DUBAI: Lebanese-Australian model and humanitarian Jessica Kahawaty traded in her signature heels for a pair of stylish flat mules from up-and-coming regional accessories label Carat. The handmade-in-Italy footwear brand, which is helmed by Kuwaiti designer Fatmah Hussain, is poised to take the fashion world by storm.
The label’s piece de resistance, the Alexander heels, have already found a fan in Lebanese actress Nadine Abdelaziz, who declared on her Instagram that the shoes are “so comfortable to walk with” and that she was able to walk for “one hour with the heels.”
Meanwhile, Kahawty, who is currently in Sydney for the holidays, opted for a black, patent leather pair of mules with a pointed toe and gold detailing at the front.
“Love my new 80’s slides,” she captioned the photo of herself rocking the fanciful footwear with an oversized straw hat in her backyard.
Carat was founded only a couple of months ago, launching with a Fall 2019 collection of leather heels, mules and flats with names such as “Joy” and “Louis.” And just as every great shoe designer has their signature — think Christian Louboutin’s red soles, Manolo Blahnik’s jeweled buckle, Sophia Webster’s wings and Amina Muaddi’s flared stiletto heel — each piece from the Kuwaiti brand’s debut collection features a semi-precious gemstone engraved on the soles of each pair. It is set to become the unmistakable Carat trademark.
According to the brand’s official website, Carat was inspired by the creative director’s career reboot. After climbing the corporate ladder for years and working in the oil industry for more than a decade, Hussain made the choice to quit her office job and enroll in a private school in Italy to hone her skills as a designer before launching her own brand.
During her training, Hussain was able to learn the ins and outs of footwear design and went on to fuse the new-found knowledge she gained in Italy with her own Arab culture and personal fashion taste. Her mission? To transform heels into wearable art.
The newly-launched brand joins a lineup of other established regional footwear labels, including Liudmila, founded by Kuwaiti designer Najeeba Hayat, Emirati label Darmaki and the Moroccan-helmed Zyne.
