“The Middle Eastern woman will always be our base, our inspiration, and what makes our heart beat—we will never leave her behind,” said Toujouri Creative Director, Lama El-Moatassem, last night at “The Library,” a private members’ club in London’s St Martin’s Lane. “But tonight is about opening the doors and introducing the brand to the world and London was the perfect city to start.”
Judging by the turnout, it seems like the Doha-based brand has already created a lot of love in the capital city. Princess Beatrice of York; designer Marissa Montgomery; models Katie Readman, Sarah Ann Macklin, and Evangeline Ling; actresses Tamsin Egerton and Fiona Scarry; stylist Roxie Nafousi; and editor Tilly Macalister-Smith were among those who attended the elegant dinner party, which was co-hosted by Amber Le Bon and Alice Naylor-Leyland. Not only were guests indulged with a Middle Eastern feast and acoustic performance by upcoming starlet Georgia Buchanan, but they also had a sneak peek at Toujouri’s Spring 2015 collection, which was inspired by the traditional textiles and embroideries of El-Moatessem’s native Palestine.
Eagle-eyed watchers must have noticed that the collection has doubled in size since its start in 2009—not surprising considering that the Central Saint Martins graduate has created a loyal following with key stockists, including Harrods and Harvey Nichols Riyadh. The designer told Style.com/Arabia that her brand has evolved considerably from its roots of eveningwear with a focus on silhouettes, like the princess ball gown or embellished kaftan. “Our client has multiple occasions and events to attend and not all of them are social,” explained El-Moatassem. “She is a career woman, she is a global traveler, she is going to different countries with different climates, and we need to address that. So we have created much more than just eveningwear; we have added separates like tops and skirts that can be worn every day and we hope these looks will help her achieve success in her career. So we are exploring a very versatile look for this woman who has a very busy life.”
So what’s next for El-Moatassem, who already has achieved a dream for most designers by having her first shop in Doha designed by architect Peter Marino (the same designer who created Chanel’s Avenue Montaigne and the Louis Vuitton flagship store in Singapore)? “We are looking at accessories behind the scenes, but it is important to get the right representation of the brand. I am not going to put something out there that I am not totally convinced of. In other words, it has to be just perfect.” With El-Moatassem, we wouldn’t expect anything less.
