When Hatem Al Akeel returned to Saudi Arabia after spending years abroad, he felt limited by the traditional white dishdasha (kandoura).
He wanted to express his individuality and make the garment more fashionable, so he decided to design his own dishdashas, with a modern twist. To his surprise, people started admiring his creations. Before he knew it, Al Akeel, who had no previous fashion experience, was launching his own clothing line.
His brand, Toby — which means ‘My dishdasha' in Arabic — is gaining recognition for merging traditional Middle Eastern wear with contemporary Western designs. The latest collection — featuring menswear, women's clothing, a brand new home-wear line and a junior collection — will be showcased at Dubai Fashion Week (DFW).
The men's line, called ‘Less is More', includes thobes (traditional dress for Arab men) and T-shirts with simple clean designs with a blend of Western, East Asian and Indian influences. "It's about being more open-minded," Al Akeel said.
Similarly, Al Akeel's women's collection, called ‘Opposites Attract', which includes modern abayas, trendy kaftans and ready-to-wear clothes, features large shoulder pads and hard edges. Al Akeel's new home-wear line consists of T-shirts, tank tops, thobes and track pants.
The Toby line is available at Studio 8, Dubai Festival City and Atlantis in Dubai.
Prices range between Dh300 and Dh1,000.
