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Emirates Woman

Fashion designer Sanah Yasin on building a brand that evokes year-round wanderlust

Dubai-based fashion designer Sanah Yasin on building a contemporary brand that evokes year-round wanderlust. What does the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? Mornings are all about spending a few minutes with the kids and getting them to school. After school drop-off, I am headed to some form of a workout. I love a good hot yoga class, boxing, or a Reformer method class. A good workout energises me for the rest of the day. What are the core values/DNA that define your brand? Sanah Yasin is built on a foundation of timeless elegance, thoughtful craftsmanship, and authentic self-expression. From the beginning, I wanted my brand to carry a sense of wanderlust – a feeling of movement, exploration, and connection with different cultures. Designs allow individuality, inspired by the world's textures, colours, and stories of travel. Every piece crafted is to be cherished, worn, and remembered. I wanted to create experiences and memories every time someone wears my label. The palm tree motif has become a signature of Sanah Yasin. What does it represent to you personally, and how did it evolve into an emblem for the brand? Palm trees represent a sense of rooted elegance. They evoke a feeling of strength and softness. It bends but doesn't break, feminine yet strong. It stands tall with grace even in shifting conditions. Over time, the palm tree became more than a motif – it became a message. A reminder to stay grounded while reaching for the sky. Your designs evoke a feeling of escape and often draw from colour palettes inspired by your travels. What destination has most surprised you creatively, and how did it shape a piece or collection? I'm inspired by all my travels and the artwork around me. A lot of the brighter colours were inspired by Morocco, a place that's on my bucket list. The tiles and the colours there have been a huge source of inspiration for me. The colours of hotel lobbies around the globe are always inspiring, too. From raw silk kaftans to structured blazers, your collections blend heritage with bold modernity. How do you approach that balance between tradition and edge? With modern tailoring and bold styling, it becomes something entirely new. The key is how you style the product. I always like an elegant edge in the way I wear my label. There's a strong sense of self-expression in your pieces. Who is the woman you design for, and what do you hope she feels when she wears Sanah Yasin? She's a woman who loves to travel, someone who embraces elegance with a sense of quiet confidence. I want her to feel elegant, feminine, and completely herself, whether she's walking through a new city or lounging by the sea. How has building your business in Dubai influenced your creative process and entrepreneurial vision? Dubai is the biggest inspiration for my line. I think of my brand as a love letter to the city that inspired it all. I wanted to capture the palm trees of the city. When starting my label, I asked myself, 'If I could capture my time living in Dubai, what would that look and feel like?' I wanted to create a label that people could take back as a memory of their time visiting the city. Being in a city where East meets West, I'm constantly inspired by the mix of traditions, luxury, and modernity that defines Dubai. Entrepreneurially, Dubai pushes you to dream big. There's a sense here that anything is possible, and that ambition fuels my long-term vision – not just to build a brand, but to shape the regional fashion Industry. As a Dubai-based designer, how do you see your work contributing to the narrative of modern Middle Eastern fashion on the global stage? My goal for my line was always to create pieces that resonate both locally and internationally. I grew up in Texas, and I wanted to make sure my brand resonates with a larger audience. The thought process when creating my brand was to create pieces that were modest for the region but could also be styled in a way that appeals globally. I hope to contribute to a broader global recognition of Middle Eastern fashion as a vital and evolving voice in the fashion conversation. What were some of the earliest challenges you faced as a founder, and how did those moments shape the way you lead today? My brand grew at a faster rate than I had expected. As a founder, when you are building something, you wear multiple hats. From the design process, the business details, production, and managing a team, you do it all. To find the balance in it all, I take things one day at a time. I feel like there is no rush, and I like taking my time in building this brand. What's next for Sanah Yasin? Are there any new destinations, collaborations, or categories you're dreaming of exploring? This year, I started selling my kaftans in a store in Miami's design district, called KABE. There are also a few other cities I'm in talks with at the moment about introducing my label. In August, I will have my products in Monaco as part of the Le Closet global pop-up. This is The Summer Escape Issue – what does a perfect summer escape look like for you personally, and what are you wearing from your line when you get there? A perfect summer escape for me would be slowing down and reconnecting with nature, with creativity, and with myself. Think you're wearing a silk kaftan in a breezy, sun-drenched villa in the Mediterranean or a tucked-away beach somewhere in the world. There's time to read, swim, nap in a hammock, and eat simple food as you walk around in flats exploring the city. The kaftan would be all you need to make a simple and elegant statement. Elevated pieces that feel good against sun-kissed skin. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Supplied