'You should be able to mix your Christian Dior with Zara'

Dubai - Street talk: Designer from Saudi Arabia has wonderful experience travelling by Dubai Metro

Not everyday on the Dubai Metro do you run into a fashion designer from Saudi Arabia, much less one who speaks about 'changing the perception' the world has about men from Saudi Arabia.

As it turns out, Hatem Alakeel was taking the Dubai Metro for the first time. Dressed in Armani and Gucci (we asked), Alakeel was a bit guarded, but broke into smiles often. In his black tee and jeans and white shoes, he didn't 'appear' very 'Saudi'. It's something he's used to, like people constantly mispronouncing your name. When Alakeel's in the west, people have trouble believing he's from Saudi at all. Does that annoy him? A little bit, he admits: "We're not all camels, you know."

Wednesday was his first trip in the Dubai Metro, and he was impressed. Not surprised, though. He's used to Dubai being top-of-the-line infrastructure and efficiency wise. Alakeel was headed to The Dubai Mall. To shop ... or check out the season's fashion trends or...? No such thing, he was going there to just chill and meet some friends. How does he like Dubai? How often is he here? For two weeks every month, he says. He's been in Dubai on and off eight years, loves it. Loves how organised the city is. Home, he says, is Saudi, but he studied in Europe, was brought up there, and work allows him to travel extensively. He "hasn't had the pleasure" of visiting India, yet though, he says.

What does he think about the fashion sense of people in Dubai? "People here are a bit too brand-oriented," he says though pleading guilty and laughing when pointed out that he himself is in Gucci and Armani. "No, but seriously," he says, "you should be able to mix your Christian Dior with Zara." It's what he doesn't see too much here, the clever blending of labels with high streets. His assessment of Dubai is that it's all brands, brands, and more brands.

Where does he like to shop? What's a favourite destination for that? Definitely Europe, he says. Dubai for him is "more of a place to recharge."

He's saying all this while balanced between carriages in the silver section of the Metro, where there are possibly more people, everyday commuters, not so hung about brands, because not everyone who lives in Dubai has deep pockets.

What's a daily struggle for him? He thinks briefly and answers in a professional vein: "finding a high quality of production". Okay, but more personally? "Finding a place where I have peace of mind, a place where there is openness, and where I have freedom," says the designer.

And what his design label? Turns out 'Tobyhatemalakeel' has 19.9k followers. Toby, he explains fits well internationally for the word 'thobe', (Arabic robes). He laughs at the suggestion that he's a celebrity. How come a celebrity's riding the metro?

"Well, Shaikh Mohammed in London rode the tube," he says, implying with a mixed modesty, 'then who am I'?

(We found out: just someone who Snoop Dogg (the American rapper) once endorsed, wearing the Toby label on a tour in the Middle East. If that's not middling fame, what is, right?)

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