NEWSMAKERS
Dream debut
SONAM JAIN
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A sudden call to show her collection at the Dubai Fashion Week saw young designer Wafa Saifi go from strength to strength.
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They say a journey of 1000 miles must begin with a single step. Wafa Saifi began her journey in the world of designing with the launch of her debut collection at the Dubai Fashion Week in October 2008. Having grown up between Mumbai, Dubai, New York
and spending two years in Colombo, the 25-year-old designer finally returned to her roots in Mumbai.
“I always wanted to start my own collection; something that would be modern, but also incorporate Indian culture. India is the place to be in, in terms of fashion. Indian designers are doing extremely well globally. Here, there’s room for everyone to grow. The market is not saturated. This is clearly reflected in the growth of the fashion weeks from one to four. It gives many designers a platform to showcase their talent,” she says.
Though the decision to move back to India may have been inevitable, the transition to actually settling down and establishing a career here was not exactly a cakewalk. “It was a very different experience since I had not lived here for so long. I had a tough time dealing with the tailors and karigars. Eventually, I got the hang of it, and now here I am!”
Having grown in a multi-cultural environment, Wafa tends to base her designs on different cultures and the places she has travelled to. “I would love to start a French café somewhere down the line. You see, I love cooking too!” says Wafa, who also does abstract paintings, and has sold a couple of her works.
Inspirations
Her biggest inspiration is her mother. “My mother is a very creative person. I have seen her designing since I was five, and ever since then, I have wanted to design too. My mother is the biggest influence in my life.”
Not every designer gets the chance to debut in a prestigious event like the Dubai Fashion Week. But Lady Luck did smile upon Wafa. “Launching my debut collection in the Dubai Fashion Week was one of those things that happen suddenly and unexpectedly. I was meeting with many people, looking for a sponsor for my collection. Someone directed me to the director of the Fashion Week. He saw the collection and immediately wanted me to be a part of it; just two weeks before the event. The invites had all gone out and everything was set. Suddenly, I was to be a part of it. I guess it was about being at the right place at the right time.”
Sudden or not, the collection got a very good response, and Wafa now supplies to stores like Cypress and Sauce in Dubai. The collection was inspired by Egypt and its cultures. A lot of inspiration was drawn from jewellery-like headpiece, necklaces, drapes, loincloth etc. There were a lot of embellishments, but only in key places. The dress itself became the key focus. Blue hogged the limelight in terms of colour. The collection was done in different cool shades of purple, sea green and turquoise to give a mystical feel. The dresses were classic and sophisticated cocktail wear, but with a different twist. The softness of the clothes was played on by harder elements like hoods and metallic embellishments, giving a younger look.
Her designs
“I like to add a modern twist to the classic. I am young and I design clothes that I would like to wear. Though not overly youthful, it caters to a larger section of women. The clothes are not dressed up or dressed down, and definitely have versatility. They are generally comfortable while being stylish, as they are not figure-hugging, and generally fall away from the body.”
Wafa Saifi’s next collection, a Summer one, will be launched shortly in Dubai. “The economy is so glum that I thought I would give the world something beautiful,” comments the young designer. Her inspiration for this collection has been white sandy beaches. It is a relaxed casual collection with a lot of white. It consists mainly of flowing dresses falling away from the body.
Her message to budding designers? “Stay true to yourself. Trends come and go; design what you know and what you love. People get the feel from your clothes; if you love it, they’ll love it.”
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