Dubai-based designer Essa Walla has teamed up for the first time with The cARTel, a fashion and art concept store tucked away in Al Quoz's Alserkal Avenue. The recipient of numerous industry accolades, including Grazia's Designer of the Year three years running, and the man who dressed Lady Gaga when she came to Dubai, Essa unveiled his capsule Ramadan collection on Monday evening. The event coincided with Galleries Night in Alserkal Avenue, where the industrial area's studios and art hubs threw open their doors to show their wares.
Describe your Ramadan range for The cARTel?
It’s a capsule collection of calligraphy pieces: abayas, kaftans, jackets, blouses and T-shirts. There’s also a line of menswear designed exclusively for The cARTel as per their commission for Ramadan. The pieces are limited editions and some are one-offs.
What’s the look and feel of this collection?
The pieces have a very traditional Arabian flavour. They are rich, opulent and very festive. The beauty of the fabric I’ve used is that it’s brocade and has a gorgeous gold finish. The base colours are navy, aqua, ivory, purple, black and gold-on-gold. The pieces are also very modern and girls can wear them without fear of the abstract calligraphy offending anyone or being misunderstood in any way.
Why did you choose to debut the range at an evening event in Al Quoz?
I think a lot of people are tired of pop-up parties and fashion sales, so I didn’t want to send out a long list of invites. Instead, I put the event up on my Facebook and Instagram pages with a hashtag saying #youareinvited. Dubai’s calendar is always full, so I didn’t want to put pressure on people. Besides, Galleries Night at Alserkal Avenue always guarantees nice footfall.
Where’s the brand synergy between Essa and The cARTel?
The cARTel represents the future of cutting-edge, affordable fashion. Being located in Alserkal Avenue, it has an artistic side and a lot of people in the art world buy Essa, so it made all sorts of sense. Moreover, May Barber, The cARTel’s managing partner, loves the collection. She wears a lot of Essa one-offs and commissioned a couture kaftan for Ramadan. We looked at staying true to the DNA of both brands with this collaboration.
How are your plans to expand the Essa brand going?
Yes, I’m in a massive expansion phase, but things are amazing. We’re sold out and doing private orders, so it’s all great. I sell at regional stores from S*uce to O’de Rose and The cARTel, and soon we’ll be announcing a collaboration with a massive conglomerate. Growing organically, at the speed I would like, with the constraints of a small business, can, of course, sometimes be challenging. And there’s a slight recession in the garments market right now, too. There’s an over-saturation of fashion coupled with all the trunk shows and pop-up events that go with that. But I feel very blessed to have had a good 11-year run of it so far, and the brand continues to grow.
Tell me the backstory of Lady Gaga wearing one of your designs when she visited the UAE last September.
A close friend of mine was basically taking care of Lady Gaga when she was in town and she asked me if I would like to dress her. So I made a piece, which was soft, classic and all black, teamed with gorgeous gladiator cuffs by Egyptian designer Nina Bakry. It was the only piece I sent and the one her stylist chose. When Gaga saw it in her room, so the story goes, she said: “It feels like a whisper of a dream.” We weren’t expecting her to wear it, but she surprised us all by doing so at her concert’s after-party.
Who’s next on your celebrity wish list?
Well, I’ve had queries from some very big superstars recently. Hopefully I’ll be able to whip up a few pieces towards the end of the year and perhaps for awards season in America.
Can you name names?
They are “top girls” – a very select bunch of five. Two actresses and three musical megastars. The movie stars are major Indian names, the biggest fashion goddesses in the world. And among the music stars, we’re looking at the “queen of pop”. Madonna? Who knows? Maybe. By October we’ll also hopefully be retailing in a beautiful LA store where all the stylists to the stars look for pieces.
• The cARTel is located at 6, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Street 17, Dubai; www.thecartel.me
rduane@thenational.ae
