By Christopher Joshua Benton
(L) Ahmed El-Sayed is the co-founder of House of Nomad and a former fashion editor. (R) Entrepreneur Saleh Al-Bana quit his job to launch House of Nomad a year ago.
Inviting Tempo into their living workspace, founders of the white-hot Emirati label “House of Nomad” Ahmed El-Sayed and Saleh Al-Bana are open, hospitable, and most importantly, surrounded by inspiration. There’s the pixel art wall decals, the mood board covered in images of powerful women in minimalist uniforms, and the chandelier influenced by Murakami, the Japanese pop artist.
Founded just under a year ago, House of Nomad is uniquely inspired, matching the playfulness of its signature Arabic calligraphy with a stripped down purity. Ahmed reiterated the brand’s positioning, “Having a brand made in the UAE is so important to us.”
Saleh calls their fashion “luxe sportswear,” adding, “The UAE is our home so to produce locally is incredible. Everything is conceived here, made here, and constructed entirely by hand, piece by piece.”
Over the course of three tightly curated collections, the founders have projected a global-meets-local vision coloure
d by their travels and life in Dubai. “99% of the people here are in a transitional state. They move in for a few years and they move out. That’s how we came up with our name,” Ahmed says.
House of Nomad’s spring collection is available in only three colours: sand, navy, and white. Inspired by cheerleaders and football captains, the new collection is sporty and chic.
The 2015 spring/summer collection takes cues from the schoolyard and is the brand’s most advanced yet. Items include bomber jackets, mini-skirts, jumpers and more, offered exclusively in neoprene, a stretchy, high-tech fabric used in the construction of scuba gear.
Innovative and yet highly wearable, the label has met with quick success. When pop star Gwen Stefani was looking for fresh regional talent to outfit her performance at the Men’s Handball World Championship in Qatar, she hand-selected House of Nomad to dress her dancers.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was arranged by the duo’s PR Company, Faux Consultancy. “It’s really important to hire a good PR company to represent your brand. They become a good partner for design direction, retail distribution, and market research. It’s invaluable,” says Ahmed.
House of Nomad can be found at fine local boutiques like The Luxury Arcade in Abu Dhabi and Sauce in Dubai.
