Pop-up store Design 971 launches at The Dubai Mall highlighting regional talent

  |   21-04-2016

Design 971, The Dubai Mall’s first pop-up concept store dedicated to celebrating the work of local young designers. From fashion and art to contemporary furniture, Design 971 will source and showcase collections by the region’s most dynamic, talented designers.

Following the success of the first two editions of Design 971, the pop-up boutique is holding a special two week edition featuring three key designers: Dee by Dalia, ChantalNLara and Twisted Roots, until the 30th April. They were all stars at this year’s ‘Market Outside The Box’, an initiative run during Dubai Shopping Festival, which catered to non-mass produced fashion and lifestyle brands all from the the Middle East.

A model walks the runway during the Dee by Dalia Presentation at Fashion Forward Fall/Winter 2016 held at the Dubai Design District on April 2, 2016 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A model walks the runway during the Dee by Dalia Presentation at Fashion Forward Fall/Winter 2016 held at the Dubai Design District on April 2, 2016 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Dee by Dalia

Dee by Dalia is a women’s wear resort clothing collection established in 2013 by Dalia El Ali, a Palestinian-Lebanese designer educated at the prestigious London College of Fashion. Conceptual shapes and architecture are her pivotal influences for the resort collection 2016; pushing the boundaries of construction with ladylike cuts, Dalia juxtaposes these elements to advocate her signature effortless style. Combining both linear and rectangle silhouettes with box-shaped fabric cut outs, Dee by Dalia’s pieces are unique yet wearable. The materials are kept minimal and are intertwined with striped and checkered fabrics as well as elements of denim to establish a vintage inspired feel. Dee by Dalia designs continue to be young in spirit, yet still remains sophisticated and playful for the contemporary woman. 

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ChantalNLara

ChantalNLara is a Dubai-based brand created by Chantal Assaad and Lara Tawidian, both graduates from Esmod, the French School of Fashion. The brand takes inspiration from the differences between East and West, juxtapositioning these to create simple silhouettes that can be taken from day to night by the simple addition of key accessories. Their SS16 collection is sophisticated with a touch of elegant simplicity and utilises mainly jersey and linens to ensure the comfort of the modern day woman with style. The collection is a cocktail of trousers, skirts, dresses, shirt dresses and kimonos.

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Twisted Roots

Twisted Roots designer Latifa Al Gurg’ was born in Dubai in 1981. She began her working life in the construction industry but decided to follow her passion for design after she identified a gap in the market for high quality everyday clothing for travel. She created her own brand, Twisted Roots. Today she applies her love for urban design to her collections that are always inspired by a different city. Considered a rising Emirati entrepreneur in the fashion industry, Latifa has taken her obsession with finishing to another level and operates her own factory in Al Quoz where she utilises internationally sourced custom fabrics to create ready-to-wear lines that are practical yet stylish for the woman on the go.

Design 971, The Village, Ground Floor, The Dubai Mall.