Meet the Emirati founder and designer of Caliente caps

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

A Caliente cap by Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt. Victor Besa for The National

Thirty-two-year-old Emirati designer Hamdan Al Samt has harnessed a style trend that continues to gain momentum across the UAE. He's the founder of Caliente (Spanish for hot), a fashion-forward brand of snapback, trucker-style caps in bold designs, worn by high-profile people including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai. Moreover, in recognition of the law introducing national service in the military for Emirati men between 18 and 30 years of age, Al Samt is launching a special cap featuring the UAE flag and the words "United Army" in the next few months. In an exclusive interview, the designer reveals more about his latest creation and his plans to open a shop in The Dubai Mall.
You've just finalised details for a ­limited-edition Caliente cap. Can you describe it?
Well, no one knows this yet, but yes, due to the fact that Emiratis are now being called up for service, I'm creating a cap for that. It was designed with the theme of the army in mind so that anyone who is joining up could wear it with pride. It will also be available to buy in our store and online. It will be made of a light cotton material to keep the wearer cool and I'll produce it in the colour of army fatigues, shades of sand camouflage.
What writing will it bear?
It will say "United Army" on the front of it. There will also be the UAE flag on the side. It's just something I decided to create so that it could be worn by those doing national service during downtime, as well as anyone else who might like it. It will be finished in a couple of months.
Is there any cultural sensitivity in Emirati nationals sometimes swapping the wearing of a gutra for a cap?
Basically sometimes you want to wear the gutra and sometimes not. Things are definitely changing and alhamdulillah, since I launched Caliente in 2013, I've seen a lot more people wearing caps with kanduras.
Sheikh Hamdan has been seen wearing your caps. Which designs does he favour the most?
Yes, alhamdulillah, he's one of our great supporters. Let's just say he definitely has some ­limited-edition Caliente caps.
Who else would you like to see in your creations?
Actually I'm trying to go for worldwide celebrities and Hugh Jackman is my favourite, so I'll be trying to approach him soon.
What would you design for him?
I think I'd want him to wear the #MyDubai branded caps (pictured above) because I'm proud to have created them and I'd like his cap to have a UAE touch. My signature one has the skyline of Dubai on it and it's my favourite cap to wear - the colours simply change depending on the season.
Do you do all the product design and fabric selection yourself?
Yes, I'll sketch the designs and work with my team to prepare the caps for manufacture. I select all the colours myself, too, and there are some upcoming ones - which you are the first to know about in the form of the national service caps.
Do you have many ladies buying and wearing your caps?
Yes, and I've noticed that girls much prefer to wear men's caps. And not just in "feminine colours" either, like pink, purple and light blues, which we do have available.
How did you come to launch the brand?
I wanted to start a cap brand because back in 2011 I began to notice there were no decent caps on the market. Many of them had strange designs tattooed across them and there was nothing simpler available. Here in the region, I think everyone loves classic simplicity in design and colourful touches. So, when it hit me back then that there was a gap in the market, I started the brand because I've always worn caps and thought I might as well make one.
Why did you call it Caliente?
When the idea for the brand first came to me, I wanted a name with a luxurious and ­stylish sound. So I explored many languages to come up with the perfect word. We're all very used to French and English brand names so when I came across Caliente, I knew it was right. It sounded catchy and I'd just like to say, when it comes to caps "keep it ­Caliente" [laughs].
Where can people find your caps apart from the website?
We've secured a spot in The Dubai Mall just next to the cinema and now we're negotiating with a store in which we'd like to launch our clothes, caps - the full line. You'll be the first to know when that it happens.
 
. Visit www.caliente.ae for more information or click here to buy Caliente's collection on Sivvi.com
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