Fascinated by art, forms, and textiles ever since a young age, Rouba.G followed her interest and graduated from Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design in England, holding then a Vogue Fashion Certificate. Audacious and offbeat, the designer formally introduced her brand to the world in 2015.
Constantly pushing the boundaries with her singular style, Rouba.G conveys a message in every one of her collections, and transforms ordinary concrete objects and ideas into magnificent ethereal garments. She is all for womanhood and femininity, which are translated in her signature designs. The mix of avant-garde with conceptual design makes her clothing extremely covetable and wearable.
We sat down with the young designer, as she chats about her Lebanese roots influences, the addition of the London street style to her inspiration, and her views on social media and femininity.
Tell us more about the Rouba.G brand. What sparked your interest in fashion?
Since a young age, I’ve always been fascinated with different forms of art, and I started expressing myself through drawing and painting, which led me to explore further techniques and experiments on different types of materials and textiles.
The natural evolution of my motivation went through studying Graphic and Fashion design, finalised by following the latest fashion program with Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design.
The mission behind Rouba.G fashion house is to project a woman’s sense of individuality and oneness. I try to do that by offering various collections based on unique structure and design concepts.
What were the main challenges you faced in the process of building the Rouba.G brand?
Besides the financial challenges any new designer would face, my primary concern was to find the proper approach in introducing my style to the industry, taking into consideration that innovative art might find difficulties to break through the mind of the consumer. On the contrary, my objective is to address their hearts and move their emotion.
How do influences from Lebanon find their way into your work?
The great Lebanese expertise in pattern making and embroidery has provided me with a large scope for testing complex design experiments that wouldn’t have been easy to produce elsewhere. I can also find deeper influence throughout the discussions with the experienced tailors at my atelier.
Walk us through the creative process of your collections.
The creative process is a reflection of my lifestyle, for example a new collection would be born with a moment of inspiration that could define the initial theme (this could start while reading a book, attending an exhibition, watching a documentary, etc…). The second stage would be the research phase where I start exploring major variables of the collection such as colours, patterns, structures; in parallel I would be working with these elements as the founding components to create my own fabrics. The last two phases of the collection would be the structural design simulation through dedicated drawings and sketches, followed of course by creating the prototypes.
What was the inspiration behind your latest SS18 collection?
The SS18 collection is built around ESCAPISM as a concept. It is meant to be an invitation to discover a place where routines are forgotten, a place where playful patterns shimmer with intricate detail – a place where imagination is the only ruler. Through this collection, I want modern women to ‘escape’ to a romantic place where daydreams find refuge.
What’s your take on social media? Do you use different social networks to promote your designs?
We are available on most significant social media platforms; however, we do not engage in advertisements on such tools because we want to stick to our organic followers, specifically the ones who highly identify with our brand.
Which designers inspire you and why? Is there anybody you would like to collaborate with one day?
I appreciate the work of many designers that have a clear identity such as Saint Laurent. Of course, I am open to co-brand initiatives or design collaborations, and I am actually working on a capsule collection with a European entity to be disclosed next season.
What does femininity mean to you?
My view of femininity is actually translated through the core values that are adopted in my brand. I strongly believe in womanhood, independence, and mutual respect.
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you launched your own brand?
We live in an extremely fast pace world, and fashion is getting faster than what it used to be. It’s rather a challenge than a lesson, to counter the seasonal fashion variations by offering timeless pieces.
What are you fascinated by at the moment?
Everything beautiful is fascinating; I try to surround myself by moments of admiration like music and theatre, as well as meditation in nature.
Who is the woman that wears Rouba.G clothes?
Proactive and daring, a woman who feels the need to express herself differently.
What is the main philosophy behind Rouba.G?
Rouba.G is a designer brand that aims to develop new art forms in a modern world.
What advice would you like to share with young designers that want to follow in your footsteps?
Since I am still at the early stages, I am only able to advise fellow designers to work on a unique concept and to be as consistent as possible when it comes to defining their style aesthetics.
What’s on your bucket list for the year 2018?
We have previously showcased in New York, Paris, and Sydney; but for the upcoming season we are looking forward to our fashion show debut, and hoping to meet with my Middle Eastern audience.
By Dana Mortada
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