(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Sumaya al Harthy's passion for fashion has a lot to do with her desire to associate themes with traditional Omani dresses. ''The thought process is very vital for a designer. You have to come up with a broad theme, and then choose your cuts and colours accordingly. So if I choose, let's say, an extraterrestrial theme, I could go with unorthodox flowing cuts and shades of grey.''
Sumaya's willingness to experiment and be as different as possible, combined with her love for Omani attire, led her to design her first shaylas (rectangular head scarfs) more than eight years ago. ''That's what I started with after secondary school. And people who I showed and sold them to loved my work.''
At that time, most of her advertising and networking was done through the Internet. ''The Omani Women's Association gave me my first big break when they invited me to participate in some of their exhibitions. People seemed to love my work.''
About four years later, Sumaya made the natural transition towards designing abayas and jalabiyas. ''I made simple wedding dresses at first. Nothing grand happened until two years ago when I decided to have my first solo exhibition.''
From the beginning, Sumaya wanted to make it big in the fashion industry. Her fifth exhibition marks the launch of her signature brand Sumayatha, a portmanteau of her first and last name. The launch of Sumayatha is a culmination of her hard work and dedication over the years. Sumaya has previously held three exhibitions in Oman and one in Germany.
''I want the brand to be everything it can be, if that's something one can hope for,'' she said. Sumaya, who regularly takes orders from all around the world, explained that most people have no idea how popular this particular kind of fashion is. Sumaya also designs apparel for Omani television stars.
The upcoming fashion show will be her grandest. ''It's the first time I have decided to display all my work â€" jalabiyas and abayas â€" at one place.'' The brand Sumayatha will be launched on July 5 at the Jabreen Ballroom of the InterContinental Muscat.
Â
Sumaya believes her success is due to her ability to create something new. ''In the world of traditional Arab fashion, there is a 'copy-paste' element. Some designers take a design from one place and a cut from another, put them together, and claim they have created something new.''
She says that it's easy to fall into that trap and that is why she steers clear of local dress stores. ''I don't need them for inspiration. All the inspiration I need is around me. The colours of summer, for instance, can be a theme.''
Sumaya believes that fashion is created through images and cultures. ''Take the Roman culture and imagery for example, who says it isn't possible to bring that flow into Omani fashion?''
Sumaya, whose dream is to one day showcase traditional Omani attire at the Milan fashion week, explained the pros and cons of being a part of the fashion industry here. ''The advantage is that, for an ambitious Omani willing to work hard, there are countless opportunities. The slight disadvantage is the lack of exposure.'' Sumaya, who holds a day job as an auditor, spends all her free time designing outfits.
''The key is to work and work some more. It's one thing to be inspired, but turning that dream into reality requires a lot of
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.