According to Ahmed Abdelrahman, the creative director and founder of the brand “Thamanyah” (eight in Arabic), the kandora is the new (Western) suit.
Abdelrahman’s trick, it seems, is to infuse four main Arab pillars into his label: tradition, faith, patriotism, and “petronaissance.” Along with sharp tailoring, timeless silhouettes, and, of course, Abdelrahman’s ethnic background, the brand has carved itself a place in modern, “East-meets-West” wardrobes.
The Dubai-born Abdelrahman, who was a mechanical engineering student who then switched to the luxury jewelry sector and ultimately to menswear, was once featured by Vogue Italia as a talent to watch.
Mo Anwar: What was the inspiration behind your Fall 2015 collection?
Ahmed Abdelrahman: The Thamanyah Fall 2015 collection represents a Bedouin approach to Western tailoring. It was inspired by the idea of a post-petroleum Bedouin gentleman, who seeks to mirror the rapid economic growth of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates with his sartorial evolution. As the UAE’s history is linked to Great Britain, I looked to classic men’s tailoring fabrics and sought to combine them with the traditional shapes and styles of the UAE.
Who inspires you today?
I have been reading the ascetic writings of Khalil Gibran and I believe that influenced the tone of the collection—quiet and contemplative in shape and silhouette.
You presented your collection in the Marlene Dietrich suite at Hotel Lancaster in Paris. Why did you choose that suite?
The Marlene Dietrich suite in Hotel Lancaster was where the famed actress lived for three years when she was broke (perhaps a lover paid for her). Her possessions are still there, including a black book belonging to her that I fantasize about reading one day. The book is now locked in a vitrine. Marlene was the first androgynous beauty, and I love her ubiquitous attraction for both sexes.
For whom are you designing?
Thamanyah’s customers are united by their appreciation of individuality, intellectualism, and timelessness. I think the people who wear Thamanyah like to stand out among the crowd and appreciate the philosophy behind the garments as much as the fine craftsmanship in how they are made.
You once said to Business of Fashion that, “Nature seems to be an eternal source of inspiration.” Please elaborate.
Having grown up in the United Arab Emirates, enjoying the desert and viewing the sky and dunes can often bring me sources of inspiration. There is something about being in nature that offers the kind of clarity that can be more difficult to find in the middle of a bustling city. This season, I found that inspiration from the body, choosing fabrics and patterns that would fall along the lines of shoulders and collarbones, gently and easily.
Have you ever regretted something?
We all have things we wish had been done differently, but no, I don’t regret ever doing anything. I’m over 30-years-old now, and I’ve learned to forgive people, myself included—so I forgive and do not regret. But you learn a lot down that road, like learning to feel more, not to rush yourself, enjoy the scene, and above all, respect the voice of the more experienced.
What’s the story behind your friendship with Rick Owens’ partner, Michele Lamy?
We met seven years ago at a gym in Paris. Since then, many things happened: she helped me, along with Luca Ruggeri, with the start-up of Thamanyah; taught me about life and art; did wonderful Rick Owens furniture exhibitions in Dubai and in Abu Dhabi; found or perhaps reconnected with her element in the sand dunes of the Sharjah desert; and became a regular visitor of the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF). Many people came and left within these years, but our friendship is only getting stronger.
So, what´s next?
I am presenting my Fall 2015 Man-for-Woman collection (styles and shapes that we offer in men’s collections are re-cut and adjusted for women) at the Hotel Lancaster in Paris next month (March 9-12).
By Mo Anwar
