Sheikha Alia Al Qassimi talks about Minbart, her new fashion concept store in Abu Dhabi

We talk to Sheikha Alia Al Qassimi, who is behind Minbart, the chic and trendy store in Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi.

Sheikha Alia Al Qassimi founded Minbart to provide a creative platform for local and international designers. Christopher Pike / The National

Sheikha Alia Al Qassimi, an adviser of Creative Campus & Outreach at twofour54 by day, recently launched the first of its kind fashion concept store in Al Muneera, Abu Dhabi. Minbart – a play on the Arabic word “minbar”, which means platform art – provides an individual approach to fashion, art and design by offering customers the unique opportunity to experiment with labels that have never been seen before in the Middle East. We take interest in designers that have unique background stories and translate these elements into the themed collections, whether they are international brands that are rare in the region or home-grown brands that have something diff­erent to offer.

How did the concept of Minbart come about?

Coming from a design background and being a keen advocate of all things fashion, Minbart was born from having a desire to add something different to the marketplace. From what started out as an empty space, a constantly changing creative platform has been developed. We are considered to be the first concept store that sells stories and we offer the perfect space for creative people to showcase their collections.

You mentioned ‘selling stories’ – can you elaborate?

We get inspired by talking to our designers; we care about knowing what inspired them, what their backgrounds are and what made them create their special pieces. We then communicate the same experience to our customers.

How long did the process take to orchestrate – from the initial idea to completion?

Finding a location was the main challenge. We also had to research constantly for unique designers, both established and emerging. We look for originality and quality products and are very proud to be the first to introduce many of these names to the capital and the GCC. Our interior now evokes an ambience of gentle simplicity, with matte concrete flooring, textured, white woodchip walls and a high exposed ceiling with dotted suspended lights. This simple design allows our designers to steal the spotlight.

Why Al Muneera?

We wanted to move away from mall culture, as the concept behind Minbart is unique and inspiring in its own right, especially by having a beautiful space facing the beach and Yas Island.

How do you intend to support local designers?

The brands available at Minbart are a mixture of local, regional and international designers. We’ve recently collaborated with the local brand No.3 to create an exclusive collection for Minbart, as well as invited The O Jewelry to use Minbart as a creative platform to launch its collection for the first time.

Who’s your clientele?

Minbart’s customers have an individual approach to fashion, art and design. Our collections appeal to those who have an eye for beauty, but also like to stand out from the crowd with one-of-a-kind pieces. Our customers are fashion forward, well-travelled and enjoy art, design and culture.

How does Minbart differentiate itself from other fashion concept stores?

We aim to offer something different to our fashion-conscious customers, far from what you would find in your everyday department stores and boutiques. Minbart’s unique pieces are beyond that which is trendy. We’ve taken the time to carefully select products that reflect an effortless sense of style.

You recently launched the theme 'keep it simple' – tell us more.

We enjoy surprising our customers with new themes and collections every now and then – it keeps us excited internally as well. We are launching our second collection at Minbart for those who like simplicity in their style. We wanted to ensure that we included new designer names in our portfolio; some of them for the first time in the UAE. It does exactly what it says on the tin: laid-back sandals, clean lines, predominant whites, creams and blues mixed with bold stripes and a hint of print – amalgamated collectively to create this look.

Do you intend to do anything special for Ramadan?

Yes, we proudly launched our first pop-up on June 14, introducing five new designers from the region who never had the chance to showcase their amazing coll­ection in the UAE before, and the feedback was absolutely overwhelming.

Talk about your initiative to use the space as an art gallery at night.

Our streamlined interior serves as both a boutique and gallery simultaneously – offering fashion and design showcase elements, as well as moveable interiors and fixtures. None of the interior elements of Minbart are permanent, allowing for a continuously developing space.

What are some of your favourite pieces in the store?

In terms of accessories, Monies statement pieces are definitely one of my top favourites and we are proud to be the exclusive stockist in Abu Dhabi. Another must-have item that I absolutely love are the striped mules from the British label Bionda Castana. I’m also a big fan of Günseli Türkay, an emer­ging designer who colla­borates with artists to transform their pain­tings into couture dresses and garments.

Do you feel that Middle Eastern tastes are evolving?

Just like any other part of the world, people travel a lot, they come across new cities, new shopp­ing districts and new gall­eries and museums. People subscribe to their favourite magazines and follow their favourite bloggers. We live in a social media era, which makes it easier for people to see what happens around them. Fashion events such as Fashion Forward and the fact that Chanel’s latest cruise collection was shown in Dubai give you an idea of how the fashion scene is evolving here.

• Minbart is located in Al Muneera, Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi. For more information, visit www.minbart.com