Melaya Wrap
Category: Apparel
Competitions: International
In this capsule, I designed a look that will reduce landfill waste and be better for the environment. Using 100% real and natural leather that would have otherwise been discarded, I created this beautiful wrap dress that drapes and hugs the figure. This look is inspired by El Melaya El Laff (in arabic) which translates to The Wrapping Sheet. This is a traditional Egyptian clothing, specifically Alexandrian that was worn in my culture by all women between the 20th and 21st Century. It consisted of a large 4x4 meter black cotton fabric that is wrapped tightly around the waist, over the head, and then back under the arm without the use of any stitching. Its beauty was in the simplicity of how it cinched the waist and accentuated the female figure without any additional embellishments. I drew a strong inspiration from The Wrapping Sheet since I wanted to preserve as much of the natural drape of the leather as possible, whilst creating a timeless silhouette that will last centuries like the true nature of leather. For many when leather is mentioned, they think about biker jackets and edgy garments. But who said that's all? Leather can be elegant, soft and beautiful. It can exude power and femininity. Leather has the ability to convey a strong message without words. This is why I chose leather for my look.
