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Amanda's 'Made in Dubai' brand more than bags

Amanda Navaian of the niche 'Made in Dubai' brand - Amanda Navai - believes that precious and practical are the ying and yang of fashion today

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Amanda Navaian wears a python blue jacket over her distressed jeans teamed with a python bag and two mismatched python cuffs as she walks through The Dubai Mall. This is a girl who seriously likes her precious skins. It has been almost six years since she launched her brand, Amanda Navai, specialising in python handbags. Python is one of the most sophisticated and exquisite of all exotic leathers. This season marks her debut at Harvey Nichols, though she has been at Bloomingdale's and a few other select fashion boutiques for 11 seasons now. Last year, she did Dh1.6 million sales at Bloomingdale's.
At first glance you may think Amanda is one those "it girl turned designer". With her long blonde hair, edgy take on style and model-like figure, she has all the makings of an "it girl".
"My father was a communist, so while his brothers went to America, he moved to the more socialist Sweden. He never approved of my love for fashion," says the Iranian born Amanda. She bought her first Louis Vuitton bag when she was just 20 years old, after saving up her allowance.
It was her love for style that brought her to Dubai. Working at the Chalhoub group for five years, she launched beauty brands such as L'Occitane and Frederic Fekkai in the region. After a while she knew she wanted more; she just did not know what that more was. While attending a lecture given by Sahar Hashemi, co-founder of the chain Coffee Republic and co-author of the book Anyone Can Do it, Amanda knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur. "When Sahar said 'you do not need to reinvent the wheel, just find the gap', it got me thinking." From a sandwich bar to a coffee shop, Amanda researched many new business opportunities. "Then I thought of Sahar's other main point: 'do what you love'."
Amanda, despite her communist upbringing, has always appreciated the finer things in life. "Maybe it's the Leo in me but I love python skin." She noticed that most python accessories were made by large luxury houses and would cause a heavy dent in any woman's pocket. It was also the time that the Hermes "H" reversible belt was the statement accessory du jour. She put both these thoughts together and came out with a reversible python bag. With prices starting at Dh2,500, she was very competitively positioned in her niche. Well finished and multi purpose, she also had a design approach that was unique. All her bags are named after her friends. "When you start a business you realise who friends are, and how important they are."
This season she reintroduces shoes, and is also looking at cuffs and bracelets. "You need to do something with the leftover skins, you need to be sensible," says Amanda. She believes her brand is able to prove you can indulge in luxury and yet be practical. She also is proud to call her brand a "Made in Dubai" product. Though bags are crafted in Lebanon and Italy, she says it was Dubai that made her brand.
"This city allows you not to think in a box, or not to be pigeon-holed into a box". Amanda spends most her time in Dubai and most of her designs are conceptualised in the city. When she first started it was dream to be at Harvey Nichols, but the buyers felt her product was more suited to Bloomingdale's, as it is more contemporary than luxury. Each season she would keep trying to retail at her dream store, but did not make the cut till this season. "Now I am there, it proves if you keep trying, you can make it."
Her new collection has a new zebra print bag, and she moves into other skins including crocodile. The "Leo" lion symbol, which you can find inside her bags, now moves outside, into hardware.
Presently Amanda is in New York, hoping to go international soon. Her bags have already found their way into both Kim Kardashian and Sienna Miller's hands. Dubai's most sought after luxury consultant Rosemin Manji worked with Amanda on the Rosemin bag for which proceeds went to the UN World Food Programme. The Rosemin goes into a re-issue this season in smaller sizes, to make it more price friendly. Says Rosemin, "I strongly believe that her brand has captured a niche because of her rainbow of colours in exotics and the affordable pricing compared to others in the market...She comes up with extra details that every women needs from an extra phone pocket to a detectable mirror."

The Ramona bag. Amanda Navai bags have already found their way into both Kim Kardashian and Sienna Miller's hands.	Mini Paola Silver, currently Amanda Navai's best seller, is timeless with a vintage vibe.	A clutch bag, made to mark Amanda Navai's 10-season anniversary, brought the Leo lion symbol out for the first time. The two lion heads represent the past and the future - the importance of remembering lessons from the past and looking forward to the future and the magic of the unknown.

Skin bags have recently received some negative publicity as Jane Birkin, after who Hermes' famous Birkin Bag is named, stated she wanted her name removed from the bag. Jane believed that cruel methods were used on the farms that raise reptiles for these coveted bags.
"I think Jane Birkin just wanted publicity," says Amanda. "Hermes must be doing due diligence." She ensures her own brand Amanda Navai has a CITIES certificate that ensures its environment and animal friendly policies. "Skin bags are not cruel, it is like saying being non-vegetarian is cruel" - it seems this girl of luxury sees the practical side of everything. Luxury obviously has its own definition of being practical.

Sujata Assomull is Consulting Fashion Editor with Khaleej Times. Follow her on Twitter @stylesuj, and on Instagram at instagram.com/sujstyle