How do you recreate a usual prayer mat into a hip, modern design product? Hailing from Saudi Arabia, Duraibah manages to merge typical Islamic products with a contemporary design aesthetic with pretty impressive results.
From ornate Arabic calligraphy to Arabesque's geometrical designs in ceramics and architecture, Islamic art was discovered and continues to enchant audiences from around the world. Since Islamic art has existed from the 7th century, it still exists in many religious sites from mosques to Masjid Al-Haram. But, what if an artist tries to blend Islamic art with another art design, will the odds be in his/her favor?
Marwan Mahmoud Qutub took on the challenge with his simple but symbolic contemporary Islamic design through his store, Duraibah. He received the name from the doors of the Haram that makes its way to a historic, main market called Sowaikah. He founded his store in Makkah Al-Mukkaramah after four years of research and development of the brand.
“Our aim is to create designs that behold the great Islamic heritage we have as Muslims and to connect the sentimental value of the holy places to the hearts of Muslims,” explained Qutub. “We created contemporary Islamic designs to compliment our unique selection of products, facilitating pilgrims to find quality gifts and souvenirs as a reminder of their unforgettable journey to Makkah.”
Duraibah's products include a Quran, whether be in a box or designed in jacket form, a choice of pop art or ripple prayer mats, colourful subhas, and home decor and accessories that include a mug and inscribed as, “been there, done that Tawaf*.”
Duraibah is now located in two branches in Makkah, one in Jabal Omar Mall and another in Abraj Al-Bait Mall. Also, the online store delivers to the Middle east and other parts of the world like US and Japan.
For more information, visit www.duraibah.com
