Dima Ayad On The Story Behind Her Latest Collection With Malone Souliers
The local designer and famed shoe brand teamed up with Level Shoes to reveal a dreamy collaboration
Dima Ayad’s distinctive, glamorous and timeless aesthetic has made her one of Dubai’s most in-demand designers when it comes to modest wear. With her opulent kaftans and robes designed with all women in mind, Dima is paving the way for body inclusivity in the GCC and beyond. This season, the Lebanese fashion designer has joined forces with Malone Souliers and Level Shoes to create a footwear collection that embodies what she calls her “comfortable and effortless ethos”.
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): Tell us about your relationship with Malone Souliers’ Founder and Creative Director, Mary Alice Malone.
Dima Ayad (DA): My love for Malone Souliers began when I was working at The Modist. The shoes were selling so fast on the site, it would shock me how the stock would disappear in a matter of hours after going up. I was a huge fan of the brand from then on, and I now own six pairs of flats. I love wearing them because they’re timeless and they’re versatile to wear night and day. I met Mary Alice back then and was approached by Level Shoes to work together on this dream project. And so it began, one brainstorm session after another, et voilà!
HBA: Malone Souliers shoes are known for their comfort as well as their minimalist elegance, and Dima Ayad is all about being inclusive and helping women feel comfortable in their own skin. How did this relationship translate into a shoe collection?
DA: I personally really care about comfort. I want to be relaxed in the way that I move about my day through the clothes I wear, the minimal make-up I put on and the extremely comfortable shoes that look elevated at the same time. The DNA of the Dima Ayad brand was one where we always wanted the clothes to speak for themselves, with their easy, effortless – and Spanx-free, might I add – appeal. Malone Souliers reflects the same ethos and this resulted in stunning silhouettes, in striking styles and standout shoes.
HBA: How involved were you in the design process?
DA: Really quite involved. We had a few brainstorm sessions with the Malone Souliers design team followed by a trip to London to go through the styles and fabrics that could work. Shoes are a whole new world for me and it was such a learning experience. They paired the fabric choices I brought along from my ready-to-wear Faith collection with some of the Malone Souliers’ signature silhouettes and they turned out to be a dream.
HBA: Which pairs from your collaboration have you been wearing most?
DA: The Norah flats in nude linen and gold, the Norah flats in rainbow leather, and the Frankie dusty pink mules. As you can tell, I’m more into flats, however, I did wear the Norah metallic green pleated mules the other day and they were a moment – I was towering over everyone!
HBA: The rainbow iridescent mules – wow – who came up with that idea?
DA: We both did! I shared a rainbow tulle fabric with our colours in the collection and Malone Souliers’ team’s response was, “Let’s shine and still do something ombré-esque!”
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s May 2022 issue.