April 2018 www.womanthismonth.com FASHION | designer spotlight 28 NOON BY NOOR In the latest in our occasional series of designer spotlights, to tie in with the fashion trends edition, we shine a line on Bahraini cousins, Noor and Haya, who are putting the island on the fashion map in a big way. With an international following, Noon By Noor is a Bahrain-based womenswear label founded in 2008 by designers Shaikha Noor Al Khalifa and Shaikha Haya Al Khalifa. Cousins and friends since childhood, they studied in the US and, after graduating, returned to Bahrain to bring their vision to life. Founder, CEO and designer, Shaikha Noor holds a BA in fashion design and her unconventional career choice was driven by a life-long passion to translate her vision to paper and transform her artwork to life. Co-founder, COO and designer, Shaikha Haya, also has a degree in fashion design. Though her decision to take on fashion design came about at a later stage, her extensive travels throughout the world have led her to this innovative industry. Modern and effortless with a focus on striking prints and intricate embellishments, Noon By Noor’s refined aesthetic fuses understated luxury with playful femininity. It draws inspiration from both Eastern and Western influences, with an emphasis on sharp tailoring, clean silhouettes and attention to detail. They have previously described the Noon By Noor woman as someone who “embodies the essence of nonchalant chic, is internationally minded, sophisticated and not afraid of taking risks with her wardrobe whilst staying true to her own individual style”. The story so far To launch the brand internationally, an exclusive event was held in Los Angeles in July 2011. This was followed by a presentation in February 2012 during New York Fashion Week, where the designers displayed their Fall 2012 collection to editors, journalists and celebrity guests. In September 2012, Noon By Noor presented its Spring 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week. This landmark achievement marked the first ever GCC brand to be invited by IMG to present at New York Fashion Week. The brand has continued to show each season at NYFW with their most recent collection, Autumn-Winter 2018 being present last February. Noon By Noor can be found at Saks Fifth Avenue Bahrain, By Symphony Dubai, Tryano Abu Dhabi, Harvey Nichols Riyadh, Le 66 Paris, Off White Boutique Montpellier, Peri A Los Angeles, Chegini Austria, Elizabeth Charles San Francisco, Azalea San Francisco and L'Appartement Moscow. Noon By Noor’s online boutique facilitates worldwide shipping.
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