“My designs are a sure fashion hub for those contemporary fashion lovers who seek to stand out from the crowd. The attire targets trendsetters and fashionholics who are daring enough to wear over the top and eccentric pieces,” said Fares. “Neon Edge Strives to reflect a new fashion culture which combines fun, happiness, love and power through the daring design compositions."
Fares was born to an Egyptian father and German mother and has considered Dubai her home for the past 23 years. The designer completed her BA in Art and Design in Dubai. She has also studied various design fields such as architecture, furniture design, interior design, graphic design, product design, jewelry design, photography, digital video making, textiles and more.
She has acquired a deep sense of belonging for the local culture in which she grew up in and it shows in her designs.“Seeing Dubai grow from a desert into a cosmopolitan city within such a short time gave me the opportunity of being exposed to such a multicultural, dynamic and stimulating environment,” said Fares. “This helped form the person I am today and is reflected in the art and designs I create.”
Launched in 2009, Fares' brand shows her admiration of neon colors. When asked to sum up her look in three words, she chose: Fresh, fun and funky.
“Fresh because I believe the vision I have for the Neon Edge is something new in this region. Fun because it's simply a fun, playful and energetic brand that utilizes all kinds of colors, fabrics, textures and a variety of easy to wear and comfortable styles. And funky because the styles that I create generally are a mixture of bright colors combined with metallic contrasts that will always brighten up your day or even night,” explained Fares.
The designer was fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel and study in the design and fashion capitals: New York, London, Paris and Milan, as well as Barcelona and Florence. Experiences, she says, immensely impacted her design style and added value toward her understanding of design.
"Traveling, in general, always opens your mind in various ways, and for me, personally, everything I see in art, fashion and design is like a source of nourishment to my soul and creativity. It is not only one specific city where I gain this nourishment from since every city has its own spark and energy to it. After having had these significant experiences, I felt motivated and inspired to follow my passion and turn my passion into a career,” she said.
The designer loves experimenting with various textures, materials, colors, prints, jewelry, accessories, hairstyles, makeup and anything she finds to create something unique and original. Her style is bold and daring and she utilizes a various range of fabrics, ranging from jerseys, chiffons, cottons and crapes to silks.
“I like to utilize a lot of jerseys since they are comfortable and stretch easily to accommodate every body shape. I incorporate a variety of fabrics and play with color contrasts to create bold and fun outfits for the girls and ladies to enjoy. I love using colors and I believe that I always had a deep sense of it. Basically, it is a reflection of my personality when I design since I express my inner self through color,” she said.
According to Fares, fashion trends are always led by celebrities or stars. For example, Lady Gaga had a great impact and influence on the fashion industry in the past few years. Yet, Fares admits that every designer and brand interprets trends into their own style.
“As for me, as an artist and designer, I don’t really focus on a single person as being my muse; however, I ultimately get my creative inspiration from the purity of children, from trendy people in the city, nature, TV, magazines, fabrics and from life,” she said.
According to her, creating her own fashion brand was not planned; it just happened. She started by designing dresses for others and for herself. The final spark and push to create her own fashion line came from the motivation and praise of an established designer, Yousef Bashir Qureshi, whose fashion course she attended in Dubai. "I believe he saw the light in me and that’s when I got rolling,” she said.
Fares designed five collections to date. However, when demand is high, she produces extra pieces for special and loyal clienteles. “I am determined to develop contacts and relationships internationally in fashion capitals in Europe and in the US,” she said. “I aim to attend more fashion expos and participate in fashion events and exhibitions to showcase my creations. This will organically market my brand to an international level in the next two to three years.”
