It won’t be too presumptuous of us to think fashion designers are always looking for better and bigger avenues to sell and show at. And that the sign of ultimate success for many of them is, say, a slot in the fashion weeks of London, New York, Paris and Milan.
The three brothers behind Dubai luxury label Emperor 1688 will soon lay claim to one honour: They will represent the Middle East at the coveted Woolmark Prize at menswear showcase London Collections: Men, in January next year. Considered one of the top fashion awards in the world, the upcoming event will mark the first time designers have been honoured in menswear.
“To be part of this in the first year the menswear category is launched is such an honour, and such a moment of pride,” says Babak Golkar, who founded the label with his brothers Haman and Farhan in 2007.
For the competition, all nominee designers will present capsule collections in Merino wool, to be judged by a panel of international experts. The annual prize, sponsored by the Australian wool industry, was first awarded to Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld in 1954 and is held in a different fashion capital every year. A separate womenswear winner will also be selected in Beijing in March 2015.
“It’s been interesting because we are not very used to working with this material,” admits Babak. “But that’s always the best thing about challenges — they push you and your creativity.”
Tight-lipped
Babak wouldn’t be drawn into a discussion about the collection he and his brothers have created for the Woolmark Prize. “It’s done and it’s locked up in a safe at a secret location,” he laughs.
He was more than happy though to talk about his spring-summer 2015 collection that showed on Saturday at the ongoing Fashion Forward.
“We wanted to look to memories, of travel and adventure,” he says. “We’re looking at a time when there were no smartphones and cameras, when you relive a vacation by memory. What are the things that trigger that memory? The colours, the textures… all those things that take you back to that place once you’ve come home.”
Although launched as a menswear label, the collection on Saturday was, however, predominantly womenswear. It’s a nod to where the label is going, and also their recent deal with department store Galeries Lafayette Dubai, where Emperor 1688 will have its own pop-up store.
“We had about 60 per cent womenswear this season. It’s something we have always wanted to explore and we felt it was the right time to expand the brand,” says Babak.
Despite two stand-alone stores, a presence in Saks Fifth Avenue and retailers in Europe and the US, he says the priority is to stay rooted in Dubai.
“This is where it’s all happening right now. With Fashion Forward and now the Dubai Design District, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
