Spanish label Purificación Garcia reaches out to Emirati influencer Elham Abdulkareem

When the Spanish designer Purificación Garcia was looking for someone to collaborate with in this region, she turned to Emirati architect and influencer Elham AbdulKareem. Garcia's autumn/winter collection for her eponymous fashion label, is inspired by the link between fashion and photography, so it is no surprise that she wanted to work with someone whose style is also inspired by the arts. With about 94,000 Instagram followers, Abdulkareem is hardly a huge name; however, what sets her apart is that her feed is filled with images of how to lead a fabulous life, while staying understated. There are endless glossy images of wonderful clothes and beautiful locations, yet there is no skin on show. In fact, Abdulkareem has made hiding her face a signature of her images. Clearly this stylish yet modest approach struck a chord with Garcia, who reached out to Abdulkareem as a natural choice to collaborate with in the UAE. The project takes the form of a regional lookbook, starring and styled by Abdulkareem, who puts her own modest twist on the collection. Favouring long fluid lines and skillful layering, the Emirati has reimagined the clothes, giving them a Middle Eastern flavor. Garcia was clearly impressed with the results. “I was pleasantly surprised by the different interpretations [Elham] created. I always look for versatility in my collections, so that each customer can adapt what we offer to their personal style. European designers can sometimes find it challenging to understand the needs of a culturally divergent market, so it was wonderful to have access to Elham’s local insight. The result is fabulous and it fits Purificación Garcia’s image perfectly." _______________________________ Read more: Portal of the future: Desert Mannequin, a fashion blog with a difference Meet Sass Brown: new dean of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation Melania Trump's dress speaks louder than her wo rds _______________________________

Spanish label Purificación Garcia reaches out to Emirati influencer Elham Abdulkareem

When Purificación Garcia wanted to create a collection that would appeal to the Middle East, the Emirati architect and influencer was the logical choice