Following a design collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth U niversity in Qatar (VCUQatar) earlier this spring, Marsa Malaz Kempinski has unveiled the winning designer of the Lady in Red’s wardrobe and six-month internship.
The winner, Marwa al-Said, is a fourth-year Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQatar) student.
Qatar’s new premier destination had tasked budding local designers to create a wardrobe for its iconic Lady in Red, who is the “First Lady” of the hotel complementing the concierge role.
The brief asked for a collection reflecting the unique concept of her role that is synonymous with the “five-star hotel’s trademark of personalised luxury, ensuring that guests feel welcomed, comfortable and cared for, with no task or request too much to fulfil”, according to a statement.
Marwa’s design process started with mood boards outlining silhouettes, cuts, materials and colours, along with choosing an era of style for inspiration. This led to the creation of 56 sketches that were narrowed down by a judging panel from Kempinski.
For the final 18 sketches, Marwa drew full designs and the judging panel then selected 12 final designs. Her winning sketches “reflect the Lady in Red’s elegant persona and signature red clothing - stylish, chic and comfortable, flexible yet durable”, the statement adds.
“This has been such an amazing journey! To have my designs chosen for the iconic Kempinski Lady in Red is an honour. My goal was to dress her in an elegant, luxurious and feminine cut, that’s practical yet allows her to feel comfortable and beautiful. I took inspiration from the 1950s and 60s, using soft materials such as crepe, linen, chiffon and cotton. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from such a prestigious brand as Kempinski through this internship so early on in my career,” said Marwa, the winning Qatari designer.
Wissam Suleiman, general manager of Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl - Doha, said: “This is an exciting and important collaboration as we look to nurture and support home-grown designers and artisans. We saw amazing and imaginative designs from local students who managed to encapsulate the essence of the Lady in Red perfectly. Marwa’s designs captivated us and were very much in line with the Kempinski heritage - timeless, fun, stylish and comfortable. We are honoured to welcome her to our team and to have worked with such inspiring talents at VCUQatar.”
Lady in Red, Right: Marwa al-Said
