Ask a founder what she has bought lately, and the answer tends to come with a case study attached, because the people building fashion brands are also the ones taking an up-close and personal look at the seam stitching, the fabric certifications and the fit notes, things that most of us never think twice about. We asked six of them to tell us about the label that has most recently earned a place in their wardrobes, and what it was about the intention behind those designs that had them making the cut.

CHLOE CHRISTALOU
Founder, Amara Grace

One of my favourite recent fashion discoveries is Lucine, founded by Nat Lucy. I first discovered the brand through TikTok, where she was openly sharing her journey of building a sleepwear brand from the ground up – from the lessons she was learning to the decisions behind each piece. As a fellow founder, I really connected with that honesty and intention, and when I was in New York this summer, I had the chance to meet her and attend an event she hosted. What I love most about Lucine is how much care is evident in every detail. Nothing feels rushed or created simply for the sake of adding another product to the market. From the custom-knit, GOTS certified organic cotton, made in Los Angeles, to the delicate details and thoughtful fit, there is a real sense of consideration for how the customer will feel wearing it. I’m always drawn to brands that put genuine love and intention into what they create, and Lucine does exactly that. wearlucine.com

JAWAHER AL HAJRI
Co-Founder, Takara

One of my latest fashion discoveries is ARAKII, a Stockholm-based brand founded by Hanna Schönberg. What first caught my attention was the way the brand takes seemingly simple, everyday pieces and gives them something unexpected, whether through proportion, silhouette, or a small design detail. As a designer, I’m always drawn to pieces that feel considered without feeling overdone, and I think ARAKII does that really well. There’s a strong balance between wearability and statement, where even the simplest pieces still have a clear point of view. I also love how cohesive the world around the brand feels, from the collections to the imagery and creative direction. It feels feminine, confident and current, while still having an identity of its own. arakii.com

FATMA ALTAHER
Co-founder, NAFS

An Emirati brand that inspires me is NAFS Culture, founded by my sister Noora as a heartfelt tribute to her daughter, Hind, and to our beloved grandmother. After Hind was born, Noora began to see tradition in a new light – not as something preserved behind glass, but as something alive, intimate, and carried from one generation to the next. This vision became the soul of N A F S Culture: honouring Emirati dress while reimagining it for the present and future. Our grandmother was celebrated in our family for her remarkable talismaking. Her hands moved patiently through countless hours of weaving, transforming delicate threads into pieces rich with memory and meaning. When she gave Noora several meters of tali, that gift sparked the creation of a special garment and inspired the now-famous “Van Gogh” pattern. To me, NAFS culture is a living thread connecting family, heritage, craftsmanship, and love. @nafsculture

HAJRA TARIQ
Founder, Feeya

SCULP has become one of my favourite regional activewear brands. I do Pilates quite regularly, so I really appreciate pieces that are comfortable, flattering and easy to move in, while still feeling polished. As the founder of my own fashion brand, Feeya, I’ve become even more appreciative of the thought that goes into designing for women. There’s something special about women creating for women – you can really feel that understanding of fit, comfort and the little details that matter. sculp.shop

LINDA HAUSSER
Founder, JANTHEE and Faine

I discovered Mun Kissed this summer, and it quickly became one of those brands I reach for without thinking twice. Founded by Lebanese content creator Racil Beydoun, it offers playful, comfortable pieces that feel easy to wear but still special. I love that many of the styles are one-size and can be dressed up or down, especially when I’m travelling and need something effortless. It has become one of my go-to brands for quick, easy outfits. I also love discovering more Middle Eastern labels, and every time I wear Mun Kissed, someone always asks me where my outfit is from. munkissed.com

NUPUR MOHANTY
Founder, Quab

I found out about Hala Al Shammari, the founder of By Hala, the way most people probably will, through her clothes first. But it was her story that stopped me. Born in Baghdad, raised in Dubai from the age of three, building a label that refuses to let the world flatten what an Arab woman is allowed to wear. Her pieces do this quietly, a clean elegant front that gives way to a daring cut down the back, nothing seasonal about any of it, just intention over excess. She sources her own fabric, works with her own artisans, and makes it all here in Dubai, which anyone who has tried to build a small fashion label will tell you is its own kind of stubbornness. I grew up three streets over from that same story, an Indian kid raised in this city, watching my grandmother’s own dream of becoming a designer turn into Quab. She never got to chase it herself, so the name is a tribute, khwaab, the Urdu word for dream. Together we built a brand on fabrics my culture kept folded away for weddings, and I wanted for everyday life instead. Our last collection took its embroidery from the mirrorwork my grandmother grew up around, the kind that used to only come out for someone else’s big day. Now it shows up on a Tuesday. We are both third culture founders, women who grew up somewhere our families didn’t, making room for ourselves in silhouettes nobody handed us. Hala took hers to Portugal and Beirut before she found her footing back home in Dubai. I took mine to New York for a pop up and still came back wanting to build here first. Neither of us set out to represent anyone bigger than our own story. We just made the clothes we couldn’t find on any rack, and somehow that became the whole point. by-hala.com