Like all trailblazers, he had to first face his detractors when he decided to launch an edgy menswear label a little over a year ago.
And there were many.
"They said a lot of things," recalls Emirati designer Nasser Mohammad Al Midfa, the man behind fashion line Naz Cannon. "The most common one was, ‘He's doing something that's not even a part of his culture.'"
Still, as trendsetters tend to do, the 26-year-old from Sharjah persevered. "It pushed me," he says. "It encouraged me and made me want to do it more."
It would have been easier, he admits, if he was designing, say, pretty dresses for women, or even kandouras or other more "traditionally acceptable" designs.
But no. Edgy and cutting-edge, Al Midfa's clothes feature strong silhouettes, some even slightly androgynous and, dare I say, avant-garde from a regional fashion perspective. Think exaggerated harem pants, high-cut waistcoats that just cover the chest and are embedded with spikes, studded jackets and T-shirts with Lady Gaga prints.
And it's working. Naz Cannon clothes are flying off the shelves at new uber-cool fashion store Bullets & Butterflies in Dubai's Mercato Mall, where they are currently exclusively sold.
‘Not afraid'
Just out with his second collection, his first fully-fledged one, tabloid! exclusively reveals the looks.
With all the spikes, studs, cuts and drapes, it's easy to see where the designer's inspiration comes from.
"Yes, I am a big fan of John Galliano, Gareth Pugh, Rick Owens and Alexander McQueen," he says, listing the fashion trendsetters who've come to be known for their pioneering crafts.
"They are different and they were not afraid."
A government employee, Al Midfa says his determination to launch the label was born out of the sheer frustration of not being able to find unique clothes to wear.
"Fashion is all about expressing yourself," he says. "And despite all the brands that are here, I couldn't really find anything to wear that would made me stand out and express my individuality."
So two years ago, he decided to make his own clothes. It wasn't long before his friends began to notice his designs and requested their own pieces. Soon enough, Al Midfa was receiving orders as word spread.
Encouraged by the response, he decided to travel for a few months to Osaka in Japan and enrolled in a short design course. Then, empowered upon his return, he summoned the help of his friend and now business partner, Khowla Al Merri, an artist, and launched a blog where he could showcase his clothes and accept more orders.
Naz Cannon was born.
Catering to a growing niche, Al Midfa's clothes soon caught the attention of Emirati entrepreneur sisters Hind and Alia Bin Kharbash, who were looking for local talent for a new concept store they were going to launch. The idea of the store was to stock fashion showpieces for people looking for unique ways to express themselves in a brand-infested city. And Naz Cannon, it seems, fit right in.
Al Midfa created his first collection to tie in with the Bullets & Butterflies opening last December, and he hasn't looked back since. His second collection for spring-summer, which just arrived on shop shelves, is an ode to his hero, troubled designer John Galliano. "I am really sad about what's happening to him," he says.
"And I hope he will be back again to give us some more magic."
A collection of T-shirts in honour of Galliano is currently being planned, he adds.
Even more edgy than his first, Al Midfa uses a lot of black in this second collection, as if channelling the emo in him. There are greys that clash with more blacks, sometimes in the same garment, some forming patchwork-like patterns; there are distressed cotton T-shirts, the holes plugged by thinly woven steel chains and there are a lot of drapes, many hanging unabashedly from different parts of the garment. Asymmetrical T-shirts also feature in his collection, cut in the most unusual ways and, of course, the studs, spikes and Swarovskis are back. All very striking, very unusual, especially compared to their softly-spoken creator.
Something different
Who is Naz Cannon for? I ask.
"He is aged between 18 and 28 and he is a fashion monster," comes the reply. "It's for people looking to update their fashion — party people who are seen at the hottest places around town."
The youngest of seven children, Al Midfa says it was his mother who has always encouraged him. "She has been my biggest supporter even when others said a lot of things. She told me to do whatever I wanted, as long as I did it properly."
All materials for his clothes are sourced from South Korea, Thailand and China and hand-stitched by a team of four. Next up will be an accessories line, and then maybe even a women's line.
"We created a few pieces for women just to test the waters and the feedback has been positive, so maybe soon," he says.
For now, the menswear line needs a lot of love and attention. "I am still working my full-time job, so it's also a lot of hard work," he admits. "But then I guess if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.
"When I started off, all I wanted to do was create clothes that were different and not just normal. I think I've achieved that."
EMIRATIS IN DESIGN
Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi
When it comes to Emiratis in high-fashion, no one has quite matched the heights that Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi, a member of the Sharjah royal family, has reached. The toast of London Fashion Week when it debuted its men's and women's autumn-winter collection in 2009, Qasimi, his label, has gone on to conquer Paris Fashion Week in consecutive fashion seasons. Unpredictable, classic and unusual, often featuring strong Middle Eastern aesthetics mixed with very English touches, Shaikh Khalid, whose last outing at PFW was called The Empty Quarter, has undeniably made a mark on the international fashion circuit — with aplomb.
Sultan Al Darmaki
Here is another one destined (or at least determined) for greatness: Emirati shoe designer Sultan Al Darmaki. The Abu-Dhabi based designer has been doing the rounds of trade shows around Paris with his initial collection, hoping to launch a fully fledged set for spring-summer 2012. Fanciful and aesthetically Middle Eastern, Al Darmaki has said his debut luxury collection is a modern twist to his Arab roots. Here's one designer who's got his feet on the right step.
