Newsfeed
For our inaugural episode of Behind the Seams, our brand new short documentary video series, we visit Emirati designer Hessa Falasi at her atelier in Dubai Design District. The designer is known for her specialty in luxury modestwear under her namesake label, and has been operating since 2011. We can thank Hessa’s mother for discovering her daughter’s talent and passion for design from a very young age, and for teaching her the fundamentals when it comes to design.
Hessa started experimenting with abayas and modest dresses for her own closet, and eventually, family, friends and friends of friends started noticing Hessa’s talents and started asking for their own custom pieces. And the rest, is history.
The young budding designer calls herself an artist that loves “creativity, colours and styling.” And so when she noticed that most abayas at the time were “black and boring,” she decided to take matters into her own hands and incorporate a wide range of colours, fabrics and designs within her collections. From pink feathered hems to opaque chiffon abayas, Hessa is certainly redefining the abaya. “I want it to feel more vibrant, more alive, more like a fashionable piece,” she shares, whilst still “keeping the culture of the abaya.”
Hessa shares one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to Islam, stating that “in our religion, there is no colour restriction on what we have to wear. We just have to be modest.” Hessa also has an international clientele contrary to what some may assume, as she claims that people from around the world are looking for modestwear, regardless of their religion.
During our interview, Hessa opened the doors not only to her atelier and store, but also to her entire business. She tells us some of the challenges that she’s faced, how she overcame them, her motivations behind starting an eponymous abaya label, and what she hopes for her future. To see to full documentary, scroll below.
