You may not have heard the name Sara N Alateeqi in the fashion circles up until now, however she is making all the right moves to become a recognisable fashion name. Your are now wondering who I may be talking about, so let me tell you exactly who she is…
Sara N Alateeqi is the founder of Avant Beige, a lifestyle company launching in multiple stages. First off, Avant Beige Retail, which is an e-commerce site that hosts international emerging designers in all categories ranging from fashion to furniture. Before establishing her own company Sara was a designer for Qumar14 a popular fashion brand in Kuwait.
As part of Avant Beige’s offerings, Sara has designed a capsule collection as a namesake for the brand. The collection is a departure from her previous aesthetic. Because Avant Beige has a more contemporary approach. While not completely shedding her Arabian flair, she has designed wardrobe staples that fit every occasion. One of her versatile pieces, pinstripe harem pants, can be worn to the office or paired with a sequin crop top for a night out on the town.
Sara’s travel can be reflected in her pieces that give us a glimpse of subtle references of different elements, whether those are her bold, androgynous jackets or her chic evening kimono dresses. Sara’s greatest accomplishment to this day would be her liberation from designing under Qumar14, which has a strong Arabic heritage and a focus on Arabic design.
Avant Beige has been officially launched and the website isn’t restricted to fashion (although the focus is very fashionable!), the choices are vast and can help you find anything your heart desires from workout gear, technology or a new piece of furniture for your casa.
Find the exclusive interview with Sara N Alateeqi below:
- Can you tell our readers a bit more about yourself and your role as a fashion designer and owner of your new line Avant Beige?
Avant Beige reflects my new role as a buyer, curator, finder of all things cool; it is a refreshing view point as I am no longer on the other end of the spectrum hoping to get noticed by a store. My new clothing line is a capsule collection that is an experiment more than anything. For the next season and upcoming seasons I plan to have it mainly as a staples line of the “comfy white tshirt”, and the tuxedo jacket you can wear to the office and to a dinner. I am definitely not focusing on design. As always, when I create, I create for myself. Things I want to wear but can’t seem to find.
- As an avid traveller, how do you think your experiences are reflected in your clothing?
I feel as though I am a very demanding customer. I want style, comfort, and I want it in a form I have never seen before. My biggest problem when I shop is that if I see an item in the window display, I won’t buy it. I hate repetition.
- How do you think the Kuwaiti culture has influenced your personal style and the way you work?
I feel I have rebelled a little bit. When I go to coffee shops or restaurants in Kuwait, I feel like I’m seeing the latest uniform girls have decided to wear. I don’t see diversity. I see a trend. The new sports chic of pairing a skirt with sports shoes and everywhere I go that’s all I see. I detest that and instead wear what I want.
- Who/what first inspired you to become a designer?
Nothing inspired me, I was bored and wanted to wear stuff I didnt’t see, for example, this season, I wanted an off shoulder white mens shirt. I saw a few that came close but none were perfect, I wanted it to look more of a loose men’s shirt rather than an off shoulder women’s shirt, and I found a lady in New York who made me one. I ended up making 25 more as friends and family wanted the same.
- You are an interior designer as well as a fashion designer, how do you think the two roles have helped you to grow as a better designer in both areas?
I feel more than anything that I’m an art addict, I like colours, shapes, and design. I am not sure I’m any good, I just love making things beautiful and experimenting with different elements. I had a client that hates the colour blue and hates stripes, and I wanted to show her how beautiful both can be, so I painted her walls with blue stripes. I then added a gorgeous painting of a women wearing the perfect shade of orange lipstick, the couches were grey, and made blue paisley floor cushions. The total look was amazing, to me at least. She was shocked at how much she liked it.
- What do you think makes Avant Beige stand out from other brands similar to yours?
I never compare myself to anything or anyone, that’s exhausting to me. I focus on making things work aesthetically, if it works commercially, great, if it doesn’t, it’s a good thing I didn’t make a thousand pieces. This is the freedom that Avant Beige has given me. I am no longer hostage to making a commercially viable design, I instead focus on finding items I love and hope people like them enough to purchase them.
- If you had to give one piece of fashion advice to our readers, what would it be?
Wear what you want. Don’t follow trends or seasons. My favourite bag is more than a decade old, it’s a vintage navy blue Birkin that was hand painted and sold at an art museum in New York. I didn’t stand in line to buy it, or put myself on a waitlist for a year because everyone wanted one. I probably paid less than a $1000 for it. My other piece of advice would be, wear what suits you. If the fashion is to wear a skirt with sports shoes but it doesn’t fit your body type, don’t be a follower and do it. Instead focus on something that is tailored to fit you and flatters you.
- Who is your ultimate fashion inspiration?
No one. I am inspired by all the anonymous girls I see who turn my head by using an item a way I never thought of.
- What five fashion items do you think are essential for every contemporary women?
- A perfectly tailored white shirt, a pair of leather pants, a suede skirt in a fun colour, such as peach, an interesting wool scarf, (I recently purchased a beige scarf with circus design embroidery, will be a favourite for years to come), and a navy suit jacket preferably oversized.
- If you could put together an outfit from your fashion collection that best represents ‘the contemporary woman’ what would it be and why?
My maroon pinstripe harem pants, with the perfect white tshirt, black or nude loubotin booties, and a mark cross trunk bag, preferably the one that has a women’s face on it.
Now go on, we know you’ve been dying to check Avant Beige out, so here: www.avantbeige.com
P.s find the latest collection here: http://www.avantbeige.com/collections/mess-magazine
Thank us later.
