Buyer’s Guide: AlOthman Boutique

Kuwait’s AlOthman Boutique is a name synonymous with some of the most sought-after luxury brands in the Middle East. The store also just rolled out a partnership with international ecommerce brand Farfetch, as part of the website’s expansion within the Middle East. Noor Al-Sabah, AlOthman’s lighthearted fashion director, is tasked with bridging the gap between home (the Middle East) and the best of what the fashion world has to offer. The accomplished buyer, who also made it to the BoF’s 500 list, talked to Style.com/Arabia about key Spring 2015 trends, the season’s must-haves, and her personal picks.

KEY SPRING 2015 TRENDS

Capes: Who doesn’t feel like a queen while wearing a cape? Capes are interesting this season beacause they’ve been done as an overlay with a dress or attached to a garment. Moving from evening into contemporary, materials like cotton bring an essence of elegance and drama to daywear by instantly amping up the chic factor. Rosie Assoulin does a cropped-front, full cape top that can be paired with a slim trouser, a wide leg, or even a skirt.

KEY SPRING 2015 TRENDS

Crop Tops: Everyone needs to hit the gym this season because crop tops are at a whole new level at the moment. Take Oscar de la Renta, for instance: although the brand is considered conservative in style, this season it unexpectedly paired bralet tops with full, ball gown skirts.

FAVORITE NEWCOMER

I’m still really crushing on Rosie Assoulin. She’s the first person in a long time to redefine women’s eveningwear. She’s using daywear fabrics like denim on evening skirts and silk on board shorts. It plays with your mind—but it works—and for a long time someone hasn’t shaken us up in that way. She has this way of accentuating a woman’s body so well, without it being overtly sexy.

COLORS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

A strong coral with a mix of neon that’s really in your face. Petrol blue is also a color to look out for and actually looks great combined with coral.

THIS SEASON’S MUST-HAVES

A full midi skirt is a must. No matter if you’re tall or short, anybody can work it and it looks great with flats, heels, or boots. A denim shirt—not only is denim big this season, but it is a staple in your closet. You can tie it around your waist, leave it open, or button it all the way up with a ton of necklaces.

KEY BUYS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

Every season, we are very driven by color. It is very important because girls in the Middle East like to be bold. Particularly in Kuwait, I have to make sure there is red. There are also a lot of cool new fabrics that we’ve picked up off the runways; shiny but not glittery. Both Christian Siriano and Monique Lhuillier used it in their collections this season.

PERSONAL PICKS

A very simple, red Victoria Beckham dress, that’s midi length with a thick cross on the back. I looked at that dress and thought, “That girl is going to have a great night.” It’s not too sexy or too revealing—it’s just right. Iridescent sling-back pumps by Giambattista Valli. When I wear a black dress, I personally never want to wear just a simple black shoe and if I do wear a colored shoe, it gets a little Mondrian which I don’t really love all the time. This iridescent one is just so much fun and ageless.

KEY ACCESSORIES OF THE SEASON

Statement Heels: Shoes are becoming louder and more of a key piece to an outfit rather than an accentuation of height. Designers like Sophia Webster and Charlotte Olympia are great examples of designing exceptional statement heels. Architectural Clutches: The clutch is becoming the norm and moving away from being purely an evening accessory. New brands are becoming more architectural and using a lot of natural materials, like shell and pearl. I love that clutches are becoming so bold that they could easily be mistaken for a home accessory, a sculpture, or even a piece of art. Nathalie Trad does architecture on bags that is phenomenal and Edie Parker uses architectural shapes with quirky fun colors.

SAFE INVESTMENT OF THE SEASON

A maxi dress that is not an evening piece. It’s an easy piece that immediately makes you look chic. You’re dressed in one go and you still command attention.

RISKY BET

Polka dots are tough because portion specificity plays a major role. It’s all about getting the right polka dot size that won’t work against your body type.

DYING TREND

Creepers with a supersize platform and pairing chunky sneakers with a dress.