Eye-catching: Button Up ladies

DUBAI: If you're a bag person, you're likely to have them all - the Guccis, the Louis Vuittons, the Chanels and the like. Now how about a button bag?

No comparison, you might say, but that's exactly the point as a Dubai-based Egyptian designer breaks new ground with a refreshing range of hand-crafted ware.

Going by the brand name Zorar (button in Arabic) 27-year-old Farida Tala'at's button bags are in demand as much for their novelty as they are for their eye-catching designs. Available across stores in major malls in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, they come in different styles and sizes.

But they all have the signature buttons on them with other add-ons like glass beads, pearls, crystals, semi-precious stones, brooches, pins and crochet flowers lending a special effect.

"Making these bags is a hobby for me," said Farida, who has been in Dubai for 10 years and works at a marketing and PR firm. "Each bag is unique and funky and uses an eclectic mix of colourful buttons, charms and other creative ornaments."

It all began a year ago when Farida, in a moment of inspiration, decided to sew a bag for herself from a random collection of spare buttons that she had in her own wardrobe. It was an instant hit, with Farida being showered with compliments.

"Everyone would ask me where I got the bag from and somewhere along the line, I recreated the bag and started adding new ideas to develop it into a full-fledged line of women's handbags," she said.

Farida claimed her bags are original and pay attention to detail. She said she is very picky with the fabric texture and colour, and chooses high-quality material from old textile markets in Egypt, with accessories from all over the world. "I try to use bright vibrant colours such as mango yellow and kiwi green with a random array of unusual buttons and embellishments," she said.

"My father, who is an architect, sometimes helps me with the designs while my mother helps me choose the fabric and colours," she said, adding that every bag in her collection is hand-crafted by her.

From duffel bags and regular bags to satchels and clutches, the Zorar range has a wide variety to pick from. "The satchels are particularly popular among youngsters as they are comfortable and convenient," said Farida.