ENGLISH
HE SHEIKHA HEND FAISAL Al QASSEMI: Women in Montenegro appreciate the quality
Her Excellency Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi, highly reputable not only in the Emirates, but all over the world, presented her collection for the first time to Montenegrin audience at the first International Fashion Festival Porto Montenegro 2018.
We talked to her in the beautiful space of Yacht club Porto Montenegro.
How do you like the hospitality of Porto Montenegro and hotel ,,Regent“?
– I am very happy. I love the hotel. It looks like a seven-star hotel. The view is beautiful. I wake up in the morning and I look out the window. I had a similar view when I was staying in Portofino. It is so refreshing and it is not so noisy. I am so happy, because I wrote at least two chapters yesterday. I write as well. I feel very fulfilled.
This is your first time in Montenegro. How much the invitation to show your collection at the first International Fashion Festival Porto Montenegro 2018. mean to you?
– I am honoured to be in the same team with Renato Balestra, Antonio Grimaldi and LaQuan Smith. Renato is an old friend and his granddaughter is a good friend of mine. It's just lovely being here. I am here until Monday, so I am looking to explore Montenegro. I am going to Our Lady of the Rocks, also there is a carved monastery in the mountain (Ostrog) and I might even go fishing. I will go snorkeling, maybe do a bit of water sports. I want to go and explore the forest, go hiking. I want to go and visit Kotor, apparently, it's a UNESCO protected town and I need to go and pay the visit, because I am an architect originally, so I can appreciate this. Also, I am thinking of buying a plot of land here and I want to make it according to local way of constructing. I'm looking forward to it, so I am excited. I am loving Montenegro. Volim Montenegro.
What can you tell us about the collection you presented?
– My collection is called ,,Where East and West meet”, so it works both for the conservative Muslims and at the same time it works for the professional Western people. I have short dresses and long dresses. With short dresses, conservative people can wear stockings. I noticed here in Montenegro women like quality things. They like brands because they appreciate the quality.
You say that your grandmother is your role model. In what way? What is the most important thing she has taught you?
– My Grandmother was an amazing woman. She passed away last year. I was very attached to her. She became a widow at 19. She used to tailor on her own and sew. She became a business woman. She began renting real estate and then she became acquiring real estate. She became an important business woman back home. And then, at the age of 50, she taught herself how to read. She always used to encourage me to study. She was like: ,,You can never have enough education.“ She would say: ,,A person should ask for education from the cradle till the coffin.“ You always learn and there is always room for improvement. To her, research and development were the future. It's strange, she was an old woman, but she had a long vision.
You paint, you graduated from Architecture and Design. How do you connect all these three things in your fashion collection?
– When it comes to architecture, you always have to think of the base. Why the base? It is because when you build something like a tent, when the wind or water comes, the tent goes away. When you dig the ground, you have a strong base. The same thing is to do with fashion. You have to research the fashion piece. You think – Can it be successful? Would it be successful? Can you make money out of it, is it your style, is it your fashion? Also, you have to learn all this work in the market. Is the fabric good, would it work for us or not, would this fabric stay on the market? So, we have to all understand the idea. Some fashion is like junk food and some fashion is like gourmet. With gourmet food you can have it 20 years down the road, it is still excellent. You have to understand what a customer wants, because at the end of the day, the customer is the key.
You say: ,,My dreams are the size of mountains, and I want nothing less“. What mountains do you wish yet to climb, what dreams to fulfill?
– I wish to be able to own my manufacturing unit, so I can create my own designs, create everything from A to Z – hat, scarf, sun glasses, jewelry, perfume, creams, the make-up, the fashion, the underwear, the shoes, stockings, leggings, trousers and socks. Eventually, you grow. You have to do that with time. With time you learn what works, what makes money, what doesn't. It is a hard choice, but it is the only way to look at the future. You have to believe in something called constructive criticism. For example, if I tell you: I like this, but I don't like the colour. Some people will say: ,,No.“, they will get personal. No, it's not personal, it's business. People need to understand the difference. There is a simple hand drawn line and you have to have the strength to cross it or not.
Gamaliel Bailey said: ,,Never respect men merely for their riches, but rather for their philanthropy; we do not value the sun for its height, but for its use“. You are involved in lots of philanthropy work. What does it mean to you, what philanthropy evokes in you?
– I think philanthropy should become a habit in every person's life. If they just do a small thing a day, they can make a difference, it can change the world, make it a better place.
Bojana Radonjić
Photo: Boris Šekularac
