DT Woman - Rediscovering Passion
Manama : Rana Tabbara, also known as “Ninousha,” is a Bahraini of Lebanese origin. Born in Washington, USA, she moved to Bahrain when she was eight and has lived here ever since except for five years when she went to study BS in Interior Design from the Lebanese American University in Beirut in 2000.
Later she worked at Corporate and Retail Interiors as a freelancer for five years. When she had children, she moved to freelance photography for families and kids besides doing nursery and school portraits. She also owned and managed a diamond jewellery boutique in Seef Mall and motor sports related fashion and collectibles boutique in Bahrain City Centre. However, when she found out that her interest for design was lost in between, Tabbara tried to rediscover her passion once again.
Influenced by her travels to various countries, Tabbara has managed to create her own style, mixing Eastern and Western trends in a collection that is appealing to women of all nationalities. She found her passion by reinventing traditional women’s clothing and crafting them into trendy fashion statements, thereby empowering women everywhere and encouraging them to free their style. Her brand “Ninousha” carries a certain finesse that infuses a colourful concoction of fresh hues.
How it all began with Ninousha
It wasn’t part of Tabbara’s plan to be a fashion designer, but she somehow found herself discovering her passion last Ramadan.
“I honestly wasn’t planning to become a fashion designer, but now I am so grateful I am on this path, where I have managed to create something that I am so passionate about! Last Ramadan, I was looking for a traditional jallabiehdress to wear for the occasion, however, I could not find the one I truly felt was for me,” she said.
“So one day I went out wearing a simple white dress and put on my nine-year-old son’s traditional bisht over it as a cover-up. Surprisingly, I started getting compliments from women about the bisht I wore, so I decided to try it out with my own fabrics. I designed the costume and got all the things needed to make a bisht and headed to a tailor.
“As I was living in Dubai at the time, I decided to make one collection and sell it there. The costumes were pre-booked and they were sold out quickly. I moved back to Bahrain in December 2015 and went straight to work, making an even bigger collection this time. I invited people in my circles to come and take a look. Every one loved them and it was a great success. I also just had a pop-up shop at Words Book Store Café for four days and once again the outcome was successful,” she added.
What does it take to form Ninousha’s look
Ninousha’s collection is bespoke. Each item is exclusive with one woman in mind and one masterpiece of art created especially for her. She uses Oriental symbols represented by universally recognised shapes and patterns. The resulting designs are unique and welcoming for women looking to make a fashion statement.
Tabbara explained to DT News the lengthy and creative process she goes through to redesign this conventionally men’s outfit into a women’s fashion statement.
“Ninousha is a bespoke brand so I never repeat the same piece twice, if the fabric is the same I use different embellishments. I chose to redesign the men’s bisht into a women’s fashion statement, a trend that will help women wear colour, express themselves and give them that stylish look they desire to achieve. Ninousha Fashion is all about helping empower women, to give them that sense of confidence they want, to dress traditionally yet in a modern and trendy way!
“The fabric I used to make the bishts were originally bought for making sherwals or harem pants, so now I had two articles of fashion I could produce and they go hand in hand like a set. I get so excited to see my ideas being translated into a final product; be it a bisht or sherwal pants,” she added.
Ninousha’s plans
Tabbara believes in herself and this is what pushes her to keep going forward with the desire to empower women through her clothing designs.
Speaking about her upcoming plans, she said, “I am currently running the business on my own. I will be participating in the upcoming Mother and Child Welfare Society’s Annual Exhibition on May 30 and will also be selling at the FreeZone Expo in Kuwait May 31 to June 2 at the Crowne Plaza. I am currently working on my collection #6 and it is focusing on designs for Ramadan 2016. This time of the year, people are out shopping to prepare their wardrobes for receiving people at home for iftar and maybe also attending a few tents during Suhoor!”
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