DAS
Collection is designed by sisters Reem and Hind Beljafla, Emirati
nationals. Reem, who trained in London as an Interior Designer has
recently been awarded Best Business Woman of the Year and Best Design
Business by Mohammed bin Rashid Awards for Young Business Leaders.
She is the owner-operator of REE International, a communications
and design agency. Hind Beljafla, the younger of the two, is following
in her sister's footsteps in becoming a nationally recognized businesswoman
in her own right. Her busy schedule is split between taking part
in personal hobbies, charity work and being actively involved in
the companies she has a vested interest in. The two sisters follow
world trends in the fashion industry keenly, and pay particular
attention to keeping up to date with the local designers in Dubai.
"Just
like overseas designers change their collections from season to
season, our designs change with the international trends. Art imitates
life to a certain extent and with all of the drama we are seeing
in the financial market worldwide, I have noticed people are looking
to fashion for the lighter side of life; bright colours, floral
designs, metallics and sheers. The last Dior collection was very
political, showing clothes that are reminiscent of the 1960's dreamy
Kennedy era". D.A.S Collection started when Reem set out to
make her own abbayas. After undertaking several design courses at
St Martin's College - London, and learning from world famous florist
Jane Packer about working with colours, Reem started to design and
produce abbayas for herself and her sisters to wear. "At weddings
and other events, women would come up to me and ask where I bought
my Abaya," says Reem. "Which got me thinking there could
be a market in the Middle East for my style of design that revolves
around the concept of making this traditional garment into and modern.
It is difficult to create something on a par with what I see and
buy from the top international designers, and I have many friends
who feel the same so I have come up with a range that offers an
alternative." The original inspirations for the first collection,
came together from snippets of Reem's life in Dubai and London,
as well as from visiting fashion shows in Paris and Milan.
DAS
Collection is designed by sisters Reem and Hind Beljafla, Emirati
nationals. Reem, who trained in London as an Interior Designer has
recently been awarded Best Business Woman of the Year and Best Design
Business by Mohammed bin Rashid Awards for Young Business Leaders.
She is the owner-operator of REE International, a communications
and design agency. Hind Beljafla, the younger of the two, is following
in her sister's footsteps in becoming a nationally recognized businesswoman
in her own right. Her busy schedule is split between taking part
in personal hobbies, charity work and being actively involved in
the companies she has a vested interest in. The two sisters follow
world trends in the fashion industry keenly, and pay particular
attention to keeping up to date with the local designers in Dubai.
"Just
like overseas designers change their collections from season to
season, our designs change with the international trends. Art imitates
life to a certain extent and with all of the drama we are seeing
in the financial market worldwide, I have noticed people are looking
to fashion for the lighter side of life; bright colours, floral
designs, metallics and sheers. The last Dior collection was very
political, showing clothes that are reminiscent of the 1960's dreamy
Kennedy era". D.A.S Collection started when Reem set out to
make her own abbayas. After undertaking several design courses at
St Martin's College - London, and learning from world famous florist
Jane Packer about working with colours, Reem started to design and
produce abbayas for herself and her sisters to wear. "At weddings
and other events, women would come up to me and ask where I bought
my Abaya," says Reem. "Which got me thinking there could
be a market in the Middle East for my style of design that revolves
around the concept of making this traditional garment into and modern.
It is difficult to create something on a par with what I see and
buy from the top international designers, and I have many friends
who feel the same so I have come up with a range that offers an
alternative." The original inspirations for the first collection,
came together from snippets of Reem's life in Dubai and London,
as well as from visiting fashion shows in Paris and Milan. 
