Sunday, July 10, 2011

HATEM ALAKEEL: BRINGING THE THOBE TO A NEW LEVEL








It took me  just about five seconds to make  an impression to Hatem Alakeel , the quintessential all-Arabian-boy, er... the man with a "next- door- type" of a guy. Except for his lean-fit physique  and disarming smile, Hatem is  too good looking to actually be my  neighbor. The Saudi Arabian designer of the brand TOBY, enjoyed major spotlight. Being one of the hottest Middle Eastern personalities  who reinvented the once traditional garment to a  higher level in fashion sense, he is a serious designer, and  his bespoke lines  fascinated the international style connoisseur.




Venturing fashion's menswear was Alakeel's snap judgement, which later dissolved in his style mantra's poetic impulses and later  sank into his work ethos. He  pushed beyond  stereotypes of the spoiled and the rich by creating a league of the " new breed" that demands identity attention  and respect.





Hatem Alakeel's  own story begins with art, such as Matisse and Warhol , even before he began designing , he enriched himself with various inspirations: music, flora and fauna, family and culture , fused with arabian rich cultural heritage.

 And it’s through art and inspirations that he became an artist.  His sartorial clothing were carefully constructed defining a sense of aesthetics beneath tailoring . His eponymous collection is classic, contemporary and powerful, recalibrating the thobe to a new level globally.







His designs can be found at his Jeddah Boutique on Prince Sultan Street (next The Fist statue) and in Dubai’s Boutique One’s MOE & JBR locations.

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