Shahd Al-Hamdan Saudi Gazette A new name has started flourishing in the Saudi and international fashion scene. That name is of Dalal Al-Hasan, a Yemeni woman in her 20s born and raised in Saudi Arabia. Alhasan launched her brand last year and is passionate about fashion, something that makes her happy and is her biggest childhood dream. She has a bachelors and masters degree in fashion from a London university. “While I was living in London, people were complementing me for my personal style. I even featured in some of the magazines such as Vogue and ELLE for street style recognition,” she said. “There were people who stopped me at university or even in the middle of the street flattering my 80s style and look. This made me realize that my love for the 80s is crystal clear. I also noticed that most of my wardrobe's vintage collection goes back to the 80s era,” she added. She explained that her designs are contemporary though there is an 80s edge in them. “That's what I like the most. Therefore, the designs are contemporary, unique and timeless with attention to details,” she said. “It all started because of my mother. Growing up in her magnificent 80s wardrobe and observing her personal style, I started wearing her old dresses and that's how I started collecting vintage. Then, in London I started visiting vintage markets and was lucky to find different and original 80s clothing. As I mentioned earlier, my designs are not vintage yet the brand has a vintage soul. The outcome is, however, contemporary,” she added. Al-Hasan named her brand after her own name. She also designed her own logo some 10 years before and has been wearing a necklace of the logo for all those years to remind her of her dream to launch a clothing brand. The name and logo are both registered as trademarks that cannot be copied or used. She also opted for purple as her main brand color as it is a “color that I have always believed in.” “It is a spiritual color, royal, mysterious, sexy and it is the color that best describes the brand,” she said. She presently lives between Jeddah and London, which is becoming her second home because that is where she studied. She says she also gets lots of positive response in London. Al-Hasan believes it is easier and faster to connect to the fashion world in the UK and Europe. She also has friends who are designers and based in London who advise and support her. Al-Hasan launched her brand last year with a small event at Lumiere restaurant in Jeddah with sponsors such as Sephora and The Body Shop. She only produced one design for women to wear in both the Kingdom and abroad. She hopes to launch menswear in 2016. She is also participating at a fashion event to be held in Malaga, Spain, this month. “I was honored to be chosen among all new up and coming designers and to be presented as a new designer in the market. They are also inviting me to the show next year,” she said. With regards to her brand, Al-Hasan wants it to become an international inspiration. She added that the fashion market in Saudi Arabia is very pleasing. There are so many fashion designers who are making it internationally such as Ashi, Razan Alazouni and Aram Kabbani, she said. “Also Saudi consumers are considered one of the highest spending in the world. Saudi women and men have a high fashion sense. It is a growing market with a bright future,” she said. “Saudi awareness of fashion has grown. For example, the opening of the Fashion Department in Dar Alhikma University changes the understanding of the fashion world as a serious career rather than only a hobby. Another example of differences is the collection's seasons. The Saudi fashion market has an extra season for local designers and that is the Ramadan season,” she said. “I wouldn't call it a struggle as I am still at the beginning of my career. However, customers are always expecting abayas or thobes within a collection. Contemporary designs are still new style for the majority to adopt,” Al-Hasan added. At present, Al-Hasan does not have a shop. She, however, plans to open one in the near future. “I sell to multi brand shops and websites,” she said.
Dalal Al-Hasan can be contacted via her website www.dalalalhasan.com and her Instagram page @dalalhasanofficial.
