Fatmah Naheem’s eponymous label’s Spring 16 collection is an interesting premise from which to tackle a collection. It would be interesting to note that Naheem is a Muslim and the brand Fatmah prides itself in being a halal brand that offers modest clothing options.
Roughly transcribed, the collection’s title ‘An Nisa’ means ‘The Women’ and the clothes the label offers try to parse the line between fashion and modesty as it applies to Muslim Tanzanian women.
With many of the season’s trends off limits to the brand, Naheem improvises, drawing inspiration from the East. Using lush jacquard woven cotton and silk and cashmere, she creates lush lapelled abayas with fringe skirt and exaggerated blouson with wide sleeves that drape loosely around the model’s shoulders. Even when she does modern necessities like loose blouses and flared skirts, she is able to keep them demure without making them dowdy.
While Naheem has a firm grasp on cutting and draping jackets, abayas and capes; her tailoring on more basic pieces are disappointing. Her only convention to modernity, a pair of peach capri pants are so badly tailored, they sit as an ill-fitting lump on the model.
This is a minor misstep, barely a dent when the collection is taken in as a whole. Though we would like to see Naheem attempt something truly ground breaking, she has the technical know-how, all she needs is a push.
PHOTO CREDITS:
Photographer: Osse G Sinare @ossegrecasinare
MUA: Fatin Akrabi @faysmakeupdiary
Models: Sinande John @cnandejohn, Zainab @_nana_095, Shadiyah Abdul
Stylist: Rio Paul @rio_the_stylist
Jewellery by : Benetton Gems @benettongems
Nail polish by : @lavy_products @flavianamatata
