GLOSS Volume 1, Issue 4 - 2017 | Page 37

I N F O C U S Ayah Tabari Weaving Fashion And Humanity One Thread At A Time With Mochi Text By Sadaf Hassan W hen Ayah Tabari broke into the fashion scene of Dubai, with her Jaipur collection in 2013, who knew that her brand “All Things Mochi,” would reach prominent fashion weeks across the globe soon after? In addition to collaborations with retail giants like Topshop, Mochi expanded its international presence through London Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and by styling celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and the Kardashian clan. The designer, who is of Palestinian descent, was born in Riyadh, raised in Amman and studied in London before moving to Dubai, which was followed by many of her travel adventures. Ayah specialises in the use of raw materials, and over the years, she has repeatedly brought striking new collections, each inspired by a place and culture she personally connected with. It was the fascination for eccentric embroidery, craftsmanship, colourful clothing and accessories that powered Ayah’s initiative to bring a positive change in the lives of the local artisans she met during her travels. The idea was to design clothing lines that would endorse the artistry of diverse countries, support stitching communities and bring out collections that are chic yet unlike any other. Hence, Mochi became a product of her dream. A label with humanitarian groundwork combined with fashion that is original and can be carried by everyone, day or night. Today, the brand features unique adult ready to wear collections including Morocco, Jaipur, Thailand, Hungary, Palestine, Uzbekistan and Spain, along with a line for little fashionistas, Mini Mochi. GLOSS got a chance to have a chat with the designer and philanthropist who answered our questions about fashion, inspiration and her ever-growing brand. 37