Marzook, the brainchild of Kuwaiti siblings Fahad and Shouq Al-Marzook, is anything but minimalist; on the contrary, the accessories brand celebrates richness in excess. Raised between Europe, the United States, and Kuwait, the designers draw inspiration from their multicultural upbringing, incorporating exotic leather and skins, metals, and resins into their designs. Here, Style.com/Arabia speaks to Shouq to learn more about the brand’s debut collection, local craftsmanship, and the designers’ aspiration to reinventing accessories.
ON THE EXPRESSION OF INDIVIDUALITY
Our first collection was accidental; we started by designing for our family and close friends. Our intention is to push boundaries, challenge fashion norms, and to create what we believe is our expression of individuality. We are inspired by fashion from all around the world—styles, shapes, and colors. Our style is heavily influenced by western cultures; while we were studying in the U.S., we had more confidence to explore and experiment with fashion. Our influence also stems from our mother’s love of fashion. She always encouraged us to be different, not to follow trends, and to just have fun. Once we moved back to Kuwait, our style was not immediately accepted and was often looked upon as “loud” or “extraordinary.” Soon, people began to realize that our taste was outside the box and started to appreciate our sense of adventure. In fact, some of our friends began adopting our approach.
ON REBRANDING WITH A MORE MATURE OUTLOOK
Fahad’s previous brand, HbyF Designs, was an experimental handbag and footwear label that reflected her fashion sense at the time. He faced the challenge of balancing a nascent venture with university and styling. As I gradually became more involved in the business, I realized that rebranding was necessary—that’s how Marzook was imagined. We look at our brand, Marzook, as a mature version of what we want to do and how we want to do it. We’ve established our identity by creating our brand as a sibling duo which signifies the unity of our creative minds.
ON BRAND ETHOS
We follow the ethos of non-instinctive thinking and the principles of surrealism. Each design is individually unique and draws inspiration from art, architecture, and nature. For example, the “Harlequin” pattern on our clutch is hand-stitched; sections are sewn together in a way to create the illusion of optical art.
—Nouriah Al Shatti
