< PreviousBy marrying Qatari heritage with ethical design practices, Shaikha Al-Sulaiti is bringing her glorious furniture collection to the global stage JEWEL OF THE GULF The FEATURES Words by JUMANA ABDEL-RAZZAQ, IMAGES COUR TESY OF SHAIKHA AL-SULAITI HBI_060_92-95_Featues_Shaika Al Sulati_13187264.indd 9021/03/2024 14:19Facing page: Off erings richly steeped in history with a modernist edge enliven Shaikha Al-Sulaiti’s new product line This page: The Nur table lamp crafted with soft silhouettes celebrates Qatar's pearl diving industry HBI_060_92-95_Featues_Shaika Al Sulati_13187264.indd 9121/03/2024 12:39With more than a decade of work and collaborations on high-end projects together with some of the design industry’s most renowned individuals, Shaikha Al-Sulaiti has been making waves with one of her more personal projects, which is driven by culture, sustainably and up-scale design. “I wanted to create pieces that not only celebrated my Qatari heritage but also advocated for ethical and sustainable design practices, refl ecting a harmonious coexistence of luxury and environmental responsibility,” the designer says of her new product line, named Imagining Utopia. Th e collection brings together contemporary design with Qatari traditions, paying homage to the Gulf nation and its rich history. Th e founder of Qatar-based agency Casa Lujo Interiors has worked across the ongoing realisation of the expanding Doha Design District, lending her extensive expertise to enhancing the district design strategy across her decades-long career. With the release of the latest collection, she delved deeper into local design techniques with culturally relevant and ethically sourced pieces. “My journey in design began with a deep appreciation for architecture and interior design, and I further honed my skills by actively overseeing construction sites to ensure that my vision was realised with the highest standards of quality,” she says. “In terms of my design studio, it's been an incredible journey, pushing the boundaries of traditional design practices while embracing sustainability.” Th e collection includes the Nur table lamp, which is crafted with a glass bubbled shade which mirrors the patterns of traditional fi shing nets and is adorned with a precious onyx stone as a nod to Qatar's pearl diving heritage. Another intricate piece, the Sadu chair, reinterprets traditional Al Sadu weaving by incorporating bouclé tweed within a contemporary design. A newer piece to the collection, the Carrom game table, features brass inlay adorned with delicate mother-of-pearl accents that honour the craftsmanship of Qatari jewellers, specifi cally the Hilaliya. Crafted with strict attention to detail, the table is supported by a solid walnut frame and legs, marrying cultural aesthetics and a modern design. “Th is piece represents my vision of seamlessly blending Qatar's cultural heritage with contemporary elegance, making it a notable addition to my product line,” the designer shares. Shaikha Al-Sulaiti is also unveiling a new piece in the Imagining Utopia collection, which will be showcased at a private event at this year’s Milan Design Week. Th e Tetris table (a working title) draws inspiration from the unique features of Qatari traditional houses, where the typical stained glass windows serve as the muse for its design through the choice of materials and colours. Th e tabletop features a recess, adding an extra layer of modularity, and allows users to personalise their space with cushions or trays – yet another nod to Qatari design principles. “Th e collection has been showcased at prestigious exhibitions, and my work has received recognition from esteemed design authorities as well,” she adds. “I've had the privilege of collaborating with renowned brands and design fi gures, nurturing a dialogue that transcends borders and inspires collective creativity.” For the near future, the designer intends on collaborating further with local artisans in her upcoming projects, and is venturing into creating more sustainable designs that align with her passion for ethical practices. She adds, “Imagining Utopia has been met with critical acclaim, and it's truly gratifying to see these pieces resonate with a global audience.” shaikhaalsulaiti.com Clockwise from top: The Carrom game table is inspired by traditional Hilaliya jewellery; The Birkin stool is made via the recycling of an Hermès Birkin bag; The Sadu chair sports a door- knocker on the walnut base HBI_060_92-95_Featues_Shaika Al Sulati_13187264.indd 9221/03/2024 12:39 The FEATURES 93 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Spring 2024 The FEATURES Shaikha Al-Sulaiti blends heritage, a conscious outlook on sustainability and seamless style in Imagining Utopia 93 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Spring 2024 HBI_060_92-95_Featues_Shaika Al Sulati_13187264.indd 9321/03/2024 12:4094 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Spring 2024 WORDS BY RUE KOTHARI, IMAGES COUR TESY OF DESIGNEAST A true sense of teamwork and the jubilation of sharing a common artistic passion manifests in Aspura HBI_060_92-95_Features_ Design East_13206301.indd 9421/03/2024 12:50STITCHED TOGETHER The FEATURES 95 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Spring 2024 Founder of DESIGNEAST Rue Kothari on how craft can be revolutionised by creative diplomacy from the Middle East to India HBI_060_92-95_Features_ Design East_13206301.indd 9521/03/2024 12:50It’s rare that we have the opportunity to meet the makers of the objects we choose to identify ourselves with. To then be instrumental in bringing their ideas to life, to facilitate an honest dialogue between designer and artisan; that is a true privilege. It leads to relationships that endure beyond the product, to live on in the memory. Collaboration may be the pivot upon which creative relationships turn and grow, but to shift focus from star designer to allow the limelight to be shared by the artisan, this is DESIGNEAST’s mission. DESIGNEAST is a platform to support artists and designers from the Global South and launched last year at Alserkal Avenue with the show (Un)common Th reads. Th e mission was to elevate textile art through the lens of culture, identity and environment. Th e response was visceral. People remembered the colours, textures and materials of their childhood, of their former countries or fl eeting moments of their past life. It was evocative, raw and unifying: Larger-than-life installations of falling leaves, digital looms spinning endlessly, and great walls of fabric dotted with narratives handwoven by Bedouins in Saudi Arabia, their calligraphy expressed with the deftness of a pen stroke. A year later and DESIGNEAST has evolved. With the help of India’s most ethical and sustainable brand, Jaipur Rugs, we wanted to establish a new creative experience for our artists, one that was authentic, honest and truly innovative. Jaipur Rugs wanted to make real connections with the Middle East and challenge their weavers with unorthodox concepts, shapes and ideas. Th is culminated in a trip to Aspura, a small village in the lap of Aravalli Hills. It’s one of hundreds of craft clusters in India that owe their growing prosperity to the success of their partnership with Jaipur Rugs. Five carefully selected artists made the journey to India with us: Adrian Pepe (a Beirut-based fi bre artist from Honduras); Noura Alserkal (a jewellery and scent designer from Dubai); Maryam Al-Homaid (a textile designer from Doha), Studio Bazazo (interiors and furniture designer from Lebanon) and Studio REJO (a creative Palestinian design duo based in Riyadh). Each one in turn met their artisanal counterpart, Sushila, Pooja, Dafhli, Bianca and Neha. What none of us expected was the real connection they made, the spontaneous joy of donning saris and dancing with Sushila and her family in her makeshift living room, sharing a meal cooked by Neha and her sisters, sitting cross-legged on traditional rugs with the comfort of a family supper. I had asked each artist to bring a small gift for each “What each pair made was the culmination of two disparate lives joined together in one art piece” Ru e Ko th ar i From top: Designers meet the collaborators executing the creative visions; Carefully placed initials by an artisan 96 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Spring 2024 HBI_060_92-95_Features_ Design East_13206301.indd 9619/03/2024 16:44 The FEATURES weaver, something small and sacred that represented their culture. Adrian brought lavender and herbs from Beirut, Maryam brought souvenirs from the Qatar World Cup and Noura brought a delicate tote bag embroidered in silver thread by a Bedouin artisan. In return they were given objects handmade from thread, tokens crafted with sincerity, and the gratitude the weavers felt in being able to connect with new designers. Th is gift exchange began in reverence and ended in raucous laughter, hugs and beautiful images capturing the spirit of this experience. Together, what each pair made was the culmination of two disparate lives joined together in one art piece. Under the theme What I Believed / What I know Now, each artist explored how they have been changed by a revolutionary thought, idea or event, but equally how the process of interpreting that idea has infl uenced the perception of the weaver. Th is process has been transformative for me, as Creative Director and Curator of DESIGNEAST, so I can only imagine the memories that are woven into each piece for both artist and artisan. thedesigneast.com From left: The Aspura village in Rajasthan is located roughly 75 kilometres from Jaipur. Rug weaving is a prominent and celebrated expression of art here; Artists engage in dialogue and exchange of ideas A gift exchange between artists and their artisanal counterparts formed a memory of sweet understanding and new learnings which will last a lifetime HBI_060_92-95_Features_ Design East_13206301.indd 9719/03/2024 16:44FASHION to Words by AYESHA S. SHEHMIR Photography by EFRAIM EVIDOR Styling by SEHER KHAN MAKEUP: SARAH SEQUEIRA; STYLING ASSIST ANT : JANHVI KOHLI Disrupting design norms, entrepreneur Haya Jarrar is making waves in the industry with Romani Home’s functional art FURNITURE 98 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Interiors Spring 2024 HBI_060_098-108_AFL_Haya Jarar_13229395.indd 9821/03/2024 12:44Designer Haya Jarrar stands in her home’s entryway by two large-scale commissioned works by Alymamah Rashed. Haya wears a cotton tuxedo shirt with piqué shirt front; Flared wool gabardine trousers; One-shoulder wool gabardine jacket, all Dolce&Gabbana. Ezra sunglasses, Tom Ford; Ring, Poison Drop HBI_060_098-108_AFL_Haya Jarar_13229395.indd 9921/03/2024 12:44Next >