Fashion magnate Kamelia Kamel sheds lights on her inherited ‘Tifa Boutique' By Mariam Nihal Saudi Gazette Kamelia Kamel knows that nothing worthwhile comes easy, not even running her own inherited prestigious enterprise “Tifa Boutique.” Kamel inherited the boutique, a modish hub founded in 1993, from her late mother Latifa Kamel, when she returned to Saudi Arabia after obtaining a bachelor's degree in Italian and Management from the University College of London in 2008. Born and bred in Jeddah, the 26-year-old fashion magnate told Saudi Gazette that being part of an almost 20-year old enterprise is very challenging. Kamel said she yearns to follow her mother's legacy as she epitomized an image of a 20th century lady. “She managed to look her best and emanate an effortless grace while dealing with everyday life.” Kamel explained that grace and style are the motto of Tifa. The high-end boutique credits its outstanding line and idea to her late mother Tifa, the eponymous owner. To live up to the established brand's expectations and yet revamp the boutique to make it look more aesthetic and glamorous on par with the 21st century, Kamel introduced a few prominent changes when she took charge five years back. She first shifted the boutique from Chamelle Plaza to Ana Special Mall on Prince Sultan in Jeddah. With her post-modern vision, Kamel then launched a more affordable line for the young fashionistas named “Mademoiselle Tifa,” or MT, in a corner inside the boutique. Kamel also brought adventurous European, American and local designer brands to her boutique to cater to the conservative Middle Eastern values. The aim of Tifa is to build a trendy and stylish wardrobe for each woman, to heartily invest in dresses and keep them for a long time, and not just throw them away after donning it a few times, Kamel explained. Tifa's latest collections revolve around three themes — short, structured, mono-colored apparels for girls to don in summer; attires in soft colors portraying a feminine look for the conservative sector, and tailored pants and fun-colored shirts for confident professionals. This season update your look by sporting tailored pants, block-colored dresses and those with Peter Pan collars, Kamel said. Colors play a pivotal role in fashion every season as they exhibit new styles and Kamel said electric blue is once again in vogue. Kamel has an eye for fine tailoring, high quality and quiet glamour and hence she works with Razan AlAzzouni and Lama Taher regularly as they tend to focus on those details. Kamel's international favorite designers are, although they change everyday, Victoria Beckham, Zimmerman, Marchesa, Tony Ward among many others. Some women are daring and they love to experiment with their looks, be it in the fashion industry or in a commoners world. Kamel said women who play safe and do not experiment or come out with their unique sense of style commit the biggest fashion crime, as monotonous looks make one outmoded. “You are the most beautiful thing you can be, you should explore it and make your true identity shine for the world to see,” Kamel said. According to Kamel, three accessories without which a woman should not leave her home is a signature bag, an awesome ring, and a bold and confident necklace; these can transform an outfit and complete a woman's look fashionably. In the future, Kamel aspires to be a well-rounded woman by making both her business and family life successful. Kamel said on the upfront everything seems to be running smoothly, but that is because the real drama takes place backstage, where all the dreams are being dreamt, strategies are being made and research is being done. It's not easy to run a legacy. You live and you learn, Kamel said. Kamel draws inspiration from people of all walks of life. She enjoys watching movies/TV series, discussing business and fashion, cooking, gym workout, traveling and a little bit of gossiping. Kamel was invited as a fashion expert at the LUX Beauty Gallery event recently held at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh and Hilton Hotel in Jeddah. She will also soon launch her online store www.tifaboutique.com. __
