Designer Fatma Almulla merges Western fashion with Emirati culture

Emirati entrepreneur Fatma Almulla has developed her own unique
style in the world of design and creativity and crowned it by
launching her fashion line, FMM by Fatma Almulla. The line
includes shirts, bags, accessories for mobile phones, and more. Her
designs include illustrations and common slang phrases for young
Emiratis and Khaleejis: funny sentences or phrases that reflect
everyday concerns, attract lovers of Western fashion, and reflect
the ideas of youths in the Gulf. Her designs are now sold
throughout the GCC (the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and
Saudi Arabia).

While Fatma
Almulla
might resist being called a fashion designer, having
been primarily inspired by her study of graphics and visual arts,
she has created a distinctive fashion line that combines local
culture and dialect with Western fashion.

Check out our interview with the young designer.

Wamda: What’s the event or story that most shaped your
career?

Fatma Almulla: I never thought of establishing
my own company or launching a line that carries my name. In fact, I
was always lucky when looking for a job, but I never found one that
was suitable for me at the time. I began coming up with drawings
and publishing them on my blog. These drawings were well received
on social media, prompting me to design my own line of shirts after
doing a lot of research with the help of my husband.

Then, we found a manufacturer. We had never dreamed we could
find one of its caliber. We sold every item in the first batch, and
went back to the factory again to manufacture a second batch and
sell it for twice the price, as suggested by the factory staff.
However, during the manufacturing of the third batch, the
manufacturer suddenly disappeared, while I was still supposed to
meet my customers’ expectations. Despite this setback, I was
determined not to disappoint people, and even more than that, I did
not want to disappoint myself. This incident was the worst and best
thing that has happened in my life. I thank God this occurred at
the beginning of my career, because it pushed me forward and made
me learn a lot, especially about the different types of fabrics
and, of course, about the need for a Plan B when it comes to
dealing with manufacturers.

Wamda: What is the best thing that has happened in your
career so far?

Elmulla: When people value my work and
appreciate it; this is the best gift I can possibly receive,
because you not only feel that people love what you do, but also
sense that they support you and value the strenuous work you
do.


This purse says ‘ma7fazaty’ or ‘my wallet’ in English.

Wamda: How did you manage to manage a team, specifically
when dealing with male employees?

Elmulla: Work was not difficult because I am a
woman. I do not think that the United Arab Emirates is a country
that still needs to empower women, because they already enjoy power
and our religion has also contributed to this. Emirati culture
requires that women be sheltered and cared for. Despite this, I
succeeded in standing up for myself, managing a team, and dealing
with male employees, which made me stronger and encouraged me to
learn how to deal with different people. At the end of the day,
everyone needs to be smart, determined, and have the proper mindset
for everything – not just women.

Wamda: What does the Arab region need to achieve in
order to better empower women in business?

Elmulla: In my opinion, individuals are already
empowered, but as I said, the culture tends to shelter women. This
is not a bad thing; women who live under an ‘umbrella’ of safety
may also wish to venture into the business world. Moreover, the
Emirati government greatly supports women and their
achievements.

Wamda: What is your advice to Emirati women who want to
enter the world of entrepreneurship?

Elmulla: They should set goals of what they
want and work hard to overcome any obstacle they face.



Source : Wamda.com

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