Alef Faa, is a brand that takes a more contemporary approach towards its designs, focusing on intricately designed Abayas and Kaftans with a touch of classic elegance and comfort at its core. The brand was founded by Israa and Fatma Allawati; two sisters, who from a very young age, were inspired by the world of fabrics, and the beautiful pieces one could create from them, thanks to their mother. The two sisters were always enamored by the designs their mother came up with for their dresses at Eid, complete with the headband and bag. As they grew older, they began to develop their own unique taste and a very keen eye for tasteful designs. They eventually began developing their own designs for Abayas and Kaftans, which eventually drew the attention of friends and family, who subsequently showed great interest in wanting to purchase them. As time passed, the popularity of their designs began to grow amongst their social circle and demand for their designs increased. This eventually led to the sisters deciding to develop it into a business and the brand ‘Alef Faa’ was the result.
Today, Alef Faa is fast growing into one of the most prominent brands for Abayas and Kaftans in the country. We managed to catch up with Fatma Allawati, who provided us with some insight into the growing popularity of the brand and its designs.
When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career as a fashion designer, and can you provide us some insight into your brand and business?
Fatma Allawati (FL): As the number of designs we created started to grow, we felt that we wanted to take it further as a career and wanted to expand our knowledge and skill in the field. We eventually set up Alef Faa – a combination for two Arabic letters representing our names. We have also always loved the beauty and artistry of Arabic calligraphy, which is why we decided to use it in our logo. Our brand today, aims to provide modest yet luxurious designs; ones that help a woman feel comfortable, stylish, and confident at all times.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
FL: Once we established the brand, we began by displaying our abayas in Boutique Muscat, located at al Mouj, later expanding to other multi-brand boutiques including the Designer Club in al Khoudh, Voguish in al Qurum, and more recently Dar Al Aseel by Amal al Raisi. Currently we are working on new designs and are planning on displaying our creations in other GCC countries. The last photoshoot we did was by Bin Ali photography, located in Shangri la Oman. The photoshoot was for the National Day and for our new Collection at Dar Al Aseel.
How would you describe your brand aesthetics?
FL: Our brand Alef Faa is all about simplicity, powerful elegance, and beauty that is uniquely its own. With it and the clothes we create, we aim to give the women the feeling of femininity, strength, and beauty. We always focus on the little details, taking into account every single thread to ensure each piece is made to perfection, and ensure that each and every piece feels special, just as the woman wearing it is. We are also currently in the process of rebranding our logo, combining both letters together with beautiful floral patterns, to better reflect our identity and designs.
What inspires you most and how does it feed into your work?
FL: The beauty of Oman is what inspires us. Our childhood was full of trips to the various spectacular regions across Oman. The amazing forts and mountains of Oman in particular can inspire practically anyone to create something beautiful. The magnificent Nizwa Souq and Muttrah Souq are a treasure trove of creativity and inspiration with its beautiful, handcrafted silver, traditional pottery and so much more, all of which are reflected in our designs
What is your favourite part about being a designer?
FL: We love the endless designs that we can create, together with the branding initiatives and photoshoots we carry out at various locations across our beautiful country. However, the most amazing part of being a designer is the ability to show the world about our country, its beauty, and identity, through our designs.
How do you want women to feel when wearing clothes you have designed?
FL: Confident, elegant, classic, beautiful, unique, and comfortable. We aim to ensure each woman finds something suitable for her while visiting Alef Faa.
There’s so much pressure for designers to come out with their greatest collection season after season. What advice would you give to young designers just starting out and hoping to make it in the industry?
FL: I advise every woman who has passion about any career, not just fashion, to make her own story and to enjoy the journey as she works towards her goal. She has to love what she is doing, be confident about it, and stay focused. In doing so I am confident they can overcome any obstacle in their way and see their dreams through to success.
What is the single greatest rule that you live by and will never break?
FL: Enjoy every moment!