...cultural flair by new local designer Lucky Nooni. So much so that we just had to meet the 23 year old designer for afternoon tea...

Name:
Manar Mohammed Al Hinai

 

Nickname:
Nooni. The name of my line came about because my friends and family always say I'm lucky seeing as I always seem to get what I want!

The Collection:
I did a lot of research on Arab designers, as well as visited many shops and malls, and I noticed that a lot of Arab design is Haute Couture, and in no way casual. They also mostly reflect other cultures, not Arab or Khaleeji (Gulf) culture. So that's how I decided on a focus. My favourite piece of casual clothing is the top so the line is mostly tops, but I do plan to work on accessories and men's pieces in future. I also managed to incorporate Khaleeji elements into my pieces. On top of that, I worked with the sparkly fabrics and ribbons which are big on the runways right now, I noticed.

The collection is for young, trendy girls who don't want to look like everybody else. And believe me, there are a lot of girls out here like that. My friends and I may be wearing abayas but when we get together with our girlfriends for private gatherings, thre's a lot of competition going on with what we're wearing underneath. And no one wants to get caught wearing the same thing. That's why I love local store S*uce in Marina Mall - they only sell amazing, one of a kind pieces. I also like Ounass in Marina Mall.

Influence: My mother's style. She never dresses like anyone else. She travels the globe collecting one-off pieces and only buys the most unique and intricate jalabiyas from Kuwait. It's because of her I knew I wanted to design clothing. And whenever Eid or other special functions rolled around, I would always make my own pieces. It's only since I graduated last year from university that I was able to find the time to properly tackle designing. And now I'm certain that this is what I want to do.

Favourite designers:
Out of Arab designers, I'd say Body Amr. Otherwise, I adore Chanel and Diane von Furstenberg.

Abu Dhabi fashion scene? It's slower than Dubai but there's definitely real potential here and I think Abu Dhabi is the future. It just needs time. Don't be fooled by the cover-ups, there are some seriously stylish people in town. We are very fashionably aware and always on the lookout for new trends.

www.luckynooni.com