How Husnaa Malik Made The Transition From Fashion Doyenne to Designer
After years of experience with luxury brands, the multifaceted Qatari creative has unveiled a brand of her own
Long recognised as an arbiter of style, Qatar’s Husnaa Malik made the decision to launch a brand of her own earlier this year: SewnThreads sees her capitalise on her significant experience of modest fashion – whether through curating her own wardrobe, attending key fashion events, or collaborating with brands, and translates into an exciting drop of fashion-forward abayas.
“It’s been something I have wanted to do for quite some time,” she tells Harper’s Bazaar Qatar of the launch. “I have always loved abayas but my personal style calls for something that is modest yet trendy, colorful, unique and vibrant, which are the characteristics SewnThreads embodies. I choose fabrics that may not be considered the standard when it comes to the abayas we usually find on the market and that really sets us apart.”
That focus on fabrics is key to Husnaa’s design approach and plays into the inventive colour palette. The debut collection features everything from iridescent golds to matcha greens. “
It all comes from the fabric”, she says. “I don’t have a rigid thought trail when it comes to designing or choosing the pieces. When I find a fabric that speaks to me, I go with it. There is new specific theme for the brand, more a vibe.”
Significantly, finding the right fabric is also foundational to the release of new collections. Shunning the traditional fashion calendar of seasonal drops, SewnThreads will focus instead on limited edition collections borne out of sought-after fabrics. Unlike many contemporary designers, who feel pressured into committing to an increasing number of annual collections, Husnaa believes in giving herself, and her brand, time and space to create.
“I release seven to 10 pieces in each style of fabric in order to keep it exclusive and I don’t launch collections based on seasons. I launch a new style whenever I find a new fabric or have a new idea. That keeps the process fun and fresh for me and also exciting for my customers.”
Describing the SewnThreads aesthetic as “youthful and unique”, the pieces are a reflection of Husnaa’s own style. “Throughout the design process, I have been my muse. When it comes to campaigns, I also shoot the majority of the pieces on me. I am in an era in which I am focusing on what makes me happy, choosing me, living my best life, which is the prerogative of all women, and SewnThreads has really helped me do that.”
Her personal style runs through the collection – from the vibrant colours, to the use of crotchet and lace.
Significantly, given her status as an entrepreneur and mother, with a busy professional and home diary, many of the pieces have been designed with versatility in mind and can be dressed up or styled more casually. How does she envision the collection being worn?
“One of my favourite things when it comes to abaya fashion is seeing the way the outfit underneath is also styled. I love having the option of sometimes throwing a piece over your comfortable clothing for daytime or other times really putting thought into how you are styling under the abaya to pull the whole look together. My pieces give you that option, I think I have a balance of abayas that require styling and ones that require no more then jeans and a tee.”
Read more about Qatari creatives and designers here:
7 Qatari Designers That Need To Be On Your Radar
15 Qatar-Based Influencers That Need To Be On Your Radar
How One Qatari Designer Is Taking Her Brand Global With The Power of Social Media
Image credit: Images: Ekaterina Krapivnaya/ Inhype Photography Studio
From Harper’s Bazaar Qatar’s Autumn 2024 issue.