Back to the classroom

Dubai - The whole course has been written by Henning and she is open to working with students during one-on-one sessions

UAE-based designer Deborah Henning, believes it is never too late to go 'back to school'. In the two years since Henning launched her label in the city, she has been featured in numerous fashion magazines and blogs, mostly for her use of mono-chromes and love of infusing men's sartorial style into womens wear is a clean, uncomplicated and refreshing way. She is a "Made in UAE" label who stays away from frills, adornments and patterns, and this is probably why so many fashion bloggers adore her. But Henning is also very aware that it takes more than media attention to create a successful fashion label. Before starting her label, she took time out to understand the market - even though she had previously worked for well-known labels such as Sass and Bride and Alexander McQueen. She also taught fashion at Esmod Fashion School for 3 years after which she moved onto to Heriot Watt and London College of Fashion. While she had the right credentials, she knew that moving to a new market means understanding the culture, and is now a proud part of the growing UAE fashion industry.
Says Henning, "My label is produced in Sharjah. I'm lucky enough to be able to work with a factory that supported me in the beginning when I was doing small quantities, and continues to support me as the label grows. This is also good for quality control as I can check everything before it leaves the factory."
Her personal experience in building her brand coupled with her teaching background made her realise that as the UAE's interest in fashion grows, there was more for her to do than manage her label. Which is why she recently started a two days course called "Starting you own Fashion Label and Building your business plan". The first series took place earlier this month and she will now be holding these courses on a bi-yearly basis. "So many designers want to be entrepreneurial and be able to handle business aspects of design on their own," she explains. "So this course offers something specific to those needs, separate from learning how to be a designer."
Interestingly, you do not need to have a background in fashion to attend, so this course can also be a guide for someone who is still deciding if fashion is the right career path for them. Since it is just over two days, it can also act as a refresher course to someone with their own label, who needs a quick "pick me up" on the commercial aspects of fashion.
The whole course has been written by Henning and she is open to working with students during one-on-one sessions. "The course takes place over a weekend and covers all the essentials, including developing a collection, working to the fashion schedule, knowing your market, dealing with manufacturers, styling, creating look books and getting into stores. This is a great overview, and those who apply will leave with a framework of what their steps are for the next 18 months and how to achieve their goals." At the same time, Henning is busy working on her own designs which are available in several boutiques in the city such as Al Quoz's IF Boutique. So, it turns out, you can be an emerging designer and a mentor too. Perhaps that is the beauty of being part of the fashion industry in this new and developing market, which is embracing homegrown brands.

• Style In The City