If you’re running out of sartorial options for Eid Al-Fitr, having exhausted the extensive list of Middle East-based designers over the course of Ramadan, why not turn your attention further afield?
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the Somali-American sisters behind modest wear brand FLLUMAE are doing big things in the world of fashion and could offer you up something fresh — and unexpected — to wear to the inevitable onslaught of gatherings that will take place over the festive period.
The Saidi sisters unveiled their 2018 Cruise collection at the sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week (AFW) in Dubai, which took place just before the holy month, and it’s perfect for elegant evenings out with the family.
The collection features a mish-mash of colors, prints and fabrics, with the brand’s iconic petal embellishments visible on most of the dresses, suits and blazers.
If you prefer to be pretty in pink, the line offers up an almost-metallic, satin-esque baby pink dress, cinched at the waist with a matching belt and embellished with delicate peach and ebony flowers on the right hip and left shoulder. It will take courage to wear this look, there’s nothing sedate about it, but if you can pull it off, you’ll be sure to turn heads.
A slightly more demure option would be the full-length black velvet dress with petal accents running up the side of the bodice. The designers added extra oomph with a billowing, collared cape, complete with embellishments on the shoulder. It has to be said that the fit left much to be desired on the model who wore this look on the runway, but ensuring you choose the right size should combat any ripples in the fabric.
The sisters founded FLLUMAE in February 2014 and within a year-and-a-half were showing off their designs at the pinnacle of all things fashion – New York Fashion Week (NYFW).
“It happened so quickly, I thought it would take five to seven years to get to the level of presenting at NYFW, but it was a year-and-a-half and we were there,” Fahima Saidi, one of the four sisters behind the brand, told Arab News on the sidelines of AFW in May.
FLLUMAE started out as a bid to tackle the lack of modest fashion at the time.
“When we were growing up, if we liked a dress we would be like ‘oh my god, I love this dress, but it doesn’t have any sleeves,’ so we would take it home and sew some sleeves on there,” Saidi said.
“Finally, we decided to commit and we took a big risk, we all left our professions to work on this business as designers,” she said.
“It is high, mainstream fashion and it caters to women of faith — and not just women of faith, but any woman. You don’t have to be a woman of faith to wear our clothing.
“If you are a modest-clothing wearer, it’s a plus because this line gives you stuff to wear that is fully lined and (you can be) fully-dressed in a comfortable way,” the designer concluded.
Visit the brand’s social media pages — facebook.com/fllumae and @fllumae on Instagram — to browse the collection and enquire about pricing and delivery options.
