Qatar’s Al Subaeys sisters offer a sneak peek at new nomadic-inspired collection

The Al Subaey sisters launched their brand The Kayys in 2011. Courtesy The Kayys

The Qatar-based sisters Ghada, Hend and Maha Al Subaey, have come a long way with their ready-to-wear label The Kayys. Launched in 2011, the brand will show its new, desert-themed spring/summer 2016 collection in a runway presentation today at the Vogue Fashion ­Dubai ­Experience.

The Al Subaeys are widely felicitated – they won the Young Designer prize in the 2013 Arab Woman Awards, and also had the unique experience of dressing Gwen Stefani for her performance at the Men’s Handball Tournament in Doha in March.

Their label, which is available at The Luxury Arcade in Abu Dhabi’s World Trade Center Mall, started out as many other fashion projects do: with passion, pizzazz and out-of-the-box styling concepts.

The initial Marie Antoinette-meets-Middle East designs featured plenty of frou frou, volume and bright colours. Since then, their vision has matured, cuts have simplified and styling has become more refined. Today, the sisters are known for producing chic, on-trend designs with an urban edge and minimalist undertones – statement separates that can be layered or worn solo.

The sisters place a lot of importance on detail, and structured silhouettes and intricate hand embroidery have combined to become the brand’s signature aesthetic.

“We are really honoured and excited to be part of Vogue Italia,” says Ghada ahead of their big runway show in Dubai. “We’re looking forward to a great experience – we have so much to share with everyone.” Explaining their spring/summer line, ­Ghada says their work was inspired by a stormy desert landscape: “Abstract lines and curves reflect the mineral formations that take place on the sand dunes, and the writings integrated resemble the desert romance, poems and songs.”

Expect a soft, earthy palette of beiges, light browns and greens, in nomadic cuts such as hooded kaftans, trench dresses and bomber-inspired jackets. Textiles will include lurex wools and organic linens, cottons and silks. The new collection also draws heavily on verses by the poet Rumi, and Arabic calligraphy will be incorporated into embroidery on the garments. The sisters are no strangers to using script in their designs. Their autumn/winter 2015 show emphasised the word “numinous”, which, coupled with Arabic text, was placed on a white sheet of fabric and tacked onto the front of a grey dress and the back of a green bomber jacket.

“Numinous means having a strong religious or spiritual quality, indicating the presence of a divinity. It is a beautiful word that has several connotations and meanings on whatever you look at in life,” says Ghada, ­adding that if the brand achieves international fame for a particular style, it would be one that “embraces a woman’s inner worldly spirit and natural elegance”.

The Dubai Mall’s annual fashion extravaganza runs over two days, with runways shows, lectures and special events ­featuring top ­fashion ­celebrities. More than 250 brands and participating retailers across The Dubai Mall, including Burberry, Michael Kors, and Level Shoe District, will be showcased throughout the two-day event.

• The Kayys collection will go on show at 7pm on Thursday October 29 at the Star Atrium in The Dubai Mall

VFDE: the essential guide

The celebs

Don’t miss sessions by shoe designer Christian Louboutin (3pm); international fashion journalist Miroslava Duma (4pm); and Fendi’s Silvia Venturini Fendi (5pm).

The designers

Eight international designers will participate in a runway show at 7pm on Thursday at Fashion Catwalk, including The Kayys (Qatar; see main story), Reem Al Kanhal (Saudi Arabia); Xiao Li (China); L72 (UK), Melitta Baumeister (Germany), Studio 189 (Ghana/US); Krikor Jabotian (Lebanon); and Arthur Arbesser (Austria).

Who is Next?

Designs by 25 finalists from the Middle East, Asia and Africa will be displayed during a showcase throughout both days at Star Atrium.

• The third edition of Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience is today and tomorrow at The Dubai Mall. It is presented by Emaar in partnership with Vogue Italia and with the support of Dubai Design & Fashion Council. Events are free and open to the public. Visit www.vfdebyemaar.com/ for more details