The Lebanese-born artist and entrepreneur Nadine Kanso, who established her women’s label Bil Arabi in 2006, has teamed up with the product designer and consultant Samer Al Ameen to debut a new collection of men’s accessories. The result is a modern, masculine and edgy range of cufflinks, necklaces, cuffs and rings that they say “will appeal to all kinds of personalities” for its sheer simplicity.
The collaboration
NK: I've done some men's pieces before, and in recent years I really wanted to do more but I didn't want to go it alone. Samer happened not only to be a great designer but also my cousin. We've always seen a lot of things creatively the same way and he's brought something very fresh to the brand. He's kept my identity while taking a slick and simple approach to the men's line.
SA: While visiting me in Milan last April during Salone del Mobile, Nadine was showing me some men's pieces that were a work in progress. When I questioned why she hadn't launched a men's line before now, she straightforwardly told me: "I will only launch a men's line if you design it." So, that's what we did.
The design
NK: We've started simply with Arabic letters, the signature of Bil Arabi. Samer designed the font himself and we gave it a slight edge, slashing the ends of letters. I'd say the pieces are modern and easy-to-wear, even for women. I like to stack the pieces, for example.
SA: The collection is masculine with very clean lines. It creates a personal touch as every man will wear a letter that represents him or his loved ones. Pieces can be worn on their own or in multiples – whole words or pairs of initials can be put together, et cetera. It's a playful but personal collection. My favourite piece is the bracelet – I love the way the letter simply wraps around the wrist.
The appeal
NK: Being Arab, of course you're going to attract your own market but, as with the women's line, we're reaching beyond the region. We have clients calling us from Australia, London and New York, which says to me that Arabic calligraphy is universally beautiful.
SA: I imagine men from 25 years onwards will wear this collection. Arabs will relate to the typography and foreigners will too, but there's the added novelty for expatriates living in the Arab world. The simplicity of the collection makes it appealing to all kinds of personalities.
The ambassadors
NK: I like a lot of celebrities, but I'm happiest when somebody grasps the statements behind my brand – when they get my message and I know I've reached them. For example, we gifted Kylie Minogue some earrings at a VIP lounge in Dubai in recent years and by chance saw her wearing them at an event. She had worn them out of love, not obligation, and that made all the difference to me.
SA: I believe the best ambassadors for the range are all successful, down-to-earth and well-respected men.
The future
NK: We're hopefully going into d3 – Dubai Design District. That means we'll no longer just be a registered brand but also a company. Our structure will change slightly, become a bit bigger to allow us to do new things. I'm also collaborating with a regional blogger on a capsule collection. I can't say much more but all will be revealed this month.
• For Bil Arabi stockists across the UAE, visit the www.nadinekanso.com
rduane@thenational.ae
