DUBAI: An Emirati fashion designer has come up with a fashion label that is reminiscent of the days of yore.
Using nostalgia as her tool, Fatma Al Mulla, 27, has created a fashion label, FMM, based on throwback-themes such as Chips Oman capes, Vimto kaftans, Rainbow Milk dresses and dozens of quirky accessories. The list goes on.
“Being a huge fan of pop culture, I thought of incorporating my favourite things from childhood into the label,” she says.
Fatma says her clothes are a reflection of her ‘life as a kid in Dubai’ and believes most people have a similar reminiscence of these items. “Chips Oman, Sun Top juice and Rainbow condensed milk were a part of every household back in the 1990s. For many, even today,” she says.
The “Indestructible Nokia” that routinely features in her designs is another concept inspired by the good old days. “Nokia 3310 was probably the first ever phone for millennials like myself,” she says.
Fatma designs abayas, shirts, clutches, phone covers and even USBs under her label. “One of my signature mobile covers is the ‘chai karak’ that looks like the Starbucks logo.”
According to Fatma, many have a soft corner for the karak chai despite the rising popularity of brands like Starbucks..
The home-grown fashion brand has patrons not just in the UAE but also in the neighbouring countries.
Fatma says the label has something for every age group. “While we have Nutella-themed USBs for the younger generation, we also have abayas featuring ‘oud bottle’ designs for the older generations,” she says, adding FMM also sells flag-inspired dresses for GCC nationals. “We are now looking at stationery to be able to reach out to school-going kids,” she says.
For more info visit: www.fmmdubai.com
