It seems there’s no stopping the Hadid family as they continue to make their mark on the fashion world. As Gigi, Bella and Anwar continue to dominate the catwalks, their half-sisters Alana and Marielle have teamed up with their father Mohamed Hadid to launch an eyewear collection.
With family being the main inspiration behind the collection, the father-daughter trio have named their brand after their shared moniker. “The inspiration behind the collection was my family, each person (piece) unique but timeless and better together. Collaborating with my dad and my sister was amazing, we had design help from Shiva as well. My dad and I always wanted to design together, so this has been a fun process”, Alana explains while speaking exclusively to Style Diary.
Owning around 100 pairs of sunglasses, turning her personal fashion obsession into a business seems like the natural career choice for Alana. “I love that sunglasses are a totally unisex accessory and they are universal, everyone has a pair of sunglasses.”
But the Hadid sister hasn’t always worked in design. Most will know the 32-year-old as a stylist.
Asked whether she has a preference over styling or designing, Alana says: “I really love designing, it’s amazing because when I design I also get to see how people complete their look with my design, it’s really fulfilling.”
The debut range from Hadid Eyewear includes shapes and styles to suit all face shapes. Each of the 21 designs are named after the family’s globe-trotting ways with Jetsetter, Mile High, Nomad, Passport Control, Runway and Frequent Flyer. Prices range from Dh548 – Dh622.
During the design stage, the trio decided it was important to make their target audience ‘everyone’. Alana explains: “I wanted to design for everyone, from a celebrity out on the town to a young girl or a working father. I truly wanted this collection to fit every person, just like my family.”
When asked the question on everyone’s mind, ‘do you have a favourite from the collection’? Alana admits, “That’s the hardest question.”
“I truly love them all. I probably wear the mile high and the frequent flyer the most, but I’m starting to have a new love for the nomad.”
Having years of experience in styling, Alana says she found learning how to edit which frames to include in the collection much harder from a designer’s point of view. “I wanted to show all of my designs, but that’s not possible. With styling I edit based on a specific customers wants or needs. With design, I have to make that decision myself without any direction.”
Despite believing round sunglasses fit most faces, Alana says the trick to nailing sunglass trends is through constant experimenting and having the confidence to break away from your usual go-to style.
Asked if she has any top tips for finding the perfect pair of sunglasses, the Hadid sister, says: “Try on a lot of styles, don’t be afraid of trying new styles. Look for something that you feel either makes a statement or that you can wear every day.
“If you don’t love it don’t buy it, you won’t wear it, that’s a good tip for everything!”
Hadid Eyewear is now available in the UAE at Harvey Nichols, Dubai.
