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Why did you decide to make couture brand? What makes you different from other brands?
Fashion has always been a significant part of my life. As I grew up the love and passion for fashion and style grew up with me. Like any little girl, my mom Manal, who is actually my Co-designer as well, was my fashion idol. I would look up to her and the way she styles her outfits. Ever since I was a kid, any piece of clothing that my mom and I buy or make, we would customize it by adding materials, rhinestones or crystals. I did not want my creations to stay on sketches only but I wanted them to be seen and worn by all women around the world and that’s when Le Cattleya came into life. What makes Le Cattleya different from other brands is its unique handmade pieces, the details that are hand crafted on them, the bold designs and the dazzling color combinations used.
What’s the philosophy behind the brand?
Le Cattleya tells a story that describes the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive and fascinating through combining art and elegance. My pieces are steeped in colors, full of life, mixed in fashion and glamour. Designed to satisfy all fine tastes and ages. With the fabulous beauty of colors, flowers, rhinestones and crystals I design every piece at Le Cattleya with a unique touch of passion.
Where did the name originate from?
Le Cattleya’s name refers to genus of orchids called Cattleya. Known as the “Queen of Orchids”, the Cattleya flowers are considered to be one of the most beautiful orchids in the world and are found in Costa Rica south to Argentina. I wanted the name of the brand to reflect the inspiration behind it and that’s why I decided to pick a flower.
Where do you find the inspiration for your collections?
Like I have mentioned earlier, mainly the inspiration is from the Cattleya Flower. But the situation was a little different with my last collection, the Allure Collection, which was showcased in Paris. Every Piece in the collection will speak to you by its unique details. Whether it’s gemstones, rhinestones, gold embellishments, modernized embroidery, ostrich feathers, or pearls, I combined historical inspirations of the medieval era and the Arabesque artistic decorations with modern-day fashion. Arabesque, which refers to the “Arabic Style” of art and the medieval era art are far from being similar, but have been linked together by art historians for centuries through their precise attention to details, patterns and techniques. Combining both the western medieval era and Arabesque will engage both historical inspiration and craftsmanship to produce a piece of art in every piece of my designs.
Could you please describe a woman who wears Le Cattleya dresses?
I envision that every woman who wears Le Cattleya designs deserves to look and feel feminine, classy, sophisticated, chic, stylish and unique. In every piece that I make I pay attention to small details that will add confidence to the woman wearing my designs.
Is it hard to create couture pieces? What’s the most difficult part?
Creating couture pieces has always been my dream. Being a self-taught designer was a challenge in the beginning as I always look for perfection and want my pieces to not have a single mistake in them. I wanted to present a piece that basically describes what “couture” actually is. A piece that is sewn with extreme attention to details, made with high quality fabrics that are handpicked from all over the world and created by hand from A to Z. You cannot perfect something from the first try so it took me a lot of time before I was completely pleased with what I’m making. The key to success was to not give up and always keep trying.
Okay, let’s talk about Paris Fashion Week. Why did you decide to participate and how Oxford Fashion helped you with that?
When you think of high end fashion, elegance and glamour you think of nothing but the capital of fashion, Paris. Paris is a dream to every designer. Finest garments and the world’s best designers hit PFW. Getting invited to showcase in Paris only 11months after launching my brand is an honor and a great accomplishment to me. After showcasing my first collection ever during Dallas Fashion Week, Oxford Fashion Studio reached out to me and invited me to PFW. I was a bit hesitant about participating as I was preparing for NYFW. We’re talking about Paris Fashion Week here, it was a goal that I’ve set to myself and I wanted to get to it one day but I’ve honestly never thought it would happen that soon. I decided that I didn’t want to miss such an opportunity and I wanted to showcase a unique, luxurious eye catching collection that will “WOW” everyone attending the show. I’m grateful that it happened way faster than I thought it would and that I took the opportunity.
What feedback did Le Cattleya get at PFW?
I always look forward to hearing feedbacks after every show because this is my opportunity to make the best even better. It is great to see what bloggers, stylists, media outlets and fashion pages write about your collection post show. The number of feedbacks that I got left me speechless. The collection was a perfect fit not only for Paris but also for the venue that we showcased in.
Do you see any difference in Fashion Weeks in Paris, NY, Milan, etc as a designer? Which do you like the most?
After showcasing in NYFW and PFW I was able to sense some differences between the top fashion cities. I feel like every fashion city has its unique style and distinct vibes. Paris is more about elegance and sophistication, while New York is more diverse and young with a sporty touch to it. I haven’t been to Milan Fashion Week yet, but the city itself speaks fashion to you and I assume it’s more on the glamorous side. Although trends might be similar in all fashion weeks but the way they are presented in every city are far from being the same. It’s hard to pick one city to like the most, but as a designer when deciding on what city to showcase in, I take into consideration the collection that I’m presenting, the story behind it and the vibe that I want to deliver.
Did you get the new clients after Paris FW? Did anything change after PFW in your personal and professional life?
Paris Fashion Week was my first step into the European market. I was able to get my name and the brand’s name out there. It did not only introduce my brand to new clients but it also got me in contact with great fashion showrooms, buyers and celebrity stylists
Do you believe in power of Instagram? You know it’s hard to sell exclusive pieces via social media. How do you handle it? Do you use Instagram as a part of the communication?
Absolutely! Social media is playing a huge role in transforming the online shopping game in a great way. Instagram in particular offers visibility by getting the world closer together and by introducing brands to potential buyers from all over the world. There are always challenges in online shopping since you might still get clients who like to see the pieces, touch their actual fabric, admire the details on them and experience trying it on to feel how luxurious every piece is before actually buying it. Le Cattleya promises to provide a luxurious experience to every woman.
Which advice can you give to all women who wants to feel empowered through fashion?
I think confidence and a smile on the face is the best accessory that anyone can use to feel empowered and fashion is just a way to show it. Beauty comes from within. There are no rules in fashion, you can never be overdressed and you definitely don’t want to be under dressed. Be simple yet sophisticated and be confident in yourself. Nothing can stop you after that. Le Cattleya pieces will make every woman feel confident once she puts them on and all she has to do is just to draw that smile on her face.
Our readers would like to know if you have something interesting in the future of Le Cattleya. Please share some news with us.
There’s always something new that I’m working on. There’s a project with a leading brand in the process. In addition to that Le Cattleya will be showcasing during Milan Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and planning to hit Vancouver Fashion Week as well in the upcoming seasons. Being able to hit two major fashion weeks within less than a year of launching the brand is a huge accomplishment to me and it’s nothing but the beginning so stay tuned for the great things and the new collections coming soon!
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