AAVVA founders and designers Ahmad Ammar and Vincenzo Visciglia combined their two very different backgrounds to create unique designs in the UAE.
Their most recent Pret-A-Couture collection was presented at Arab Fashion Week when it became a digital platform earlier this year. The designer duo’s latest offering was focused on sustainable fashion. The collection was created using recycled materials and there was a focus on reducing waste. To find out how the experience of Arab Fashion Week was, as well as a look at the future of the fashion industry in the UAE we talk to Ahmad Ammar and Vincenzo Visciglia.
AAVVA Designers Ahmad Ammar and Vincenzo Visciglia
How was your experience of presenting at Arab Fashion Week this year?
It was a wonderful exposure to participate in Arab Fashion Week and bring this unique idea of sustainability and boldness to create an image in the industry.
How do you think this platform is positively impacting the industry in this region?
Arab Fashion Week is a really great platform to bring all the different brands in the region together and broadcast them via social media. It is the world’s only platform to promote ready-couture or ‘pret-a-couture’ collections.
How have you been managing to continue creating collections during the lockdown period?
We tried to recycle the materials that we already had in terms of fabrics and trims and create a fresh collection out of it. We also have started our contemporary clothing line to reach out to customer online. Arab Fashion Week was also a great way to broadcast our latest collection via social media.
What’s the motto that you have been living by during this time?
“Together we will survive.” By keeping this motto in mind we decided to stand for smaller businesses and brands and provide them with an opportunity to display their latest collections in our showroom and reach out to a maximum number of clients during this period.
Why did you decide to start your business in the UAE?
The UAE economy has been a great deal of diversification in the past few years. Being in the UAE and seeing the diversity of people from different countries and region, we found it a huge platform to open up and grow our fashion brand here. We found everything easily available to start up a new business.
How would you sum up the industry here?
When we started our brand there was already a lot of competition in the market, many amazing brands already existed, so we tried to create a unique product range by using the fabrics, trims and the manpower from the UAE. We hope to successfully showcase and sell our product at different amazing locations. We expected to see even stronger growth in the next coming years.
When it comes to design how do you divide responsibilities between you?
Coming from Lebanon and Brazil we have different tastes and backgrounds so we always complement each other. There are a lot of processes involved from sketching to choosing the fabrics, executing the idea etc. and we always try to look to each other and that’s what makes our product unique because we bring different ideas from different backgrounds and put them together in a unique way.
Can you tell us a little about how your creative process works?
We follow current trends and designers globally but the actual creativity can come from anything. We get inspired by many things in our daily lives from looking at architecture, driving on the street, seeing a magazine cover or surfing the internet. We get inspired every day and that motivates us to create something new.
What would like to see happen in the future of the design industry in the region?
To be a pioneer in international fashion shows.
What can you tell us about the collection presented at Arab fashion week?
This amazing Pret-A-couture collection was based on sustainable fashion. All new collection was made from previous collections. There was a beautiful combination of Bridal satin, tulle and delicate embroidery featuring vibrant neon and summery colours. This brought a sense of passion, beauty and positivity. In this collection, we tried to reduce waste and help to contribute to the cause of preserving the planet for generations to come.
What makes your design unique?
Our different backgrounds and cultures make our design unique, we have ideas that are out of the box.
Who or what is your inspiration?
Many people want to start a clothing line, the truth is that brands become successful in part because they are created by people who are passionate about clothing. We ourselves are really enthusiastic and passionate when it comes to fashion. We both are the inspirations for each other and our different creative ideas added a taste to it.
Who is the designer that you look up to?
We just look up to current trends globally.
What’s your first memory of fashion?
AA- I still remember my first sketch when I was a child.
VV- I used to do modelling back in the day!
Who is a woman you would love to see wearing your designs?
AA- Lebanese singer – Majida Al Roumi
VV – Brazilian international model – Gisele.
Where would you like your brand to be in five years’ time?
We would like to see the brand to grow not only in the UAE but also to reach a global market.
AAVVA in one word?
Innovative.
