Just as the art scene is burgeoning at a rapid pace in Qatar today, there is another lucrative industry of its own that seems to be making significant headway. And it’s apparently the trend of high-end fashion which is keenly followed by the elite women of this beautiful Arab nation, thus making some of them start up their own fashion line which, in a way, is a big step forward for women across the region.

What it clearly shows is that they aspire to live freely and move ahead in life on their own terms.

No wonder the creative trio Ghada, Hend and Maha Al-Subaey of “The Kayys” (a luxury clothing brand that is solely aimed at Qatari women) are living proof of it and most importantly taking Qatari fashion to an advanced level. More or less, they are revolutionizing the concept of grandiose fashion togged with elements of grace and contemporary style since they showed up with their label five years ago.

So, the eyes of Qatari women are set on breaking down the barriers and creating a world in which they can feel well-represented. In an exclusive interview with Arab News, these new emerging talents talk about how and what inspired them to do what they love doing.

They grew up as fashion savvy sisters experimenting with fashion and styling one another with rigor. As they grew older, their passion for style just grew more and more. That’s when they decided to open up their own ready-to-wear label together. “We are really living all of our dreams and we are so lucky we get to work together as three sisters on this. It’s a family empire of ours,” they say.

Since the arrival of The Kayys, there seems to be a breath of fresh air in the atmosphere with their classic pieces collections creating ripples as they are effortlessly glamorous and feminine. The sisters’ forte lies in embroidery. “We sometimes spend days on pieces, embellishing them with crystals and beads,” says Ghada.

In terms of color usage, they prefer a relatively muted palette as they want the quality, embellishments and tailoring of their clothing to be the real standout factor. “It conveys our mode of style wherein separates are easily mixed and matched,” says Maha.

When it comes to using fabrics, they pick very high-quality materials such as crepe as it flows beautifully whilst still having a great luxurious weight.

The comfort factor goes hand in hand when they work on their pieces. They let it reflect uninhibitedly in their collections. “When making our designs, we ensure the wearer will be comfortable, this in turn leads to her having a great deal of confidence deep within,” explains Hend. “The best outfits are those that encompass this with no mediocrity.”

The level of exquisiteness as showcased by the sisters in each collection is vital to them because they address female clientele whose body shapes are different. “All women have different figures so it’s important to keep this in mind and make designs that will be flattering for all,” replies Maha. “As three sisters we aren’t exactly the same so we have a great knowledge of what makes each woman feel good and we would definitely admit that we are gifted with this intuition.”

Even celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Olivia Palermo and Hanneli Mustaparta have been blown away by their dazzling pieces. “We have been so fortunate to dress these amazing women. In the future we look forward to dressing Christine Centenera,” they reveal.

Their designed outfits are aimed at a strong, independent woman who is on the go, so wants to be comfortable yet still look fabulously stylish. “A lot of our designs are great because they can be worn in the daytime and then with accessories be transformed into a great nighttime ensemble,” say the trio.

Behind all this extraordinary work lies a lot of brainstorming to dig up new ideas i.e. they find their inspirations by looking through past trends that prevailed throughout the decades. “We then maneuver with these styles and give them a unique Kayys twist which also includes giving them a modern feel,” said Ghada.

In the midst of all this modernity, they stick by the principle of following their tradition. “We love our heritage so there is definitely that influence in our designs. For example: In our AW15 Collection a lot of the geometrical embroidered patterns have been influenced by where we come from,” says Hend.

Likewise, their SS15 Collection is inspired by the 60s and is very geometrical, modern and feminine. But the credit for the thriving business goes to their beloved mother who they say is their role model in life. “She taught us early on that elegance isn’t about being noticed. Rather it’s about being remembered,” they recollect.

As the industry they work in is very competitive, they constantly keep themselves up-to-date with what’s going on in the fashion world. “We are vivid followers of the fashion weeks and love spotting up-and-coming designers,” they say.

For the three sisters, the journey so far has been nothing but incredibly exciting as they put it, “It has been so surreal especially when we have dressed celebrities. When it happened, we realized that people do appreciate our brand.”

One thing is sure from here on that there is no looking back for them. In fact, they want to take their brand globally. “We just want to become more successful and really solidify our label as a world known brand. We would like to show at fashion weeks including Paris Fashion Week and eventually down the line we would love to branch out into designing lifestyle pieces,” they sign off leaving this note: “Fashion is a great way to express yourself and show your creativity. Our designs are so special because there is a little piece of each of us in each and every piece.”

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