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All things bride and beautiful

AS WE APPROACH the frenzied wedding season, one mother and daughter duo is helping blushing brides-to-be look resplendent on their big day.

Ekaterina & Maria Fashion has launched its bridal and cocktail gown winter collection – using lightweight fabrics including Alencon and Chantilly laces, chiffon, natural silk, royal organza and rich silk satin in pastel, bright and dark hues.

Spearheaded by Russian designer Ekaterina Zakharova and her 22-year-old daughter Maria, the brand has just opened a new branch in Lebanon, alongside its three stores in Dubai and one in Turkey.

The label boasts more than 30 new styles for its latest collection of bridal dresses, as well as hundreds of other styles for bridesmaids, mother of the bride and flower girl – plus traditional Arabic jalabyas and accessories. The outfits range from UK size 2 to 24.

City Times spoke to Maria at her Al Mazaya Center branch.

What is the background behind your new bridal collection?

The idea came all the way from Venice – we went there over the summer holidays and were fascinated with the whole art, culture and architecture of the place. Also, we went to Milan for the bridal exhibition and other fashion events, then brought back a lot of sketches and ideas.

How did Ekaterina & Maria Fashion come into being?

We came here from Russia when my mother was a young designer. She was experimenting with markets and she liked Dubai – there was so much opportunity here. I’ve been involved since I was a kid, going everywhere with my mum and helping out. The brand started about 10 years ago – my mum knew I was going to go into the same line of work as her because I was so interested. So she decided to put my name to the branch, which made me feel important and dedicated to it.

Who designs the clothes?

We always work together. My mum works with fabrics because she knows more about them – the feel and the touch and the consistency. I work with cuts and designers and a mixture of different embroidery.

Do you consult one another a lot while you’re designing and do you ever have disagreements?

If I go alone I can’t decide, so it has to be the both of us. There should be some disagreements because it’s two different people with different opinions. I rely on my mum’s opinions because she’s more experienced in this field. She listens to me but it’s always her decision because she knows the market more.

How is Ekaterina & Maria looking to expand its name across the Gulf and beyond?

It’s a family business, so I run the branches here in Dubai, my mum is in charge of the new Lebanon branch in Saida, close to Beirut, and my father is running the Turkish branch. My little sister models for our girls collection and my brother is 15 and into totally different things. He’s more interested in planes and cars but that’s cool.

Where does the inspiration behind the clothes come from?

We’ve been here for a very long time and studied the market. Any designer has to consider the requirements of the customer, it’s not up to him. So we try to incorporate what our clients want into our collection – it’s a very personal relationship. Dubai is so international so we’re trying to provide for everyone and people like that.

Do any celebrities wear your clothes?

We’ve been involved in Indian Fashion Week and we’ve had famous clients from Bollywood. A lot of models shop here and people from the government as well.

Why do you think the wedding day is so special to women?

It’s an important day which happens once in a lifetime. All women wait for that day and it has to be perfect. Nothing can go wrong and the bride has to be the most beautiful woman in the world. I see them every day and it just makes me happy.

More details

The Ekaterina & Maria collection is available from the Al Mazaya Center, Lamcy Plaza, and the Al Bustan Centre.

adam@khaleejtimes.com