Rafia Helal Bin Drai, founder and designer of abaya fashion powerhouse Mauzan, was recently named designer of the year at the L'Officiel Middle East Arab Woman of the Year Awards. Famous for her signature cuts and coloured abayas, Rafia certainly knows a thing or two about fashion
The fashion line Mauzan, which means 'a rare pearl' in Arabic, was born in 1990 right here in the UAE after Rafia Helal Bin Drai saw a glaring lack of sophisticated and classic abayas that spoke to stylish women. She began with a private tailor in her own house; designing items for herself and after a number of people approached her and her business began to grow, she founded Mauzan.
Rafia states, “my inspiration for designing the abaya is always the woman who wears it. You cannot be an amazing, attractive and proud woman if you are not comfortable in what you are wearing.”
Based in Al Ain, the brand has three signature collections: Mauzan, Mauzan Exclusive and Miss Mauzan. Mauzan offers pret-a-porter styling while Mauzan Exclusive includes limited edition and haute couture pieces. Miss Mauzan, the more affordable chic casual line, was developed in 1994 for a younger clientele after her daughter couldn't find any stylish and affordable abayas for her age group.
With five shops located throughout the UAE (and two on the way) we decided to see how this incredibly busy designer, business woman and mother of three spends her day.
5am to 8.30am: “First of all thank you for taking time to ask me about my schedule” Rafia states with a smile, “because everybody thinks because I'm a designer I sleep until one o' clock!”
She's certainly early to rise and after praying salat ul Fajr, she starts the day with a bit of reflection. She'll read the Holy Quran before heading off to her date farm, only a short drive from her house in Al Ain.
“I go to my date farms early in the morning. I am a date collector and I have more than 1,000 different types of date trees in my farm, not to mention some very rare dates! It's a big hobby of mine and I am very passionate about it. I am very proud that I am able to eat from my farm and give my dates as gifts to others.”
After checking in at her farm she returns home and takes a shower, has her turkish coffee and reads the newspaper. “Normally I do a lot of reading in the morning. I like to read about economics and politics of our country. When you are a business woman you have to know these things.”
And she would know, in addition to her day job, she also is an executive board member for the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen's Council.
9am: Then it's time to start work in the office. Rafia, who studied economics and business administration in university, says “I contact my team by email and phone. Everyone comes to report to me because I'm the general manager and head of merchandising in the company.”
The day is usually filled with meetings and discussions and signing off on confirmations. “We have an open development management plan at Mauzan and I ask everyone's opinion, we like to share the knowledge. We are all a team.”
1pm to 2pm: Now it's time for some lunch. Rafia is very social and she says, “if someone is visiting me, we all have lunch together.”
2pm to 7pm: After lunch it's a complete shift in gears, with Mrs Bin Drai heading out to the factory. She says she only has one rule in the factory for her team, “You are not allowed to talk to me about management. You should not disturb art and inspiration with management discussions.
“I'm a different person in the factory, I am just the head designer there so I'm running around with everyone else. Usually, I am running between the store of material and running around for the sampling. We create sample models working table by table, and roll by roll. I don't just sit and sketch, I help them with the whole process of making a sample from A to Z.
“There are sketches everywhere, and they vary for our various lines. After our first sample goes, we decide a palate of colours to go with the sample. We do our abayas in different choices so everyone can find something they like. We vary from one to three options. The only thing that doesn't come in any choices is my couture and haute couture pieces.
“Then we get the sampling fabric and we create it and try it on a mannequin. After that, if I approve it, we start production”
she says.
7.30pm to 8pm: After rushing around the factory, Rafia finally heads home to relax and catch up with the family. She makes a point of having the family gather around for a “hot meal together”.
Dinner over, she tends to catch up with her friends or relax with her kids and watch a film. “They usually select it and if I don't like it, I leave!”
12am to 1am: Rafia normally heads off to sleep after another busy but altogether typical day.
Final thoughts: She says, “I don't see this as work, rather it is my style of life.”
Sawaiba Khan
For more information please visit www.mauzan.com or check out the Mauzan Boutique in Abu Dhabi Corniche Towers! Contact: 02 681 8433
