Designer Lamia Asudari a favourite for fashion-conscious in the UAE

The fashion designer Lamia Asudari visited Dubai this month to host a private trunk sale for key clients. We caught up with her as she readied to jet back to Britain.

The US-born, British-raised designer Lamia Asudari, standing next to a portion of her new Ramadan collection. Delores Johnson / The National

Asudari is a label familiar to followers of fashion in the UAE, not least for its bold prints and fondness for geometric designs. Spearheading the brand is Lamia Asudari, a regular fixture at Fashion Forward in Dubai and a businesswoman with her eye on expansion.

Of Saudi heritage, Asudari was born in the United States and raised in Britain. Her style is as eclectic as her background. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the creation of her eponymous label also first took seed in another foreign land.

What triggered your foray into fashion?

I was on holiday 10 years ago, sitting on my mother’s balcony in Athens and wondering what my next steps were.

I had wanted to go into fashion from an early age and it had been a slow progression since then. I did my schooling in London, then a stint in Egypt focusing on costume and set design, before degrees in pattern-cutting and fashion print in the UK.

So finally, when I was in Greece that summer, I decided to launch Asudari and registered it properly in 2007. I’m based in London full-time now, although I travel a great deal and have been back to Dubai a lot recently.

What do you make of industry developments here in the UAE?

Firstly, I was overwhelmed by the professional organisation of Fashion Forward’s Season 3, from front of house to backstage. I also love Dubai’s energy right now; it’s great to see what’s happening on the ground, like D3 [Dubai Design District]. A lot of the right people from the region are doing the right things, investment and time-wise.

During and after your UK studies, you interned for Alexander McQueen. How was it working closely with him?

It opened up a world to me. Alexander would often come to work and tell us what he had dreamt. One of the most memorable collections started with him turning to me one day and saying: “Lamia, can you get me as many images of beetles as you can, please?” So, I did my research and came back with as many imaginative images as I could and created a mood board for him. It was really nice to be able to work so closely with him, especially when he did fittings. Watching him backstage was amazing, too. One show I remember had a North Pole theme with a huge, ice-like sculptured stage. Literally two seconds before a model went out, he cut her full-length gown into a short one.

Which comes first for you when you’re designing: the silhouette or the print?

I predominantly think in prints. I try very hard to work with the print first because they shape my silhouettes rather than the other way around. For example, for my last collection, Bullet Time [autumn/winter 2014], I chose Delftware, the white and blue crockery, as the colours because they fit the theme perfectly. The collection simply started with an image of a gun on my mood board. I then began researching armoury and artillery and the image became softened with human hands. Fireworks elements also featured, as did my signature use of geometry.

Conflicting themes seem to feature in your collections. The fragility of the pottery or porcelain and the destructive capacity of the gun, for example.

Yes, I would describe my style as the juxtaposition of two, three or four elements that don’t necessarily go together. What I find an exciting challenge is starting a collection using subject matters that clash and trying to make them work and come together in one canvas.

What pieces have you created for Ramadan?

I’ve designed a limited collection of Ramadan pieces, with my twist on things.

There are chemise dresses that are casual and elegant rather than over-embellished. They are made of jersey and can be worn as shirts or shirt-dresses. Some have prints on the collars and cuffs, there are block colours of navy, purple and lavender and other more edgy designs. It’s very hard to find pieces where it’s all about the cut and the comfort.

How about your abaya range?

It’s strange, because I remember the day a few years ago when we got the abaya cut right. People continue to come back time and time again for it. So I’m using the same pattern but always trying to come up with new takes every six months.

We’re literally always running constantly from collection to collection.

What’s next for you?

I hope to become an integral part of Fashion Forward. And venturing into the US is another step. But I’m keen to filter our luxury brand slowly into the markets, rather than overselling myself.

• For more information, visit www.asudari.com