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Lamya Abedin, reigning Queen of Spades

Witty and charismatic all the way, Lamya Abedin doesn't miss a beat.

Designer Lamya Abedin may have started her brand in 2008, but she's already collaborated with National Geographic for a documentary, made it into the recently-released book Emirati Women Achievers and is revolutionising the way Middle Eastern Women dress. Janice Rodrigues catches up with the spirited founder of fashion label Queen of Spades
'Why Queen of Spades?' is one of the first questions I had to ask. 'What made you come up with that name?'
Witty and charismatic all the way, Lamya Abedin doesn't miss a beat. "I was looking into branding, because that's what makes a brand's identity. Then one day I saw a queen of spades in a deck of cards and I just felt like it was telling me something. The spade is black but the card is colourful, and I'm trying to break through the black with my designs. We're trying to revolutionise the abaya, bring it out in colours of red, blue, grey. The shape of the spade itself is unique, and it reminded me of traditional Arabic designs. Plus, I want every woman to feel like a queen in my creations," she adds.
So much thought behind a label's name. Then again, the same careful attention to detail can be seen in all of the Emirati designer's creations.
Lamya Abedin may have started her label only seven years ago, but she admits that her penchant for fashion goes a long way back. "My background has nothing to do with fashion. I studied business administration and accounting, and worked as a research officer for a government entity before getting married.
"However, looking back, I loved clothes - I used to borrow my mother's scarves and knot them together to make new designs when I was four. I used to even change my uniform. I studied in a strict school, but I hated my uniform so I used to find a way to alter it in little ways - change the shape of the pant or wear a waistcoat with the white shirt. It was all about being innovative. I was always picky about clothing."
 

And it is this little trait that took her places. Besides the Emirates, Lamya has also lived in Europe, Africa and Saudi Arabia, and it was while she was living in Saudi Arabia that she came up with the idea of starting her own brand. "I was required to wear an abaya there and, while fishing through the markets, was unable to find what I was looking for. I didn't want something that could be easily found in the market - I wanted something unique and customised. So I started designing for myself."
The hardest part, she confesses, was coordinating the production overseas, as she was adamant about launching the brand in the UAE - her hometown. "It was difficult in the beginning since I was in Saudi Arabia at the time. But it all worked out in the end."
Which seems like an understatement, considering her overall success. After all, Lamya Abedin has already revolutionaised the way the abaya is worn in the UAE. Her creations have introduced materials never before used in abayas, not to mention designs including the jumpsuit abaya, high-low abaya, and abayas with belts.
"Earlier, people would only use silk. I believe that any material that can be used to make dresses can be used for abayas. I design different types of sleeves, pencil cuts, super-practical abayas with pockets for busy women on the go, and reversible abayas for women who want to wear it in more ways than one. We have so many different nationalities living in the UAE, and I wanted to create things that could be appreciated by all of them."
Abayas are like a style statement now, she says. "You wear them every single day and they are a part of your identity. You can tell a person's personality by their abaya."
Moreover, every one of her creations is one-of-a-kind. "I remember that being a problem initially, when my creations first got recognition from Galeries Lafayette. They wanted to sell my collection, and were a bit skeptical about having only one creation in each design. I convinced them to give me a shot - and in just one month, it was one of the fastest-selling items!"
There was no looking back from there. Today, Lamya is looking to open her flagship store in the UAE, but when she isn't working on that, she has more than enough to keep her busy. She recently collaborated on a documentary by National Geographic, aired just last month, which aims to compare the old UAE to the modern, developed UAE of today. As a forerunner in the field of fashion in the UAE, Lamya was asked to showcase the latest trends. "It was an honour to represent Dubai fashion for National Geographic," she states, demurely.
Even more recently, Lamya has been featured in the coffee table book Emirati Women Achievers, which aims to record the successes of 21 Emirati women in various fields, including aviation, business, fashion, sport and film. The book was released on June  15 by Xponent Media, and it was an idea Lamya welcomed.
"I think it's an incredible way to portray the accomplishments of empowered women living the UAE. This is something that has never been done before and, in many ways, it is a historical book. Anyone who wants to read about women empowerment in this region can pick it up. It is something that my kids can read, maybe even my grandkids someday."
As the topic of women empowerment in the UAE comes up, I ask: does she hope this book will pave the way for more Emirati women achievers?
"This is just the beginning for the UAE," Lamya states. "The number of initiatives to empower women in the region is endless. We have taken very big steps, and we have the liberty to achieve our dreams.
"I hope that our experiences are taken into account and that women learn from them. Perhaps, in the future, they will come up with accomplishments that are even greater than ours. That would bring me so much happiness, because by doing that, women will lead the country to new heights. Hand in hand, we are all portraying the country."
janice@khaleejtimes.com