“Al-Hamour” and “Kabquba” are her most prominent designs

Rahma Al Muhairbi promotes the UAE’s maritime heritage with a special touch

• Rahma started designing men's swimwear, then moved on to designing clothes for children, and now she has launched designs for women and girls.

  Photography: Eric Arrasas

picture

From the marine heritage of the UAE;

Rahma Fadhel Khadem Al Muhairbi was inspired by her “Baha” project to produce beachwear that reflects the national identity of the country, after noticing the absence of this type of product, and that all offered in the market are international products, with designs directed to different categories, with the ambition of expanding the project, and accessing new windows , and the opening of its own factory.

Rahma told "Emirates Today": "Through my project, I wanted to present products that reflect the culture of the Emirates and its people's close relationship with the sea, especially since most of the Emirates overlook the coast, as well as the father is a sea shepherd, and he used to take us on a cruise when we were young to go fishing with him.

As for the name (Sailors), it includes everyone who has anything to do with the sea, whether they are amateurs, lovers of marine sports, fishermen, or even those who like to walk on the seashore,” noting that the establishment of the project began in 2017, and took two years, as she had to acquire Knowing all the details of the product design stage, and challenging the exact specifications of each design, in addition to agreeing on a factory to manufacture them with the same quality as the international brands, steps that were not easy, but they were able to accomplish.

During the establishment period, I was also keen to survey the opinions of those interested in marine sports to find out what they lack, and what specifications they are looking for in these products.

Rahma Al Muhairbi explained that the launch of the project was at the end of 2019, and the first mass event in which it participated was the “Fish and Dive Expo” exhibition, which was organized in January 2020 in Dubai, and with time, the demand for “sailors” began to increase, and it was able to bypass the local market, and reach To the Gulf market in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain, helped by the fact that maritime heritage is a common denominator in the culture and history of the countries in the region.

inspiration

Rahma, who studied applied communication at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi, and is also a plastic artist and photographer, explained that she herself designs the pieces she produces, and is inspired by designs from local marine life, and from the situations that seafarers may face, and the marine creatures they love, such as rare fish. Al-Shuwaihat Island, which has a distinctive volcanic terrain, and Al-Qaboba, which means crab, and the grouper fish, are two of the best-selling designs among young people.

She added that her project relies on three elements: the quality of materials, the privacy of designs, and marketing through social networking sites, taking care to provide distinguished content related to the sea and marine life in the region, and working to spread the culture of the UAE and its marine heritage through social networking sites.

She indicated that she started designing men's beachwear, then turned to designing clothes for children, and now she has launched designs for women and girls.

events

Regarding the marketing of her project, Rahma stated that she relies mainly on e-marketing, and participates in major events and exhibitions, such as the Maritime Heritage Festival that was held in the “A’ Al Bahr” area on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi last March, when it displayed its products. In the festival, along with old photos of her father during fishing, including a photo dating back to 1977 during a fishing trip, another of her nine-year-old brother, a photo of the country’s celebrations of the fourth National Day of the Union, and other old photos and designs that adorn their products, expressing their pride Al-Kabir with these pictures as it was the beginning of her love for the sea.

Rahma Al Muhairbi indicated that the “Covid-19” pandemic was a challenge to the project, as dealing was limited to electronic sales, and at the beginning of the pandemic there was a clear increase in sales, but it began to decline with time, until the events returned again since last September.

expansion

Rahma Al Muhairbi expressed her hope that the coming period will witness the expansion of her "Baha" project to reach the Gulf and Arab markets, and compete strongly in them, and to be able to open its own production factory inside the country, and a shop to display production instead of relying entirely on electronic marketing.

Rahma Al Muhairbi:

“I design our pieces myself, and I take inspiration from the local marine life.”

“The (Covid-19) pandemic was a challenge to the project, as dealing was limited to electronic sales.”

• 3 elements that Rahma relies on in her project: the quality of materials, the privacy of designs, and marketing through social networking sites.

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