What’s On meets Nadia and Lubna Zakwani, the Omani sisters behind fashion brand Endemage. Find out about these local designers in Dubai.

More…
– Cool boutiques
– Home spas
– Repair shops in Dubai
– Vintage shops
– How to haggle
– Women’s tailors

How did you start your label?
Nadia: Living in Muscat, Oman, and being surrounded by its rich culture and heritage inspired me to highlight it in my designs, along with modern silhouettes. For my graduation project we were asked to create our own brand and that’s when I came up with Endemage.

How did you get into designing?
Nadia: When I was growing up in Oman, my mum and aunt had a small fashion boutique where we spent a lot of time designing and playing around with fabrics. When I graduated from high school my family and friends encouraged me to take it up as a career.

How would you describe the style of your brand?
Nadia: It’s a blend of ethnic chic, luxury, and elegance with West and East influences. It’s a fusion between tradition and modernism, empowering the Arab woman.

Do you inject your Omani heritage into your designs?
Nadia: With every collection there is inspiration taken from an Omani treasure, which is then incorporated into our patterns and embroidery.

What’s behind your spring/summer collection?
Nadia: It was inspired by the tropical island of Zanzibar, an island that was once part of Oman and had a strong influence on our heritage.

If you could dress anyone in Endemage who would it be?
Nadia: We’d be absolutely honoured to see any of the region’s strong, influential women wearing our designs.

Being sisters and working together – do you ever fight?
Lubna: I personally love it, but like any business you’ll always have disagreements, which are usually resolved on who has the strongest point.
Nadia: Family is always the best business partner you can ask for.

endemage.com