twenty30forty...Glamourous Whatever Your Age!

As you know, fabulous fashion isn't just restricted to women in their twenties. And that's something Doha-based label, twenty30forty, know very well.

twenty30forty was set up by three designers - one in her twenties, one in her thirties and one in her forties. They originally started off their label in Kuala Lumpur, but have recently moved it Doha. twenty30forty was literally established in a living room! "We laughed over coffee and talked about the ever-changing trends and how it would be so great if we could just have classic flattering pieces that you can keep in your wardrobe for a long long time. So we decided to do something of our own, creating classic, evergreen pieces and just play on fabrics and motifs throughout different collections. And so, if the clothes will stay in your wardrobe for a long time, surely it will transcend your age from your twenties to your forties and hopefully longer!"

From their Year-End collection

Rather than just selling online, the designers prefer to interact and meet face-to-face with their clients at fun tea parties, private appointments and trunk shows.

Their collections are usually capsule collections centered around a particular theme, for example "Kaftan Chic," which was comprised of beautifully embroidered and embellished kaftan gowns in gradients of different colours, with flattering draping and ruching details. with some of the kaftans having Asian influences while others had Arabic and Khaleeji flavors to them. Their signature pieces are their maxi skirts which come in bold gradient colours and prints. They can be dressed up or down and just like the kaftans, they are suitable for everyone - abaya-wearers and non-abaya wearers who wear the Hijab.

Here's my mini-interview with the designers:

So twenty30forty was born in Kuala Lumpur, what made you decide to move
the label to Doha? And what kind of response have you had in both countries so
far?

The founders of the brand, Mei Ling & Debrina, were both based in Kuala
Lumpur but of course, lives evolved and Debrina relocated to Doha after
getting married to be with her husband who is based in Doha for work.
Debrina decided to expand the operations into Doha because fashion is a
universal language.

In Kuala Lumpur, Debrina managed two different fashion brands, one which she founded and both which she sold prior to moving to Doha. These were physical retail operations with no online presence so when Twenty30Forty came along, it was a new experience for both Mei Ling and Debrina because it was a new territory operating in the online market.

The response in Doha thus far, has been extremely encouraging and presents exciting prospects. We love the enthusiasm and passion and drive of the emerging market here in Doha especially with the upcoming pool of new creative minds. Because of the melting pot of culture and influences here in Doha, people are also more receptive of new concepts and ideas.

What inspires you when creating each collection?

Honestly, Mei Ling and Debrina are quite set in their sense of style and influences. Surprisingly, comfort is a big influence, and of course
followed by classic and elegant cuts.

Do you mainly design kaftans, or do your collections include other types of clothing?

The way Twenty30Forty works is to produce capsule collections with different themes. The Kaftan Chic collection was just one of the capsule collections. Moving on from here, you will see the Animal and Safari Print line, the 

Evening Glamour line, and the Comfort Drapes line which is part of the Year-End Collection. 

Our signature pieces are the maxi skirts and maxi dresses of 

different variants in fabrics and patterns. For Spring Summer 2012, it will be an exciting 

time, as we have just finalized the drawing board and for Spring, a few of our signature 

designs will be back with a twist, namely the maxi skirt, the maxi dress and the Biased 

Ruched Dress. As for Summer, it will be opulent with a lot of trimmings and details.

 
What sort of woman wears twenty30forty?

The woman who lives it up in their twenties, who jazzes it up in their thirties and who keeps it

 up in their forties!

For more information on twenty30forty or to order, visit their website or Facebook page, or email them at contact@twenty30forty.com