For Hend Al Mutawa, a talented Emirati designer, it was a fusion of her love for abayas and her interest in fashion that manifested as one of the most desired brands in the Middle East, with an ever increasing clientele of trendy women.

"I was always inspired by the world of fashion, but during my final year at university, I started exploring opportunities to become a fashion designer, which led me to realise that I could combine my love for abayas and my interest in fashion designing into one. I started out by making abayas on my own with different designs and noticed the positive response from friends and family. This was the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey and the birth of Nabrman," she said.

Hend graduated from the American University Dubai with a degree in finance, which helped strengthen her understanding of business. She opened Nabrman Boutique on Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai in 2009. Her designs are known to be of the highest quality and competitively priced, making them an attractive option for fashion-conscious women.

Inspired by Arabic culture, traditional abayas are given a modern twist at Nabrman Boutique with a variety of fine fabrics in on-trend fashion.
"Nabrman, which is a Turkish word meaning 'white flower', is a collaboration of old world charm and elegant sophistication, resulting in a contemporary mix of designs rooted in cultural heritage," Hend explained.

Fashion hub
Through Nabrman, Hend hopes to strengthen the UAE's position as a hub for fashion.

"With designated areas such as Dubai Design District [D3] and a number of multinational companies and nationalities working in the country, there is a huge potential to market the brand and introduce the abaya's cultural aspects," she said.

Hend said she wants to promote abayas globally as a fashionable item of clothing and inform audiences about its cultural and historical aspects.

"When you think of an abaya, fashion is not normally associated with it. But in the UAE, the GCC and the Middle East, many individuals are fashion-conscious, like to dress elegantly and stick to modern fashion trends. Nabrman allows women in the region to express their desire for fashion while maintaining their cultural roots. This is a game-changer for most individuals as there is no conflict between fashion, culture, history or religion."

With a small portion of her savings and flair for fashion designing, Hend started her boutique with five employees. Within a year, her team grew to 20.

"I funded my business on my own and was fortunate to grow Nabrman successfully and get it on the fashion map. As the business continues to do well, I expect the team size to grow concurrently," said the entrepreneur.

Family support
"I would attribute my success to my family and friends who have always been there during the ups and downs to continuously support and inspire me throughout my journey in the initiation of Nabrman," Hend added.

She said she was inspired by the brand Chanel and its founder, the iconic Coco Chanel. "Her elegance and simplicity, as well as her humanitarian efforts and initiatives serve as a source of inspiration and motivation," Hend said.

She said the UAE start-up environment is very competitive. "There are many individuals and companies with great innovative and creative ideas and great potential too. When we meet at conferences, workshops and summits, just speaking and listening to individuals and company representatives opens you to a world of possibilities and opportunities. It is very pleasing to approach some of these people who are willing to mentor you through the initial stages and queries and concerns that you may have," she said.

Hend said the strongest point in the UAE's start-up eco-system is the government backing and promotion of a start-up environment through policy documents, workshops and summits. "In addition to this, the number of entrepreneurs and start-ups which provide good information and guidance also strengthen the start-up eco-system," she said.

Hend urged young entrepreneurs to work hard to achieve their targets and never give up even when the cards seem stacked against them.

Take risks
"It can be very hard to keep pursuing your goals but you should strongly believe in yourself, and take feedback from customers, colleagues and peers with the right attitude. It is good to review and look at things from a different angle when the current way is not working very well. Try to develop not only your business but yourself as well by doing something you've never done before," she said.

Hend said the size of the UAE's entrepreneurial market is quite big with many offerings, and it is still growing, so there is a lot to look forward to. However, she said the start-up market has limited financing options. However, many angel investors are willing to take a risk to fund a project they believe in.

For Nabrman, Hend said the immediate goal is to expand into the GCC and Mena region by opening physical stores.

"As for the collection of abayas, we also want to expand our product line by introducing shoes and accessories every season. The ultimate aim is to be a one-stop shop for abaya fashion locally, regionally and then globally," she concluded.

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