Huda Al Nuaimi, the Emirati designer behind her eponymous brand relaunched her label this year with a focus on accessories. The former abaya designer, who created statement overlays, had a shift of direction during an unexpected encounter: “I was at a Matchesfashion.com event where I met [co-founder] Ruth Chapman who told me, “I love your bag.” It was my own design and featured embellished pins. She gave me her business card,” Al Nuaimi tells Vogue Arabia. “I gave her a call and she told me that she really liked the concept. That’s when I thought to myself, ‘How can I get them to her?’”
Al Nuaimi steered her focus to produce embellished pins featuring bold motifs, bright colors, and beaded accents. Evolving from brooches, for Spring 2017, Al Nuaimi introduces footwear embellishments and appliqués to be worn on shoes, handbags, and clothes. “It’s all about creating individuality, giving people the freedom to customize and style pieces the way they like, and breathing new life into loved items that already exist in closets.”
Al Nuaimi, who studied dressmaking at the London College of Fashion, hasn’t abandoned designing clothes altogether. She notes, “For Fall 2017 I will introduce a new line of ready-to-wear, but it will serve as an extension to the accessories.” Moving forward, she plans to expand her offering to include her first line of embellished handbags and shoes that embody the label’s quirky aesthetic.