from Paris.
Is it fair to say your personal style is borne out in the collections we see in the boutique?
I have a buying team that works with me to do the selection and ordering each season, and it’s very important for us to continually include new contemporary designs. We love simple, yet bold looks and we’re not overly fond of patterned or busy pieces. We totally understand the requirements of a modern woman – she’s running errands in the morning, then goes straight to work before attending an evening function. She wants to always look chic and fabulous and that’s what we’re catering to.
For those outside of the UAE, how can they buy from Minbart?
We’re launching our e-commerce website very soon due to the increasing demand from overseas customers. We send packages to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and even the UK and the US. So online expansion seems like a natural progression.
rduane@thenational.ae
