Dubai and Moscow-based fashion label Asmaraia has launched a new 15-piece, feline-inspired pre-fall 2019 collection called Nocturnal Animals.
The line celebrates modesty, sustainability and environmentally friendly fashion, using organic cotton and recycled polyester while supporting a fair-trade supply chain.
The rising brand is in good company in its campaign for cruelty-free fashion – it joins the likes of Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier and Burberry in its ban on using fur in collections.
"The aim is to introduce a fashion trend that does not need to harm animals or any other things that destroy the environment," says Asmaraia, the mononymous founder and creative director of the brand.
“I have used animal prints as a symbol of my love for animals, particularly our feline friends. I believe that felines have independent character, they are open to new experiences, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism which symbolises my idea of bringing a new collection for women in the modern Arab world who embrace all these qualities.”
Asmaraia launched her debut collection in the Middle East in May 2018 during Arab Fashion Week held at the QE2 in Dubai.
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“The brand is positioned to bring traditional Middle Eastern values, culture and tradition applicable to the modern world we are currently living in,” she says. “I have adjusted the use of fabrics, designs, cuts and durability on how a modern Arabian woman is living their [life]. I want my pieces to be part of their lifestyle – something wearable, not just one-off, show-off dresses.”
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
