Born out of fusing inspiration from the stark contrast between a woman’s grounded self and her free spirit comes Arwa Al Banawi’s Spring/Summer 2016 Collection entitled “id”. The Saudi designer grew up in Jeddah but spent a large part of her childhood in Switzerland. Travel has always been a big part of her lifestyle as a child and adult, and this has played a powerful tool with her designs. There is a passion for story telling.
Arwa began her journey in the industry as a fashion and lifestyle blogger from her hometown of Jeddah. She moved to Dubai in 2012 and took up a career in banking but took up short courses in fashion design with London College of Fashion. Soon after, she realised being a designer was her vocation so she decided to launch her debut collection of ready-to-wear suits and shirts in 2015.
Her SS16 collection reflects her mastery in classic tailored suits and separates for daywear and evening wear. This season, there is an experimentation with lightweight satin, linen, cotton and jersey fabrics to construct oversized blazers, well-fitted trousers, shirts and dresses. There are solid colours and eccentric prints in maroon, cerulean, gold and neon orange to neutral hues of ivory and beige, which evoke a woman’s natural state of mind: raw, sensual, instinctive yet still maintaining a semblance of independence.
For more information visit www.arwaalbanawi.com
