My UAE: the abaya couture of Fatima Al Mosa and her shop, Folak

Fatma Al Mosa chose everything in her recently established abaya-couture shop meticulously – from the ­materials to the shop name, Folak.

“I was dying to open my boutique on Friday, February 14, at four o’clock in the evening,” she ­explains. “Do you notice the repetition of the letter F? My name starts with F and the shop’s name starts with F too.”

Al Mosa, who graduated from Zayed University and works in the public sector, designs the shop’s abayas herself. It’s located close to Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street in Abu Dhabi, and uses fabrics imported from Saudi Arabia.

Al Mosa’s own abayas always stood out. Before opening Folak, she brought abayas from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia for the quality and flawless fabric. “Abayas sold here never matched my taste,” she says.

Under the slogan “Dress to Impress”, her mission is to make every wearer feel special and reflect her personality. The designs are all limited edition: she makes just 10 copies of each abaya.

When she started Folak, she only had 10 abaya designs, but now there are 32. Prices start from Dh800.

Al Mosa is a fan of linen, which gives a statement of professionalism and elegance to the wearer, she says. “Linen is practical and long-lasting. The more you wash them, the smoother it gets. It also gives you protection from hot sun in ­summer.”

The shape and cuts of the abayas at Folak are created by a dedicated “master cutter”. Each abaya in the display has its own cut and shape. All of Al Mosa’s designs are ­contemporary

“Expensive abayas are scattered in many malls,” she says, “but not all of them reach customer satisfaction. Quality rather than quantity – that’s my target.”

To see the shop's latest designs, visit www.folak.ae.

Why did you choose the name Folak?

Folak means “sequins”. Many Emirati entrepreneurs choose foreign names for their shops. I wanted the name to have an Arabic touch to it. Also, in the future, I might be expanding to more than abayas. I don’t want to restrict myself to one category.

Are you proud of your team?

It takes good leadership to build a great team. You can’t succeed in any business without having a successful management team. If my employees are not happy, their unhappiness will show in their productivity and on the outcome of abayas, too.

Favourite place to relax and think about new abaya collections?

The One. Even though it’s a furniture shop, the ambience is peaceful. Free Wi-Fi and the molten chocolate cake are sufficient to help me brainstorm and be productive.

Favourite fabric?

Linen, without a doubt.

Favourite colour to beautify your designs?

I like beige, grey, silver and navy blue.

When it comes to your business, what is your long-term goal?

Love for my customers what I love for myself. I like to look elegant in my tasteful attire – I wish the same for my customers.

How important is it to dress well?

When you dress modestly and nicely, you show respect to yourself first. Then most people around you have no choice but to respect you for respecting yourself.

What are your plans for the future?

I am participating in the Sweet Look exhibition in Al Ain. I am also part of Chic Lady exhibition taking place in September in Abu Dhabi.

What advice do you have for anybody who is considering starting a business?

Just do it. Once you take the first step, the rest will flow.

Who is your favourite fashion designer?

Christian Dior – I am so Dior. I also like Carolina Herrera.

aalhameli@thenational.ae

Follow us @LifeNationalUAE

Follow us on Facebook for discussions, entertainment, reviews, wellness and news.