Emirati designer Fatma Al Mulla blends Khaleeji pop culture with Western fashion

“At the end of the day, everyone needs to be smart, determined, and have the proper mindset for everything – not just women.”

Emirati designer and entrepreneur Fatma Al Mulla’s refreshing perspective on empowerment, culture and creativity propelled her to develop her own distinctive fashion line FMM by Fatma Almulla.

Blending Khaleeji pop art, traditions and culture with Western fashion, Al Mulla’s designs offer a fun and quirky way to showcase Arabic flavor through colorful illustrations on T-shirts, mugs, bags, accessories and more. Determined to showcase her culture in a beautiful and memorable way for women within and beyond the Middle East, this young designer is fiercely ambitious and proud of her Emirati heritage.

FMM is sold at local boutiques in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. We had a chance to talk to the young designer about the inspiration behind her bold, creative designs.

Elan: What sparked your interest in the arts? What made you decide to make the move into entrepreneurship? 

Fatma Al Mulla: I’ve always been into art. I started drawing at elementary school and there was a drawing I created that my parents decided to frame because of the amount of detail and thought that went to it. In school, I pursued art as one my GCSE subjects and went on to study graphic design. Later on, I decided to be an entrepreneur because I wanted to turn my art into something wearable. Hence my pop culture label was born.

Elan: Tell us about your fashion line FMM by Fatma AlMulla and the artistic inspiration behind it.

FM: FMM is the 3 initials of my name – Fatma Mohammed AlMulla. Everything inspires me really, the life we live, the thoughts we think, the cult-like objects that somehow become obsessed about by the whole world. My inspiration comes primarily from the people and society I observe.

Elan: Did your hometown or upbringing influence your work in any way? 

FM: Of course, living in a fast pace city in Dubai makes you forget how the city used to be. Growing up my father was a big influence on how I viewed my culture. He took great pride in his childhood and past, and I grew up loving everything he told me. Therefore, when I started my own brand, I was very determined in include and incorporate some of those old cultural references.

A video posted by FMM By Fatma AlMulla – DUBAI (@fmmbyfatmaalmulla) on Apr 3, 2015 at 10:42am PDT

Elan: How would you describe your personal style?

FM: I am fashion forward. I love to be bold and stand, although most of the time I am overdressed. But I love dressing up. I am chic, yet colorful.

Elan: How do you combine local culture with global and Western trends? Why?

FM: I combine them in a way that people can relate to. Today, we cannot use our demographic as a limitation.

With social media, we find a lot of similarities between cultures. I can be in Russia and know about the hype surrounding the Cartier love bracelet. Similar to McDonalds, the whole world knows about it, recognizes it, relates to it and indulges in it.

Therefore, the cultures and blend between the East and West is not as different as it was before. So in my own work, I love to have as many people relate to it as possible.

Elan: What would you say is one of your favorite pieces in your last collection line?

FM: My favorite piece would have to be the Dihn Oud pink crop top.

Elan: What market are your catering to with your brand and style?

FM: I cater to all markets, however my target audience is women in the Arab world and Middle East, but I do often find a lot of Western women extremely interested and curious about what the designs entail. So not only did I sell someone a beautifully design piece, but I also gave them a piece of my culture.

Elan: What are your plans for the future in regards to your clothing line and generally?

FM: To take it to an international level and generally, expand into other products.

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