Following the passing of his father, Emirati designer Sultan Al Darmaki took a two-year hiatus from the industry. Now, he’s back to launch his new collection—his fifth—in Paris, featuring a signature heel that marks the beginning of a new chapter. Here, Style.com/Arabia sits down with Darmaki, who has delighted us with the launch of a conceptual, unisex design that is both new and timeless, to learn more.
CATERINA MINTHE: You’ve been gone a while…
DARMAKI: I felt like it was a very deserved two years off. When you design, you’re putting your fantasy out there for people to see what’s in your head. And while I presented previous collections, and they did very well and I was happy about that, I didn’t feel like it was “me” or that they represented my direction. So, I decided to take the time off to rediscover myself.
What did you do with yourself?
I traveled a lot. It was more of a soul-searching process; rather than just traveling, I was discovering who I am and what the brand is about, because at the end of the day, the two are interchangeable. It was honestly the best time of my life and worth it in every possible way. Since coming back to the industry, even though I work late hours, I don’t leave the office without a smile on my face.
Without a doubt, the star of this collection is the heel. How did this 3D origami shape first come to you?
Coming out with a signature heel is not an easy process. It started with the entire concept of “nature versus nurture,” a philosophy which everyone has a different take on. It was this philosophy that I came across and I didn’t know [at first] that it would become such an integral part of the brand or have such a great impact on me that I would want it to be part of the Darmaki DNA.
This philosophy is about the things that are dictated to us as kids, which eventually shape who we are and take the creativity from us. Growing up, I was restricted from wearing so many things—but who is anyone to restrict someone from wearing what they want? Dressing up is a form of self-expression and that is a beautiful thing. In developing the Darmaki heel, I wanted to stay as far away as possible from creating anything that would be labeled with a gender preference.
