Global Arab Network | Jalabiya designer: I prefer to see my designs on other people

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Jalabiya designer: I prefer to see my designs on other people

Global Arab Network - - Maha Karim

Saturday, 29 August 2009 17:56

The jalabiya designer Beena Soni talks about her life in fashion:
It all started when I was a kid in Bombay. Like any other girl, I had my Barbie. My mother used to buy her own fabric and she would always have some extra material, so I used to pick that up and create clothes for it.

I preferred making party dresses to jalabiyas back then, which I think reflects my designs today – jalabiyas but with a more of a western cut.

We were a big family – 13 or 14 cousins all living together. Among the girls, even as kids we always wanted to look better than the other. We used to say: “Mama, I want to buy new clothes because she is wearing something and I don’t want the same.”

I wanted to look different from them all – in something unique, which nobody had seen, that was a different cut. I think I still have that in me

Some of the fabric in my store you will not find anywhere else, and this is one of the unique things about Beenas.

The majority of my fabrics come from India. I use Indian raw silk but we have also come up with this new concept, which is silk with linen and cotton. You get that soft look and it has a little bit of linen so you don’t get too hot in the summer.

I wasn’t very good at studying when I was at school, and the rest of my cousins and brothers and sisters were. Because of that I felt I needed to come up with something unique.

My grandfather and my father used to say to me that it’s all right if you don’t do well in school, but you need to have your own way of proving yourself.

So credit goes to my father for that. He put a lot of confidence in me when I was like, “I’m a high-school dropout!”

Things really got started when I came to Dubai in the 1990s. I started working as a make-up artist. I had never had any formal training, either as a make-up artist or as a clothes designer, but as a child I was very artistic and I used to do a lot of painting and designing. You could say it’s a gift. It meant I knew about colours and about how to mix and match.

When I did my first job as a make-up artist – initially my clients were all local – people really appreciated my work. Then we built up this relationship whereby I would advise them on which dress, which colour or which neckline would look good on them.

So one day one of my clients said why don’t you create a wardrobe, and I said OK.

I did it for Ramadan and Eid. I created 10 pieces. That was tough for me.

I went to the market and bought the material; I knew what she would like. I had a few tailors and I explained to them my design.

I’m quite good at drawing, which has been really helpful. They did it and I presented my collection to my client. My story really begins from there.

I am most comfortable in black or wearing jeans. It’s easier when you have a lot of running around to do. I used to wear jalabiyas and I still do very occasionally, but I prefer to see my designs on other people so I can appreciate them.

Occasionally I wear clothes from our Indian collection, but most of the time I am in a vest. I like Alexander McQueen’s tops. I love their cut. It’s very me. He plays a lot with his fabric and I am quite comfortable with that.

Most of the time I shop in Harvey Nichols and if I’m in Abu Dhabi, Marina Mall is my favourite. I’ll have a quick bite and go to all the boutiques. I love Louis Vuitton. I love spending time in that corner – all the boutiques are there.

If they don’t see me two or three times a month they will give me a buzz to check if everything is OK. I can’t window shop, if I enter I have to buy.

I love accessories but I’m more into real diamonds and gold jewellery. I started the concept of bejewelled jalabiyas, which I collaborate with the jeweller Binduu on.

Her jewellery is unique and it has the personal touch. She mixes up pearls and emeralds in a way that you wouldn’t find anywhere.

Global Arab Network

Katie Boucher, this article appeared in The National on (August 22. 2009).

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