Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanese designer Mira Hayek completed a Master Research Study Program in Fashion and Textile Design at Istituto Europeo di Design with distinction. She went on to intern with Elie Saab and Erdem before freelancing as a graphic designer and fashion illustrator. After being selected by Starch foundation to design a ready-to-wear collection under her own name, Mira formally launched her brand in 2013, dedicating it to producing collections for urban lifestyle. Her brand is positioned on contemporary sportswear looks for an eclectic crowd; graphic, voluminous, and fresh.
Mira Hayek’s latest collection really appeals to my sense of blending style with function. Strong cuts and bold colors are great for winter when you want to make quick wardrobe choices in the morning and fused with more feminine, floating pieces to create a go-to collection for any occasion.
We spoke with Mira to find out more about her Autumn/Winter 2016 collection:
What is the latest collection called?
KamiDoll
How would you describe the collection?
The mirahayek Fall Winter 2016/2017 collection is called KamiDoll – Kami meaning Paper in Japanese – and is inspired by Japanese Paper Dolls.
I have been collecting wooden Japanese Dolls for years. But for this collection, I was more interested in Origami because of the many graphic forms you can find in the paper figurines.
Traditionally, Japanese Dolls represent various categories: children and babies, some the imperial court, warriors and heroes, fairy-tale characters, gods and also people of the daily life of Japanese cities. Many have a long tradition and are still made today, for household shrines, for formal gift-giving, or for festival celebrations.
In this collection, the Dolls represent mysterious urban figurines that move around discreetly in a crowd and yet stand out with their unique outfits.
What was the inspiration behind this collection?
Japanese Paper Dolls
Which key materials are used in your AW collection?
The fabrics used in the collection are soft to the touch, comfortable and warm to ease up the cold in the winter season. Double sided scuba, Viscose, Poly/Acrylic blends and Poly/Cotton blends are the majority of the fabrics used in the KamiDoll collection
For more, visit www.mirahayek.com
