An Indigo Child wandering a serene, muted landscape— lilac ash, desert rose, Persian plum and turmeric fill the senses on seeing the Qasimi Spring/Summer 2021 collection. The inaugural collection from Hoor Al-Qasimi, twin sister to a late founder whose message and clothes have always been poetically politicised.
Hoor is here to continue the legacy. Taking inspiration from Al Sadu, a Bedouin weaving tradition and the trade routes through sub-Saharan Africa, motifs meant for tents and mats have been woven into luxurious loungewear, moving relaxed silhouettes into an armoured and assertive realm.
Echoing throughout is futurism. Iridescent trench coats and bomber jackets, shirts, trousers and hoodies with striking trims; all showcased online in a covid-era presentation film.
With precision casting, messengers — youthful and wise beyond years— roam a sweeping ‘Slade School sand storm’, (cocooned by yarns of penetrating light), as Qasimi launch a womenswear line intended as a “soulmate rather than a romantic partner”. Vocals by Somali-born, UAE-based hip-hop artist FREEK play throughout; tapping into a climatic sentiment the foundations at Qasimi were built on.
This Spring/ Summer 2021 collection of clothes and their construction look like gifts from one group of craftspeople to another, an unbroken thread…a time-travelling love letter.
