Sharjah24: The timeless aesthetics of the traditional Emirati Safeefah weaving, handcrafted by skilled women artisans under the Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council (Irthi), has once again inspired the luxurious runway collection of iconic London-based fashion brand, QASIMI.

After a successful collaboration for QASIMI’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection last year, Irthi - an affiliate of NAMA Women Advancement, explores the notion of craft versus technology for the fashion brand’s contemporary 2022 Autumn-Winter collection through exquisitely handcrafted Safeefah-weaved and Macrame-weaved ready-to-wear pieces. 

Themed ‘Where No Walls Remain’, the new collection includes traditional garments, techniques, and patterns of the Middle Eastern region that are reimagined for today in rich, elevated colours and designs. Strips of materials in bright red hues and dazzling whites have been interwoven into full garments using the Safeefah technique, and elements of this traditional Emirati craft also accentuate accessories such as oversized shoulder bags. Macrame detailing adds movement to full length dresses and adorns the neck and sleeves of garments, while its knotting techniques have been adapted to create trendy, functional bags.

Qasimi’s new Autumn-Winter collection celebrates freedom of expression through the exploration of culture and subculture with the handcrafted creations of women artisans under Irthi’s Bidwa Social Development Programme. By merging Emirati crafts and artisanal techniques with cutting-edge design and innovation, the Bidwa programme is creating a valued women-artisan economy to secure the social and economic future of its artisans and preserve the handmaking heritage of the UAE.Deliberate contrasts of texture, colour, and materials form the understated signature of the AW22 collection and bring the season’s silhouettes to life. 

Commenting on the partnership, Her Excellency Reem BinKaram, Director, NAMA, said: “The worlds of fashion and craft have long been symbiotic. Using the mastery of traditional craft techniques to create contemporary, purposeful pieces that embrace new technologies and design interventions, pushes the boundaries of both craft and fashion and ensures that the handmade and the artisanal remain relevant for the future.”

BinKaram added: “Irthi’s continued collaboration with QASIMI builds on the success of our previous partnership and is strengthened both by our shared rootedness in the Middle Eastern heritage and our evolution as global brands on the world stage. In line with the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Founder and Chairperson of Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, our collaboration with Qasimi supports both local crafts and artisans and ensures that the artistic expression and design philosophy of our craftswomen reach a wider platform.”

Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council is committed to the socioeconomic empowerment of women in crafts through the development of sustainable, woman-valued crafts communities across the Middle East, North Africa, as well as Southeast and Central Asia. It seeks to preserve and promote Emirati craft heritage through engaging young generations with practitioners and their crafts legacy. 

QASIMI is a London-based fashion brand founded in 2015 by the late Khalid Al Qasimi. The brand, now managed by its Creative Director Hoor Al Qasimi, focuses on crafting understated and refined garments that reflect its multicultural origins.